Linked Number Service for Business Call Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Employees face challenges in managing business and personal calls on their communication devices, leading to issues with billing, call recognition, and restrictions, as well as the need for constant availability and access to business phone features on personal devices.
Innovation Solution
A linked number service that allows a personal communication device to function like a business device, using a communications network to associate a first communication device with a business identifier and a second personal device, enabling seamless call management, billing, and feature access, while allowing control over business calls based on time and lists.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an employee uses a personal mobile phone for business calls, then the employee can avoid carrying multiple phones and has unrestricted access to business calls, but the company cannot control or restrict certain types of calls and billing discrepancies arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments call handling by introducing a dedicated business communication device separate from the personal mobile phone. This segmentation allows the company to control business calls through the business device while the employee retains personal phone for non-business use, resolving the conflict between ease of operation and call restriction control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a business communication device as an intermediary between the employee and the company's communication network. This intermediary device enables the company to enforce call restrictions and monitoring policies while allowing the employee to maintain personal phone usage, thus balancing operational ease with organizational control.
2Device complexity
If an employee uses a personal mobile phone for business calls, then the employee can access business calls without carrying multiple phones, but call recognition issues arise and billing discrepancies occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates business and personal communication functions into distinct devices. The business communication device is specifically configured for business calls with proper identification and billing tracking, eliminating confusion and billing discrepancies that arise when using a personal phone for both purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The business communication device replicates the functionality and identification features of a company-issued phone, providing the employee with a dedicated business communication tool that maintains proper call recognition and billing accuracy without requiring the employee to carry multiple phones.
3Productivity
If a company reimburses employees for phone use, then employees can use personal phones for business calls, but the company may pay for calls it normally would not allow
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments communication functions by providing a dedicated business communication device for company-related calls. This segmentation enables the company to enforce call policies and restrictions on the business device while allowing employees flexibility with their personal phones, thus maintaining productivity without compromising policy enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The business communication device serves as an intermediary that enforces company call policies while enabling business communication. This intermediary device allows the company to control and monitor business calls according to established policies, preventing reimbursement for unauthorized calls while maintaining necessary business communication availability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus in one example comprises a communications network, a first communication device that is associated with a first communication device identifier and a second communication device that is associated with a second communication device identifier. The first communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network, the second communication device is communicatively coupled with the communications network and the first communication device is communicatively coupled with the second communication device via the communications network. And, the second communication device originates a communication session using the first communication device identifier, and termination attempts to the first communication device are received by the second communication device and the first communication device.