Methods, systems and storage mediums for providing a self-provisioning telephony service

• US 7,643,627 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starling, Gerald A., Henson, Dirk S., Loveless, Ken A., Broadus, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/888,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20060008066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.12, 379/201.03, 379/29.01, 379/90.01, 379/93.27, 379/243, 455/405, 455/417, 370/352, 370/356
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7036 Administer via user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for providing self-provisioning telephony services. The method includes receiving a request for the self-provisioning telephony services from a caller of a telecommunications service provider. The method also includes prompting the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning telephony services. The method further includes implementing the self-provisioning telephony services, without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, in response to information received as a result of the prompting. The self-provisioning telephony services include activating an account for a new telephone number, modifying an account for an existing telephone number, retrieving a forgotten personal identification number, and canceling an account for an existing telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for providing self-provisioning telephony services, comprising:

transmitting, via at least one computer processor, an invitation to a customer calling device of a customer for initiating the self-provisioning telephony services, the invitation including a toll-free telephone number that is uniquely assigned to the customer and a designated access number allocated for implementing the self-provisioning telephony services;

receiving, via the at least one computer processor, a request for the self-provisioning services from a caller via the designated access number, the caller identified as the customer via a telephone number from which the request was initiated, the telephone number linked to a telecommunications service account of the customer;

prompting, via the at least one computer processor, the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning services; and

activating, via the at least one computer processor, the toll-free telephone number in response to a provisioning order generated and processed as a result of the information provided by the caller, the provisioning order including a uniquely assigned personal identification number assigned to the caller and the toll-free telephone number assigned to the customer via the invitation;

wherein the self-provisioning services are implemented without human intervention from a telecommunications service provider, via the at least one computer processor and associated with the telecommunications service account, the self-provisioning telephony services further including;

modifying an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number associated with the caller; and

canceling an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompts include directions for performing functions including:

validating the caller'"'"'s identity;

assigning the personal identification number to the caller;

accepting the new toll-free telephone number;

modifying an existing personal identification number;

canceling an existing toll-free telephone number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

accepting terms and conditions of the account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging, via the at least one computer processor, a fee for the account, the fee based upon at least one of:

minutes of use incurred for the toll-free telephone number; and

a flat periodic fee based upon time the account is active.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning a personal identification number to the caller is performed by the caller in response to receiving a request for a caller-selected personal identification number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning order includes a current telephone number of the caller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the toll-free telephone number is shared by multiple callers, wherein accounts of the multiple callers are distinguishable by a unique personal identification number assigned to each of the accounts.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning a personal identification number to the caller is performed by the telecommunications service provider.

8. A system for providing self-provisioning telephony services, comprising:

a service control server in communication with a customer calling device, the service control server operable for receiving a request for the self-provisioning telephony services from a caller via the customer calling device and a designated access number allocated for implementing the self-provisioning telephony services, the request received in response to an invitation transmitted to a customer, the invitation including the designated access number and a toll-free telephone number that is uniquely assigned to the customer, the caller identified via a telephone number from which the request was initiated, the telephone number linked to a telecommunications service account of the customer; and

a resource server in communication with the service control server, the resource server executing a self-provisioning application and user interface, the self-provisioning application and user interface operable for prompting the caller to provide information and generating a provisioning order resulting from responses to prompts;

wherein the service control server activates the toll-free telephone number in response to the provisioning order and without human intervention, the provisioning order including a personal identification number that is uniquely assigned to the caller; and

wherein the self-provisioning telephony services further include;

modifying an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number associated with the caller; and

canceling an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller;

wherein the telephone number is shared by multiple customers, wherein accounts of the multiple customers are distinguishable by a unique personal identification number assigned to each of the accounts.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a provisioning server in communication with the resource server and the service control server, the provisioning server operable for:

reformatting the provisioning order received from the resource server to a data format usable by the service control server; and

transmitting reformatted provisioning order data to the service control server for execution of self-provisioning services identified in the reformatted provisioning order data.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a billing server in communication with the provisioning server, the billing server receiving provisioning orders from the provisioning server for managing bills of customers that utilize the self-provisioning services.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the prompts include directions for performing at least one of:

validating the caller'"'"'s identity;

assigning the personal identification number to the caller;

accepting the new toll-free telephone number;

modifying an existing personal identification number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number;

canceling an existing toll-free telephone number; and

accepting terms and conditions of the account.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the provisioning order includes the assigned toll-free telephone number and a current telephone number of the caller.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein prompts to the caller are presented in a format including at least one of:

voice;

text; and

web-based; and

multi-media.

14. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code for providing self-provisioning services, the program code including instructions for causing a host system to implement a method, comprising:

transmitting an invitation to a customer for initiating the self-provisioning telephony services, the invitation including a toll-free telephone number that is uniquely assigned to the customer and a designated access number allocated for implementing the self-provisioning telephony services;

receiving a request for the self-provisioning services from a caller via the designated access number, the caller identified as the customer via a telephone number from which the request was initiated, the telephone number linked to a telecommunications service account of the customer;

prompting the caller to provide information for facilitating implementation of the self-provisioning services; and

activating the toll-free telephone number in response to a provisioning order generated and processed as a result of the information provided by the caller, the provisioning order including a personal information number that is uniquely assigned to the caller;

wherein the self-provisioning telephony services further include;

modifying an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number associated with the caller; and

canceling an account for an existing toll-free telephone number of the caller;

wherein the assigning a personal identification number to the caller is performed by at least one of;

the telecommunications service provider; and

the caller in response to receiving a request for a caller-selected personal identification number.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the prompts include directions for performing functions including:

validating the caller'"'"'s identity;

assigning the personal identification number to the caller;

accepting the new toll-free telephone number;

modifying an existing personal identification number;

canceling an existing toll-free telephone number;

retrieving a forgotten personal identification number; and

accepting terms and conditions of the account.

16. The storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for performing:

charging a fee for the account, the fee based upon at least one of;

minutes of use incurred for the toll-free telephone number; and

a flat periodic fee based upon time the account is active.

17. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the provisioning order includes a current telephone number of the caller.

18. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the toll-free telephone number is shared by multiple callers, wherein accounts of the multiple callers are distinguishable by a unique personal identification number assigned to each of the accounts.