Method for provisioning communications devices and system for provisioning same

• US 6,499,017 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NetBoss Technologies, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feibelman, Eric Young, Weiss, Adriana
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US09/240,437
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.12, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.03, 379/93.12, 379/15.03, 379/10.03, 705/1, 705/7, 705/8, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/7.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method of provisioning communication devices is provided which preferably includes transferring a customer order to an order database. The transferred customer order preferably includes an order sequence. A due order is then retrieved from the order database responsive to the order sequence. The due order is representative of a next customer order due. The method also includes retrieving at least one provisioning rule from a rule database having a plurality of rules stored therein and responsive to the retrieve due order, executing a provisioning script representative of instructions for provisioning communication devices to provide a customer selected service responsive to the at least one retrieved provisioning rule, and provisioning communication devices responsive to the generated provisioning script. The system preferably includes a customer order interface positioned to interfacingly receive a customer service order, a rule-based script provision selector positioned in communication with the customer order interface to select a rule-based provisioning script to provision communication devices, and a communication devices interface positioned in communications with the rule-based script provision selector for interfacingly providing the rule-based script to communication devices to thereby perform a provisioning request thereon.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning communication devices comprising the steps of:

retrieving a customer order representative of at least on desired service;

transferring the customer order to an order database, the transferred customer order including a transaction type and an order sequence;

retrieving a due order from the order database responsive to the order sequence, the due order being representative of a next customer order due, the step of retrieving a due order including the step of polling the order database for a pending transaction type;

retrieving at least one provisioning rule from a rule database responsive to the retrieve due order;

executing at least one provisioning script representative of instructions for provisioning communication devices to provide a customer selected service responsive to the at least one retrieved provisioning rule, the step of executing a provisioning script including determining if the rule database includes a provisioning rule for the transaction type of the due order;

provisioning a plurality of communication devices responsive to the at least one provisioning script; and

generating a customer order including data representative of a transaction type and an order sequence for performing the transaction, the retrieved due order also including the transaction type.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the communication devices includes telecommunication devices, and wherein the customer order is generated from a customer telephone service ordering system.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the customer order is retrieved from an input communications port, and wherein the step of provisioning communication devices includes transferring the provisioning script to an output communications port.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising providing a provisioning engine positioned in communication with the input communications port and the output communications port which retrieves the due orders, retrieves the at least one provisioning rule, and executes the provisioning script.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the input communications port includes an input scripted provisioning driver, and wherein the output communications port includes an output scripted provisioning driver.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, further comprising logging data in the order database representative of customer orders which have been provisioned so as to define a logged audit trail.

7. A method of provisioning communication devices comprising the steps of:

transferring a customer order to an order database;

retrieving a due order from the order database, the due order being representative of a next customer order due, the step of retrieving a due order including the step of polling the order database for a pending transaction type;

retrieving at least one provisioning rule from a rule database having a plurality of rules stored therein and responsive to the retrieve due order;

executing a provisioning script representative of instructions for provisioning communication devices to provide a customer selected service responsive to the at least one retrieved provisioning rule, the step of executing a provisioning script including determining if the rule database includes a provisioning rule for the transaction type of the due order;

provisioning communication devices responsive to the generated provisioning script; and

generating a customer order including data representative of a transaction type and an order sequence for performing the transaction, the retrieved due order also including the transaction type.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the communication devices includes telecommunication devices, and wherein the customer order is generated from a customer telephone service ordering system.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising logging data in the order database representative of customer orders which have been provisioned so as to define a logged audit trail.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the customer order is retrieved from an input communications port, and wherein the step of provisioning communication devices includes transferring the generated provisioning script to an output communications port.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising providing a provisioning engine positioned in communication with the input communications port and the output communications port which retrieves the due orders, retrieves the at least one provisioning rule, and generates the provisioning script.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the input communications port includes an input scripted provisioning driver, and wherein the output communications port includes an output scripted provisioning driver.

13. A method of provisioning communication devices comprising the steps of:

retrieving at least one provisioning rule from a rule database responsive to a due customer order, the step of retrieving a due customer order including the step of polling the order database for a pending transaction type;

executing a provisioning script representative of instructions for provisioning communication devices to provide a customer selected service responsive to the at least one retrieved provisioning rule; and

generating a script for determining if the rule database includes a predetermined provisioning rule.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising generating a customer order including data representative of a transaction type and an order sequence for performing the transaction, retrieving a due customer order from an order database, and wherein the due order also includes the transaction type.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising logging data in the order database representative of customer orders which have been provisioned so as to define a logged audit trail.

16. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the communication devices includes telecommunication devices, and wherein the customer order is generated from a customer telephone service ordering system.

17. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the customer order is retrieved from an input communications port, wherein the step of provisioning communication devices includes transferring the generated provisioning script to an output communications port, and wherein the method further includes provisioning communication devices responsive to the generated provisioning script.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, further comprising providing a provisioning engine positioned in communication with the input communications port and the output communications port which retrieves the due orders, retrieves the at least one provisioning rule, and generates the provisioning script.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the input communications port includes an input scripted provisioning driver, and wherein the output communications port includes an output scripted provisioning driver.

20. A system for provisioning communication devices, the system comprising:

customer order interfacing means for interfacingly receiving a customer service order, the customer order interfacing means including an input scripted provisioning driver;

rule-based script selecting means positioned in communications with said customer order interfacing means for selecting a rule-based script responsive to a rule for a transaction type; and

communication devices interfacing means positioned in communications with said rule-based script provision generating means for interfacingly providing he rule-based script to communication devices to thereby perform a provisioning request thereon, and wherein the communication devices interfacing means includes an output scripted provisioning driver.

21. A system as defined in claim 20, further comprising rule-based script provision generating means positioned in communication with a user interface for generating a rule-based script to provision communication devices.

22. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein the rule-based script provision selecting means includes a provisioning engine having a customer order database for storing customer orders therein, the customer order including a transaction type, a rule database for storing a plurality of provisioning rules therein, and a rule-based executor responsive to the customer order database and the rule database for executing a provisioning script based upon the transaction type of a customer order.

23. A method of provisioning communication devices comprising the steps of:

retrieving a customer order from an input communications port;

transferring the customer order to an order database;

retrieving a due order from the order database, the due order being representative of a next customer order due;

retrieving at least one provisioning rule from a rule database having a plurality of rules stored therein and responsive to the retrieve due order;

executing a provisioning script representative of instructions for provisioning communication devices to provide a customer selected service responsive to the at least one retrieved provisioning rule; and

provisioning communication devices responsive to the generated provisioning script, the step of provisioning communication devices including transferring the generated provisioning script to an output communications port.

24. A system for provisioning communication devices, the system comprising:

customer order interfacing means for interfacingly receiving a customer service order;

rule-based script selecting means positioned in communications with said customer order interfacing means for selecting a rule-based script responsive to a rule for a transaction type, the rule-based script provision selecting means including a provisioning engine having a customer order database for storing customer orders therein, a rule database for storing a plurality of provisioning rules therein, and a rule-based executor responsive to the customer order database and the rule database for executing a provisioning script based upon the transaction type of the customer order, the customer order including a transaction type; and

communication devices interfacing means positioned in communications with said rule-based script provision generating means for interfacingly providing the rule-based script to communication devices to thereby perform a provisioning request thereon.