Communication Session Quality Evaluation Using Reference Samples
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Solution Overview
Problem
Real-time communication channels, such as those used in VOIP calls and videoconferences, are unreliable, leading to altered voice content during communication sessions, making it difficult to evaluate the quality of communication sessions in real-time without impacting user experience.
Innovation Solution
Generating reference content samples at the initiating device, transmitting them over a reliable channel, and comparing them with a recording of the communication session to evaluate quality, using techniques like full reference voice quality evaluation algorithms, without affecting the user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If reference content samples are transmitted over the real-time communication channel to evaluate quality, then quality evaluation becomes possible, but the channel reliability is compromised and user experience is impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the quality evaluation function into two independent parts: (1) reference content samples transmitted over a reliable communication channel, and (2) actual session content transmitted over the real-time communication channel. This segmentation allows quality evaluation without compromising the reliability of either channel, as the reference samples serve solely for evaluation purposes while the session channel maintains its native reliability characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reliable communication channel as an intermediary medium to transport reference content samples between the communications devices. This intermediary channel provides a stable, high-reliability path for quality evaluation data, isolating the evaluation process from the uncertainties of the real-time communication channel and preventing any impact on user experience.
2Loss of time
If quality evaluation is performed during the communication session, then near real-time evaluation is achieved, but additional processing may impact user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by transmitting reference content samples over the reliable channel before or during the communication session establishment. These reference samples are prepared and available in advance, allowing the quality evaluation to proceed without adding processing delays during the actual session, thereby maintaining near real-time evaluation capability while preserving user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service quality evaluation by automatically comparing the received session content against the pre-transmitted reference content samples. This automated process eliminates the need for manual quality assessment and reduces processing overhead, enabling near real-time evaluation without impacting user experience through excessive processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for evaluating the quality of a communication session or of a communication path used for the communication session. One of the methods includes initiating a communication session between a first communications device and a second communications device, wherein initiating the communication session comprises routing session data for the communication session along a first communication path between the first communications device and the second communications device; generating, at the first communications device, a plurality of reference content samples; generating a recording of the communication session as received at a first destination along the first communication path; and evaluating a quality of the communication session or of the first communication path by comparing the plurality of reference content samples with the recorded communication session.