Unified Voicemail Attribute Management on Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voicemail management systems lack a unified interface for managing attributes across multiple voicemail servers, leading to inefficiencies in changing passwords and greetings, and there is a security concern due to the lack of segregation of voicemail information across different servers.

Innovation Solution

A mobile device with a processor and user interface that queries and manages changeable attributes across multiple voicemail servers, allowing users to change attributes such as passwords and greetings in a unified manner, while aggregating voicemail information securely without an intervening server, ensuring segregation of data between different voicemail servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a unified interface is implemented to manage attributes across multiple voicemail servers, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple voicemail server management functions into a single unified interface on the mobile device. The system aggregates attribute management capabilities (passwords, greetings, notifications) from multiple different voicemail servers into one consolidated user interface, allowing users to manage all voicemail attributes from a single location rather than accessing each server separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device is designed to perform multiple functions across different voicemail servers through a single application. The system provides universal management capabilities that work across multiple voicemail server types and providers, handling diverse attributes (passwords, greetings, notifications, message retrieval) through a common interface that adapts to different server requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If voicemail information is aggregated on the mobile device without an intervening server, then security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the voicemail information aggregation function from external servers and places it directly on the mobile device. Instead of relying on an intervening server to manage and secure voicemail data, the system retrieves messages and attributes directly from multiple voicemail servers and stores them locally on the user's mobile device, giving the user direct control over their data security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device performs self-service by directly managing its own voicemail data without requiring an intermediary server. The device independently queries multiple voicemail servers, retrieves messages and attributes, and maintains local storage and management of voicemail information, making the system self-sufficient and reducing security vulnerabilities associated with centralized server storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If individual access to each voicemail server is required, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple separate access points into a single unified interface. Instead of requiring users to individually access each voicemail server through separate applications or interfaces, the patent consolidates all voicemail server access through one mobile application, dramatically improving productivity by allowing users to manage all voicemail accounts from a single location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile application provides universal access to multiple voicemail servers through a single interface. The system handles diverse voicemail server protocols and formats, providing consistent functionality across different providers and server types, allowing users to efficiently manage multiple voicemail accounts without learning different access methods for each server.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2693726B1Methods and apparatus to manage voice message system attributes
Publication Date: 2016.09.14 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2693726B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2693726B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2693726B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6

AI summary

Methods and apparatus to manage voice message system attributes are described. One example method includes presenting at a mobile device a user interface of changeable attributes associated with a plurality of voicemail systems; receiving a change to one or more of the changeable attributes; receiving a designation of the voicemail systems to which the change is to be applied; and sending the change from the mobile device to the designated voicemail systems.