Status Network Element for VoIP Availability Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience and cost when attempting to determine if a called party is available for VoIP calls, as they need to check via alternative means, such as GSM calls, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining the availability of a target user for a specific type of communication by retrieving contact information, sending a request for communication status, and modifying stored contact information based on the received status, allowing for automatic updates and efficient management of VoIP contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users check availability of target user for VoIP calls via alternative means (e.g., GSM calls), then they can determine if the target user is available, but this increases cost and reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a status network element as an intermediary that stores and provides communication status information about target users. Instead of directly checking availability through alternative communication means, the requesting user terminal queries the status network element which returns the current communication status, thereby eliminating the need for costly alternative verification methods while maintaining reliable availability determination
Solution Approach 2:
The status network element maintains pre-stored communication status information about target users, including their current availability for different communication types. This preliminary preparation of status data allows the requesting terminal to quickly determine availability without performing actual test calls or alternative communication attempts, thus improving ease of operation while ensuring reliable status information
2Reliability
If users check availability of target user for VoIP calls via alternative means, then they can determine availability, but this increases time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The status network element maintains pre-stored communication status information about target users, including their current availability for different communication types. This preliminary preparation of status data allows the requesting terminal to quickly determine availability without performing actual test calls or alternative communication attempts, thus reducing time loss while ensuring reliable status information
Solution Approach 2:
The status network element acts as an intermediary that provides immediate access to stored status information. When a requesting terminal needs to check availability, it queries the status network element which returns the current status without requiring the terminal to engage in time-consuming alternative verification procedures, thereby significantly reducing the time required for availability determination
3Loss of information
If additional status checking requests are sent to determine availability, then availability information can be obtained, but this increases data traffic and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The status network element serves as an intermediary that consolidates status information storage and retrieval. Instead of multiple status checking requests being sent across the network, the status network element stores status information locally and provides it to requesting terminals through efficient queries, thereby reducing overall data traffic and the energy consumption associated with network communication
Solution Approach 2:
The status network element maintains local copies of communication status information for multiple users. When status information is needed, the network element retrieves it from its stored copies rather than requiring real-time network queries or status verification, thereby minimizing data traffic and energy consumption while ensuring accurate availability information is provided to requesting terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining the availability of at least one target user for a specific type of communication is described. The method comprises: retrieving contact information of at least one target user from a memory of a requesting user terminal; sending a request for communication status information of the at least one target user to a status network element, the status network element being arranged to provide the communication status information regarding the availability of the target user for the specific type of communication, wherein the request comprises at least a portion of the contact information of the at least one target user and identifies the specific type of communication; receiving, as a response to the request, a response message from the status network element, wherein the response message comprises the communication status information of the at least one target user; and modifying at least a portion of stored contact information when the received status information indicates that the target user is available for communication via the specific communication type, such that the modified contact information indicates on the requesting user terminal the current availability of the at least one user for communication via the specific communication type.