Order entry system for changing communication service

• US 6,085,171 A
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matrix Telecom Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Excel Communications, Inc. (Ernst & Young LLP)
• Inventors: Leonard, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tesfamariam, Mussie K.
• Application Number:
  US09/245,786
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114, 705/26, 705/44, 705/27, 705/34, 705/39, 382/119, 380/23, 380/277
• US Class Current: 705/26.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5045 Making service definitions prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management

Abstract

A system for processing an order to change communication service includes a client that receives order data and an authorization image associated with a customer that desires to change communication service. The system also includes a server coupled to the client using a communication network. The server receives the order data and the authorization image from the client, generates a service request using the order data, and initiates communication of the service request to a communication service provider of the customer to change communication service.

Claims

1. A system for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a client operable to receive order data and a document image associated with a customer that desires to change communication service; and

a server coupled to the client using a communication network and operable to receive the order data and the document image from the client, the server further operable to generate a service request to change communication service using the order data and to initiate communication of the service request to a communication service provider of the customer to change communication service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the service request specifies a presubscribed interexchange carrier for the customer; and

the communication service provider of the customer is a local exchange carrier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server verifies a telephone number of the customer before the client communicates the order data and the document image to the server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server verifies a billing telephone number against a billing address of the customer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the client receives updated software from the server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the server provides third party access to the order data or the document image to perform an independent verification of the order.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gateway coupled to the server and operable to communicate the service request as an online transaction to a local exchange carrier servicing the customer.

11. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

receiving at a client order data and a document image associated with a customer that desires to change communication service;

communicating the order data and the document image to a remote location coupled to the client using a communication network;

generating a service request to change communication service using the order data; and

initiating communication of the service request to a communication service provider of the customer to change communication service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication network comprises the Internet.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the service request specifies a presubscribed interexchange carrier for the customer; and

the communication service provider of the customer is a local exchange carrier.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating the order data and the document image comprises:

communicating a telephone number to the remote location;

verifying the telephone number at the remote location; and

communicating the order data and the document image to the remote location after verification of the telephone number.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising verifying a billing telephone number against a billing address of the customer at the remote location.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving updated software at the client from the remote location.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the following steps performed before generating a service request:

providing third party access to the order data or the document image; and

marking the order as verified upon successful completion of an independent verification by a third party.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the service request at a gateway; and

communicating the service request as an online transaction between the gateway and a local exchange carrier servicing the customer.

21. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a graphical interface operable to receive order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service;

a scanner operable to generate a document image associated with the customer that desires to change communication service; and

a network interface operable to communicate the order data and the document image to a remote location.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphical interface comprises:

an entry screen to receive a telephone number of the customer; and

an accept button that, when activated, initiates verification of the telephone number at the remote location.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphical interface comprises:

an entry screen to receive a billing address of the customer; and

a check button that, when activated, initiates verification of the billing address at the remote location.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphical interface comprises:

a first section operable to display a business rule list; and

a second section operable to display an entry screen for a business rule selected from the business rule list.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a memory operable to store software for the graphical interface, the memory further operable to store an updated version of the software received through the network interface.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphical interface comprises a status screen operable to display status information on a plurality of orders communicated to the remote location.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphical interface comprises a service plan selection screen to receive a selection of a service plan for the customer.

31. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

receiving order data using a graphical interface, the order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service;

generating a document image associated with the customer that desires to change communication service; and

communicating the order data and the document image to a remote location.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

33. The method in claim 31, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

communicating a telephone number included in the order data to the remote location for verification;

receiving verification of the telephone number; and

communicating the order data and the document image to the remote location after receiving the verification.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

communicating a billing telephone number and a billing address to the remote location for verification;

receiving verification of the billing telephone number and the billing address; and

communicating the order data and the document image to the remote location after receiving the verification.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying a business rule list in a first section of the graphical interface;

receiving a selection of a business rule included in the business rule list; and

displaying an entry screen for the selected business rule in the second section of the graphical interface.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

communicating an agent identifier to the remote location; and

receiving an update of software from the remote location after validation of the agent identifier.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

communicating an agent identifier to the remote location; and

receiving a list of orders associated with the agent identifier from the remote location.

40. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a memory to store an order to change communication service, the order comprising order data and a document image;

a verification module to verify a telephone number included in the order data; and

a formatting module operable to generate a service request to change communication service using the order data.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the verification module is further operable to verify the telephone number against a billing address of the order.

44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the verification module performs the verification of the telephone number before the memory receives the order.

45. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising an interface to communicate updated software to a remote client.

46. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising an interface to communicate the order data or the imaged document stored in the memory to a third party to perform a verification of the order and to receive the verification from the third party.

47. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

an association module operable to determine a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number; and

an interface to initiate communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier;

wherein the formatting module generates the service request for the associated local exchange carrier.

48. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

an association module operable to determine a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number; and

a communicator module operable to initiate communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier as an online transaction;

wherein the formatting module generates the service request for the associated local exchange carrier based on a care record for the associated local exchange carrier.

49. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

storing an order to change communication service in a memory, the order comprising order data and a document image;

verifying a telephone number included in the order data; and

generating a service request to change communication service using the order data.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization document to change communication service having a signature of the customer.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

52. The method of claim 49, further comprising verifying the telephone number of the order against a billing address of the order.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the telephone number in the order is verified before the order is stored.

54. The method of claim 49, further comprising communicating software stored in the memory over an interface to a remote client.

55. The method of claim 49, further comprising

communicating the order data or the document image to a third party to perform a verification of the order;

and

receiving the verification from the third party.

56. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

determining a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number; and

initiating communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier;

wherein generating a service request comprises generating a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier.

57. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

determining a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number; and

initiating communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier as an online transaction;

wherein generating a service request comprises generating a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier based on a care record for the local exchange carrier.

58. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a graphical interface operable to receive order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service, the graphical interface comprising;

an entry screen to receive a billing address of the customer; and

a check button that, when activated, initiates verification of the billing address at the remote location;

a scanner operable to generate a document image; and

a network interface operable to communicate the order data and the document image to a remote location.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

60. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

the billing address; and

a communication service plan.

62. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a graphical interface operable to receive order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service, the graphical interface comprising;

a first section operable to display a business rule list; and

a second section operable to display an entry screen for a business rule selected from the business rule list;

a scanner operable to generate a document image; and

a network interface operable to communicate the order data and the document image to a remote location.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

66. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a graphical interface operable to receive order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service, the graphical interface comprising a service plan selection screen to receive a selection of a communication service plan for the customer;

a scanner operable to generate a document image; and

a network interface operable to communicate the order data and the document image to a remote location.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

the communication service plan.

70. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

receiving order data using a graphical interface, the order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service, wherein receiving order data comprises;

displaying a business rule list in a first section of the graphical interface;

receiving a selection of a business rule included in the business rule list; and

displaying an entry screen for the selected business rule in the second section of the graphical interface;

generating a document image associated with the customer; and

communicating the order data and the document image to a remote location.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

74. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

communicating an agent identifier to the remote location;

receiving an update of software from the remote location after validation of the agent identifier;

receiving order data using a graphical interface, the order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service;

generating a document image associated with the customer; and

communicating the order data and the document image to a remote location.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

76. The method of claim 74, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

77. The method of claim 74, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

78. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

communicating an agent identifier to the remote location;

receiving a list of orders associated with the agent identifier from the remote location;

receiving order data using a graphical interface, the order data associated with a customer that desires to change communication service;

generating a document image associated with the customer; and

communicating the order data and the document image to a remote location.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

80. The method of claim 78, wherein the order data indicates a desire of the customer to change a presubscribed interexchange carrier.

81. The method of claim 78, wherein the order data comprises:

a billing telephone number;

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

82. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a memory to store an order to change communication service, the order comprising order data and a document image; and

a verification module to verify a telephone number included in the order data, wherein the verification module performs the verification of the telephone number before the memory receives the order.

83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

84. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

85. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the verification module verifies the telephone number against a billing address of the order to verify the telephone number.

86. The apparatus of claim 82, further comprising:

an association module operable to determine a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number;

a formatting module operable to generate a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier; and

an interface to initiate communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier.

87. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a memory to store an order to change communication service, the order comprising order data and a document image;

a verification module to verify a telephone number included in the order data;

an association module operable to determine a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number;

a formatting module operable to generate a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier; and

an interface to initiate communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier.

88. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

89. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

90. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the verification module is further operable to verify the telephone number against a billing address of the order.

91. An apparatus for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

a memory to store an order to change communication service, the order comprising order data and a document image;

a verification module to verify a telephone number included in the order data;

an association module operable to determine a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number of the order;

a formatting module operable to generate a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier based on a care record for the associated local exchange carrier; and

a communicator module operable to initiate communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier as an online transaction.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

93. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

94. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the verification module is further operable to verify the telephone number against a billing address of the order.

95. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

storing an order to change communication service in a memory, the order comprising order data and a document image; and

verifying a telephone number included in the order data, wherein the telephone number in the order is verified before the order is stored.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

97. The method of claim 95, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

98. The method of claim 95, wherein verifying the telephone number comprises verifying the telephone number of the order against a billing address of the order.

99. The method of claim 95, further comprising:

determining a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number;

generating a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier; and

initiating communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier.

100. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

storing an order to change communication service in a memory, the order comprising order data and a document image;

verifying a telephone number included in the order data;

determining a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number;

generating a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier; and

initiating communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

102. The method of claim 100, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

103. The method of claim 100, wherein verifying the telephone number comprises verifying the telephone number of the order against a billing address of the order.

104. A method for processing an order to change communication service, comprising:

storing an order to change communication service in a memory, the order comprising order data and a document image;

verifying a telephone number included in the order data;

determining a local exchange carrier associated with the telephone number;

generating a service request from the order for the associated local exchange carrier based on a care record for the local exchange carrier; and

initiating communication of the service request to the associated local exchange carrier as an online transaction.

105. The method of claim 104, wherein the document image comprises a scanned authorization signature of the customer.

106. The method of claim 104, wherein the order data further comprises:

a billing address; and

a communication service plan.

107. The method of claim 104, wherein verifying the telephone number comprises verifying the telephone number of the order against a billing address of the order.