Systems and methods for facilitating provisioning of circuits and work control in a telecommunications environment

• US 6,990,186 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thacker, Terry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US10/314,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.12, 379 901- 904, 379/15.03
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration

Abstract

A method of adding a notation to a plurality of modules in a telecommunications provisioning system. The method includes accepting input of the notation and automatically invoking a first module. The method also includes inputting the notation to the first module, automatically invoking a second module, and inputting the notation to the second module.

Claims

1. A method of adding a notation to a plurality of modules in a telecommunications provisioning system, comprising:

accepting input of the notation;

automatically invoking a first module;

inputting the notation to the first module;

automatically invoking a second module; and

inputting the notation to the second module,

wherein accepting input of the notation includes accepting input of a notation that includes at least one of an indication that required equipment is not available, that a customer location is not ready, that an order is incorrect, and that engineering work on an order is incorrect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically invoking a first module includes automatically invoking a provision management module, and wherein automatically invoking a second module includes automatically invoking a work control module.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising accepting input of a work order number that corresponds to the notation.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether the work order number and the notation are valid and, if the work order number or the notation is invalid, displaying an error message to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the notation to conform the notation to a data convention that is required by one of the first module and the second module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising accepting input of a user password stored in a file format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

logging off the first module alter inputting the notation to the first module;

determining whether the notation was successfully added to the first module;

logging off the second module after inputting the notation to the second module; and

determining whether the notation was successfully added to the second module.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

prompting a user to enter the notation as a text message;

prompting the user to enter an order number of the order to which the note corresponds;

prompting the user to enter a password; and

prompting the user to determine if the user wants to add another notation.

9. A system, comprising:

a provision management module;

a work control module in communication with the provision management module;

a user terminal in communication with the provision management module and the work control module; and

a note input module in communication with the user terminal, wherein the note input module enables a user of the user terminal to simultaneously input a notation into the provision management module and the work control module, the notation including at least one of an indication that required equipment is not available, that a customer location is not ready, that an order is incorrect, and that engineering work on an order is incorrect.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the user terminal is in communication with the provision management module via an order manager module.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the user terminal is in communication with the work control module via a work request generator module.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a service order analysis and control module in communication with the provision management module.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a design process module in communication with the provision management module.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a work request issue module in communication with the work control module.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a technician user terminal in communication with the work request issue module.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the note input module is in communication with the user terminal via a communications network.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the note input module is embodied in computer code and stored on a computer storage medium in the user terminal.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the user terminal includes a personal computer.

19. A telecommunications apparatus, comprising:

means for accepting input of a notation;

means for automatically invoking a first module;

means for inputting the notation to the first module;

means for automatically invoking a second module; and

means for inputting the notation to the second module,

wherein accepting input of the notation includes accepting input of a notation that includes at least one of an indication that required equipment is not available, that a customer location is not ready, that an order is incorrect, and that engineering work on an order is incorrect.

20. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

accept input of a notation;

automatically invoke a first telecommunications module;

input the notation to the first telecommunications module;

automatically invoke a second telecommunications module; and

input the notation to the second telecommunications module,

wherein accepting input of the notation includes accepting input of a notation that includes at least one of an indication that required equipment is not available, that a customer location is not ready, that an order is incorrect, and that engineering work on an order is incorrect.