Mobile gateway interface

• US 7,110,745 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dennis, Gary J., Smith, Steven G., Morton, Roland T. Jr., Willis, Robert H. Jr., Davis, Mitchell E., Mills, Ralph J. Jr., Kaloustian, Curt
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/028,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/435.1, 455/520, 455/521, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/414.3, 455423-425, 4554561-4563, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/433, 455/440, 455/79, 455/95, 455/404.1, 455/432.2, 4555561-5562, 455517-519, 455/445, 455457-459, 455/466, 455/557, 455560-561, 455/563, 455/575.9, 709217-219, 709/229, 704/236, 704/243, 704246-248, 705 8- 13, 445/414.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.04
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity

Abstract

A mobile gateway interface that enables a supervisor to conduct typical office transactions via a remote device while the supervisor is away from the office. The remote device can be one of several items, including, for example, wireless telephones, interactive pagers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers with wireless modem, and the like. The supervisor uses the remote device to log into the mobile gateway interface. After the authentication process, the supervisor makes a transaction request through the remote device. A transaction server, which is part of the mobile gateway interface, interacts with one or more resources to process or execute the transaction request. The resources can include an intranet, the Internet, and various legacy systems. Preferably, the mobile gateway interface includes one or both voice and front-end data servers that facilitate the authentication process and execution of the transaction request.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to perform office transactions from a field location comprising:

receiving a login request from a user through a remote device;

determining whether the user is an authorized user;

receiving a transaction request from the user if the user is an authorized user;

the user interacting with one or more resources trough a mobile gateway interface to execute the transaction request; and

providing a feedback to the user in response to the transaction request through the remote device;

wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to;

provide the location of a technician in the field;

wherein the mobile gateway interface is adapted to determine whether the user is an authorized user of the system;

wherein the mobile gateway interface comprises a front-end voice server, a front-end data server, and a transaction server;

wherein the front-end voice server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to the user'"'"'s voice matching a voice exemplar of an authorized user;

wherein the front-end data server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to a user password matching a password of an authorized user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to provide information concerning the technician'"'"'s current job.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter the technician'"'"'s schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter vehicle assignment for the technician.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to implement testing of a communications network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources include one or more of a legacy system, an Intranet, and the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources includes one or more of a security information management system, an outside plant construction management system, a loop qualification system, a work activity statistical sampling system, a fleet operations support system, a fleet optimizer system, an integrated technician performance system, a network monitoring and analysis system, a proactive maintenance administration system, an integrated dispatch system, a mechanized time reporting system, an employee scheduling program, an open system interconnect platform, and an outside plant engineering design system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request relates to one or more of

(a) locating a technician;

(b) querying load associated with a technician;

(c) creating a proactive maintenance action ticket;

(d) identifying a technician on high time;

(e) obtaining details about a technician and a vehicle associated with the technician;

(f) assigning a new vehicle to a technician;

(g) updating a technician'"'"'s temporary schedule;

(h) completing a safety and service defect form;

(i) completing a safety observation form;

(j) finding a technician nearest to a field location;

(k) obtaining loop qualification results;

(l) managing e-mail accounts;

(m) completing a quality review form;

(n) making sales referrals; and

(o) finding out what time a technician leaves a work center.

9. A system for enabling a user to perform office transactions comprising:

a remote device operable by the user from a field location;

a mobile gateway interface adapted to interface with the remote device during a communications session; and

one or more resources adapted to interact with the remote device through

the mobile gateway interface during the communications session,

wherein the user performs an office transaction through the resources using the remote device via the mobile gateway interface, wherein the office transaction involves one or more technicians associated with the user;

wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to;

provide the location of a technician in the field;

wherein the mobile gateway interface is adapted to determine whether the user is an authorized user of the system;

wherein the mobile gateway interface comprises a front-end voice server, a front-end data server, and a transaction server;

wherein the front-end voice server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to the user'"'"'s voice matching a voice exemplar of an authorized user;

wherein the front-end data server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to a user password matching a password of an authorized user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to provide information concerning the technician'"'"'s current job.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter the technician'"'"'s schedule.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter vehicle assignment for the technician.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile gateway interface further comprises a database, wherein the database is accessible by one or both of the front-end voice server and the front-end data server, and wherein the database includes user information associated with the user.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction server processes a transaction request received from the user using the remote device if the user is an authorized user of the system.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to implement testing of a communications network.

16. A mobile gateway interface for enabling users to perform office transactions by using a remote device at a field location comprising:

a front-end voice server and a front-end data server adapted to determine whether a user who submits a login request through the remote device during a communications session is an authorized user;

wherein the front-end voice server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to the user'"'"'s voice matching a voice exemplar of an authorized user;

wherein the front-end data server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to a user password matching a password of an authorized user; and

a transaction server coupled to the front-end voice server one or more front-end servers and a front-end data server, wherein the transaction server interfaces between the remote device and one or more resources during the communications session to process a transaction request received from the user if the user is an authorized user, and wherein the resources are related to technicians associated with the user, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to;

provide the location of a technician in the field.

17. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein the resources includes one or more of a security information management system, an outside plant construction management system, a loop qualification system, a work activity statistical sampling system, a fleet operations support system, a fleet optimizer system, an integrated technician performance system, a network monitoring and analysis system, a proactive maintenance administration system, an integrated dispatch system, a mechanized time reporting system, an employee scheduling program, an open system interconnect platform, and an outside plant engineering design system.

18. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein one of the front-end servers is a voice server.

19. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein one of the front-end servers is a data server.

20. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, further comprising a database accessible to the front-end servers, wherein the database includes user information associated with authorized users of the mobile gateway interface.

21. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to provide information concerning the technician'"'"'s current job.

22. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter the technician'"'"'s schedule.

23. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to alter vehicle assignment for the technician.

24. The mobile gateway interface of claim 16, wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to implement testing of a communications network.

25. A computer program product for enabling a user to perform office transactions from a field location, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

receiving a login request from a user through a remote device;

determining whether the user is an authorized user;

receiving a transaction request from the user if the user is an authorized user;

the user interacting with one or more resources through a mobile gateway interface to execute the transaction request; and

providing a feedback to the user in response to the transaction request through the remote device;

wherein the resources include one or more systems configured to;

provide the location of a technician in the field;

wherein the mobile gateway interface is adapted to determine whether the user is an authorized user of the system;

wherein the mobile gateway interface comprises a front-end voice server, a front-end data server, and a transaction server;

wherein the front-end voice server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to the user'"'"'s voice matching a voice exemplar of an authorized user;

wherein the front-end data server determines if the user is an authorized user in response to a user password matching a password of an authorized user.