US 8,009,820 B2 · Intelligent service management system

Abstract

A system manages the operations of an integrated communications provider. One aspect of the system is a work flow engine. The work flow engine decomposes the service model into sub-model components based upon whether crossing of plural networks is appropriate to provide requested telecommunication services and which service providers are available to provide service consistent with the location of the customer. The work flow engine also creates a telecommunications design from the sub-model components based on order rules of the service providers. The system automatically retrieves customer service records and preparing sales proposals based on those records. The system includes a gateway to incumbent local exchange carriers and trading partner service providers. The system incorporates features that automate comparisons between existing services and proposed services, optimizing on-net and off-net services, creation of cutover reports, issuance of service requests to local exchange carriers and trading partners, and alarming of failures of confirmations.

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Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of supporting the management of telecommunication services for a service using entity, comprising:

accepting, by a data processor, an order for specified telecommunication services from the service using entity;
retrieving, by the data processor, a customer service record (CSR) associated with the service using entity from a current telecommunications service provider;
determining, by the data processor, existing services of the user from the CSR;
selecting, by the data processor, a telecommunications service model from a template repository to provide the specified telecommunication services ordered, inclusive of telecommunication services that are equivalent to the existing services;
decomposing, by the data processor, the telecommunications service model into sub-model components using the template repository based upon which one or more service providers are available to provide service consistent with location of the service using entity;
creating a telecommunications design, by the data processor, from the sub-model components utilizing the template repository based on order rules of the one or more service providers;
creating, by the data processor, a proposal for approval of the service using entity from the telecommunications design;
when the proposal is approved by the customer, then creating, by the data processor, an order for the telecommunications services;
transmitting a service request to the one or more service providers via a network, wherein the service request comprises an order for at least one of the sub-model components reflected in the telecommunications design;
and
tracking, by the data processor, the service request based on information received from the one or more service providers via the network.

8 more elements

A server for supporting the management of telecommunication services for a service using entity, telecommunication service records of the service using entity being translated into equivalent telecommunication services, the server comprising:

a data processor;
a memory in addressable communication with the data processor, the memory comprising software instructions for:
accepting an order for specified telecommunication services from the service using entity;
automatically retrieving a customer service record (CSR) associated with the service using entity from a current telecommunications service provider;
determining existing services of the user from the CSR;
utilizing a template repository to select a telecommunications service model to provide the specified telecommunication services ordered, inclusive of the telecommunication services that are equivalent to the existing services;
utilizing the template repository to decompose the telecommunications service model into sub-model components based upon which one or more service providers are available to provide service consistent with location of the service using entity;
utilizing template repository to create a telecommunications design from the sub-model components based on order rules of the one or more service providers;
creating a proposal for approval of the service using entity from the telecommunications design;
when the proposal is approved by the service using entity, then creating an order for the telecommunications services;
transmitting a service request to the one or more service providers via a network, wherein the service request comprises an order for at least one of the sub-model components reflected in the telecommunications design;
and
tracking the service request based on information received from the one or more service providers via the network.

10 more elements

A method of supporting the management of telecommunication services for a user comprising:

eliciting, by a data processor, location information from the user;
providing, by the data processor, the user with service options based on location information provided by the user;
accepting an order, by the data processor, for specified telecommunication services from the user;
retrieving, by the data processor, a customer service record (CSR) associated with the user from a current telecommunications service provider;
determining, by the data processor, existing services of the user from the CSR;
selecting, by the data processor, a telecommunications service model from a template repository to provide the specified telecommunication services ordered;
decomposing, by the data processor, the telecommunications service model into sub-model components utilizing the template repository based upon which one or more service providers are available to provide service consistent with the location information provided by the user;
creating, by the data processor, a telecommunications design from the sub-model components based utilizing the template repository on order rules of the one or more service providers;
creating, by the data processor, a proposal for approval of the user from the telecommunications design;
when the proposal is approved by the user, then creating, by the data processor, an order for the telecommunications services;
transmitting, by the data processor, a service request to the one or more service providers via a network, wherein the service request comprises an order for at least one of the sub-model components reflected in the telecommunications design;
and
tracking, by the data processor, the service request based on information received from the service providers via the network.

