Service control architecture

• US 20040030705A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for affording intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users. First provided is a database. Also included is a profiler module coupled to the database. The profiler module is adapted for collecting a state of a user along with profile information. Such profile information includes an identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and/or security per location. In use, the profiler module communicates the profile information to the database for storage therein.

Claims

1. A service control system for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

a database;

a profiler module coupled to the database, the profiler module adapted for collecting a state of a user along with profile information selected from the group consisting of identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location, wherein the profiler module communicates the profile information to the database for storage therein;

an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of applications, the application module adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the profile information stored in the database;

a network resource module coupled to the database and a plurality of network routers, the network resource module adapted for configuring the network routers based on the profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

a presentation module coupled to the database, the presentation module adapted for tailoring an output of the applications based on the profile information; and

a policy server coupled to the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module for controlling the operation thereof in accordance with policies identified utilizing the profile information.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the services are selected from the group consisting of Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes a directory schema.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the directory schema includes an object-oriented structure.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the directory schema identifies a logical relationship between the user, devices utilized by the user, services associated with the user, and functionality of the services.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes service attributes associated with the user.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the service attributes indicates a type of service associated with the user.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the service attributes indicates a class of service associated with the user.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the profiler module is executed on a portal server for collecting the profile information.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the application module allocates the application resources based on the service attributes collected by the profiler module.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the application module includes JAVA code.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the application program interfaces of the application module interfaces a first application with a second application.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the network resource module is written in a scripting language.

15. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the presentation module includes directory interfaces for interfacing the directory schema.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation module includes style sheets executed on a portal server.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the profile information.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation views include different views and fonts.

19. A service control method for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

providing a database;

collecting a state of a user along with profile information utilizing a profiler module coupled to the database, the profile information selected from the group consisting of identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location, wherein the profiler module communicates the profile information to the database for storage therein;

interfacing with a plurality of applications utilizing an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces, the application module adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the profile information stored in the database;

configuring a plurality of network routers based on the profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications utilizing a network resource module coupled to the database and the network routers;

tailoring an output of the applications based on the profile information utilizing a presentation module coupled to the database; and

controlling the operation of the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module in accordance with policies utilizing a policy server coupled thereto.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the services are selected from the group consisting of Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the database includes a directory schema.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the directory schema includes an object-oriented structure.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the directory schema identifies a logical relationship between the user, devices utilized by the user, services associated with the user, and functionality of the services.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the profile information includes identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the profile information includes service attributes associated with the user.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the service attributes indicates a type of service associated with the user.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the service attributes indicates a class of service associated with the user.

28. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the profiler module is executed on a portal server for collecting the profile information.

29. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the application module allocates the application resources based on the service attributes collected by the profiler module.

30. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the application module includes JAVA code.

31. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the application program interfaces of the application module interfaces a first application with a second application.

32. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the network resource module is written in a scripting language.

33. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the presentation module includes directory interfaces for interfacing the directory schema.

34. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation module includes style sheets executed on a portal server.

35. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the profile information.

36. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation views include different views and fonts.

37. A service control method, comprising:

maintaining a database;

collecting a state of a user along with profile information selected from the group consisting of identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location;

communicating the profile information to the database for storage therein;

allocating application resources to the applications based on the profile information stored in the database;

configuring a plurality of network routers based on the profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

tailoring an output of the applications based on the profile information; and

controlling the collecting, communicating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring in accordance with policies identified utilizing the profile information.

38. A service control system, comprising:

means for maintaining a database;

means for collecting a state of a user along with profile information selected from the group consisting of identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location

means for communicating the profile information to the database for storage therein;

means for allocating application resources to the applications based on the profile information stored in the database;

means for configuring a plurality of network routers based on the profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

means for tailoring an output of the applications based on the profile information; and

means for controlling the collecting, communicating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring in accordance with policies identified utilizing the profile information.

39. A service control system for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

a database including a directory schema;

a profiler module coupled to the database, the profiler module adapted for collecting a state of a user along with profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, security per location, and service attributes, wherein the profiler module communicates the profile information to the database for storage therein;

an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of applications, the application module adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the profile information stored in the database;

a network resource module coupled to the database and a plurality of network routers, the network resource module adapted for configuring the network routers based on the profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

a presentation module coupled to the database, the presentation module adapted for tailoring an output of the applications based on the profile information, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the profile information; and

a policy server coupled to the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module for controlling the operation thereof in accordance with policies identified utilizing the profile information;

wherein the system provides services including Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.