System and method for providing customer personalized and modifiable subscriber services

• US 6,411,697 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Mandalia, Baiju D., Lozinski, Zygmunt A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/315,162
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.12, 379/201.02, 379/201.03, 379/201.05, 379/900, 709/1
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

A telephone system provides subscribers with access to a service provider'"'"'s platform logic and data implemented in any runtime environment. In one embodiment, the service logic is embodied in Java applets and Java beans in a JAVA virtual machine for subscriber personalizing and modifying the service logic. The provider provides the subscriber a tool kit or access to a support server for writing service logic modifications as JAVA beans. The service logic modification is achieved in a process in which the service requirements and objectives are set. The service specifications are designed, implemented, tested, and rolled out. Initial service provisioning and support is provided a subscriber, service modification by the subscriber is made to subscriber data provisioning and subscriber service logic provisions. A modified service logic is locally tested by the subscriber, followed by remote testing of the modification on the service provider'"'"'s premises. The service provider provisions and then supports the modified service logic.

Claims

1. A process enabling a subscriber to personalize, modify and change in a service provider'"'"'s calling system serving a subscriber device, a service provider'"'"'s service logic, comprising the steps of:

a) implementing the service provider'"'"'s logic for servicing subscribers as Java applets and Java beans in a Java virtual machine installed in a service provider'"'"'s platform;

b) developing and installing service options using Java bean configuration options in the Java virtual machine;

c) performing testing of the Java bean options developed by the provider;

d) providing the service logic or Java beans to the subscriber from a web site download;

e) using a terminal, e.g., PC coupled to a provider service center, and a provider service kit to alter the provider'"'"'s service logic for personalized subscriber service configurations;

f) locally testing the altered service logic for personalized service followed by uploading to the provider calling system for remote testing;

g) remote testing of the altered service logic using information provided by the provider from a service web site;

h) performing a service logic update to a Service Management System; and

i) downloading the personalized service logic to the Service Provider'"'"'s platform.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

j) generating billing records in the provider calling system which supports both flat rate and usage-based billing records.

3. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

k) downloading the altered service logic to the subscriber device.

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

l) downloading the altered service logic to a CD-ROM/diskette or to the subscriber working with a server-based service modification environment.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

m) provisioning a service provider'"'"'s logic onto the Service provider'"'"'s platform and distributing the service logic onto a subscriber appliance of choice.

12. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

n) downloading the altered service logic to both the service provider'"'"'s platform and a subscriber appliance for services which support function sharing.

6. A system for subscriber personalized and modifiable services in a communication system, comprising:

a) service provider platform coupled to a telephone system and an IP network;

b) a platform specific runtime machine included in the service provider platform;

c) a service management system coupled to the service provider platform;

d) means for installing service provider logic in the runtime specific machine to provide a subscriber with minimal customization subscriber service level; and

e) means for enabling the subscriber to modify and test provider logic, before installation of personalized and modifiable services unique to the subscriber in the provider logic.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

f) a Java virtual machine as the platform specific runtime machine.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

g) Java applets and Java beans defining the service provider logic.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

h) a tool kit provided to the subscriber for writing and modifying service provider logic.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

i) a service provider web site coupled to a service center and the service management system for service modification of the service logic by a subscriber.

11. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

j) means for downloading from a web site to a subscriber the service provider logic for modification to provide subscriber personalized services; and

k) means for uploading the modified service provider logic to the web site.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein the service provider is further coupled to any of the following:

interactive cable TV system, wireless communication system and Internet Service providers.

14. The system of claim 6 wherein the platform specific runtime machine executes runtime code in real time.