Selective Mobile Communication Filtering via Terminal Status

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile radio networks, users face issues with unwanted acoustic signals for incoming communications, and existing methods for suppressing these signals are either ineffective or require complex operator inputs, leading to missed important messages, especially in areas with temporary radio coverage disruptions.

Innovation Solution

A method that utilizes functional status information of mobile terminals to selectively filter and forward communication information, such as calls and messages, based on the device's state, allowing users to specify preferences regarding time, location, and sender, with filtering information recorded by the mobile network to adapt to individual needs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If acoustic signals are played back for all incoming communications, then users can perceive all communication information, but users are disturbed by unwanted signals in certain situations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisturbance from unwanted acoustic signalsVSAvoidmissed important communication information
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different notification behaviors to different communication information based on local characteristics. Communication information is classified into wanted and unwanted categories, and acoustic signals are selectively played back only for wanted communications. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing silence for unwanted signals while maintaining audio feedback for important communications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses functional status information from the mobile terminal as feedback to dynamically control the playback behavior. The network entity receives status information indicating whether the terminal is in a situation where acoustic playback is desired, and adjusts notification behavior accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables adaptive notification that prevents disturbance while ensuring important communications are perceived.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If acoustic signal playback is suppressed to avoid disturbance, then users are not disturbed in certain situations, but users cannot perceive important communication information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuppression of acoustic signalsVSAvoidmissed important messages
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniform suppression or playback, the system applies local quality differentiation by classifying communication information into wanted and unwanted categories. Acoustic signals are suppressed only for unwanted communications while being played back for wanted communications. This selective approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining suppression benefits while preserving information perception for important messages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback through functional status information to dynamically adjust notification behavior. The mobile terminal provides status information about its current state and communication preferences, and the network entity uses this feedback to selectively play back acoustic signals only when appropriate. This ensures suppression is applied easefully while important messages are still perceived.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If complex operator inputs are required to set suppression options, then suppression functionality is available, but the operation becomes complicated and limited in range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuppression functionalityVSAvoidoperator input complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service operation by allowing the mobile terminal to automatically provide functional status information to the network entity. The terminal itself manages its notification preferences and status reporting without requiring complex operator inputs for each communication event. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining versatile suppression functionality while greatly simplifying operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The functional status information mechanism serves multiple functions: it indicates terminal state, conveys communication preferences, and enables adaptive notification control. This multi-functional approach allows the system to provide comprehensive suppression functionality through a single unified mechanism, resolving the contradiction between versatility and ease of operation.

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

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the mobile terminal is switched off to suppress acoustic signals, then no acoustic playback occurs, but the terminal becomes unavailable for receiving communication information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic signal playbackVSAvoidavailability of terminal
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the communication information stream into wanted and unwanted categories, and separately controls acoustic playback for each category. The terminal remains fully available and connected to the network, but acoustic signals are selectively suppressed only for unwanted communications. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining terminal availability while preventing unwanted acoustic playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The network entity acts as an intermediary between the terminal and communication information, filtering and selectively forwarding notifications based on functional status information. The terminal remains available and connected, but the intermediary controls which communications trigger acoustic playback. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining availability while suppressing unwanted acoustic signals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP1725063B1Selective (filtered) delivery of communications information to a mobile terminal in a mobile radio network based on functional status information of the mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2013.12.18 VODAFONE HOLDING GMBH
  • EP1725063B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to methods for operating a mobile terminal device (1, 11, 19) usable in mobile networks (6) in a mobile network (6), wherein at least one functional status information of a mobile terminal device (1) that is ready for operation and registered in the mobile network (6) with regard to its current location in at least one radio cell of the mobile network (6) is acquired by a mobile network (6) and used for a transmission of communication information (17, 18, 25, 26) directed to the mobile terminal device (1) (e.g. for filtering calls or text messages).Furthermore, the present invention relates to a mobile communication system with components (7, 8, 9) forming a cellular mobile communication network (6) with a hierarchical cell structure, in particular according to the GSM and/or UMTS radio network standard, and with mobile terminal devices (1, 11, 19) usable in the mobile communication network (6), wherein the components (7, 8, 9) forming the mobile communication network (6) are configured together with a mobile terminal device to carry out a method according to the invention.