User interface

• US 20040088353A1
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mendelsohn, Stuart, Morch, Niels
• Application Number:
  US10/433,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A system providing at least one management service, wherein the service can be accessed by a user using one of a plurality of user-interfaces, wherein a service management function provides a generic definition of the service, and a user-interface modality independent user interaction layer provides an interaction layer between the service management function and the user-interface used by the user.

Claims

1. A user interaction layer providing an interface between a plurality of user-interfaces and a service management function, wherein the user interaction layer is a generic layer being user-interface modality independent and the service management function is associated with managing an account of at least one of a plurality of users.

2. A user interaction layer according to claim 1 wherein the account is a pre-paid account.

3. A user interaction layer according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the user interaction layer receives a generic definition of a management service from the service management function.

4. A user interaction layer according to claim 3 in which there is provided a plurality of means, respectively associated with the plurality of user-interfaces, for defining specific user-interfaces from the generic definition.

5. A user interaction layer according to claim 4 wherein the means are adapted to apply rules and constraints associated with the specific user-interface.

6. A user interaction layer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the service management function is provided to manage domain specific entities.

7. A user interaction layer according to any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein the generic definition is based on a generic interaction dialog.

8. A user interaction layer according to claim 7 wherein the interaction dialogs are configured to provide the user-interface modality independent user interaction layer.

9. A user interaction layer according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the interaction dialogs are provided by the service management function in extensible mark-up language.

10. A user interaction layer according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the service management function represents an intelligent network block.

11. A interaction layer according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein a user-interface may be one of a WEB interface, a WAP interface, an SMS interface, an IVR interface, a voice interface, or an e-mail interface.

12. A method of providing an interface between a plurality of user-interfaces and a service management function comprising providing a generic interface layer being user-interface modality independent, wherein and the service management function is associated with managing an account of at least one of a plurality of users.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the account is a pre-paid account.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13 further comprising providing the interface layer with a generic definition of a management service.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the generic definition of the service is provided by the service management function.

16. A method according to claim 14 or 15, further comprising defining, in the interface layer, a plurality of specific user-interfaces from the generic definition, each corresponding to one of the plurality of user-interfaces.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the specific user-interfaces are defined in dependence on rules and constraints associated with the specific user-interface.

18. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the generic definition comprises a generic interaction dialog.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the generic interaction dialog is defined in extensible mark-up language.

20. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 19 in an intelligent network element.

21. A system providing at least one service, wherein the service can be accessed by a user using one of a plurality of user-interfaces, wherein a service management function provides a generic definition of the management service and is associated with managing an account of at least one of a plurality of users, and a user-interface modality independent user interaction layer provides an interaction layer between the service management function and the one user-interface used by the user.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the account is a pre-paid account.

23. A system according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the interaction layer comprises means for deriving a plurality of definitions of specific user-interfaces from the generic definition of the management service, each corresponding to one of the plurality of user-interfaces.

24. A system according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the service management function and the interaction layer are provided by a central service provider.

25. A system according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein each user-interface is provided on a user device.

28. An interaction dialog according to claim 23 or 24 wherein the user interaction dialog provides a generic definition of a management service.

29. An interaction dialog according to claim 28 in which there is provided a plurality of means, respectively associated with the plurality of user-interfaces, for defining specific user-interfaces based on the interaction dialog.

30. An interaction dialog according to claim 29 wherein the means are adapted to apply rules and constraints associated with the specific user-interface.

26. An interaction dialog for defining the interaction of a user-interface, the interaction dialog being provided by a service management function for controlling a user interaction layer, wherein the user interaction layer provides an interface between a plurality of user-interfaces and the service management function, the interaction dialog being provided in a form independent of the user-interface modality, and the service management is associated with managing an account of at least one of a plurality of users.

27. An interaction dialog according to claim 26, wherein the account is a pre-paid account.

31. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 30 wherein the interaction dialog represents management service logic behaviour.

32. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 31 wherein the interaction dialog is provided in extensible mark-up language.

33. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 32 wherein the service management function is an intelligent network element.

34. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 33 wherein the service management function controls the user interaction layer in extensible mark-up language.

35. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 34, wherein the interaction dialog represents system constraints associated with a user-interface.

36. An interaction dialog according to claim 35, wherein a service is enables in accordance with rules associated with a service defined by said system constraints.

37. An interaction dialog according to any one of claims 26 to 36 wherein a user-interface may be one of a WEB interface, a WAP interface, an SMS interface an IVR interface, a voice interface, or an e-mail interface.

38. A method of defining the interaction of a user-interface comprising providing an interaction dialog from a service management function for controlling a user interaction layer, the user interaction layer providing an interface between a plurality of user-Interfaces and a service management function, the interaction dialog being provided in a form independent of the user-interface modality, and the service management is associated with managing an account of at least one of a plurality of users.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the account is a pre-paid account.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the user interaction dialog provides a generic definition of a management service.

41. A method according to any one of claims 38 to 40 in which there is defined a plurality of means, respectively associated with the plurality of user-interfaces, for defining specific user-interfaces based on the interaction dialog.

42. A method according to claim 41 Wherein the means apply rules and constraints associated with a specific user-interface.

43. A method according to any one of claims 38 to 42 wherein the interaction dialog is defined in extensible mark-up language.