Delivery of network services

• US 20040082319A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson M., Holmes, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/56 On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A service request is received from a terminal device, and payment parameters are received for the user of the terminal device. Information of the service request and payment parameters is communicated to a plurality of service providers, sufficient for the service providers to bid on the service request. Bids are received from at least one of the service providers, and a service provider is selected to fulfill the service request based on the bids.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile communication network, comprising:

receiving a service request from a terminal device;

receiving payment parameters for the user of the terminal device;

communicating to a plurality of service providers information of the service request and payment parameters sufficient for the service providers to bid on the service request;

receiving bids from at least one of the service providers; and

selecting a service provider to fulfill the service request based on the bids.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing at least one of user preferences, presence information, location information, terminal capabilities, and readiness information for the terminal device to the plurality of service providers.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a service provider to fulfill the service request based on the bids and on at least one of user preferences, presence information, location information, terminal capabilities, and readiness information for the terminal device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a service contract with the selected service provider and binding on a user of the terminal device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating user information in one of a home location registry and a home subscriber system with at least one of user preferences, presence information, location information, terminal capabilities, readiness information, and payment parameters.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the service request for a plurality of terminal devices; and

providing to the service providers payment parameters and terminal capabilities representing the plurality of terminal devices.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the service request for a plurality of terminal devices; and

selecting a service provider to fulfill the service request based on at least one of user preferences, presence information, location information, terminal capabilities, and readiness information for the plurality of terminal devices.

8. A network element comprising:

at least one inputs to receive a request for a service for a terminal device;

logic to ascertain whether terminal capabilities of the terminal device and payment parameters of a user of the terminal device are compatible with service requirements; and

logic to provide a bid to fulfill the service request.

9. The network element of claim 8 further comprising:

logic to deliver the service to the terminal device.

10. A network element comprising:

at least one input to receive a service request from a terminal device;

logic to communicate information of the service request to a plurality of service providers;

logic to receive bids to provide a service from at least some of the service providers; and

logic to select a service provider to provide the service to the terminal device.

11. The network element of claim 10 further comprising:

logic to connect the selected service provider with the terminal device such that the service may be delivered to the terminal device.

12. The network element of claim 10 further comprising:

logic to form a service contract between the selected service provider and a user of a terminal device.

13. A network comprising:

at least one service provider network elements;

one of a home location registry and a home subscriber system to store terminal capabilities and payment parameters for a plurality of terminal devices; and

a network element to receive service requests from the plurality of terminal devices, comprising logic to communicate information of the service request, and to receive bids from at least one of the plurality of service providers.

14. The network of claim 13 further comprising:

the network element to receive service requests comprising logic to process the bids and to select suitable service providers to fulfill the service requests.

15. The network of claim 14 further comprising:

the network element to receive service requests comprising logic to form a service contract between a selected service provider and a user of a terminal device.

16. The network of claim 14 further comprising:

the network element to receive service requests comprising logic to connect the selected service provider with the terminal device such that the service can be delivered to the terminal device.

17. A method in a mobile communication network, comprising:

soliciting bids from service providers to provide a service compatible with terminal capabilities and payment parameters;

forming a service contract with a service provider selected to provide the service; and

forming a connection between the service provider and a terminal device such that the service can be delivered to the terminal device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

selecting the service provider according to user preferences.

19. A network element comprising:

at least one input to receive bids from service providers; and

logic to solicit bids from service providers to provide a service compatible with terminal capabilities and payment parameters;

logic to form a service contract with a service provider selected to provide the service; and

logic to form a connection between the service provider and a terminal device such that the service can be delivered to the terminal device.

20. The network element of claim 19 further comprising:

logic to select the service provider according to user preferences.

21. The network element of claim 20 further comprising:

logic to select the service provider according to media delivery preferences.