Methods and apparatus for regulating the remote ordering, authorization, access and control of services and service features associated with a terminal

• US 6,018,570 A
• Filed: 05/12/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nynex Science And Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Matison, Gary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/854,618
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/189, 379/191, 379/194, 379/195, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/143, 379/145, 379/154, 379/93.03, 379/93.12
• US Class Current: 379/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services

Abstract

A method for use in an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, for activating a service for the subscribed terminal. The method processes an order from a terminal and processes an authorization request from a terminal. However, the service order is activated only upon an authorization request from the subscribed terminal. The subscribed terminal may be a telephone in which case a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal is used to determine whether a requesting telephone is the subscribed telephone.

Claims

1. In an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service for the subscribed terminal; and

b) processing an authorization request, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service ordered,

wherein the service order is activated only upon an authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of processing an order includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting order information;

ii) retrieving stored pre-authorized order data, if it exists;

iii) determining whether the order has been pre-authorized based on the stored pre-authorized order data retrieved; and

iv)

(A) if the order has not been pre-authorized, storing the order information as an inactive order, and

(B) if the order has been pre-authorized, processing the requested order so that the service is activated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested order is activated by storing the requested order as an activated order.

3. In an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service for the subscribed terminal; and

b) processing an authorization request, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service ordered,

wherein the service order is activated only upon an authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of processing an authorization request for the service ordered includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting an incoming authorization request;

ii) determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

iii) determining whether the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal; and

iv)

A) if the terminal identity determined is not the subscribed terminal, do not authorize the order; and

B) if the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal,

1) retrieve terminal identifications associated with inactivated orders, if any,

2) determine whether the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, and

3)

a) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching terminal identification, and

b) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, save the authorization request as a pre-authorization for a service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the subscribed terminal is a telephone, wherein the sub-step of determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal, and wherein the retrieved terminal identifications associated with inactive orders are telephone directory numbers.

5. In an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing a request to pre-authorize an order for the service, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal; and

b) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service for the subscribed terminal,

wherein the service to be ordered will only be pre-authorized upon a pre-authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of pre-authorizing includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting an incoming authorization request;

ii) determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

iii) determining whether the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal; and

iv)

A) if the terminal identity determined is not the subscribed terminal, do not authorize or pre-authorize the order; and

B) if the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal,

1) retrieve terminal identifications associated with inactivated orders, if any,

2) determine whether the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, and

3)

a) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching terminal identification, and

b) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, save the authorization request as a pre-authorization for a service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of processing an order includes sub-steps of:

i) accepting order information;

ii) retrieving stored pre-authorized order data, if it exists;

iii) determining whether the order has been pre-authorized based on the stored pre-authorized order data retrieved; and

iv)

(A) if the order has not been pre-authorized, storing the order information as an inactive order, and

(B) if the order has been pre-authorized, processing the requested order so that the service is activated.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the subscribed terminal is a telephone, wherein the sub-step of determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal, and wherein the retrieved terminal identifications associated with inactive orders are telephone directory numbers.

8. In an environment including

a public inter-network,

a private inter-network,

at least one local network which can communicate with both the public inter-network and the private inter-network,

a terminal, belonging to one of the at least one local network,

a subscribed terminal belonging to one of the at least one local network, and

an order processing means,

an apparatus for activating a service for the subscribed terminal in response to an authorization request from a requesting terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a) a transmitting terminal ID capture unit for receiving an identification of the requesting terminal, via a first communications path, from one of the at least one local network;

b) an interactive session user interface unit for requesting information from the requesting terminal and for receiving information from the requesting terminal;

c) an application processor input/output interface unit for receiving orders, via a second communication path, from the order processing means;

d) a user record database containing records which include, or the location of which implies, information including (i) terminal identity information, (ii) information identifying the service, (iii) information expressing whether or not an order for the service was placed, and (iv) information expressing whether or not an order for the service has been authorized;

e) a system for permitting communication of data between the transmitting terminal ID capture unit, the interactive session user interface unit, the application processor input/output interface unit, and the user record database; and

f) an application processor, the application processor

i) coupled with the application processor input/output interface unit and the system for permitting communication of data,

ii) obtaining the identification of the requesting terminal from the transmitting terminal ID capture unit,

iii) obtaining the orders received by the application processor input/output interface unit,

