User interface design for telecommunications systems

• US 7,802,189 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jiang, Baofeng, Wu, Xidong, Savoor, Raghbendra G., Osato, Jerold D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Application Number:
  US10/288,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,877 Days
• Field of Search: 715733-739, 715853-858
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a user interface design for telecommunication systems. In a particular embodiment, the user interface includes a first level interface organized by data communications network technology area and a second level interface grouped by operational function. The first level interface identifies a plurality of different data communications network technologies. Each of a plurality of operational functions identified by the second level interface includes a summary view and a detailed functional view. Each summary view is organized as a drill down view based on a set of view detail levels.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user terminal capable of generating a display, the display including;

a user interface comprising;

a first level interface organized by data communications network technology area, the first level interface identifying a plurality of different data communications network technologies;

a second level interface grouped by operational function, each operational function including a summary view and a detailed functional view, the second level interface identifying a plurality of different operational functions; and

wherein each summary view is organized as a drill down view based on a set of view detail levels.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detailed functional view comprises a set of view detail levels inc-hides including a geographic region level, a state or metropolitan area level, a local access transport area (LATA) level, a wire center level, and an equipment port level.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at each view detail level of the set of view detail levels, a user is presented with internet navigation links based on a particular network level.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the particular network level include includes a regional level and a pinpoint level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is associated with a network operations support system that has access to a plurality of different network analysis subsystems.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first level interface is independent of any particular vendor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different data communication communications network technologies includes asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), frame relay, Ethernet, and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technologies.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational function is selected from a function within the group consisting of inventory management, bandwidth management, performance management, and provisioning auditing.

9. A method of displaying data via a user interface to a network operations support system, the method comprising:

displaying a first level view, the first level view organized by data communications network technology area, the first level view identifying a plurality of different data communications network technologies; and

displaying a second level view grouped by operational function, each operational function including a summary view and a detailed functional view, the second level view identifying a plurality of different operational functions, wherein each summary view is organized as a drill down view based on a set of detail levels.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the detailed functional view comprises a set of detail levels including a geographic region level, a state or metropolitan area level, a local access transport area (LATA) level, a wire center level, and an equipment port level.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying interne navigational links based on a selected network level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected network level is one of a regional level and a pinpoint level.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the network operations support system has access to a plurality of different network analysis subsystems.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first level view is independent of any particular communication equipment vendor.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of different data communications network technologies includes digital subscriber line (DSL), frame relay, Ethernet, and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technologies.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a set of operational functions including inventory management, bandwidth management, performance management, and provisioning auditing.

17. A system comprising:

a user terminal capable of generating a display, the display including;

a user interface, the user interface comprising;

a first level view identifying a plurality of network technologies and organized by network technology area; and

a second level view identifying operations information associated with each network technology area, the second level view organized into sub-categories of one or more operational functions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations information comprises a summary view of each operational function associated with the network technology area.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations information comprises an operational capability associated with at least one of the one or more operational functions.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations information further comprises network levels further subcategorized by geographic area.