Internet-based subscriber profile management of a communications system

• US 6,587,867 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaidya, Ram S., Miller, James Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US08/862,134
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: 395/187.01, 395/186, 395/200.55, 395/200.3, 395/200.59, 395/200.53, 713/201, 713/200, 709/200, 709/225, 709/228, 709/223, 705/38, 705/39, 705/44
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0033 customer-controlled

Abstract

A telecommunications system includes multiple services. For example, the system provides multiple communications services with a single number for a subscriber. The subscriber can easily configure, manage and update these services via the Internet, by accessing a service or subscriber profile detailing the services specific to the subscriber The subscriber profile specifies which communication services the subscriber wishes to provide to different people who call the subscriber'"'"' telephone number. The system provides a World Wide Web access method to the subscriber'"'"'s profile. The system includes security safeguards to ensure security to the system.

Claims

1. In a telecommunication system having a subscriber, the subscriber receiving a plurality of services from the system through a single telephone number, a method for managing the subscriber'"'"'s profile comprising:

requesting access by the subscriber, via the Internet, of an account record, the account record specifying subscriber selected options of the services;

validating the subscriber'"'"'s request upon verification of a personal identification number associated with the subscriber and upon determining that an address associated with the subscriber is not hostile;

providing a menu to the subscriber if the subscriber'"'"'s request is validated, the menu providing choices for the subscriber for at least one of the services;

receiving, via the Internet, subscriber input corresponding to one of the choices provided in the menu; and

updating the account record based on the received subscriber input such that the updates to the subscriber'"'"'s profile are ready in substantially real-time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of validating includes the steps of:

requesting and receiving a token in response to the step of requesting access;

requesting input data from the subscriber;

receiving the input data from the subscriber;

comparing the input data to corresponding stored data; and

validating the token if the input data compares favorably with the stored data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing includes the steps of:

providing a first screen to the subscriber, the first screen providing at least some of the services;

receiving initial subscriber input, the initial subscriber input selecting one of the at least some of the services; and

providing a second screen to the subscriber, the second screen providing the menu.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing includes the step of providing a screen to the subscriber having the menu, the screen having included therewith a validated token and an executable application.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving includes the steps of:

again validating the subscriber'"'"'s request; and

updating the account only if the subscriber'"'"'s request is again validated.

6. In a telecommunication system having a subscriber, the subscriber receiving a plurality of services from the system through a single telephone number, wherein the system is coupled to a network of computers, a method for managing a profile of the subscriber comprising:

requesting access by the subscriber, via the network of computers, of an account record, the account record specifying subscriber selected options of the services;

validating the subscriber'"'"'s request upon verification of the subscriber'"'"'s personal identification number and upon determining that an address associated with the subscriber is not hostile;

providing a menu to the subscriber if the subscriber'"'"'s request is validated, the menu providing choices for the subscriber for at least one of the services;

receiving, via the network of computers, subscriber input corresponding to one of the choices provided in the menu; and

updating the account record based on the received subscriber input such that the updated data is made available in substantially real-time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the network of computers includes the Internet, and wherein the step of requesting includes the step of accessing a site associated with the system.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing includes the step of providing a screen to the subscriber having the menu, the screen having included therewith a validated token.

9. In a telecommunication system having a subscriber, the subscriber receiving a plurality of services from the system through a single telephone number, the subscriber being assigned multiple personal identification numbers, one of said numbers being assigned solely to be used by the subscriber, a method for managing the subscriber'"'"'s profile comprising:

requesting access by the subscriber, via the Internet, of an account record, the account record specifying subscriber selected options of the services;

validating the subscriber'"'"'s request upon verification of the subscriber'"'"'s one personal identification number and upon determining that an address associated with the subscriber is not hostile;

providing a menu to the subscriber if the subscriber'"'"'s request is validated, the menu providing choices for the subscriber for at least one of the services;

receiving, via the Internet, subscriber input corresponding to one of the choices provided in the menu; and

updating the account record based on the received subscriber input such that the updates to the subscriber'"'"'s profile are ready in substantially real-time.

10. In a telecommunication network, an apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a subscriber specific record relating to a telecommunication system, the subscriber receiving a plurality of services from the system through a single telephone number and being assigned multiple personal identification numbers, one of said numbers being assigned solely to be used by the subscriber; and

a network server coupled between the memory and the Internet, the network server configured to receive a request for access, via the Internet, of the record, validate the request upon verification of the one personal identification number and upon determining that an address associated with the subscriber is not hostile, receive, via the Internet, alternate data for the record, and request alteration of the record in the memory based on the received alternate data such that the updated data is made available in substantially real-time.