Text Message Gateway for PSTN Telephone Alerting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional public switch telephone network (PSTN) telephone sets are unable to receive text messages from cellular networks, limiting the delivery of critical alarm messages during disasters to users who only communicate with traditional telephone sets.
Innovation Solution
A text message transmission apparatus comprising a mobile network communication module, a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) module, and a processor that decodes text messages from cellular networks, converts them into speech content, and plays them back through the PSTN, with customizable ringing patterns based on message severity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If text messages are transmitted through cellular networks, then mobile phone users can receive alarm messages, but traditional PSTN telephone sets cannot receive these messages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the cellular network and PSTN telephone sets. This gateway receives text messages from the cellular network, converts them to speech content, and transmits them through the PSTN to traditional telephone sets, enabling message delivery to non-mobile devices without requiring them to directly support cellular messaging protocols
2Ease of operation
If text messages are converted to speech content, then traditional telephone sets can convey messages as audible alerts, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual interface of text display with an acoustic/speech interface. By converting text messages into speech content that can be played through traditional telephone set speakers, the system makes messages accessible to users who cannot read or prefer auditory notification, leveraging the existing audio capabilities of PSTN telephones
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary that handles the complex text-to-speech conversion process, isolating this complexity from both the cellular network side and the traditional telephone set side. This allows the conversion functionality to be added without modifying existing telephone hardware
3Loss of information
If different ringing patterns are provided based on message severity, then users can understand message importance, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the ringing signal (frequency, duration, pattern) based on the severity level of the incoming text message. Different severity levels trigger different ringing characteristics, allowing users to quickly assess message importance through auditory cues without needing to read the message content first
Data Source
AI summary
A text message transmission apparatus and a method thereof are provided. The text message transmission apparatus includes a mobile network communication module, a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) module and a processor. The mobile network communication module receives a text message. The SLIC module is configured to connect to a traditional telephone set in a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The processor is coupled to the mobile network communication module and the SLIC module. The processor decodes the text message to obtain a text content of the text message, transforms the text content into a speech content, and plays back the speech content through the SLIC module. Accordingly, the text messages can be transmitted through the PSTN.