Outgoing Call Audio Conveyance System for POTS and VoIP Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telephony systems, particularly POTS, lack advanced call features available in VoIP systems, limiting user interaction during outgoing calls, such as customized ring tones, which are primarily focused on incoming call notifications and do not provide entertainment or information to the caller.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that convey an audio element to the user of a communication device during an outgoing call, allowing customization and interaction, by determining an audio element and initiating its conveyance to the user before or simultaneously with the call establishment, enabling features like customized ring tones for the caller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If POTS telephony systems are used, then reliability and security are maintained, but call service features and user interaction capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (call processing system or server) that mediates between the POTS telephony network and the user. This intermediary enables delivery of audio elements and customized ring tones to POTS users without requiring changes to the core POTS network infrastructure, thus maintaining system reliability while adding new features.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring and storing audio elements, ring tones, and call service features on servers or in databases before the actual call occurs. This allows POTS users to access enhanced features without real-time network modifications, maintaining network reliability while enabling feature versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If VoIP systems are used, then call service features and flexibility are enhanced, but call quality and security are diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the telephony system into distinct functional components: traditional POTS network for voice transmission, separate servers for audio element storage and processing, and intermediary call processing systems. This segmentation allows VoIP-like features to be added without compromising the core POTS network's call quality and security.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary call processing system acts as a mediator between VoIP features and POTS network, enabling flexible call service features while maintaining the reliability and security of traditional POTS voice transmission through proper protocol translation and network management.
3Ease of operation
If customized ring tones are provided for incoming calls, then user interaction is enhanced, but the caller receives no entertainment or information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the ring tone system universal by enabling it to serve multiple functions: providing customized ring tones for incoming calls, delivering entertainment content to callers, providing information about the called party, and enabling two-way communication. This multi-functionality ensures that both receiving and initiating calls benefit from enhanced user interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system inverts the traditional ring tone paradigm by delivering customized audio content not just to the receiver but also to the caller. Instead of the caller merely hearing standard ring tones, the system provides inverted functionality where the caller receives personalized entertainment and information during the call establishment phase.
4Ease of operation
If audio elements are conveyed during outgoing call establishment, then caller experience is improved, but network resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing audio elements, ring tones, and entertainment content on servers and in databases before calls occur. This eliminates the need for real-time network resource consumption during call establishment, as the audio content is already cached and ready for immediate delivery to the caller.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by storing multiple copies of audio elements and ring tones in centralized databases and servers. This allows the system to serve multiple callers simultaneously without consuming additional network resources for each copy, as the same audio content is reused across multiple calls.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses numerous implementations for conveying an audio element to a source device initiating an outgoing call while a user of the source device is waiting for a user of a destination device to answer the call. A call processing system receives a call request message from the source device, determines an audio element from a plurality of audio elements to convey to the source device and initiates conveyance of the audio element to the source device in response to receiving the call request message. The system then causes establishment of a media connection between the source and destination devices and terminates conveyance of the audio element to the source device prior to or substantially simultaneous with the establishment of the media connection between the source and destination devices. In various implementations, the source device may be implemented within the PSTN and/or an IP network. The audio element may comprise an audio file, an audio stream, scheduling information or other audio content. A subscriber associated with the source device may pre-configure the selection of the audio element to be conveyed in replace of the traditional ring tone. A communication device may also implement a method to convey an audio element to a user of the communication device during establishment of an outgoing call.