System and method for accessing customer contact services over a network

• US 6,115,737 A
• Filed: 07/24/1996
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ely, Thomas C., Martin, Michael A., Novak, Thomas S., Smyk, Darek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US08/690,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.01, 395/200.02, 395/200.03, 395/200.06, 395/200.09, 395/200.12, 395/187.01, 395/200.46-200.49, 395/200.57-200.6 , 395/200.3-200.33, 399/67, 399/88, 399/45, 399/38, 399/46, 399/51, 399/89, 399/207, 348/3, 348/24, 348/49, 709/200, 709/202-203, 709/217-219, 709/227-230, 709/245, 713/201-202, 707/1, 707/9-10
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0033 customer-controlled

Abstract

A customer contact services node/Internet gateway (CCSN/IG) connects a user to the services and to information from a provider via the Internet. The user can thereby get information about the services and can initiate service changes and can get user-specific information.

Claims

1. A customer contact services system comprising:

means for accessing the Internet;

means for entering a customer request;

means for displaying the request;

a customer contact services node Internet gateway (CCSN/IG), coupled to the display means and the Internet, for accepting the request;

a network, coupled to the CCSN/IG, for providing access to a particular set of services and data retained by a service provider; and

a customer contact services node (CCSN), coupled to the network and located remotely from the accessing means for processing the request to facilitate customer access to and manipulation of a plurality of customer-specific information and services retained by the service provider.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the entering means responds to the information provided by the CCSN regarding the request.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the CCSN comprises means for invoking at least one call processing record (CPR) in response to the request.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising interactive voice response (IVR) means, coupled to the network means, for providing telephone access to the network means and for permitting a request to be made over the telephone to the CCSN.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the CCSN/IG means further comprises:

a Web server for servicing customer requests from the World Wide Web (WWW); and

an integrated services control point (ISCP) gateway, coupled to the Web server, for accessing the network means.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a firewall disposed between the ISCP gateway and the network.

7. A method for customer access to and manipulation of services and data of a service provider comprising the steps of:

accessing a network;

entering a request;

displaying the request;

accepting the request via a customer contact services node Internet gateway (CCSN/IG); and

processing the request remotely to facilitate customer access to and manipulation of a plurality of customer-specific information and services retained by the service provider.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the accessing step comprises accessing the Internet.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the accessing step comprises accessing an intra-net.

10. A customer contact services system, comprising:

a customer end terminal connected to the Internet;

a service provider Web server connected to the Internet;

means for establishing a connection between the customer end terminal and service provider'"'"'s Web server over the Internet; and

means for remotely facilitating customer access to and manipulation of customer-specific information and services available through and retained by the service provider'"'"'s Web server.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the customer end terminal is a computer.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the establishing means includes a customer contact services node Internet gateway.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the facilitating means includes a customer contact services node.

14. A method for customer access to customer-specific services and data retained by a telecommunications service provider, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between a customer end terminal and a remote telecommunications service provider'"'"'s Web server over the Internet;

providing customer access to the customer-specific information and telecommunications services available through the telecommunications service provider'"'"'s Web server;

allowing customer modification of at least one of customer-specific information and telecommunications services available through the telecommunications service provider Web server; and

receiving verification from the telecommunications service provider Web server of any modifications made to the customer-specific information and telecommunications services.