Interface Unit Presence Information Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal communications systems inaccurately indicate user availability due to reliance on computer and soft phone activity, failing to account for activities on mobile or desktop telephones, leading to false availability indications when the user is busy with other calls.
Innovation Solution
A method and interface unit that connect to both mobile and desktop telephones via wireless communication protocols, providing presence messages to a client computer to accurately reflect call status, which are then aggregated and transmitted to a presence server, ensuring reliable presence information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If presence information is derived solely from computer and soft phone activity, then the presence system is simple to implement, but the presence information becomes inaccurate when users are busy with mobile or desktop telephone calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple presence information sources (computer activity, soft phone status, mobile phone status, desktop telephone status) into a unified presence indication. The interface unit merges data from the mobile telephone via Bluetooth and the desktop telephone via telephone interface with the computer's presence application to provide comprehensive and accurate presence information.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface unit serves multiple functions: it acts as a Bluetooth transceiver for mobile telephones, a telephone interface for desktop telephones, and a communication bridge to the presence application. This multi-functionality allows a single device to gather presence information from multiple sources without requiring separate systems for each communication device.
2Measurement precision
If a special presence application is installed on mobile telephones to send call activity information, then presence information accuracy improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to installation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The interface unit acts as an intermediary between the mobile telephone and the presence application on the computer. Instead of requiring software installation on the mobile phone, the interface unit receives Bluetooth signals from the mobile phone and forwards the presence information to the computer-based presence application, simplifying deployment while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile telephone automatically provides presence information through its built-in Bluetooth transceiver without requiring any additional software or configuration. The telephone's existing communication capabilities are leveraged to send call status data passively to the interface unit, eliminating the need for special applications on the mobile device.
3Measurement precision
If Bluetooth headsets communicate presence information via dual Bluetooth links, then presence information can be transmitted to computers, but the device complexity increases due to dual link requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the presence information transmission function into separate components: the mobile telephone handles Bluetooth communication with the interface unit, while the interface unit manages communication with both the mobile telephone and the computer. This segmentation eliminates the need for the headset to maintain dual Bluetooth links simultaneously, reducing headset complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual Bluetooth link requirement is extracted from the headset and relocated to the interface unit. The interface unit assumes responsibility for managing Bluetooth connections with mobile telephones and establishing separate connections with computers, thereby simplifying the headset's circuitry to a single Bluetooth link while maintaining the ability to transmit presence information to multiple devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Presence information is provided in a personal communications system comprising an interface unit (21), the interface unit comprising a computer interface connecting the interface unit (21) to a client computer (1); and a first transceiver exchanging radio signals between interface unit (21) and a mobile telephone (22) according to a first wireless communication protocol; and/or a telephone interface connecting interface unit (21) to a desktop telephone (23). The method comprises the steps of providing a presence message indicating whether the mobile telephone (22) or the desktop telephone (23) is involved in a phone call; and transmitting the presence message to the client computer (1) via the computer interface. Thus better and more reliable presence information taking use of mobile or desktop telephones into account can easily be provided.