Customer support services via a cable services network

• US 7,707,599 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Groff, Vincent, Calzone, Steve, Beeco, Bruce, King, John Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAYE, AKLIL M
• Application Number:
  US11/002,912
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 725 1- 8, 725/60, 725/61, 725/86, 725/104, 715/700, 715/716, 715/719
• US Class Current: 725/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Methods and systems provide customer support services through interactive television sessions via a cable services network. Cable services customers may pay bills or enroll in automatic bill payment via interactive television sessions. Information on pending work orders, answers to frequently asked questions and helpful service provider contact information may be obtained from a data services system through an interactive television session via a cable services network.

Claims

1. A method of automatically providing customer support services via an interactive television session, comprising:

launching a customer support services user interface at a customer television set;

receiving, at a cable services network, customer support information request sent from the customer support user interface;

providing the customer support information request to an application server at a head end of a cable services network

receiving at a web services system the customer support information request from the application server at the head end of the cable services network;

querying, by the web services system, a customer support information system coupled to the web services system for customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request received by the web services system;

passing, to a cable services set-top box via the application server at the head end of the cable services network, customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request obtained by the web services system from the customer support information system; and

causing the cable services set-top box to present the customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request at the customer television set.

2. The method of claim 1, after receiving the selected customer support information request, receiving a customer services address for a requesting customer.

3. The method of claim 1, prior to querying the customer support information system via the web services system for customer support information, further comprising calling a customer support services provider via a cable services network.

4. The method of claim 1, prior to passing the customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network, formatting the customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request for presentation at the customer television set.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving the selected customer support information request includes receiving a request for work order status information for one or more pending work orders associated with a requesting customer address.

6. The method of claim 5, whereby passing customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network includes passing work order status information to the cable services set-top box via the cable services network.

7. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selected customer support information request includes receiving a request for customer support services contact information.

8. The method of claim 7, whereby passing customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network includes passing customer services contact information to the cable services set-top box via the cable services network.

9. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selected customer support information request includes receiving a request for one or more answers to one or more selected frequently asked questions.

10. The method of claim 9, whereby passing customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network includes passing the one or more answers to the one or more selected frequently asked questions to the cable services set-top box via the cable services network.

11. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selected customer support information request includes receiving a request for billing information associated with a provision of one or more services at a requesting customer service address;

whereby querying a customer support information system via a web services system for customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request includes querying a billing system for the billing information associated with the one or more services; and

whereby passing the customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network includes passing the billing information associated with the one or more services to the cable services set-top box via the cable services network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising causing the cable services set-top box to present customer support information at the customer television set includes presenting at the customer television set the billing information associated with the provision of the one or more services at the requesting customer service address.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more of the one or more services for payment; and

receiving a selection of a method of payment for payment of the one or more services selected for payment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting at the customer television set a payment user interface pre-filled with billing information for the selected one or more services selected for payment.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment.

16. The method of claim 15, whereby receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment includes receiving identification information for a bank account.

17. The method of claim 15, whereby receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment includes receiving identification information for a credit card account.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining at the billing system whether the payment information for the selected method of payment is valid payment information.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising

presenting at the customer television set from the billing system via the web services system, a summary of the payment information received at the billing system;

and

presenting a confirmation at the customer television set that payment of the selected one or more services has been made.

20. The method of claim 1,

whereby receiving a selected customer support information request includes receiving a request for automatic bill payment of one or more services at a requesting customer service address;

whereby querying a customer support information system via a web services system for customer support information responsive to the selected customer support information request includes querying a billing system for billing information associated with the one or more services; and

whereby passing the customer support information to a cable services set-top box via the cable services network includes passing the billing information associated with the one or more services to the cable services set-top box via the cable services network.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising causing the cable services set-top box to present customer support information at the customer television set includes presenting at the customer television set the billing information associated with the one or more services.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more of the one or more services for automatic periodic billing payment; and

receiving a selection of a method of payment for payment of the one or more services selected for automatic periodic billing payment.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising a billing payment user interface pre-filled with billing information for the selected one or more services selected for automatic periodic billing payment.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment.

25. The method of claim 24, whereby receiving customer payment information includes receiving identification information for a bank account.

26. The method of claim 24, whereby receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment includes receiving identification information for a credit card account.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining at the billing system whether the customer payment information for the selected method of payment is accurate billing payment information.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising

presenting at the customer television set from the billing system via the web services system, a summary of the customer payment information received at the billing system;

and

presenting a confirmation at the customer television set that automatic period payment of the selected one or more services has been established.

29. A method of receiving bill payment via an interactive television session, comprising:

launching a customer support services user interface at a customer television set;

receiving at a cable services network, a request sent from the customer support user interface for billing information associated with a provision of one or more services at a requesting customer service address;

providing the request for billing information to an application server at a a head end of a cable services network;

receiving at a web services system the request for billing information from the application server at the head end of the cable services network;

querying by the web services system, a customer support information system coupled to the web services system for billing information responsive to the request for billing information received by the web services system;

passing, to a cable services set-top box via the application server at the head end of the cable services network, billing information responsive to the request for billing information obtained by the web services system from the customer support information system; and

causing the cable services set-top box to present the billing information responsive to the request for billing information at the customer television set.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more of the one or more services for payment; and

receiving a selection of a method of payment for payment of the one or more services selected for payment.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising presenting at the customer television set a payment user interface pre-filled with billing information for the selected one or more services selected for payment.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising determining at the billing system whether the payment information for the selected method of payment is valid payment information.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising

presenting at the customer television set from the billing system via the web services system, a summary of the payment information received at the billing system;

and

presenting a confirmation at the customer television set that payment of the selected one or more services has been made.

35. A method of provisioning automatic periodic bill payment for selected accounts via an interactive television session, comprising:

launching a customer support services user interface at a customer television set;

receiving, at a cable services network, a request sent from the customer support user interface for automatic periodic bill payment of one or more services at a requesting customer service address;

providing the request for billing information to an application server at a a head end of a cable services network;

receiving at a web services system the request for billing information from the application server at the head end of the cable services network;

querying by the web services system, a customer support information system coupled to the web services system for billing information responsive to the request for billing information received by the web services system;

passing, to the cable services set-top box via the application server at the head end of the cable services network, billing information responsive to the request for billing information obtained by the web services system from the customer support information system; and

causing the cable services set-top box to present the billing information responsive to the request for billing information at the customer television set.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more of the one or more services for automatic periodic billing payment; and

receiving a selection of a method of payment for payment of the one or more services selected for automatic periodic billing payment.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising presenting at the customer television set a billing payment user interface pre-filled with billing information for the selected one or more services selected for automatic periodic billing payment.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving customer payment information for the selected method of payment.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising determining at the billing system whether the customer payment information for the selected method of payment is accurate billing payment information.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising

presenting at the customer television set from the billing system via the web services system, a summary of the customer payment information received at the billing system;

and

presenting a confirmation at the customer television set that automatic period payment of the selected one or more services has been established.