World Wide Web interface to telecom service creation environment

• US 6,480,890 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1997
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jr., Charles C., Desando, Jeff J., Mock, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/918,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/311, 379/243, 379/242, 379/244, 379/201.02, 379/201.03, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0054 Service creation techniques

Abstract

A web interface (12) to a service creation environment (14) includes a service logic parser (42) adapted to receive a service logic description (32) from the service creation environment (14), parse the service logic description (32), and generate a web browser readable service data file (44). At least one web page (22) is adapted to display information in the service data files (44) and prompt for user input in response thereto. A call scripting process (62) continuously receives the user inputs entered on the at least one web page (22) and communicates the user inputs to the service creation environment (14).

Claims

1. A web interface to a service creation environment, comprising:

a service logic parser adapted to receive a service logic description from the service creation environment, parse the service logic description, and generate a web browser readable service data file;

at least one web page adapted to display information in the service data files and prompt for user inputs from a subscriber in response thereto, wherein the user inputs include information to setup, activate, deactivate, or update telecommunications services subscribed to by the subscriber; and

a call scripting process adapted to continuously receive the user inputs entered on the at least one web page and communicate the user inputs to the service creation environment in order to effect a change in services subscribed to by the subscriber.

2. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one web page comprises java programs.

3. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic parser is coded in a scripting language.

4. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a call generator residing in the service creation environment adapted to continuously receive the user inputs from the call scripting process and continuously communicate the user inputs to the service switching point for execution.

5. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a call generator residing in the service creation environment adapted to continuously receive the user inputs from the call scripting process and continuously communicate the user inputs to the service control point for database update.

6. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a call script file generated by the call scripting process from the user inputs and communicated to the service creation environment.

7. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service data file is in hypertext markup language format.

8. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic description comprises a description of a number of web pages, including title, graphical devices for receiving user input, and the logic flow of the web pages.

9. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a web browser executing on a user device adapted to receive the at least one web page over the internet, display the at least one web page, and receive user input entered via the user device.

10. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic description describes a premium rate service.

11. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic description describes a free phone service.

12. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic description describes a calling card service.

13. The web interface, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the service logic description describes a debit card service.

14. A web interface to a telecommunications network, comprising:

a service logic parser adapted to parse a service logic description and generate a web browser readable service data file therefrom;

at least one web page adapted to display information in the service data files and prompt for user inputs from a subscriber in response thereto wherein the user inputs include information to setup, activate, deactivate and update telecommunications services subscribed to by the subscriber; and

a call scripting process adapted to continuously receive the user inputs entered on the at least one web page and continuously communicate the user inputs to a node in the telecommunications network in order to effect a change in services subscribed to by the subscriber.

15. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the at least one web page comprises at least one java applet.

16. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the service logic parser is coded in a scripting language.

17. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a call generator residing in a service creation environment in the telecommunications network adapted to continuously receive the user inputs from the call scripting process and continuously communicate the user inputs to a service switching point in the telecommunications network for execution.

18. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a call generator residing in a service creation environment in the telecommunications network adapted to continuously receive the user inputs from the call scripting process and continuously communicate the user inputs to a service control point in the telecommunications network for database update.

19. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a call script file generated by the call scripting process from the user inputs and communicated to the telecommunications network node.

20. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the service data file is in hypertext markup language format.

21. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the service logic description comprises a description of a number of web pages, including title, graphical devices for receiving user input, and the logic flow of the web pages.

22. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a web browser executing on a user device adapted to receive the at least one web page over the internet, display the at least one web page, and receive user input entered via the user device.

23. The web interface, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a web server storing the at least one web pages and executing the service logic parser and call scripting process.

24. A method for providing a web interface to a service creation environment, comprising the steps of:

generating a service data file describing a service in a web browser readable format;

reading the service data file and constructing at least one web page for displaying information therein;

prompting for and receiving user input from a subscriber on the at least one web page, the user input including information to setup, activate, deactivate, or update telecommunications services subscribed to by the subscriber; and

communicating the user input to the service creation environment in order to effectuate a change in services subscribed to by the subscriber.

25. The method, as set forth in claim 24, further comprising the step of downloading the at least one web page to a user device for displaying the at least one web page and receiving the user input thereon.

26. The method, as set forth in claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

executing a web browser on a user device; and

downloading the at least one web page to the user device for displaying the at least one web page and receiving the user input thereon.

27. The method, as set forth in claim 24, further comprising the step of continuously transferring the user input from the user device to the service creation environment.