Wireless Hub Transcoding for Cross-Network Conference Calls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communications devices struggle to maintain simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections, especially when connecting users across disparate networks using different encoding protocols, which hinders conference call functionality between parties on different networks.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communications device equipped with a controller and transceiver acts as a hub, transcoding data between disparate encoding protocols to facilitate conference calls between users connected to different networks, enabling simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a wireless communications device maintains simultaneous circuit-switched and packet-switched connections to enable conference calls across disparate networks, then network compatibility and conference call functionality are improved, but device complexity and protocol management difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork compatibilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless communications device acts as an intermediary hub between circuit-switched and packet-switched networks. It receives data from one network type, transcodes it to the appropriate protocol, and forwards it to the other network type, enabling communication between disparate networks without requiring each endpoint to support both protocols natively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The device dynamically changes encoding parameters by transcoding data between different protocols (e.g., GSM, AMR, EVRC for circuit-switched and IP-based protocols for packet-switched). This allows the same physical device to adapt to different network types by modifying the parameter set used for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If real-time transcoding is performed to enable communication across different encoding protocols, then protocol compatibility is improved, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs transcoding operations in advance or in parallel with data transmission. By preparing transcoded data before it is needed or processing multiple protocol conversions simultaneously, the system minimizes the perceptible delay introduced by protocol translation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The transcoding process operates continuously rather than in discrete batches, maintaining a steady stream of converted data that matches the real-time requirements of conference call communication. This ensures uninterrupted data flow between networks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS7583956B2System and method of conferencing endpoints

Publication Date: 2009.09.01 III HOLDINGS 1 LLC

AI summary

A wireless communications device is a hub for a conference call between a user of the device, a first remote party, and a second remote party. The wireless communications device communicates with the first remote party over a first connection and with the second remote party over a second concurrently active connection. A circuit in the wireless communications device transcodes voice data received over the first and second connections so that the voice data may be shared between the parties.