Service soft-disconnect reconnection

• US 8,271,383 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: King, John Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Lalita M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/728,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals

Abstract

A service soft disconnection may be provided. First, a first user interface screen may be provided: i) in response to determining that a payment has not been received for a service after a date for which an account holder responsible for the service has been sent a disconnection notice; and ii) in response to receiving a user initiated request for the service. Next, identification data may be received in response to the provided first user interface screen. Then the identification data may be determined to be valid. In response to determining that the identification data is valid, a second user interface screen may be provided. Payment data may then be received in response to the provided second user interface screen. Consequently, the payment data may be determined to be valid and the service may be reinstated in response to determining that the payment data is valid.

Claims

1. A method for providing a soft disconnection, the method comprising:

determining that a payment has not been received for a service after a date for which an account holder responsible for the service has been sent a disconnection notice;

disconnecting, in response to determining that the payment has not been received, a portion of the service wherein disconnecting the portion the service comprises remotely disabling at least one of the following;

digital cable television and internet access, wherein the service comprises both digital cable television and internet access;

providing, in response to determining that the payment has not been received, a first user interface to a device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service, the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service comprising one of the following;

a video on demand server, a set top box, a service processor, a broadcast server, and a cable modem;

receiving identification data in response to the provided first user interface, wherein receiving the identification data in response to the provided first user interface comprises receiving the identification data from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

determining that the identification data is valid;

providing, in response to determining that the identification data is valid, a second user interface to the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

receiving payment data in response to the provided second user interface, wherein receiving the payment data in response to the provided second user interface comprises receiving the payment data from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

determining that the payment data is valid; and

reinstating the disconnected portion of the service to the device in response to determining that the payment data is valid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first user interface comprises providing the first user interface in response to receiving the user initiated request for the service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first user interface comprises providing the first user interface being configured to inform a viewer of the first user interface that an account holder needs to log in for an important message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the identification data comprises receiving the identification data comprising one of the following:

last four digits of the account holder'"'"'s social security number and a personal identification number for the account holder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the second user interface comprises providing the second user interface configured to:

inform a viewer of the second user interface that the disconnected portion of the service has been disconnected for not paying a bill; and

invite the viewer of the second user interface to pay the bill via the device displaying the second user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the payment data comprises receiving the payment data comprising at least one of the following:

credit card information, debit card information, and checking account information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a disconnection phase after not having received the payment for the service within a period of time, wherein the disconnection phase comprises physically disconnecting the service at the account holder'"'"'s location.

7. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing a soft disconnection, the method comprising:

determining that a payment has not been received for a service after a date for which an account holder responsible for the service has been sent a disconnection notice;

disconnecting, in response to determining that the payment has not been received, a portion of the service wherein disconnecting the portion the service comprises remotely disabling at least one of the following;

digital cable television and internet access, wherein the service comprises both digital cable television and internet access;

providing, in response to determining that the payment has not been received, a first user interface screen to a device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service, the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service comprising one of the following;

a video on demand server, a set top box, a service processor, a broadcast server, and a cable modem;

receiving identification data in response to the provided first user interface screen, wherein receiving the identification data in response to the provided first user interface screen comprises receiving the identification data from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

determining that the identification data is valid;

providing, in response to determining that the identification data is valid, a second user interface screen to the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

receiving payment data in response to the provided second user interface screen, wherein receiving the payment data in response to the provided second user interface screen comprises receiving the payment data from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

determining that the payment data is valid; and

reinstating the disconnected portion of the service to the device in response to determining that the payment data is valid.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein providing the first user interface screen comprises providing the first user interface screen in response to receiving the user initiated request for a service.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein providing the first user interface screen comprises providing the first user interface screen being configured to inform a viewer of the first user interface screen that an account holder needs to log in for an important message.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the identification data comprises receiving the identification data comprising one of the following:

last four digits of the account holder'"'"'s social security number and a personal identification number for the account holder.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein providing the second user interface screen comprises providing the second user interface screen configured to:

inform a viewer of the second user interface screen that the disconnected portion of the service has been disconnected for not paying a bill; and

invite the viewer of the second user interface screen to pay the bill via the device displaying the second user interface screen.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the payment data comprises receiving the payment data comprising at least one of the following:

credit card information, debit card information, and checking account information.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising initiating a disconnection phase after not having received the payment for the service within a period of time, wherein the disconnection phase comprises physically disconnecting the service at the account holder'"'"'s location.

13. A system for providing a soft disconnection, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

determine that a payment has not been received for a service after a date for which an account holder responsible for the service has been sent a disconnection notice;

disconnect, in response to determining that the payment has not been received, a portion of the service by remotely disabling at least one of the following;

digital cable television and internet access, wherein the service comprises both digital cable television and internet access;

provide a first user interface screen to a device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service, the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service comprising one of the following;

a video on demand server, a set top box, a service processor, a broadcast server, and a cable modem, wherein the processing unit being operative to provide the first user interface screen comprises the processing unit being operative to provide the first user interface screen in response to;

a determination that the payment has not been received for the service after the date for which the account holder responsible for the service has been sent the disconnection notice, and

a receipt of an account holder initiated request for the service;

receive identification data in response to the provided first user interface screen from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service in the same medium as the provided first user interface screen;

determine that the identification data is valid;

provide, in response to a determination that the identification data is valid, a second user interface screen to the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service;

receive payment data in response to the provided second user interface screen from the device for receiving the disconnected portion of the service in the same medium as the provided second user interface screen;

determine that the payment data is valid; and

reinstate the disconnected portion of the service to the device in response to determining that the payment data is valid.