Graphical user interface and method for customer centric network management

• US 20070043826A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kenneson, David, Silletti, Andrew, Elman, Boris
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A graphical user interface and method for customer centric network management. The graphical user interface includes a first view showing text input by a user indicative of customer identification data corresponding to a customer in a network. This data is received by a server connected to the user. The server retrieves stored information corresponding to the customer identification data from a database and provides the stored information and actual circuit path information corresponding to a customer service based on the stored information to the graphical user interface. A second view of the graphical user interface shows the stored information, and a third view shows a graphical representation of a customer path corresponding to the actual circuit path information.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A user interface for network management, comprising:

a first view showing text input by a user indicative of customer identification data corresponding to a customer in a network, wherein the customer identification data is received by a server accessible by the user;

a second view showing stored information corresponding to the customer identification data, wherein the server accesses a database to retrieve the stored information and provides actual path information corresponding to a customer based on the stored information to the user interface; and

a third view showing a graphical representation of a customer path corresponding to the actual path information.

10. The user interface of claim 9, further comprising:

a fourth view showing internet protocol (IP) addresses corresponding to components in the customer path.

11. The user interface of claim 9, further comprising:

means for showing detailed information on a component in the customer path.

12. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the database stores information according to a generic information model.

13. The user interface of claim 9, further comprising:

means for testing a component in the customer path.

14. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the first view, second view, and third view are displayed simultaneously.

15. A user interface for network management, comprising:

a first view showing text input by a user indicative of customer identification data corresponding to a customer in a network, wherein the customer identification data is received by a server accessible by the user;

a second view showing stored information corresponding to the customer identification data, wherein the server accesses a database to retrieve the stored information and provides actual path information corresponding to a customer based on the stored information to the user interface; and

a third view showing a graphical representation of heterogeneous network components supporting a specific service for the customer corresponding to the actual path information.

16-17. -17. (canceled)