Voicemail Tracking via Embedded Image Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telephone systems cannot determine if a forwarded voicemail message has been heard by the intended recipient, leading to unnecessary notifications even after the message has been listened to.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an embedded transparent image file in the email message that, when requested by the recipient's email client, sends a confirmation to the telephony service to mark the voicemail as heard, thereby removing notifications on the user's device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If voicemail messages are forwarded to e-mail accounts, then users can access voicemails via e-mail client applications, but the telephone system cannot determine whether the voicemail has been heard by the recipient
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by including a tracking pixel in the e-mail message that automatically sends a confirmation to the telephony service when the e-mail is opened by the recipient. This feedback mechanism allows the telephony service to determine whether the voicemail has been heard, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining ease of access via e-mail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary tracking mechanism (the embedded image file and Web service) that mediates between the e-mail system and the telephony service. When the e-mail client requests the embedded image, the Web service captures this request and transmits it to the telephony service, thereby bridging the information gap without interfering with the user's ability to access voicemails via e-mail.
2Productivity
If notifications are sent to indicate new voicemail messages, then users are informed of incoming messages, but users continue to receive notifications even after they have already listened to the voicemail
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism tracks when the recipient opens the e-mail containing the voicemail and automatically notifies the telephony service. The telephony service then uses this information to suppress further notifications, eliminating unnecessary alerts while maintaining efficient message delivery notification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the notification suppression mechanism in advance. When the tracking pixel confirms the e-mail has been opened, the telephony service proactively suppresses future notifications before they can be generated, preventing rather than correcting the notification issue.
3Reliability
If a tracking mechanism is implemented to detect when the e-mail is opened, then the telephony service can mark the voicemail as heard, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary Web service that handles the tracking complexity centrally rather than embedding complex tracking logic in the telephony service or e-mail client. The Web service acts as a mediator that receives requests from e-mail clients and communicates with the telephony service, thereby achieving reliable tracking while keeping individual system components relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking mechanism leverages the existing functionality of e-mail clients to automatically request embedded images when rendering e-mails. This self-service approach means the tracking occurs automatically as part of normal e-mail rendering without requiring additional user actions or complex custom implementations in the telephony system.
Data Source
AI summary
In response to receiving a voice message, a telephony service creates an e-mail message directed to the intended recipient of the voice message. The e-mail message includes the voice message as an attachment and an embedded image file. Once the e-mail message has been created, a mail system is utilized to transmit the e-mail message to the intended recipient of the voice message. An e-mail client application program may be used to retrieve the e-mail message and to view the message content. In order to render the message content, the e-mail client application program will transmit a request for the image file. In response to receiving the request for the image file, an indication is transmitted to the telephony service indicating that the intended recipient has heard the voice message. In response to receiving the indication, the telephony service marks the voice message as heard.