iv) obtaining user records from the user record database,

v) updating the user records of the user record database so that the information expressing whether or not an order for the service was placed indicates that an order was placed when an order is obtained, and

vi) updating the user records of the user record database so that the information expressing whether or not an order for the service has been authorized indicates that an order is authorized only when the requesting terminal is the subscribed terminal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the transmitting terminal ID capture unit is a caller identification capture unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the interactive session user interface unit is an interactive voice response unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the interactive voice response unit is controlled by the application processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the application processor downloads control scripts to the interactive voice response unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the application processor downloads voice prompts to the interactive voice response unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the terminal identity information of the records in the user record database includes a telephone directory number.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the interactive session user interface unit requests an identification of the subscribed terminal with which the service is to be associated, from the requesting terminal, the requesting terminal provides such an identification of the subscribed terminal, and the interactive session user interface forwards the received identification of the subscribed terminal to the application processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the application processor determines whether the identification of the subscribed terminal sent from the interactive session user interface unit matches the identification of the requesting terminal sent by the terminal ID capture unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein if the application processor determines that the identification of the subscribed terminal sent from the interactive session user interface unit does not match the identification of the requesting terminal sent by the terminal ID capture unit, then the application processor instructs the requesting terminal, via the interactive session user interface unit, to submit an authorization request from the subscribed terminal.

18. In a telephony environment including

a public switched telephone network,

a private inter-network,

at least one local network having a central office switch, which can communicate with both the public switched telephone network and the private inter-network,

a terminal, belonging to one of the at least one local network,

a subscribed terminal belonging to one of the at least one local network, and

an order processing means

an apparatus for activating a telephone service for the subscribed terminal in response to an authorization request from a requesting terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a) a caller ID capture unit for receiving a directory number of the requesting terminal, via a first communications path, from one of the at least one local network;

b) an interactive session user interface unit for requesting information from the requesting terminal and for receiving information from the requesting terminal;

c) an application processor input/output interface unit for receiving orders, via a second communication path, from the order processing means;

d) a user record database containing records which include, or the location of which implies, information including (i) terminal directory number information, (ii) information identifying the service, (iii) information expressing whether or not an order for the telephone service was placed, and (iv) information expressing whether or not an order for the service has been authorized;

e) a system for permitting communication of data between the caller ID capture unit, the interactive session user interface unit, the application processor input/output interface unit, and the user record database; and

f) an application processor, the application processor

i) coupled with the application processor input/output interface unit and the system for permitting communication of data,

ii) obtaining the directory number of the requesting terminal from the caller ID capture unit,

iii) obtaining the orders received by the application processor input/output interface unit,

iv) obtaining user records from the user record database,

v) updating the user records of the user record database so that the information expressing whether or not an order for the telephone service was placed indicates that an order was placed when an order is obtained, and

vi) updating the user records of the user record database so that the information expressing whether or not an order for the service has been authorized indicates that an order is authorized only when the requesting terminal is from the subscribed terminal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the interactive session user interface unit is an interactive voice response unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the interactive voice response unit is controlled by the application processor.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the application processor downloads control scripts to the interactive voice response unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the application processor downloads voice prompts to the interactive voice response unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the interactive session user interface unit requests a directory number of the subscribed terminal with which the service is to be associated from the requesting terminal, the requesting terminal provides such a directory number of the subscribed terminal, and the interactive session user interface unit forwards the received directory number of the subscribed terminal to the application processor.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the requesting terminal provides the directory number of the subscribed terminal as dual tone multiple frequency signals.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the application processor determines whether the directory number of the subscribed terminal sent from the interactive session user interface unit matches the directory number of the requesting terminal sent by the caller ID capture unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein if the application processor determines that the directory number of the subscribed terminal sent from the interactive session user interface unit does not match the directory number of the requesting terminal sent by the caller ID capture unit, then the application processor instructs the requesting terminal, via the interactive session user interface unit, to submit an authorization request from the subscribed terminal.

27. In a telephony environment having a telephone service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a telephone service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service for the subscribed terminal; and

b) processing an authorization request, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the telephone service ordered,

wherein the telephone service ordered is activated only upon an authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of processing an order includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting order information;

ii) retrieving stored pre-authorized order data, if it exists;

iii) determining whether the order has been pre-authorized based on the stored pre-authorized order data retrieved; and

iv)

(A) if the order has not been pre-authorized, storing the order information as an inactive order, and

(B) if the order has been pre-authorized, processing the requested order so that the service is activated.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the requested order is activated by storing the requested order as an activated order.

