Spatial Visual Caller ID for Hearing-Impaired Users
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional visual indicators for hearing-impaired individuals are one-dimensional and often fail to adequately alert users to incoming calls, lacking the ability to provide sufficient attention-grabbing visual information beyond mere notification of an event.
Innovation Solution
A visually spatial caller identification system that captures incoming caller identification information and matches it with a stored list of reference information to activate specific spatial visual indicator patterns across multiple illuminatable elements, providing distinct and attention-catching visual alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a single light source visual indicator is used to notify incoming calls, then the device provides notification to hearing-impaired users, but the visual indicator is informationally one-dimensional and fails to adequately alert users to incoming calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional visual indicators (single light source) to two-dimensional spatial patterns by arranging multiple light sources in arrays and activating them in specific spatial patterns. This dimensional expansion allows the system to convey both notification and caller identification information simultaneously through distinct spatial arrangements, resolving the contradiction between providing comprehensive information and maintaining user attention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides a single light source into multiple segmented light sources arranged in arrays. Each light source can be independently controlled to create different spatial patterns. This segmentation enables the system to display differentiated visual patterns for different callers while maintaining alerting capability, thus providing both comprehensive information and sustained user attention.
2Loss of information
If conventional caller identification display is used, then correlated information of the calling party is provided, but the display is not adequately visually alerting to draw attention to the telephone device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the caller identification information display function with the visual alerting function into a single integrated system. Multiple light sources are arranged in arrays where the same elements convey both attention-grabbing alerting patterns and caller-specific identification information through spatial arrangements. This merging eliminates the need for separate alerting and information display mechanisms, ensuring that caller ID information is always presented in an adequately alerting manner.
3Loss of information
If multiple illuminatable elements are activated according to spatial visual indicator patterns, then two-dimensional visual indicators are provided that convey caller information, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the array of light sources and control logic to perform multiple functions simultaneously. The same light sources and control system that create spatial patterns for caller identification also provide the visual alerting function. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby managing system complexity while delivering rich visual information about callers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the light sources from simple on/off states to spatial-temporal patterns. By varying the activation patterns, positions, and sequences of multiple light sources, the system encodes caller identification information without requiring additional hardware components. This parameter-based information encoding manages complexity by using control logic variations rather than hardware proliferation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively provides two-dimensional visual indicators that not only notify but also convey information about the caller, enhancing alertness and distinguishability for hearing-impaired users by using unique spatial patterns that are uncorrelated to the caller's ID, thereby improving the user's ability to recognize incoming calls.
Implementation Method 1
a spatial visual indicator configured to activate a plurality of illuminatable elements according to one of the plurality of spatial visual indicator patterns
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system and device for visually spatial caller identification includes a caller identification visual alerting device configured to capture current caller identification information from an incoming call. A stored caller identification list stores a plurality of entries of reference caller identification information and a corresponding respective plurality of entries of spatial visual indicator patterns. The reference caller identification information is matched with the current caller identification information. The caller identification visual alerting device further includes a spatial visual indicator configured to activate a plurality of illuminatable elements according to one of the plurality of spatial visual indicator patterns.