Computerized method and system for interactively simulating telecommunications services

• US 6,072,946 A
• Filed: 12/30/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast MO Group Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MediaOne Group Inc. (Comcast Corporation), U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Wolff, A. Scott, Habermehl, Kyle, Sparks, Randall B., Dooley, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sergent, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US09/001,176
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/423, 364/578, 434/224, 434/219, 434/222, 434/366, 434/379, 379/67.1
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication

Abstract

A computerized method and system for interactively simulating a plurality of telecommunications services operates in response to a user sending a message from his client computer across a data network to a server requesting to download on one of the service simulation programs. In response to the message from the client, the server provides the requested telecommunications service simulation program. The program provided by the server is downloaded and executed by the client. The downloaded program provides the user with an interaction experience representative of the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services. This interaction experience may include additional communication between the service simulation program and the server. Additionally, the service simulation program provides guidance to the user in using and configuring both the service simulation program and, potentially, the actual telecommunications service to which the user has subscribed.

Claims

1. For use with a client/server data network, a computerized method for interactively simulating a plurality of telecommunications services to a user, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of simulation programs at the server that corresponds to the plurality of telecommunications services, each simulation program having a browser executable format;

sending a first message to the server over the data network;

displaying a first screen in response to the first message wherein the first screen allows the user to select any one of the plurality of telecommunications services for simulation;

sending a second message to the server indicating selection of one of the plurality of telecommunications services;

receiving a selected simulation program from the server in response to the second message, the selected program corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services;

executing the selected program within a browser on the client.

2. The computerized method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a second screen having a plurality of options associated with the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services based on the selected simulation program.

3. The computerized method as recited in claim 2 wherein displaying the second screen includes displaying screen items providing the user with guidance in using the selected simulation program.

4. The computerized method as recited in claim 2 wherein displaying the second screen options includes playing an audio signal.

5. The computerized method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

sending a third message indicating selection of one of the plurality of options; and

receiving a third screen based on the third message.

6. The computerized method as recited in claim 5 wherein the user subscribes to the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services and the method further comprising:

sending a fourth message indicating a desire to configure the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services subscribed to by the user.

7. The computerized method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a fourth screen based on the fourth message, the fourth screen representative of the steps required to manually configure the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services according to at least the third message.

8. The computerized method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a fifth screen in response to the fourth message indicating a need for predetermined information; and

sending a fifth message containing the predetermined information.

9. The computerized method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

automatically configuring the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services in response to the fourth message.

10. A system for interactively simulating a plurality of telecommunications services to a user over a client/server data network, the system comprising:

a plurality of simulation programs at the server that corresponds to the plurality of telecommunications services, each simulation program having a browser executable format;

a client computer for sending a first message to a server;

a display coupled to the client computer for displaying a first screen transmitted by the server in response to the first message wherein the first screen allows the user to select any one of the plurality of telecommunications services for simulation; and

the client computer for sending a second message to the server computer indicating selection of one of the plurality of telecommunications services and for receiving a selected simulation program in response to the second message, the selected simulation program corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services,

wherein client computer is programmed to execute a browser and to execute the selected program within the browser.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the display is further operative to display a second screen having a plurality of options associated with the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services based on the selected simulation program.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the display is further operative to display a plurality of screen items providing the user with guidance in using the selected simulation program.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the system further includes a speaker coupled to the client computer for playing an audio signal.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the client computer is further operative to send a third message indicating selection of one of the plurality of options and the display is further operative to display a third screen in response to the third message.

15. The system as recited in claim 14 wherein the user subscribes to the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services and wherein the client computer is further operative to send a fourth message indicating a desire to configure the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services subscribed to by the user.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the display is further operative to display a fourth screen in response to the fourth message, the fourth screen representative of the steps required to manually configure the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services according to at least the third message.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the display is further operative to display a fifth screen in response to the fourth message indicating a need for predetermined information and wherein the client computer is further operative to send a fifth message containing the predetermined information.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the server is further operative to automatically configure the selected one of the plurality of telecommunications services in response to the fourth message.