Caller ID Enrichment via SIP Signaling vCard Embedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current caller ID systems only provide limited information such as name or number, and require users to manually access additional details via URLs, which may not be convenient for users without active internet connections.
Innovation Solution
The method includes providing a user document, like a vCard or vCalendar, as part of the signaling information during a call, allowing for the automatic display of additional information about the calling party on the called party's device, such as name, contact details, and presence information, using SIP invite messages and other internet protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a URL is provided as user document address, then additional information about the calling party can be accessed, but the called party requires an active Internet connection which may not be available
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing a URL that requires internet access, the patent embeds the actual user document content (vCard, vCalendar, or other structured data) directly within the SIP signaling message. This copies the information needed from the external resource and includes it inline, eliminating the dependency on active internet connection while preserving the ability to access additional caller information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the SIP signaling infrastructure as an intermediary to transport user documents between calling and called parties. By leveraging the existing call signaling process, the system can deliver enriched caller information without requiring separate internet access pathways, thus resolving the contradiction between information availability and access ease.
2Loss of information
If conventional caller ID information is provided, then basic identification is achieved, but additional useful information about the caller is not included
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs standardized user document formats (vCard, vCalendar, and other structured data formats) that can serve multiple purposes: contact information storage, calendar event sharing, and general data exchange. This universal approach allows a single standardized format to carry diverse types of caller information, reducing the complexity of handling multiple custom formats while enriching the information provided.
3Productivity
If user document is embedded in signaling information, then additional information is automatically provided, but the signaling message becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares and validates the user document before embedding it in the SIP signaling message. By performing preliminary actions such as document validation, format verification, and content preparation in advance, the system ensures that the signaling message contains only well-formed, compatible data, thereby reducing processing complexity during message transmission and reception.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for delivering enhanced caller information to a called party. A user document associated with a calling party is provided to the called party as part of signaling information associated with the call, such as a SIP invite message. The user document may be, for example, a vCard or vCalendar.