Telephone Availability Status Sharing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for indicating a user's availability for phone and video calls are inefficient, often resulting in time and financial losses for callers, as users typically turn off their ringtones or switch to airplane mode, leading to unanswered calls or activation of voice mail, which can charge callers without providing clear status information.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows users to set and share their availability status graphically, textually, or audibly with callers, including future availability and visibility conditions, enabling real-time updates and follow-up notices when the user becomes available, thereby optimizing call scheduling and reducing unnecessary attempts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the user turns off the ringtone or switches to airplane mode to avoid being disturbed, then the user's availability status is improved (user can focus without interruptions), but the caller experiences time loss and financial loss due to unanswered calls or voice mail activation
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows the user to set and publish their availability status in advance before actual call attempts. The status is made publicly accessible through the network, enabling callers to check availability before initiating calls, thus avoiding time loss from repeated unanswered calls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary status indication system that mediates between the user's availability state and the caller's call attempts. This intermediary mechanism (the published status information) allows both parties to communicate availability without direct interaction, resolving the contradiction by enabling callers to plan around user availability rather than experiencing time loss from unanswered calls.
2Reliability
If the user turns off the ringtone or switches to airplane mode, then the user can avoid interruptions and maintain focus, but the caller incurs financial loss due to voice mail activation
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to publish their availability status in advance, allowing callers to check this information before initiating calls. This preliminary action prevents callers from wasting financial resources on calls that would result in voice mail activation, as they can see the user's availability status beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The published availability status acts as an intermediary that prevents direct financial loss for callers. By providing this intermediate information layer, the system allows callers to make informed decisions about whether to attempt a call, thereby avoiding the financial loss associated with repeated voice mail activations.
3Loss of information
If the user sets detailed availability status with graphic, textual, and audio representations, then the caller receives comprehensive status information, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal status indication system that can convey multiple types of information (availability status, expected availability time, reason for unavailability) through a single integrated mechanism. This multi-functional approach provides comprehensive status information to callers without requiring multiple separate systems, thus avoiding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to configure the level of detail in status information by changing parameters such as the type of representation (graphic, textual, audio) and the amount of information disclosed. This parameter-based configuration enables comprehensive information provision while maintaining system simplicity, as the same basic mechanism can adapt to different information requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide for the sharing of information about the time availability of a telephone user. Initially, at least one status is set in a telephone of user. The status may contain information about the current or future availability or busy status of the user and/or the user's ability to accept or decline phone and/or video calls. A caller who is preparing to make a phone and/or video call to user, is provided with a real-time graphic, textual and/or audio interpretation of the status of the user. The status may further include the time and/or date on which the user will be available for an incoming call, or it may additionally include any graphic, textual, and/or audio message entered by the user.