Integrating operational and business support systems with a service delivery platform

• US 8,966,498 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, H S
• Assistant Examiner(s): DORAIS, CRAIG C
• Application Number:
  US12/019,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A service-oriented approach provides for an integration of components that would otherwise be considered different and unrelated components, such as runtime, business support systems (BSS), operational support systems (OSS), and third party components. Such integration allows messages to be transformed and passed between components as necessary to perform a particular task. For example, a BPEL workflow can be initiated upon receiving a user request through a network and gateway layer which will direct provisioning, activation, and processing via these various components. Identities can be managed across these various layers to provide for seamless end-to-end integration.

Claims

1. A method of integrating components for processing a request, comprising:

providing by a computer system executing a Service Delivery Platform (SDP) an architecture for supporting a plurality of independent components, the architecture providing for the direction and transformation of messages between the independent components, whereby the independent components are able to perform tasks and delegate tasks to other components;

managing by the computer system executing the SDP a unified identity for an authorized principal across the plurality of independent components on two or more different networks for sharing the processing of the request across the plurality of independent components, the unified identity corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal;

providing by the computer system executing the SDP a unified user profile for the unified identity, the unified user profile mapping the unified identity to two or more different identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal and having different user profiles on the plurality of independent components, the unified user profile providing an aggregated common view of all data about the two or more different identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal across the plurality of independent components based on the mapping; and

in response to receiving the request or an action corresponding to the request, initiating by the computer system executing the SDP a workflow to process the request using the plurality of independent components and the unified user profile, wherein the workflow causes the SDP to delegate one or more tasks to one or more of the independent components based on the unified user profile.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the independent components include two or more of an operational support system (OSS) component, a business support system (BSS) component, a runtime component, a service delivery platform (SDP) component, a network component, and in industry-specific component.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

exposing by the computer system executing the SDP at least one function of the independent components as one or more enablers operable to drive the function and using a northbound interface independent of the independent components.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the workflow is initiated by an application for one of the independent components.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the architecture includes at least one of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and an event-driven architecture (EDA).

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

the independent components and any services used for processing interact with abstracted underlying network resources via the one or more enablers.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

the one or more enablers include at least one of a charging, resource lifecycle management, resource management, mobile, voice access, communications, presence, messaging, call control, media server control, and service enabler.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

providing by each of the enablers an interface allowing for the deployment and integration of southbound adapters to the network resources.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

applications executing on the independent components include two or more of a rate charging application, a billing analysis application, a business activity monitoring application, a revenue sharing application, a third party management application, a business intelligence application, a subscription management application, a financial bookkeeping application, an enterprise resource planning (ERP), a network management, an MW management, and a content management application.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing by the computer system executing the SDP information associated with one of the services or independent components as metadata.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

the metadata is associated with code created to describe intangible dependencies so that any manipulation the independent components or an associated asset takes the intangible dependencies into account.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

building at least one application on the computer system executing the SDP that utilizes the integrated components.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

managing by the computer system executing the SDP a flow relating to the request from a starting point to an ending point for a business process associated with the request.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing by the computer system executing the SDP a canonical data model for managing the processing, the canonical data model transforming messages and storing a status of the processing.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the canonical data model also provides for at least one of marshalling a complete process flow and error message handling for the process flow.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing by the computer system executing the SDP a proximity service as part of the architecture.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing by the computer system executing the SDP for real time revenue sharing with a third party.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

allowing by the computer system executing the SDP the third party to view balance and usage information as part of the real time revenue sharing.

19. A system for integrating components to process a request, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storage device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

provide for a direction and transformation of messages between a plurality of independent components using an architecture that allows the independent components to perform tasks and delegate tasks to other components to process a received request;

manage a unified identity for an authorized principal across the plurality of independent components on two or more different networks in order to provide for sharing the processing of the request across the plurality of independent components, the unified identity corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal;

provide a unified user profile for the unified identity, the unified user profile mapping the unified identity to two or more different-identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal and having different user profiles on the plurality of independent components, the unified user profile providing an aggregated common view of all data about the two or more different identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal across the plurality of independent components based on the mapping; and

in response to receiving the request or an action corresponding to the request, initiate a workflow to process the request using the plurality of independent components and the unified user profile, wherein the workflow causes the SDP to delegate one or more tasks to one or more of the independent components based on the unified user profile.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein:

the independent components include two or more of an operational support system (OSS) component, a business support system (BSS) component, a runtime component, a service delivery platform (SDP) component, a network component, and in industry-specific component.

21. A system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of enablers for exposing functions of the independent components.

22. A system according to claim 19, wherein:

the architecture includes at least one of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and an event-driven architecture (EDA).

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein:

the independent components and any services used for processing run on a service delivery platform (SDP) and interact with abstracted underlying network resources via the enablers.

24. A system according to claim 19, further comprising:

at least one interface in a run time environment for exposing a life cycle management of the plurality of independent components or related resources.

25. A computer readable memory having stored therein a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to integrate components to process a request by:

providing an architecture for supporting a plurality of independent components, the architecture providing for the direction and transformation of messages between the independent components, whereby the independent components are able to perform tasks and delegate tasks to other components;

managing a unified identity for an authorized principal across the plurality of independent components on two or more different networks in order to provide for sharing the processing of the request across the plurality of independent components, the unified identity corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal;

provide a unified user profile for the unified identity, the unified user profile mapping the unified identity to two or more different identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal and having different user profiles on the plurality of independent components, the unified user profile providing an aggregated common view of all data about the two or more different identities corresponding to and identifying the authorized principal across the plurality of independent components based on the mapping; and

in response to receiving the request or an action corresponding to the request, initiating a workflow to process the request using the plurality of independent components and the unified user profile, wherein the workflow causes the SDP to delegate one or more tasks to one or more of the independent components based on the unified user profile.

26. A computer readable memory according to claim 25, further comprising:

exposing functions of the independent components as enablers operable to drive the functions.

27. A computer readable memory according to claim 25, further comprising:

running the independent components and any services used for processing on a service delivery platform (SDP).