Establishing and managing communications over telecommunication networks

• US 6,535,592 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SOMA Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Snelgrove, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US09/722,003
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.1, 379/114.06, 379/114.07, 379/114.1, 379/114.11, 379/114.12
• US Class Current: 379/114.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081

Abstract

A telecommunication system and method for communicating between at least two end users over a telecommunication network, where the communication is defined by a set of parameters. At least two entities, such as one or both of the end users and/or the service providers negotiate an agreed set of values for said parameters that define the desired communication. The entities also negotiate a warranty agreement with the network service provider defining at least one of the agreed parameters to be warranted including a compensation method to be applied should said at least one monitored parameter fail to meet the corresponding one of said agreed values. The agreed warranted parameters are monitored once the communication is established and, in the event of a failure of the monitored parameters to meet agreed values, at least one of the entities is compensated in accordance with the agreed compensation method. When more than two entities are involved in a communication, the compensation from an entity can be divided amongst the other entities according to an agreed scheme.

Claims

1. A method of establishing and maintaining communication between at least first, second and third entities over a telecommunication network, where said communication is defined by a set of parameters, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) negotiating between at least two of said first, second and third entities an agreed set of values for said parameters that define the desired communication;

(ii) negotiating a warranty agreement between at least said two of said first, second and third entities defining;

at least one of said agreed parameters to be monitored;

at least one entity to perform said monitoring; and

a compensation method to be applied should said at least one monitored parameter fail to meet the corresponding one of said agreed values;

(iii) establishing said communication;

(iv) monitoring said at least one monitored parameter of said communication by said at least one entity performing said monitoring; and

(v) in the event of a failure of said at least one monitored parameter to meet said agreed value, the entities responsible for said failure compensating at least one of the other of said entities in accordance with said negotiated compensation method.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said warranty agreement further defines a penalty clause allowing an entity responsible for said monitored parameter and failing to meet said agreed value to renegotiate said communication by negotiating a new set of parameters and providing a penalty compensation, defined in said warranty agreement, to at least one other of said at least three entities.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (iv) is performed by another entity trusted by each of said at least three entities.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compensation is a monetary compensation.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compensation is by the provision of a reduced cost for said communication.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compensation is by the provision of a reduced cost for a future communication between said at least two of said at least three entities.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compensation is by the provision of an agreed amount of data transfer through said communication at no cost to said compensated entity.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one parameter of said communication which is monitored is the latency of said communication between at least two entities involved in said communication.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one parameter of said communication which is monitored is an error rate experienced during said communication between at least two entities involved in said communication.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter that is monitored is the type of communication and one of said at least three entities performs said monitoring.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter that is monitored is the identity of the entity receiving the communication.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter is conditional on another parameter of said communication.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amount of compensation paid in step (iv) is graduated and dependent upon the degree to which said at least one monitored parameter is not met.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the at least two warranties relates to a different warranted parameter than the other of said at least two warranties.

15. A telecommunications system comprising:

a first end user entity;

a second end user entity;

a telecommunications network entity comprising at least part of an interconnection between said first end user entity and said second end user entity and having at least one transmission link;

at least said first end user entity, said telecommunication network entity and said second end user entity negotiating a communication between said first end user entity and said second end user entity; and

said entities being operable to;

(a) agree on.values for a set of parameters defining a communication and implement said communication between said first end user entity and said second end user entity over said telecommunication network entity; and

(b) agree on a warranty agreement defining at least one of said set of parameters to be monitored by an entity and a compensation method to be applied should said at least one monitored parameter fail to meet the corresponding one of said agreed values and implement said warranty agreement, the compensation method including determining the entity responsible for the failure and the entity to receive the compensation.

16. The telecommunications system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the compensation method includes paying a monetary compensation to the entity defined to receive compensation.

17. The telecommunications system as claimed in claim 15 wherein another entity, trusted by said first end user entity, second end user entity and said telecommunication network entity, monitors said communication to ensure said monitored parameter is met.

18. The telecommunications system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least two telecommunication network entities;

each telecommunication network entity having at least one telecommunication link and said links serving to interconnect said first end user entity and second end user entity.