System for managing telecommunications services through use of customized profile management codes

• US 6,522,876 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Weiland, Dorene G., McConnell, Von K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEI, TSULEUN R
• Application Number:
  US09/411,885
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.05, 379/204.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.03, 379/207.11, 379/207.13, 379/207.15, 455/414, 455/415, 455/417, 455/419, 455/422
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/48 Sending information over a non-traffic network channel or another connection than the one actually used, e.g. signalling, D-channel, data and voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 : between backbone network devices

Abstract

A service management system based on customized profile management codes. In an advanced intelligent network, a central control point includes a set of logic that defines profile management codes customized for individual subscribers or groups of subscribers. When the central control point receives a profile management code for a particular subscriber, for instance, the central control point may interpret the profile management code altogether differently than it does for the same code from another subscriber. For instance, the logic in a single central control point may indicate for one subscriber that the code “11” means to “activate call forwarding,” and the logic may indicate for another subscriber that the code “11” means to “bill the call to a specified third party account.”

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system and a central control point with service logic defining service parameters for one or more subscribers, a method comprising:

the central control point receiving a signaling message, the signaling message including a first member indicative of a subscriber and a second member indicative of a subscriber-specific profile management code provided by the subscriber;

the central control point identifying a set of service logic associated with the subscriber, the set of service logic defining for the subscriber an action associated with the subscriber-specific profile management code; and

the central control point executing the set of service logic to carry out the action.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control point receives the signaling message from the serving system.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control point receives the signaling message from another central control point.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises modifying the service logic associated with the subscriber.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises activating a service feature for the subscriber.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises deactivating a service feature for the subscriber.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises sending a message.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the message comprises an SMTP message.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein sending a message comprises sending a message from a first sub-network into a second sub-network.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action is other than translating a dialed digit sequence into a routing number.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein identifying a set of service logic associated with the subscriber comprises querying another network entity to determine the action associated with the profile management code.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the subscriber providing the profile management code in a first sub-network, wherein the action impacts service logic in a second sub-network.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the subscriber comprises a mobile station and the action comprises modifying, activating or deactivating a service feature for a landline station.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile management code is provided by the subscriber mid-call.

15. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system arranged to route call data, a central control point comprising:

a first module arranged to receive a signaling message, the signaling message including a first member indicative of a subscriber and a second member indicative of a subscriber-specific profile management code provided by the subscriber;

a second module arranged to identify a set of service logic associated with the subscriber, the service logic defining for the subscriber an action corresponding to the subscriber-specific profile management code; and

a third module arranged to execute the set of service logic and to thereby carry out the action.

16. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first module is arranged to receive the signaling message from the serving system.

17. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first module is arranged to receive the signaling message from another central control point.

18. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises modifying the service logic associated with the subscriber.

19. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises activating a service feature for the subscriber.

20. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises deactivating a service feature for the subscriber.

21. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the action comprises sending a message.

22. A central control point as claimed in claim 21, wherein the message comprises an SMTP message.

23. A central control point as claimed in claim 21, wherein sending a message comprises sending a message from a first sub-network into a second sub-network.

24. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, where the action is other than translating a dialed digit sequence into a routing number.

25. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second module is arranged to query another network entity to determine the action associated with the profile management code.

26. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the subscriber provided the profile management code in a first sub-network, and the action impacts service logic in a second sub-network.

27. A central control point as claimed in claim 26, wherein the subscriber comprises a mobile station and the action comprises modifying, activating or deactivating a service feature for a landline station.

28. A central control point as claimed in claim 15, wherein the profile management code is provided by the subscriber mid-call.

29. A logic module stored in a central control point in an advanced intelligent network, the logic module defining, specifically for a given subscriber of telecommunications service, one or more suscriber-specific profile-management-code parameters indicating, specifically for the given subscriber, what the central control point should do in response to one or more suscriber-specific particular profile management codes provided by the subscriber.

30. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system and a central control point with service logic defining service parameters for one or more subscribers, a method comprising:

the central control point receiving a signaling message, the signaling message including a first member indicative of a subscriber and a second member indicative of a subscriber-specific profile management code provided by the subscriber;

the central control point identifying a set of service logic associated with the subscriber, the set of service logic defining for the subscriber an action associated with the subscriber-specific profile management code; and

carrying out the action.

31. In a telecommunications network of the type comprising a serving system arranged to route call data, a central control point comprising:

a first module arranged to receive a signaling message, the signaling message including a first member indicative of a subscriber and a second member indicative of a subscriber-specific profile management code provided by the subscriber;

a second module arranged to identify a set of service logic associated with the subscriber, the service logic defining for the subscriber an action corresponding to the subscriber-specific profile management code; and

a third module arranged to carry out the action.