Telephony Connection Ring Tone Differentiation for Selective Call Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing telephony solutions fail to effectively differentiate and manage incoming calls for multiple users sharing the same telephony connection, leading to disturbances for users who do not intend to receive certain calls.

Innovation Solution

A system that processes ring tone information to differentiate between various ring tones, allowing for customized call handling based on the identified tone, enabling selective ringing and call management for specific recipients, including options for visual alerts and voice mail integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If multiple telephone numbers are associated with the same telephony connection and all phones ring for any incoming call, then users can identify the intended recipient through different ring tones, but users cannot avoid disturbances from calls not intended for them

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall recipient identificationVSAvoiddisturbance from unintended calls

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by enabling different call handling behaviors for different telephone numbers associated with the same telephony connection. Each number can be configured with specific ring tone patterns and corresponding handling rules, allowing the system to treat different incoming calls differently based on their intended recipient, thus reducing disturbances while maintaining identification capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts call handling behavior based on the detected ring tone pattern. By continuously monitoring incoming call characteristics and adapting the response (such as routing to specific handsets, activating visual alerts, or directing to voice mail), the system resolves the contradiction between informing users of all calls and protecting them from unwanted disturbances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If all phones in the household ring for every incoming call, then no important call is missed, but users experience constant disturbance from calls intended for other users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall reception assuranceVSAvoiduser disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the call handling function by telephone number and target recipient. Instead of treating all incoming calls uniformly, the system divides call management into separate handling paths for each associated number, allowing specific phones or users to be notified only for their intended calls, thus maintaining reliability for each user while reducing overall disturbance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base station acts as an intermediary that intelligently routes incoming calls based on ring tone detection and pre-configured rules. It mediates between the telephony network and individual handsets, determining which devices should ring for each incoming call, thereby ensuring important calls are captured while preventing unwanted disturbances to users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If differentiated ring tones are used to indicate different telephone numbers, then users can identify the intended recipient, but the system cannot provide selective call handling for different recipients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintended recipient identificationVSAvoidselective call handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from ring tone detection to dynamically determine call handling behavior. By analyzing the ring tone pattern associated with each incoming call and applying pre-configured rules, the system adapts its response to provide selective handling (such as routing to specific handsets, activating visual alerts, or directing to voice mail), thus achieving both identification and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8498397B2Call handling for incoming telephone calls

Publication Date: 2013.07.30 BCE

AI summary

Provided is a method for handling telephone calls directed to a telephony connection associated with a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein incoming calls made to the plurality of telephone numbers are announced by different ring tones. The method comprises receiving over the telephony connection a signal carrying ring tone information indicative of an incoming call. The method further comprises processing the ring tone information to differentiate the ring tone currently conveyed in the telephony connection from other possible ring tones that the telephony connection can carry. The method still further comprises handling the incoming call on the basis of the differentiated ring tone. Also provided are a telephone system and a computer readable storage medium holding a program element.