Method to provide a service, a service provider realizing such a method and a universal personal telecommunication network including such a service provider

• US 6,337,981 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Peters, Marco Johannes Hubertus
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/340,675
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 455/436, 455/445, 455/450, 455/452, 455/458, 455/422
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42272 whereby the subscriber registers to the terminals for personalised service provision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres

Abstract

A method to provide a service to a user of a subscriber in a universal personal telecommunication network. The method includes the step of requesting access by the user to the telecommunication network via a terminal and via an access subnetwork of the telecommunication network in order to provide thereby an access request. The method further includes the step of providing by a notifying service provider to the user via the access subnetwork, a notification which includes a capability to accept a service of an offered service provider. In the event that the notifying service provider is a home service provider of the user, the offered service provider is different from the notifying service provider. The offered service is a virtual visited environment similar to a virtual home environment but identified by the user as visitor and the offered service provider.

Claims

1. A method to provide a service to a user (U) in a universal personal telecommunication network, wherein said method includes the step of requesting access by said user to said telecommunication network via a terminal (T) and via an access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H) of said telecommunication network in order to provide thereby an access request (R), characterized in that

said method further includes the step of upon receiving of said access request (R), providing by a notifying service provider (SP-H) to said user (U) via said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H) a notification (N(SP-V)) which includes a capability to accept a service of an offered service provider (SP-V), and

in the event that said notifying service provider is a home service provider of said user (U), said offered service provider is different from said notifying service provider, and said service is a virtual visited environment (VVE) similar to a virtual home environment (VHE) but identified by said user (U) and said offered service provider (SP-V).

2. A service provider (SP-H) to provide a service to a user (U) in a universal personal telecommunication network upon receiving of an access request (R) from said user (U) via a terminal (T) and via an access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H) of said telecommunication network, characterized in that

said service provider (SP-H) includes a notifier (NOT) to provide a notification (N(SP-V)) to said user (U) via said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H), said notification (N(SP-V)) including a capability for said user to accept a service of an offered service provider (SP-V), and

in the event that said service provider is a home service provider of said user (U), said offered service provider is different from said service provider, and said service being a virtual visited environment (VVE) similar to a virtual home environment (VHE) but identified by said user (U) and said offered service provider (SP-V).

3. A service provider according to claim 2, characterized in that said service provider is associated with said access subnetwork whereby a virtual environment is identified with said service provider and said access subnetwork.

4. A service provider according to claim 3, characterized in that said service provider is also constituted by said offered service provider.

5. A service provider according to claim 3, characterized in that said offered service provider is constituted by a home service provider of said user.

6. A service provider according to claim 3, characterized in that said service provider is also constituted by a home service provider of said user whereby said virtual environment is constituted by a virtual home environment of said user.

7. A service provider according to claim 2, characterized in that in the event when said service provider is not associated with said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-M) said service provider is also constituted by a home service provider (SP-H) of said user.

8. A service provider (SP-H) according to claim 7, characterized in that said offered service provider (SP-V) is associated with said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-M) whereby a virtual environment is identified with said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-M) and said offered service provider (SP-V).

9. A universal personal telecommunication network, characterized in that said telecommunication network includes at least one service provider (SP-H) to provide a service to a user (U) in said universal personal telecommunication network upon receiving an access request (R) from said user (U) via a terminal (T) and via an access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H) of said telecommunication network, characterized in that

said service provider (SP-H) includes a notifier (NOT) to provide a notification (N(SP-V)) to said user (U) via said access subnetwork (SUB-M2-H), said notification (N(SP-V)) including a capability for said user to accept a service of an offered service provider (SP-V), and

in the event that said service provider is a home service provider of said user (U), said offered service provider is different from said service provider, and said service being a virtual visited environment (VVE) similar to a virtual home environment (VHE) but identified by said user (U) and said offered service provider (SP-V).