Methods, systems and storage mediums for providing a self-provisioning telephony service

• US 20060008066A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starling, Gerald A., Henson, Dirk S., Loveless, Ken A., Broadus, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7036 Administer via user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing self-provisioning telephony services. The method includes receiving a request for the self-provisioning telephony services from a caller of a telecommunications service provider. The method also includes prompting the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning telephony services. The method further includes implementing the self-provisioning telephony services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to information received as a result of the prompting. The self-provisioning telephony services include activating an account for a new telephone number, modifying an account for an existing telephone number, retrieving a forgotten personal identification number, and canceling an account for an existing telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for providing self-provisioning telephony services, comprising:

receiving a request for said self-provisioning services from a caller;

prompting said caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of said self-provisioning services; and

implementing said self-provisioning services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to said information received as a result of said prompting;

wherein said self-provisioning telephony services include at least one of;

activating an account for a new telephone number;

modifying an account for an existing telephone number retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

canceling an account for an existing telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-provisioning telephony services are applicable to toll-free telephone numbers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said prompts include directions for performing at least one of:

validating said caller'"'"'s identity;

assigning a personal identification number to said caller;

accepting said new telephone number;

modifying an existing personal identification number;

canceling said existing telephone number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

accepting terms and conditions of said account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a fee for said account, said fee based upon at least one of:

minutes of use incurred for said telephone number; and

a flat periodic fee based upon time said account is active.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning a personal identification number to said caller is performed by at least one of:

said telecommunications service provider; and

said caller in response to receiving a request for a caller-selected personal identification number.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said implementing said self-provisioning telephony services includes generating a provisioning order in accordance with said information received as a result of said prompting, said provisioning order including an assigned telephone number, an assigned personal identification number, and a current telephone number of said caller.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a request for self-provisioning telephony services is performed using a designated access number allocated for implementing said self-provisioning telephony services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said request for said self-provisioning telephony services is initiated by said caller using at least one of a wireline telephone, a personal computer, a wireless telephone a web-enabled wireline telephone, and a web-enabled mobile telephone and said prompting said caller to provide information includes presenting prompts in a format including at least one of voice, text, web-based, and multi-media.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said telephone number is shared by multiple callers, wherein accounts of said multiple callers are distinguishable by a unique personal identification number assigned to each of said accounts.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said provisioning order includes an assigned telephone number, an assigned personal identification number, and a current telephone number of said caller.

10. A system for providing self-provisioning telephony services, comprising:

a service control server in communication with a calling device, said service control server operable for receiving a request for said self-provisioning telephony services from a caller via said calling device; and

a resource server in communication with said service control server, said resource server executing a self-provisioning application and user interface, said self-provisioning application and user interface operable for prompting said caller to provide information and generating a provisioning order resulting from responses to prompts;

wherein said service control server receives said provisioning order and executes said self-provisioning services without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said self-provisioning telephony services include at least one of:

activating an account for a new telephone number;

modifying an account for an existing telephone number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

canceling an account for an existing telephone number.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the self-provisioning telephony services are applicable to toll-free telephone numbers.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a provisioning server in communication with said resource server and said service control server, said provisioning server operable for:

reformatting said provisioning order received from said resource server to a data format usable by said service control server; and

transmitting reformatted provisioning order data to said service control server for execution of self-provisioning services identified in said reformatted provisioning order data.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a billing server in communication with said provisioning server, said billing server receiving provisioning orders from said provisioning server for managing bills of callers that utilize said self-provisioning services.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said telephone number is shared by multiple callers, wherein accounts of said multiple callers are distinguishable by a unique personal identification number assigned to each of said accounts.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said prompts include directions for performing at least one of:

validating said caller'"'"'s identity;

assigning a personal identification number to said caller;

accepting said new telephone number;

modifying an existing personal identification number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number;

canceling said existing telephone number; and

accepting terms and conditions of said account.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein prompts to said caller are presented in a format including at least one of:

voice;

text; and

web-based; and

multi-media.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein said request for said self-provisioning telephony services is initiated by said caller using at least one of:

a wireline telephone;

a personal computer;

a wireless telephone;

a web-enabled wireline telephone; and

a web-enabled mobile telephone.

20. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code for providing self-provisioning services, said program code including instructions for causing a host system to implement a method, comprising:

receiving a request for said self-provisioning services from a caller;

prompting said caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of said self-provisioning services; and

implementing said self-provisioning services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to said information received as a result of said prompting;

wherein said self-provisioning telephony services include at least one of;

activating an account for a new telephone number;

modifying an account for an existing telephone number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

canceling an account for an existing telephone number.