Local Voicemail Client on User Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voice mail systems require costly network-based servers and technology for storage and signaling, and users must set up additional equipment, such as answering machines, which is inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a voicemail client on User Equipment (UE) that intercepts calls before the no-answer period expires, allowing local recording and management of voice messages, eliminating the need for network-based servers and enabling direct voice call handling on the UE.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network-based voicemail servers are implemented, then voicemail service is provided, but network signaling and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoicemail service availabilityVSAvoidnetwork signaling and storage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the voicemail functionality from the network server and relocates it to the user's mobile device. The mobile phone itself becomes the voicemail system, with built-in recording, storage, and playback capabilities. This eliminates the need for network-based voicemail servers and associated signaling overhead, directly resolving the contradiction between service availability and network cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile phone performs voicemail functions autonomously without requiring network server assistance. The device records incoming calls locally, stores messages in its own memory, and plays them back when requested by the user. This self-service approach eliminates dependency on network infrastructure for voicemail operations, reducing network signaling and storage costs while maintaining full voicemail functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If answering machines are set up, then voicemail functionality is achieved, but device complexity and setup requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoicemail functionalityVSAvoidsetup requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the answering machine functionality with the mobile phone itself. The voicemail client is integrated into the phone's operating system, combining telephony and message storage capabilities in a single device. This eliminates the need for separate answering machine equipment and reduces setup complexity to zero, as the functionality is built-in and automatically available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile phone serves multiple functions: it acts as both the communication device for receiving calls and the voicemail system for recording and storing messages. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated voicemail equipment, simplifying the overall system while maintaining full voicemail adaptability and versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3808061B1Enhanced built-in voicemail for user equipment
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3808061B1 patent drawingFigure 1.a
  • EP3808061B1 patent drawingFigure 1.b
  • EP3808061B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

A User Equipment (UE) for handling voice or video calls, such as for example a smartphone, PC, laptop, tablet, etc, has a voicemail client integrated in its OS, or in the form of an app, configured to receive an incoming call message causing an alert about the incoming call for at most a pre-set no-answer period of time, after which, if the call is not answered, the call being set to be completed from the calling party towards a network-based voicemail center, and before the expiry of the pre-set no-answer period of time, to answer the incoming call, causing the call to be established between the calling party and the UE's voicemail client, wherein the call is not completed towards the network-based voicemail center. The voicemail client is further configured to play a greeting message for the calling party over the call with the calling party, record a voice message from the calling party, and alert the user of the UE about the voicemail message, using the UE's voicemail client. Voicemail messages are thus saved and accessed locally on the UE avoiding the signaling to a network-based voicemail client.