Service control architecture

• US 7,716,333 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): England; David E
• Application Number:
  US10/306,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,722 Days
• Field of Search: 707100-1041, 709212-216, 709/223, 709/224, 709/202
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for affording intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users. First provided is a database. Also included is a profiler module coupled to the database. The profiler module is adapted for collecting a state of a user along with profile information. Such profile information includes an identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and/or security per location. In use, the profiler module communicates the profile information to the database for storage therein.

Claims

1. A service control system for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

a database;

a profiler module coupled to the database, wherein the profiler module;

collects a state of a user along with profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location,

evaluates inputs related to the profile information to create an evaluation,

updates the profile information to include the evaluation,

updates attributes in the profile information for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring,

updates attributes in the profile information for a selected service class related to an amount of service, and

communicates the updated profile information to the database for storage therein;

an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of applications, the application program interfaces including telephony, messaging, and calendaring interfaces, wherein the application module is adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database;

a network resource module coupled to the database and a plurality of network routers, the network resource module adapted for configuring the network routers based on the updated profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

a presentation module coupled to the database, the presentation module adapted for tailoring an output of the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database and user requests for content and views; and

a policy server coupled to the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module for controlling the operation of the telephony, messaging, and calendaring services thereof in accordance with policies identified utilizing the selected service class and updated profile information stored in the database, the policy server including a service logic execution program that executes a plurality of policies associated with each of the profiler module, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the services are selected from the group consisting of Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes a directory schema.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the directory schema includes an object-oriented structure.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the directory schema identifies a logical relationship between the user, devices utilized by the user, services associated with the user, and functionality of the services.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the presentation module includes directory interfaces for interfacing the directory schema.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes service attributes associated with the user.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the service attributes indicates a type of service associated with the user.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the service attributes indicates a class of service associated with the user.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the application module allocates the application resources based on the service attributes collected by the profiler module.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the profiler module is executed on a portal server for collecting the profile information.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the application module includes JAVA code.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the application program interfaces of the application module interfaces a first application with a second application.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the network resource module is written in a scripting language.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation module includes style sheets executed on a portal server.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the profile information.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the presentation views include different views and fonts.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the network resource module enforces attributes of the selected service class and dynamically manages network bandwidth and quality of service based on the profile information stored in the database.

19. A service control method for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

providing a database;

collecting a state of a user along with profile information utilizing a profiler module coupled to the database, wherein the profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location, wherein the profiler module;

evaluates inputs related to the profile information to create an evaluation,

updates the profile information to include the evaluation, and

updates attributes in the profile information for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring,

updates attributes in the profile information for a selected service class related to an amount of service, and

communicates the updated profile information to the database for storage therein;

interfacing with a plurality of applications utilizing an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces, the application program interfaces including telephony, messaging, and calendaring interfaces, wherein the application module is adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database;

configuring a plurality of network routers based on the updated profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications utilizing a network resource module coupled to the database and the network routers;

tailoring an output of the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database and user requests for content and views utilizing a presentation module coupled to the database; and

controlling the operation of the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module in accordance with policies identified utilizing the selected service class and the updated profile information stored in the database utilizing a policy server coupled thereto, including executing, via a service logic execution program, a plurality of policies associated with each of the profiler module, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the services are selected from the group consisting of Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the database includes a directory schema.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the directory schema includes an object-oriented structure.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the directory schema identifies a logical relationship between the user, devices utilized by the user, services associated with the user, and functionality of the services.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the presentation module includes directory interfaces for interfacing the directory schema.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the profile information includes service attributes associated with the user.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the service attributes indicates a type of service associated with the user.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the service attributes indicates a class of service associated with the user.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the application module allocates the application resources based on the service attributes collected by the profiler module.

29. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the profiler module is executed on a portal server for collecting the profile information.

30. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the application module includes JAVA code.

31. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the application program interfaces of the application module interfaces a first application with a second application.

32. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the network resource module is written in a scripting language.

33. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation module includes style sheets executed on a portal server.

34. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the profile information.

35. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the presentation views include different views and fonts.

36. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the network resource module enforces attributes of the selected service class and dynamically manages network bandwidth and quality of service based on the profile information stored in the database.

37. A service control method, comprising:

maintaining a database;

collecting a state of a user along with profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location, and including attributes for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring and attributes for a selected service class related to an amount of service;

updating the profile information to produce updated profile information by;

evaluating inputs related to the profile information,

updating attributes in the profile information for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring, and

updating attributes in the profile information for a selected service class related to an amount of service

communicating the updated profile information to the database for storage therein;

allocating application resources to the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database;

configuring a plurality of network routers based on the updated profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

tailoring an output of the applications based on the updated profile information and user requests for content and views; and

controlling the collecting, communicating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring in accordance with the selected service class and policies identified utilizing the profile information, including executing, via a service logic execution program, a plurality of policies associated with each of the collecting, communicating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring.

38. A service control system, comprising:

means for maintaining a database;

means for collecting a state of a user along with profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location;

means for evaluating inputs related to the profile information and updating attributes in the profile information for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring and updating attributes in the profile information for a selected service class related to an amount of service, wherein the means for evaluating inputs and updating attributes is operably coupled to the means for collecting a state of a user;

means for updating the profile information to produce updated profile information based on evaluating inputs and the updating of attributes in the profile information for a type of service and for a selected service class, wherein the means for updating the profile information is operably coupled to the means for evaluating inputs and updating attributes;

means for communicating the updated profile information to the database for storage therein;

means for allocating application resources to the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database;

means for configuring a plurality of network routers based on the updated profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

means for tailoring an output of the applications based on user requests for content and views and the updated profile information; and

means for controlling the collecting, communicating, updating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring in accordance with the selected service class and policies identified utilizing the updated profile information, including a service logic execution program that executes a plurality of policies associated with each of the means for collecting, communicating, updating, allocating, configuring, and tailoring.

39. A service control system for providing intention-based, context-sensitive services to mobile users, comprising:

a database including a directory schema;

a profiler module coupled to the database, wherein the profiler module;

collects a state of a user along with profile information including identity, location, available services per location, devices per location, and security per location,

evaluates inputs related to the profile information to create an evaluation,

updates the profile information to include the evaluation,

updates attributes in the profile information for a type of service including telephony, messaging, and calendaring,

updates attributes in the profile information for a selected service class related to an amount of service, and

communicates the updated profile information to the database for storage therein;

an application module coupled to the database and including a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of applications, the application program interfaces including telephony, messaging, and calendaring interfaces, wherein the application module is adapted for allocating application resources to the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database;

a network resource module coupled to the database and a plurality of network routers, the network resource module adapted for configuring the network routers based on the updated profile information stored in the database and the application resources allocated to the applications;

a presentation module coupled to the database, the presentation module adapted for tailoring an output of the applications based on the updated profile information stored in the database and user requests for content and views, wherein the presentation module manages a plurality of presentation views that are utilized to tailor the output of the applications based on the updated profile information; and

a policy server coupled to the database, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module for controlling the operation of the telephony, messaging, and calendaring services thereof in accordance with the selected service class and policies identified utilizing the updated profile information stored in the database, the policy server including a service logic execution program that executes a plurality of policies associated with each of the profiler module, the application module, the network resource module, and the presentation module;

wherein the system provides services including Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network (IP/VPN) services, Third Generation (3G) Wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and Application Service Provider (ASP) services.

40. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein the network resource module enforces attributes of the selected service class and dynamically manages network bandwidth and quality of service based on the profile information stored in the database.