Voicemail Server Prioritization via Consolidated Session Queuing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems for wireless devices do not allow users to prioritize or efficiently play voicemail messages, requiring users to listen to all messages sequentially and wasting time in establishing multiple voice connections for playback.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a voicemail server, email server, push server, and wireless service provider server, which enables users to prioritize and selectively play voicemail messages by generating indicator messages with message pointers, allowing users to request playback of specific messages and queue audio data for efficient communication sessions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users request playback of multiple voicemail messages, then the user can hear received messages, but the system must initiate multiple separate voice communication sessions causing time loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoicemail playback convenienceVSAvoidtime for establishing communication sessions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate voice communication sessions into a single consolidated session. The voicemail server aggregates multiple playback requests and delivers all requested voicemail messages within one communication session, eliminating the need to establish separate sessions for each message and thereby reducing the time lost to session establishment overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The voicemail server performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and queuing multiple voicemail messages before the user actually requests playback. When playback is requested, the messages are already prepared and can be delivered efficiently in sequence within a single session, avoiding the time penalty of establishing multiple separate sessions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the voicemail server plays all messages in serial fashion, then all messages are delivered, but the user must listen to messages they may not want to hear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage delivery completenessVSAvoiduser time for listening to unwanted messages
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing different portions of the voicemail system to have different functions. Specifically, the system provides selective playback where individual messages can be chosen for playback based on user preference, rather than forcing a uniform serial playback of all messages. This enables users to efficiently prioritize and listen only to relevant messages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If users download audio data over a data network, then audio recordings can be received, but it requires a significant amount of time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio data reception capabilityVSAvoiddownload time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the data network download mechanism with a voice communication session mechanism for delivering voicemail messages. Instead of requiring users to download audio files over a data network (which is time-consuming), the system uses voice communication sessions to stream and play back voicemail messages directly, leveraging the existing voice infrastructure for more efficient message delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP1927238B1System and method for transmitting messages to a wireless communication device
Publication Date: 2018.11.21 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP1927238B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1927238B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1927238B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for communicating information to a user includes transmitting a plurality of indicator messages to a communication device associated with a particular user, each indicator message associated with an audio message for the user. The method also includes receiving, from the communication device, information indicating an order for two or more of the audio messages. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the audio messages to the communication device in the order indicated by the information indicating the order.