Method and apparatus for provisioning network services

• US 5,574,779 A
• Filed: 05/01/1995
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dashwire Incorporated (HTC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ely, Thomas C., Smyk, Darek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/432,582
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/16, 370/58.1, 370/60.1, 370/94.1, 370/110.1, 379/90, 379/93, 379/94, 379/201, 379/202, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/229, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/005 Terminal equipment, e.g. codecs, synch
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0051 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0066 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0071 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0073 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A broadband service control point provides processing instructions and data to a broadband session controller and an information sender/receiver. The broadband session controller communicates with a user'"'"'s settop controller and video information providers, ("VIPs"), and requests processing information from the broadband service control point in response to predetermined triggers. The broadband session controller also instructs the broadband switch network to establish broadband connections between a VIP and a predetermined settop controller. An integrated service control point integrates broadband and telephone networks to provide efficient and effective integrated broadband and telephone services via video interface at a user'"'"'s remote location. Also, the integrated network provides unique caller identification delivery services.

Claims

1. An integrated network for provisioning services, comprising:

a broadband network;

a telephone network;

an integrated service control point connected to both said broadband network and said telephone network;

a display at a user'"'"'s remote location;

means for interfacing with a user on said display to collect from said user information concerning a broadband service or a telephone service;

means for updating said user'"'"'s broadband processing record to initiate a selected broadband service if said user inputs information about a broadband service; and

means for updating said user'"'"'s telephone call processing record to initiate a selected telephone service if said user inputs information about a telephone service.

2. The network of claim 1, further comprising a settop controller associated with said user'"'"'s display at said remote location and connected to said broadband network.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said broadband network includes means for sending graphical interface screens to said user'"'"'s display.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said broadband network includes a broadband session controller and one or more broadband switches.

5. The network of claim 1, further comprising a database of user call processing records in said integrated service control point;

and a database of broadband processing records in said integrated service control point.

6. In an integrated network including a broadband network, a telephone network, an integrated service control point connected to both said broadband network and said telephone, network and a display at a user'"'"'s remote location, a method of provisioning broadband or telephone services, comprising the steps of:

requesting information from a user via one or more graphical display interface menus;

receiving from said user one of broadband service information and telephone service information;

modifying a user'"'"'s processing record if said user inputs telephone service information; and

modifying a user'"'"'s processing record if said user inputs broadband service information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said modifying steps include the step of adding or deleting processing instructions or modifying data corresponding to a selected service in the user'"'"'s processing record.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of requesting information includes the step of displaying a list of services and service-related data available for provisioning, and said step of receiving includes the step of receiving a user selection from said list of services.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said receiving step further includes the step of receiving alphanumeric information from said user.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said displaying step includes the step of displaying a request to turn on a video-on-demand access screening service.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said displaying step includes the step of displaying a request to turn on an incoming call blocking service.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said displaying step includes the step of displaying a request to turn on a display call history service.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying a history of a predetermined number of most recent calling parties.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of displaying includes the step of displaying one or more calling parties'"'"' names and telephone numbers.