29. In a telephony environment having a telephone service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a telephone service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the service for the subscribed terminal; and

b) processing an authorization request, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the telephone service ordered,

wherein the telephone service ordered is activated only upon an authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of processing an authorization request for the telephone service ordered includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting an incoming authorization request;

ii) determining a directory number of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

iii) determining whether the directory number determined matches a directory number of the subscribed terminal; and

iv)

A) if the directory number determined does not match the directory number of the subscribed terminal, do not authorize the order; and

B) if the directory number determined matches the directory number of the subscribed terminal,

1) retrieve directory numbers associated with inactivated orders, if any,

2) determine whether the directory number of the subscribed terminal matches one of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, and

3)

a) if the directory number of the subscribed terminal matches one of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching directory number, and

b) if the directory number of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, save the authorization request as pre-authorization for a service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the sub-step of determining the directory number of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal.

31. In an environment having a telephone service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for activating a telephone service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) processing a request to pre-authorize an order for the telephone service, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal; and

b) processing an order, from a terminal selected from a group consisting of the subscribed terminal and the remote terminal, for the telephone service for the subscribed terminal

wherein the telephone service ordered will only be pre-authorized upon a pre-authorization request from the subscribed terminal, and

wherein the step of pre-authorizing includes sub-steps of;

i) accepting an incoming authorization request;

ii) determining a directory number of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

iii) determining whether the directory number determined matches a directory number of the subscribed terminal; and

iv)

A) if the directory number determined does not match the directory number of the subscribed terminal, do not authorize or pre-authorize the order; and

B) if the directory number determined matches the directory number of the subscribed terminal,

1) retrieve directory numbers associated with inactivated orders, if any,

2) determine whether the directory number of the subscribed terminal matches one of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, and

3)

a) if the directory number of the subscribed terminal matches one of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching directory number, and

b) if the directory number of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the directory numbers associated with inactive orders, save the pre-authorization request as a pre-authorization for a telephone service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of processing an order includes sub-steps of:

i) accepting order information;

ii) retrieving stored pre-authorized order data, if it exists;

iii) determining whether the order has been pre-authorized based on the stored pre-authorized order data retrieved; and

iv)

(A) if the order has not been pre-authorized, storing the order information as an inactive order, and

(B) if the order has been pre-authorized, processing the requested order so that the service is activated.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the sub-step of determining a directory number of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal.

34. In an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for processing an authorization request to activate an ordered service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) accepting an incoming authorization request;

b) determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

c) determining whether the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal; and

d)

i) if the terminal identity determined is not the subscribed terminal, do not authorize the order; and

ii) if the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal,

A) retrieve terminal identifications associated with inactivated orders, if any,

B) determine whether the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, and

C)

1) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching terminal identification, and

2) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, save the authorization request as a pre-authorization for a service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the subscribed terminal is a telephone, wherein the sub-step of determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal, and wherein the retrieved terminal identifications associated with inactive orders are telephone directory numbers.

36. In an environment having a service provider, a subscribed terminal, and a remote terminal, a method for processing a request to pre-authorize an order to be placed for a service for the subscribed terminal, the method comprising steps of:

a) accepting an incoming authorization request;

b) determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted;

c) determining whether the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal; and

d)

i) if the terminal identity determined is not the subscribed terminal, do not authorize or pre-authorize the order; and

ii) if the terminal identity determined is the subscribed terminal,

A) retrieve terminal identifications associated with inactivated orders, if any,

B) determine whether the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, and

C)

1) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal matches one of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, activate the inactive order associated with the matching terminal identification, and

2) if the terminal identity of the subscribed terminal does not match any of the terminal identifications associated with inactive orders, save the authorization request as a pre-authorization for a service order to be placed for the subscribed terminal.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the subscribed terminal is a telephone, wherein the sub-step of determining an identity of the terminal from which the authorization request was accepted is based on a caller ID value provided by a central office switch serving the requesting terminal, and wherein the retrieved terminal identifications associated with inactive orders are telephone directory numbers.