Voice Message Preview via Sender Identification and Text Conversion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for notifying users of electronic terminal devices about voice messages in communications networks do not provide information on the sender or content of the message, making it difficult for users to decide whether to retrieve the message.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that includes a computer unit in the communication network, which generates and transmits an electronic message to the user's terminal device, including identification data of the sender and partial content of the voice message converted into text, along with information on the message's length, allowing users to preview the message before deciding to retrieve it.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the electronic message includes only basic notification information (time of receipt), then the message is simple and quick to transmit, but the user cannot assess whether the voice message is worth listening to

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation about sender and contentVSAvoidcomplexity of electronic message processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts essential information from the voice message (sender identification and content preview) and separates it from the full message body. This extracted information is included in the electronic message notification, allowing users to assess the message without retrieving the entire voice message, thus reducing information loss while maintaining reasonable system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary processing of the voice message by converting it to text and extracting key information before the user receives the notification. This preliminary action provides users with sender identification and content previews in advance, enabling them to make informed decisions about whether to retrieve the full message

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the electronic message includes identification data and content previews, then the user can assess message importance, but the processing complexity and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser ability to decide whether to retrieve messageVSAvoidtime for processing and transmitting extended information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by including only essential portions of the voice message content in the electronic message notification - specifically sender identification and content previews - rather than transmitting the entire message. This partial inclusion enables users to assess message importance quickly without the system needing to process and transmit complete message details, thus improving ease of operation while minimizing time loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If the voice message is converted to text and extended information is included, then the user receives comprehensive preview information, but the message transmission and processing become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation about message contentVSAvoidcomplexity of text conversion and message extension
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the most relevant information from the voice message - sender identification and content previews - rather than converting and including the entire message. This selective extraction reduces the complexity of text conversion and message extension while still providing users with sufficient information to assess message importance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP1845738B1Method, computer unit and communications system for informing the user of an electronic terminal
Publication Date: 2010.09.29 VODAFONE HOLDING GMBH

AI summary

The method involves providing a voice message for a user of an end terminal, and storing the message in a computer unit. An electronic message is generated by the computer unit, and the electronic message is amplified to identification data of a generator of the voice message. The amplified electronic message is transmitted to the end terminal of the user, and the identification data and/or parts of contents of the voice message are displayed on the end terminal. An independent claim is also included for a computer unit that is a component of a communication network.