10 more elements

A server for supporting the management of telecommunication services for a user comprising:

a data processor;
a memory in addressable communication with the data processor, the memory comprising software instructions for:
eliciting location information from the user;
providing the user with service options based on location information provided by the user;
accepting an order for specified telecommunication services from the user;
automatically retrieving a customer service record (CSR) associated with the service using entity from a current telecommunications service provider;
determining existing services of the user from the CSR;
utilizing a template repository to select a telecommunications service model to provide the specified telecommunication services ordered;
utilizing the template repository to decompose the telecommunications service model into sub-model components based upon which one or more service providers are available to provide service consistent with the location information provided by the user;
utilizing the template repository to create a telecommunications design from the sub-model components based on order rules of the one or more service providers;
creating a proposal for approval of the user from the telecommunications design;
when the proposal is approved by the user, then creating an order for the telecommunications services;
transmitting a service request to the one or more service providers via a network, wherein the service request comprises an order for at least one of the sub-model components reflected in the telecommunications design;
and
tracking the service request based on information received from the service providers via the network.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description9,640 words

Summary4,797 words

#The present invention relates to a system and method for processing orders for telecommunication services received by a telecommunication services provider.

#Telecommunications service providers are entering the age wherein new service offerings and technological changes occur on a frequent basis. In order to maintain a competitive edge, providers need the ability to easily manage and integrate telecommunication solutions that cover a customer's need for voice, data, video and Internet networks in a cost effective manner. Large customers and enterprises further complicate such solutions when they span not only large distances but also multiple telecommunication vendors. Presently the creation of such integrated solutions is a semi-manual system that is costly, often inaccurate and slow in implementation.

#With the passage of the Telecommunications Act (“the Act”) of 1996, the United States telecommunications industry is in a state of radical change. Among other things, the Act requires that Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILEC), the regulated entity that owns and administers an existing access network, provide to any requesting telecommunications carrier (hereinafter referred to as “Competitive Local Exchange Carriers” (CLEC), Integrated Communications Provider (ICP), or Competitive Service Provider (CSP)) nondiscriminatory access to network elements on an unbundled basis and to allow CLECs, ISPs or CSPs to combine such network elements in order to provide telecommunications service. ILECs also have a duty to provide to CLECs interconnection with their network for the transmission and routing of telephone exchange service and exchange access. The interconnection contemplated by the Act provides nondiscriminatory access or interconnection to such services or information as are necessary to allow the requesting CLEC to implement local dialing parity, including nondiscriminatory access to telephone numbers, operator service, directory assistance, and directory listing, with no unreasonable dialing delays.

Brief description of the drawings11 figures

#FIG. 1 illustrates a pre-1984 LEC Service Management System;

#FIG. 2 illustrates a 1984-1996 era LEC Service Management System;

#FIG. 3 illustrates a post-1996 LEC Service Management System;

Detailed description4,698 words

#The present invention is directed toward an Intelligent Service Management System for use in telecommunications provisioning and managing. FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11 illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and will be further described below. FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11 are examples of the present invention but should not be held to be limiting. Certain embodiments of the present invention may omit or combine enumerated functions as well as adding specialized options. For example, optimum cost provisioning process 51 may be omitted while options such as intelligent mesh network templates may be separated from non-mesh network elements.

#The present invention comprises a system useful to integrated communications providers (ICPs) and resellers of ICP services for providing sales proposals based upon customer service records. As used in this description, the following definitions apply:

#ANSI—American National Standards Institute—United States-based organization that develops standards and defines interfaces for telecommunications.

Facts

Application

10/255,338Filed 26 Sep 2002 · us provisional application

Priority

26 Sep 2001

Published

US 2003/0061068 A127 Mar 2003

Granted

30 Aug 2011

Term ends

5 Dec 2029

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 2,627 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification20 codes

H04M 15/773
Involving multiple accounts per user: per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
G06Q 10/06311
Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations: scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person…
G06Q 10/0633
Operations research, analysis or management: workflow analysis
G06Q 10/101
Office automation; Time management: collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services

Timeline

26 Sep 2001Priority claimedParent application 60/324,887
26 Sep 2002Application filedUS 10/255,338
2 Dec 2002Assigned to Wisor Telecom Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
27 Mar 2003PublishedUS 2003/0061068 A1
30 Aug 2011GrantedUS 8,009,820 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
5 Dec 2029Term endsEstimated, includes 2,627 days of adjustment

Intelligent service management system

Life of this patent

Intelligent service management system

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims21

Description9,640 words

Drawings

Classification20 codes

Life of this patent

Description9,640 words