Business portal API

• US 20050038869A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimler, Randy, Hicks, Al
• Application Number:
  US10/918,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20050038869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24

Abstract

Different communications devices, different communications networks, and/or different users are used to generate, enable, and/or manage a BAPI tool set for providing services through a business communications gateway. The actual physical location of the service and the manner in which it operates are transparent to the user(s).

Claims

1. A method for managing network-based access to computer data preferences comprising:

associating a first data preference with a user, the first data preference comprising at least one electronic data file executing in a first communications network;

associating a second data preference with the user, the second data preference comprising at least one electronic data file executing in a second communications network;

determining a first access address of the first data preference;

determining a second access address of the second data preference; and

providing access to the first access address via a first link on a portal accessible through a business communications gateway;

providing access to the second access address via a second link on the portal accessible through the business communications gateway,

wherein a Business Application Programming Interface in communication with the business communications gateway associates the user with the first data preference and with the second data preference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identifier of the user; and

authenticating the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an identifier of a guest user;

authenticating the guest user;

associating a first guest data preference with the guest user;

determining a first guest access address of the first guest data preference; and

providing access to the first guest access address via a first guest link on the portal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

associating a second guest data preference with the guest user;

determining a second guest access address of the second guest data preference; and

providing access to the second guest access address via a second guest link on the portal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a registration user interface for adding an access address for an available data preference from the portal, the registration user interface having at least one selective available data preference for the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications network comprises a business communications network of one or more communications devices associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications network comprises a third party communications network.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing remote access to the portal from at least one of the communications devices, the remote access from a location outside a dwelling of the business address.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing electronic storage of at least one of the first data preference and the second data preference on a data store remote from the business address.

10. A storage medium on which is encoded instructions for managing network-based access to personalized data preferences, including instructions for performing the steps of:

associating a first data preference with a user, the first data preference comprising at least one electronic data file executing in a first communications network;

associating a second data preference with the user, the second data preference comprising at least one electronic data file executing in a second communications network;

determining a first access address of the first data preference;

determining a second access address of the second data preference; and

providing access to the first access address via a first link on a portal accessible through a business communications gateway;

providing access to the second access address via a second link on the portal,

wherein a Business Application Programming Interface in communication with the business communications gateway associates the user with the first data preference and with the second data preference.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an identifier of the user;

authenticating the user;

12. The storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an identifier of a guest user;

authenticating the guest user;

associating a first guest data preference with the guest user;

determining a first guest access address of the first guest data preference; and

providing access to the first guest access address via a first guest link on the portal.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for:

associating a second guest data preference with the guest user;

determining a second guest access address of the second guest data preference; and

providing access to the second guest access address via a second guest link on the portal.

14. The storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for:

providing a registration user interface for adding an access address for an available data preference from the portal, the registration user interface having at least one selective available data preference for the user.

15. A system for managing network-based access to computer data preferences comprising:

a business communications gateway in communication with a first communications network and a second communications network, wherein the first communications network comprises a business communications network of at least one registered communications device and the second communications network comprises a third party communications network;

a portal communicating with the at least one registered communications device, wherein the portal comprises;

a first link to a first data preference available on the first communications network, and

a second link to a second data preference available on the second communications network; and

a Business Application Programming Interface in communication with the business communications gateway, the Business Application Programming Interface managing access to the first data preference and the second data preference.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one registered communications device comprise at least one of:

a telephone,

a wireless communications device,

a mobile phone,

a wireless phone,

a WAP phone,

a satellite phone

a computer,

a server,

a modem,

a pager,

a digital music device,

a digital recording device,

a personal digital assistant,

an interactive television,

a digital signal processor, and

a Global Positioning System device.

17. The system of claim 15, the second communications network comprises a world wide electronic data communications network having at least one of an internet, an intranet, or an extranet accessible to the portal.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second communications network comprises at least one of a telecommunications network and a voice over internet protocol network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the telecommunications network comprises at least one of a private branch exchange, a public switched telephone network, a mobile switching telephone communications network, and a satellite communications network.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the second communications network comprises a data storage device.