Routing Telephone Calls to Alias Voicemail Systems

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing telephone call routing systems fail to maintain user anonymity when calls to alias numbers are redirected to voicemail, as they often use the voicemail system associated with the real telephone number, potentially disclosing personal information and overloading the real voicemail system.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves a communication management platform receiving a request for telephone communication with a secondary caller identifier, sending a request to the terminal with the main caller identifier, and if no response is received, routing the call to a voicemail system associated with the secondary caller identifier via a different channel, allowing for anonymous voicemail handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the call is redirected to the voicemail system of the real telephone number, then the call can be handled when the employee is unavailable, but user anonymity is compromised and the real voicemail system becomes overloaded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall handling availabilityVSAvoiduser anonymity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the voicemail handling function by creating a separate alias-specific voicemail system independent from the real telephone number's voicemail. This allows calls to alias numbers to be routed to a dedicated voicemail system that preserves anonymity, while the real voicemail system remains reserved for calls to the actual number, thus preventing overload and maintaining user privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary alias-specific voicemail system that acts as a buffer between the caller and the employee's real voicemail system. This intermediary handles anonymous calls separately, preventing direct access to the real voicemail system and thereby preserving anonymity while still providing call handling capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the call is redirected to the voicemail system of the real telephone number, then the call can be handled when the employee is unavailable, but the real voicemail system becomes overloaded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall handling availabilityVSAvoidvoicemail system performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the voicemail handling function by creating a separate alias-specific voicemail system independent from the real telephone number's voicemail. This allows calls to alias numbers to be routed to a dedicated voicemail system that preserves anonymity, while the real voicemail system remains reserved for calls to the actual number, thus preventing overload and maintaining user privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the alias-specific voicemail system to independently handle anonymous calls without requiring resources from the real voicemail system. This self-service capability allows the alias voicemail to manage its own call load, preventing the real voicemail system from becoming overloaded while maintaining reliable call handling for both alias and real number calls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If a single voicemail system is used for both real and alias numbers, then the system structure is simplified, but anonymity and system performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoicemail system structureVSAvoiduser anonymity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the voicemail handling function by creating a separate alias-specific voicemail system independent from the real telephone number's voicemail. This allows calls to alias numbers to be routed to a dedicated voicemail system that preserves anonymity, while the real voicemail system remains reserved for calls to the actual number, thus preventing overload and maintaining user privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20230239405A1Routing a telephone call to an alias voicemail system

Publication Date: 2023.07.27 ORANGE SA

AI summary

A method for establishing a telephone communication between a first terminal and a second terminal. The first and second terminals each have a main caller identifier, and the second terminal additionally has a secondary caller identifier. This method is implemented when the user of the first terminal seeks to communicate with the user of the second terminal by using the secondary caller identifier of the second terminal. The method allows redirecting the telephone call of the first terminal to a voicemail system associated with the secondary caller identifier when the user of the second terminal does not answer this telephone call. The voicemail system is associated with a voicemail system caller identifier selected from a database connected to a communication management platform.