Overlay Network Mapping Primary to Secondary Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication service providers face challenges in integrating voice and data communications, requiring multiple systems and accounts, which increases costs and complexity, and lacks a unified approach to provide comprehensive services.
Innovation Solution
A services overlay network that maps a primary identifier to multiple secondary identifiers across telephony and data networks, enabling integrated communication services such as telephony, paging, conferencing, and instant messaging, and supports presence information to select the appropriate service based on user availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple disparate communication systems and service providers are employed to provide various communication modes, then comprehensive communication services can be offered, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple communication services (telephony, paging, conferencing, electronic mail, instant messaging) into a single integrated overlay network. The network assigns a unique identifier to each subscriber and maps it to multiple secondary identifiers corresponding to different communication services, allowing unified access to diverse communication modes through one system rather than multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay network is designed as a universal platform that performs multiple communication functions simultaneously. A single network infrastructure supports telephony, paging, conferencing, email, and instant messaging services, enabling the system to adapt to different communication needs without requiring separate specialized systems for each service type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple disparate communication systems are employed, then various communication modes are supported, but infrastructure investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple communication services into a single overlay network that operates above existing infrastructure. By consolidating telephony, paging, conferencing, email, and instant messaging into one network layer, the system avoids the need for separate physical infrastructures for each service, thereby reducing overall investment requirements while maintaining comprehensive service coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay network functions as a universal multi-service platform that leverages existing communication infrastructure. Rather than building dedicated infrastructure for each communication mode, the single overlay network provides multiple services using shared resources, reducing the quantity of infrastructure investment needed while maintaining versatility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate accounts with different telephone numbers and addresses are required for each communication mode, then various communication services can be accessed, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The overlay network assigns a single unique identifier to each subscriber that serves as a universal address for all communication services. This identifier is mapped to multiple secondary identifiers corresponding to different services (telephony, paging, email, instant messaging), allowing users to access all communication modes through one unified identity rather than managing separate accounts and addresses for each service.
4Ease of manufacture
If data communications and telephony services remain independent, then each can be developed separately, but integration and unified service delivery are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an overlay network dimension that sits above the existing independent telephony and data communication infrastructures. This overlay layer provides integration and unified service delivery without requiring changes to the underlying independent systems. The overlay network maps identifiers and routes communications across different service types, achieving integration while preserving the independence of underlying infrastructures for separate development.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach is provided for offering communication services supported by a data network and a telephony network. A primary identifier is assigned to a user for access to the communication services, wherein the primary identifier is used by a party seeking to communicate with the user via one of the communication services. The primary identifier is mapped to one of a plurality of secondary identifiers corresponding to the respective communication services. The one secondary identifier is used by at least one of the data network and the telephony network to establish a communication session between the party and the user.