Processes and systems for creating and for managing trouble tickets and work orders
First Claim
1. A process for creating and for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing a problem in a telecommunications system, the process comprising:
- a) communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket;
b) creating the trouble ticket to investigate the problem with the telecommunications system;
c) assigning a work item number to the trouble ticket, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the problem with the telecommunications system; and
d) tracking the trouble ticket, from initial creation to final closure, using the assigned work item number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Processes and systems are disclosed for creating and for managing trouble tickets and work orders. One embodiment includes communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create a trouble ticket. The trouble ticket is created to investigate a problem with a communications system. The trouble ticket is assigned a work item number, with the work item number including a telephone number experiencing the problem with the communications system. The trouble ticket is tracked, from initial creating to final closure, using the assigned work item number.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A process for creating and for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing a problem in a telecommunications system, the process comprising:
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a) communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket;
b) creating the trouble ticket to investigate the problem with the telecommunications system;
c) assigning a work item number to the trouble ticket, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the problem with the telecommunications system; and
d) tracking the trouble ticket, from initial creation to final closure, using the assigned work item number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing trouble with a telephone system local loop, the computer program comprising:
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a) communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket;
b) acquiring information from a telephone line record to help resolve the trouble, the information from the telephone line record comprising at least one of i) customer information from a Customer Record Information System, ii) facility information from a Loop Facility Assignment Control System, and iii) equipment information from a TELCORDIA™
SWITCH system;
c) creating the trouble ticket to investigate the trouble with the telephone system local loop;
d) assigning a work item number to the trouble ticket, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the trouble with the telephone system local loop;
e) screening the trouble ticket for known indications of the trouble with the telephone system local loop;
f) correlating the trouble ticket with an existing trouble ticket having a common characteristic and having a common designation of a wire center; and
g) closing the trouble ticket when the trouble with the telephone system local loop is resolved.
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20. A computer program for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing trouble with a telephone system local loop, the computer program comprising:
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a) communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket;
b) acquiring information from a telephone line record to help resolve the trouble, the information from the telephone line record comprising at least one of i) customer information from a Customer Record Information System, ii) facility information from a Loop Facility Assignment Control System, and iii) equipment information from a TELCORDIA™
SWITCH system;
c) submitting a request for a test of the telephone system local loop;
d) receiving results of the test of the telephone system local loop;
e) creating the trouble ticket to investigate the trouble with the telephone system local loop, the trouble ticket comprising at least one of the information from the telephone line record and information from the results of the test of the telephone system local loop;
f) assigning a work item number to the trouble ticket, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the trouble with the telephone system local loop;
g) screening the trouble ticket for know indications of the trouble with the telephone system local loop;
h) correlating the trouble ticket with an existing trouble ticket having a common characteristic and having a common designation of a telephone system wire center; and
i) closing the trouble ticket when the trouble with the telephone system local loop is resolved.
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21. A system for creating and for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing a problem in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:
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at least one processor capable of manipulating information to create and to manage the trouble ticket; and
at least one of the following modules a Trouble Ticket Manager for creating and for managing trouble tickets, the Trouble Ticket Manager communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket, the Trouble Ticket Manager creating the trouble ticket and identifying the trouble ticket with a work item number, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the problem in the telecommunications system, the Trouble Ticket Manager also distributing the trouble ticket along the communications network to clients;
a Line Record Assembler module for assembling telephone line records, the Line Record Assembler module communicating information from a telephone line record to the Trouble Ticket Manager, the information from the telephone line record comprising at least one of i) customer information from a Customer Record Information System, ii) facility information from a Loop Facility Assignment Control System, and iii) equipment information from a TELCORDIA™
SWITCH system; and
a Test Manager module for managing test requests of the telecommunications system, the Test Manager module receiving a request for a test of the telecommunications system, the Test Manager module prioritizing the request for the test according to at least one of a date, a time, an origin of the request to create the trouble ticket, and an origin of the request for the test, the Test Manager module submitting the request for the test to a test system conducting the test of the telecommunications system, and the Test Manager module communicating results of the test to the Trouble Ticket Manager.
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22. A computer program product for creating and for managing a trouble ticket, the trouble ticket describing a problem in a telecommunications system, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and
at least one of the following modules stored on the computer-readable medium;
a Trouble Ticket Manager for creating and for managing trouble tickets, the Trouble Ticket Manager communicating with a communications network and receiving a request to create the trouble ticket, the Trouble Ticket Manager creating the trouble ticket and identifying the trouble ticket with a work item number, the work item number comprising a telephone number experiencing the problem in the telecommunications system, the Trouble Ticket Manager also distributing the trouble ticket along the communications network to clients;
a Line Record Assembler module for assembling telephone line records, the Line Record Assembler module communicating information from a telephone line record to the Trouble Ticket Manager, the information from the telephone line record comprising at least one of i) customer information from a Customer Record Information System, ii) facility information from a Loop Facility Assignment Control System, and iii) equipment information from a TELCORDIA™
SWITCH system;
a Test Manager module for managing test requests of the telecommunications system, the Test Manager module receiving a request for a test of the telecommunications system, the Test Manager module prioritizing the request for the test according to at least one of a date, a time, an origin of the request to create the trouble ticket, and an origin of the request for the test, the Test Manager module submitting the request for the test to a test system conducting the test of the telecommunications system, and the Test Manager module communicating results of the test to the Trouble Ticket Manager;
a Correlation Manager module for correlating similar trouble tickets, the Correlation Manager module grouping the trouble ticket with an existing trouble ticket that shares at least one correlation parameter, that shares a common designation of a telephone system wire center, and that shares an annotated ate and time within a predetermined interval;
a Screening Manager module for isolating the trouble with the telecommunications system, the Screening Manager module searching the trouble ticket for a screening criteria, the Screening Manager module updating the trouble ticket according to an action corresponding to the search criteria, the action updating at least one of a telephone system status code, a telephone system route code, and a narrative portion describing the telephone system;
a Status Manager module for managing status changes to the trouble ticket, the Status Manager module acquiring a change in status to the trouble ticket and annotating the change in status with a date and a time, the date and the time reflecting the local time zone of the telephone system wire center where the trouble ticket is locally managed, the Status Manager module validating that the annotated date and the time are chronologically after a previous change in status to the trouble ticket; and
a Reporting Manager module for generating maintenance reports, the Reporting Manager module acquiring information from the trouble ticket and generating a maintenance report for distribution to the communications network.
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Specification