Voicemail Selection in Call Diversion Chains

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Solution Overview

Problem

In call forwarding scenarios, there is a lack of efficient mechanisms for selecting the appropriate voice mailbox to store voice messages within a diversion chain, leading to ambiguity and potential loss of messages when calls are not answered.

Innovation Solution

Endpoints in a diversion chain generate and populate a mailbox field in signaling data to indicate whether and where to store voice messages, allowing the voicemail module to determine the correct voice mailbox for message storage based on user or system selections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If call forwarding is implemented through multiple endpoints in a diversion chain, then call routing flexibility is improved, but voice mailbox selection ambiguity increases leading to potential message loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall routing flexibilityVSAvoidvoice message loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mailbox field as an intermediary element within signaling data that carries voice mailbox selection information through the diversion chain. This mediator ensures that voice mailbox selection preferences are transmitted and maintained across multiple call forwarding steps, preventing message loss while preserving routing flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring and transmitting voice mailbox selection information in the signaling data before the call reaches the final destination. This advance preparation ensures that the correct voice mailbox is identified and prepared in advance, eliminating ambiguity during the call routing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If voice mailbox selection is not explicitly tracked in signaling data, then system complexity is reduced, but message storage accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidmessage storage accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mailbox field serves multiple functions: it carries voice mailbox selection information, maintains selection preferences through the diversion chain, and ensures accurate message storage. By making this single field multi-functional, the patent achieves high message storage accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple endpoints participate in call forwarding, then call diversion capability is improved, but voice mailbox identification ambiguity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall diversion capabilityVSAvoidvoice mailbox identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by having each endpoint in the diversion chain examine the signaling data for mailbox field information that indicates the selected voice mailbox. This feedback mechanism ensures that all endpoints correctly identify and respect the voice mailbox selection, eliminating identification ambiguity while maintaining diversion capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8837692B2Selecting a voice mailbox for a call associated with a diversion chain

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A selection identifying a voice mailbox associated with an endpoint in a call diversion chain in which to store a voice message is received. In response to receiving a call from an endpoint and the call not being answered, a header field is generated in signaling data for the call that identifies the selected voice mailbox to store a voice message associated with the call.