Service request processing in a local service activation management environment

• US 6,732,167 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Murphy, Christopher John, Swartz, Stephen J., Bakshi, Anil R., Baeth, Kevin Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/452,067
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200-203, 709/223-224, 709/245-246, 709/220, 709/230, 379/114.01, 379/114.14, 379/114.15, 379/114.28, 379/229-230
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture in accordance with the claimed invention provides a service request processor in a local service activation management environment for management purposes. A core telecommunication system is interfaced for handling core telecommunication system requests and responses received from the core telecommunication system. The core telecommunication system requests generated by the core telecommunication system are validated. The core telecommunication system requests are processed if the processing can be done locally. If the request can not be done locally, it is translated to a predetermined protocol. Next, the request that is sent to a local service provider is and a response to the request is generated and received by the local service management environment. Error messages are generated by the core telecommunication system upon request validation or content validation failure. Status of the local service provider responses is provided and fault management is based on the status.

Claims

1. A method for service request processing in a local service management environment comprising:

receiving from a core telecommunication system a request that is associated with a customer'"'"'s local telephone service, wherein the core telecommunication system is configured to provide telecommunication services outside of the local service area;

if the request can be processed locally, processing the request; and

if the request cannot be processed locally;

translating the request to a protocol associated with a local service provider that can process the request;

sending the translated request to the local service provider; and

receiving a response to the request from the local service provider.

2. The method as in claim 1, the method being implemented in a message processing facility that accepts a standardized request from the core telecommunication system and adapts the standardized request to a form acceptable by one of a plurality of local service providers.

3. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising applying business rules to the request, the business rules being stored in a single rule repository in a modifiable table format.

4. The method as in claim 3, the business rules comprising rules for determining how to provision particular service requests.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to change or cancel local telephone service.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the request comprises a telephone number request or a street address guide request.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the method is capable of performed on the request when the request comprises any of a plurality of types of pre-order functions, wherein the plurality of types of pre-order functions comprise telephone number administration, service location validation, negotiation of due date/time, service configuration, product availability, and long distance availability.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request for telephone number reservation.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request for new local telephone service.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein applying business rules to the request comprises:

evaluating whether any business rules apply to the request; and

if any business rules apply to the request, modifying the request in accordance with the applicable business rules.

11. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

logging the request into an internal local service activation management format;

validating the request;

if the validation succeeds, sending an acknowledgement to the core telecommunication system; and

if the validation fails, sending an error message to the core telecommunication system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein validating the request comprises validating content of the request.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein validating the request comprises validating completeness and accuracy of a structure of the request, validating completeness of request content, evaluating a request type, and evaluating a request destination.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is capable of being performed on each of a plurality of types of the request, wherein the plurality of types of the request comprises:

a pre-order request, a service order request, a request for new local telephone service, a request to change local telephone service, and a request to cancel local telephone service.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a status of the local service provider response.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending the local service provider response to the core telecommunication system or a fault management application based on the status.

17. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for service request processing in a local service management environment, the computer program comprising:

a component that is configured to receive from a core telecommunication system a request that is associated with a customer'"'"'s local telephone service, wherein the core telecommunication system is configured to provide telecommunication services outside of the local service area;

a component that is configured to process the request if the request can be processed locally;

a component that is configured to translate the request to a protocol associated with a local service provider that can process the request if the request cannot be processed locally;

a component that is configured to send the translated request to the local service provider if the request cannot be processed locally; and

a component that is configured to receive a response to the request from the local service provider if the request cannot be processed locally.

18. The computer program as in claim 17, wherein the request comprises a request for new local telephone service.

19. The computer program as in claim 17, wherein the request comprises a request to change or cancel local telephone service.

20. A system for service request processing in a local service management environment comprising:

a component that is configured to receive from a core telecommunication system a request that is associated with a customer'"'"'s local telephone service, wherein the core telecommunication system is configured to provide telecommunication services outside of the local service area;

a component that is configured to process the request if the request can be processed locally;

a component that is configured to translate the request to a protocol associated with a local service provider that can process the request if the request cannot be processed locally;

a component that is configured to send the translated request to the local service provider if the request cannot be processed locally; and

a component that is configured to receive a response to the request from the local service provider if the request cannot be processed locally.

21. The method as in claim 20, wherein the request comprises a request for new local telephone service.

22. The method as in claim 20, wherein the request comprises a request to change or cancel local telephone service.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a satellite interface that is configured to transmit and receive satellite information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the satellite interface is configured to provide a plurality of communication services that are associated with relaying information to fixed and mobile stations.

25. A request processor for service request processing in a local service management environment, the request processor comprising:

an interface that is configured to receive core telecommunication system requests generated by a core telecommunication system;

a service request processor, connected to the interface, that is configured to process the request if the request can be processed locally;

a message handler, integral to the service request processor, that is configured to validate the request;

a translator, integral to the service request processor, that is configured to translate the request to a protocol associated with a local service provider that can process the request if the request cannot be processed locally;

a storage medium, connected to the service processor, that is configured to log the request; and

a command processor, connected to the service request processor, that is configured to send the translated request to the local service provider.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein the request comprises a request for new local telephone service.

27. An article of manufacture for providing a service request processor in a local service activation environment, the article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having local service activation instructions comprising:

receiving from a core telecommunication system a request that is associated with a customer'"'"'s local telephone service, wherein the core telecommunication system is configured to provide telecommunication services outside of the local service area;

if the request can be processed locally, processing the request; and

if the request cannot be processed locally;

translating the request to a protocol associated with a local service provider that can process the request;

sending the translated request to the local service provider; and

receiving a response to the request from the local service provider.