Media Server Video Ring Back Tone During VoLTE Calls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current VoLTE ring back tone systems stop playing after a user answers a call, affecting user experience and limiting service development.

Innovation Solution

A call processing method and media server architecture that continues to play a video ring back tone during an audio call by performing media and video resource negotiations between calling and called terminals, ensuring video playback after the called user answers, thus enhancing user experience and network capability utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ring back tone stops playing after the called user answers the call (current system behavior), then the call processing is simple, but the user experience is degraded and service development is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall processing simplicityVSAvoiduser experience quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous video ring back tone playback during the entire call establishment process, including after the called user answers. The media server maintains video stream transmission to the calling terminal throughout the call, ensuring the useful action (video playback) continues without interruption, thereby improving user experience while managing call complexity through standardized signaling procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Adaptability or versatility

If video resource negotiation is performed during established call (as disclosed in EP 2114049 A1), then video call services can be realized, but the system complexity increases and the original audio call function is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo service capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the video service implementation into distinct phases: initial video ring back tone playback during call establishment, and optional post-answer video playback. The media server handles video resource negotiation separately from the core audio call setup, allowing video capabilities to be added without disrupting the fundamental audio calling function. This segmentation reduces system complexity by maintaining clear functional boundaries

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The media server is designed with multi-functionality, serving both audio call processing and video resource management through a unified architecture. The same media server that handles audio media also manages video streams, eliminating the need for separate video processing infrastructure and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatile service capabilities

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

3Productivity

If the media server continues to play video ring back tone during established call, then user experience is enriched and network capability utilization is improved, but the call signaling complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capability utilizationVSAvoidcall signaling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs video resource negotiation and establishes video stream transmission during the call establishment phase, before the called user answers. The media server prepares video resources in advance and initiates video ring back tone playback proactively, rather than attempting to add video during the established call. This preliminary action reduces signaling complexity by handling video setup as part of the initial call establishment rather than as a modification to an existing call

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3952265B1Call processing method and device
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3952265B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3952265B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3952265B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

This application provides a call processing method and a device. The method includes: A media server receives an initial call request sent by a calling terminal, and forwards the initial call request to a called terminal; the media server receives a success response to the initial call request from the called terminal, and after receiving the success response to the initial call request, performs call media resource negotiation and video resource negotiation with the called terminal; and the media server sends, based on video resource negotiation with the called terminal, a video stream to the called terminal. In the present invention, in an audio call process between a calling user and a called user, a video stream is sent to the called user. This improves user experience and improves network capability utilization.