Hosted Voicemail Call Screening via Conference Bridge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of hosted voicemail systems cannot screen calls by listening to voicemail messages left in these systems, as they are separate from individual telephone devices, limiting the ability to decide whether to answer incoming calls.
Innovation Solution
A method to route incoming calls to a hosted voicemail system, establishing a connection between the call, the voicemail system, and the telephone terminal, allowing users to listen to messages and decide whether to answer, with options for passive or active call screening through speaker and microphone channels, and switch communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If incoming calls are routed to a hosted voicemail system, then call screening capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conference bridge as an intermediary component that connects the telephone terminal, hosted voicemail system, and switch. This mediator enables the telephone terminal to monitor voicemail messages without requiring direct integration between the terminal and voicemail system, thus improving call screening capability while minimizing system complexity through a standardized intermediary interface
Solution Approach 2:
The hosted voicemail system is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the traditional voicemail recording system and the monitored communication channel for call screening. By making the voicemail system multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate monitoring infrastructure, thereby improving call screening capability without proportionally increasing system complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If a connection is established between incoming call, hosted voicemail system, and telephone terminal, then user control over call answering is improved, but connection management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic connection establishment and management where the system itself handles the complex routing and conferencing operations. When a call is forwarded to voicemail, the system automatically creates the conference connection between the terminal, voicemail system, and call, allowing users to simply listen and decide whether to answer without manually managing connections
Solution Approach 2:
The conference connection is pre-established automatically when the call is forwarded to voicemail, before the user needs to make a decision. This preliminary setup of the monitoring connection eliminates the need for complex real-time connection management during the user's decision-making process
3Ease of operation
If speaker channel is opened for monitoring, then call screening functionality is improved, but audio privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent opens only the speaker channel for monitoring purposes while keeping the microphone channel closed. This selective opening of specific audio channels allows the user to listen to the voicemail message for call screening without enabling two-way communication, thus improving call screening functionality while maintaining audio privacy by preventing the user's audio from being transmitted to the caller
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention allows a user to screen messages being left at a hosted voicemail system from a telephone terminal. Incoming calls intended for the telephone terminal are routed to the voicemail system immediately or after attempting to connect incoming call to the telephone terminal. As the caller is leaving a message at the voicemail system, a connection between the incoming call, voicemail system, and telephone terminal is established to allow the user to listen to the message and decide whether to take the call. The user may decide to take the call or let the caller finish leaving the message. In one embodiment, the telephone terminal is equipped to open only the speaker channel for monitoring the message and will provide a fully bi-directional connection if the user takes the call. The supporting switch and telephone terminal communicate with each other to facilitate the monitoring and taking of calls.