Distributed computer system for telecommunications operational support

• US 8,700,753 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bagsby, Denis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US10/402,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,036 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/220, 709/223, 709/249, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

In one particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a distributed computer system for use in connection with telecommunications operational support. The distributed computer system includes a common integration communications element, a telecommunication related business application, an adapter module, and an integrated services module. The adaptor module is coupled to the common integration communications element, and is responsive to the telecommunications related business application. The integrated services module is also coupled to the common integration communications element.

Claims

1. A distributed computer system for use in connection with telecommunications operational support, the distributed computer system comprising:

a common integration communication bus;

a business integration service application residing on one or more servers, the business integration service application to issue a request for a service from an integration services module and to provide one of a billing functionality, a fulfillment functionality, a customer assurance functionality, customer care services and provider care services;

an adapter module responsive to the business integration service application, the adapter module coupled to the common integration communication bus and adapted to transmit the request received from the business integrated service application to the common integration communication bus; and

wherein the integration services module is coupled to the common integration communication bus, and wherein the integration services module is adapted to receive the request from the common integration communication bus to provide the service.

2. The distributed computer system of claim 1, further comprising an integrated services module adapter coupled to the integration services module and an integrated services software application accessible to the integrated services module via the integrated services module adapter.

3. The distributed computer system of claim 2, wherein the business application is loaded onto a first hardware element and the integration services software application is loaded onto a second hardware element, the first hardware element located remotely from the second hardware element.

4. The distributed computer system of claim 1, further comprising a second integration services module coupled to the common integration communication bus, a first integrated services application coupled to the second integration services module via a first adapter, and a second integrated services application coupled to the second integration services module via a second adapter.

5. The distributed computer system of claim 1, further comprising art integration services shared workspace element comprising a server system, wherein the integration services shared workspace element includes shared data, processing rules, and process state information.

6. The distributed computer system of claim 5, wherein the integration services shared workspace element comprises a domain object manager, a business process manager, and a policy manager.

7. The distributed computer system of claim 1, wherein the requested service comprises:

acquiring data or a function result obtained from performing a function selected from the group consisting of product management, service management, location information management, usage management, rating, and pricing, bill preparation, trouble administration, customer information management, order/service request management, network resource management, and location information management; and

relaying the acquired data or the function result to the business integrated service application.

8. A distributed computing system comprising:

a plurality of channel access interface coupled via a common integration communication bus;

an application service framework coupled to the plurality of channel access interfaces, the application services framework adapted to provide one of billing functionality, fulfillment functionality, and customer assurance functionality to one of the plurality of channel access interfaces, the application services framework having a first distributed interface;

a common integration services framework comprising one or more servers, and including a plurality of shared layered integration services adapted to provide a plurality of shared services to the application services framework, the common integration services framework having a second distributed infrastructure interface; and

a distributed infrastructure system having a plurality of distributed networked computing elements, wherein the distributed infrastructure system is communicatively coupled to the first distributed infrastructure interface and to the second distributed infrastructure interface.

9. The distributed computing system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of shared services comprises:

acquiring dam or a function result Obtained from performing a function selected from the group consisting of product management, service management, location information management, usage management, rating and pricing, bill preparation, trouble administration, customer information management, order/service request management, network resource management, and location information management; and

relaying the acquired data or the function result to a business application.

10. The distributed computing system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of distributed networked computing elements comprises a data logging service, a directory service, a security service, a messaging service, a persistence management service, an application management service, a transaction management service, and a business process management service.

11. The distributed computing system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of resource channels to communicate with telecommunication network resources and to provide data or functionality to the common integration services framework.

12. The distributed computing system of claim 8, where one of the plurality of shared layered integration services includes;

an interface service layer adapted to provide an interface to the application services framework;

a business logic layer adapted to provide business logic to control flow and enforcement of enterprise business rules and policies applied to domain objects;

a domain object layer adapted to instantiate the domain objects; and

a resource connector layer adapted to provide data retrieved from resources to the domain object layer via the domain objects.

13. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the interface services layer comprises a first adapter for interfacing with the application services framework and communicating with a second JAVA type interface.

14. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the business logic layer comprises a first JAVA type interface and a plurality of business logic modules, the plurality of business logic modules, having access to a second JAVA type interface of the domain object layer.

15. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the domain object layer comprises a JAVA type interface and performs a translation service with the resource connector layer.

16. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the resource connector layer comprises a plurality of JAVA resource message objects operable for communication with a plurality of resource systems.

17. The distributed computing system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of channel access interfaces are accessible by customers and third party local exchange carders.

18. The distributed computing system of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of resource access interfaces.

19. The distributed computing system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of resource access interfaces access a plurality of service providers.

20. The distributed computing system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of services providers include alliance partners, local exchange carriers, long distance carriers, and equipment suppliers.

21. A distributed computing system comprising:

a plurality of customer channel access interfaces coupled via a common integration communication bus;

an application services framework Coupled to the plurality of customer channel access interfaces, the application services framework including billing functionality, fulfillment functionality, and customer assurance functionality, the application services framework having a first distributed infrastructure interface and adapted to provide at least one of billing functionality, fulfillment functionality, and customer assurance functionality to at least one of the plurality of customer channel access interfaces;

a common integration services framework including a plurality of shared layered integration services, the common integration services framework adapted to provide a service to the application services framework, the common integration services framework having a second distributed infrastructure interface;

a distributed infrastructure system having a plurality of distributed networked computing elements, the distributed infrastructure system responsive to the first distributed infrastructure interface and to the second distributed infrastructure interface; and

a plurality of resource channels to communicate with telecommunication network resources and to provide data to the common integration services framework, wherein the telecommunication network resources are a legacy system having a proprietary interface and an adapter to allow the legacy system to be accessed via at least one of the resource channels.

22. The distributed computing system claim 21, wherein the service comprises:

acquiring data or a function result obtained from performing a function selected from the group consisting of product management service management, location information management, usage management, rating and pricing, bill preparation, trouble administration, customer information management, order/service request management, network resource management, and location information management; and

relaying the acquired data or the function result to a business application.