System and method for automated provisioning of inter-provider internet protocol telecommunication services

• US 20040165605A1
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ayman Esam Nassar
• Original Assignee: Ayman Esam Nassar
• Inventors: Nassar, Ayman Esam
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0826 for reduction of network costs H04L41/0833 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5077 wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

An automated system and method to request, process, fulfill, manage and terminate an inter-provider IP service is introduced to allow the realization of an electronic inter-provider IP service, including the service definition, requisition, contracting, provisioning, management, fulfillment and settlement. The system includes an adaptive hardware infrastructure and flexible software to define business models and revenue structures that can adapt to business requirements and provide real-time information to profit centers.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for provisioning an inter-provider internet protocol (IP) service, comprising:

a first network associated with a first service provider, said first network having a plurality of resources;

a second network associated with a second service provider, said second network having a plurality of resources, said second network being operable to receive a request for the inter-provider IP service;

means for determining real-time availability of first ones of the plurality of resources of said first network needed for the inter-provider IP service and real-time availability of second ones of the plurality of resources of said second network needed for the inter-provider IP service; and

means for automatically provisioning the inter-provider IP service using the first resources and the second resources.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for advertising the availability of the plurality of resources of said first network and the availability of the plurality of resources of said second network between said first network and said second network.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

a unified and integrated switch connected to said first network and said second network, said unified and integrated switch having common resources, a first portion of the common resources being dedicated to the first service provider and being capable of being configured by the first service provider, a second portion of the common resources being dedicated to the second service provider and being capable of being configured by the second service provider.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said unified and integrated switch includes a first logical communications node associated with the first service provider and capable of being dynamically configured in a customized manner by the first service provider and a second logical communications node associated with the second service provider and capable of being dynamically configured in a customized manner by the second service provider.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said unified and integrated switch is within said first network, the first service provider being a wholesale service provider, the second service provider being a retail service provider.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for calculating cost information for use of the first resources and the second resources for the inter-provider IP service, the cost information including a cost for the first resources and a cost for the second resources.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for creating an electronic contract between the first service provider and the second service provider using the cost information.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 6, wherein said means for calculating comprises:

a software engine configured to receive the request for the inter-provider IP service, calculate pricing scenarios using the request, obtain real-time resource information, calculate real-time prices for each of the pricing scenarios using the real-time resource information and customize the cost information based on the first service provider, the second service provider, the request and the real-time prices.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 8, further comprising:

a database for storing the real-time resource information.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 9, wherein said means for provisioning includes an operational support system connected to said software engine and said database, said operational support system being further configured to manage the inter-provider IP service in real-time.

11. A method for provisioning an inter-provider internet protocol (IP) service across at least two service providers, comprising:

receiving a request for the inter-provider IP service;

determining real-time availability of resources of the at least two service providers needed for the inter-provider IP service; and

automatically provisioning the inter-provider IP service between the at least two service providers using the determined resources.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

advertising the availability of the resources of the at least two service providers between the at least two service providers.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a unified and integrated switch for the at least two service providers, the unified and integrated switch having common resources;

configuring a first portion of the common resources dedicated to the first service provider by the first service provider; and

configuring a second portion of the common resources dedicated to the second service provider by the second service provider.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

dynamically configuring in a customized manner a first logical communications node by the first service provider; and

dynamically configuring in a customized manner a second logical communications node by the second service provider.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first service provider is a wholesale service provider and the second service provider is a retail service provider.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

calculating cost information for use of the resources of the first service provider and the second service provider for the inter-provider IP service.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

creating an electronic contract between the first service provider and the second service provider using the cost information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said calculating comprises:

calculating pricing scenarios using the request;

obtaining real-time resource information;

calculating real-time prices for each of the pricing scenarios using the real- time resource information; and

customizing the cost information based on the first service provider, the second service provider, the request and the real-time prices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

collecting the real-time resource information; and

storing the real-time resource information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said provisioning further comprising:

managing the inter-provider IP service in real-time.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said provisioning further comprising:

incorporating network infrastructure and resources in said provisioning;

incorporating business relations among the at least two service providers dynamically and in real-time in said provisioning, wherein the business relations include at least contracts and prices; and

incorporating business objectives in said provisioning, wherein the business objectives include at least one of financial ratios, service volume and profitability.