Graphical Communications Translator for SIP Interface Standardization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication networks face challenges in providing a consistent user interface across different SIP phone manufacturers, leading to user inconvenience and diminished access to advanced features due to varied and non-intuitive interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A communications system with graphical terminals and servers that use a translator to standardize the user interface, allowing communication servers to interact with graphical terminals using standard protocols, while the graphical servers generate and control the user interface, independent of the manufacturer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each SIP phone manufacturer designs its own GUI, then each manufacturer can provide desirable interface characteristics for its users, but users face difficulties using telephones with different interfaces and must learn multiple interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a standardized interface layer that acts as an intermediary between the communication protocol and the user interface. This layer provides a consistent set of graphical interface elements and interactions across different manufacturers' devices, while still allowing access to manufacturer-specific features through the same interface paradigm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal graphical interface framework that can serve multiple manufacturers and device types. The interface design allows a single set of graphical elements and interaction patterns to work across different SIP phone implementations, eliminating the need for users to learn manufacturer-specific interfaces.
2Device complexity
If the main interface uses a 12-key telephone pad, then the device structure remains simple, but accessing advanced features is non-intuitive and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional 12-key pad interface to a two-dimensional graphical user interface with visual icons, buttons, and display elements. This dimensional expansion provides more interface real estate and intuitive visual cues for accessing advanced features without adding physical complexity to the device.
3Ease of operation
If users provision features through a separate computer interface, then the burden of user programming is reduced, but the separate connection is inconvenient and limits provisioning to certain feature types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the feature provisioning functionality directly into the telephone device itself, eliminating the need for separate computer connections. The graphical interface and controller within the telephone provide intuitive access to provisioning functions, allowing users to configure features directly on the device without external equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system includes a plurality of network devices that communicate using one or more protocols, such as SIP. Graphical terminals (30) communicate with the network devices. Graphical servers (32) provide a graphical user interface for the graphics terminals (30) responsive to signaling messages received by the graphical terminals (30) and forwarded to the graphical server (32) in a service request. As the user operates the interface to perform functions, graphical information on the user's actions is sent to the associated graphical server (32). The graphical server (32) interprets the graphical information and updates the graphical interface and/or generates service requests for signaling messages to create, modify and terminate communication sessions as desired by the user, using the appropriate protocol.