Mobility network operator service delivery hub

• US 9,124,554 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dunmire, David, Keith, Chad C., Owenby, Clifford Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): PALAVECINO, KATHLEEN GAGE
• Application Number:
  US12/720,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A service delivery hub controlled by a network operator includes an access controller; a network services gateway in communication with the access controller and in communication with external network elements, a partner management center in communication with the access controller and the network services gateway, the partner management center configured to establish a service level agreement with application service providers or enabler providers; an interface defined by the service level agreement, the interface configured to provide a single point access to the application service developers, to provide a set of programming interfaces to the developers whereas the programming interfaces provide access to the external network elements; and a charging system interface to a charging gateway, wherein the charging system is subject to the service level agreement and wherein the service delivery hub allocates revenue in accordance with the service level agreement.

Claims

1. A service delivery hub controlled by a network operator comprising:

an access controller;

a network services gateway in communication with the access controller and in communication with a first network enabler and a second network enabler;

a partner management center in communication with the access controller and the network services gateway, the partner management center configured to establish a service level agreement with application service providers or enabler providers;

an interface defined by the service level agreement, the interface configured to provide a single point access for the application service providers to the first network enabler and the second network enabler, the interface configured to provide a plurality of programming interfaces to the application service providers, wherein the programming interfaces provide access to the first network enabler and the second network enabler, wherein the first network enabler provides access to at least one external network element in a first network, wherein the second network enabler provides access to at least one external network element in a second network;

a charging system interface to a charging gateway, wherein the charging system is subject to the service level agreement and wherein the service delivery hub allocates revenue in accordance with the service level agreement; and

wherein the service delivery hub provides a central access point for the application service developers to access the programming interfaces.

2. The service delivery hub of claim 1 wherein the network services gateway communicates with the external network elements via a VPN tunnel.

3. The service delivery hub of claim 1 wherein the access controller includes policy control functionality.

4. The service delivery hub of claim 1 wherein the access controller provides an interface to a portal.

5. The service delivery hub of claim 1 wherein the access controller provides an interface to an aggregator, wherein the aggregator is configured to combine applications from one or more application service providers and provides aggregated content through the service delivery hub in accordance with a service level agreement.

6. The service delivery hub of claim 1 wherein the single point of access for the application service provide is provided by a partner management center configured to enter into a service level agreement with a network operator, and wherein the service delivery hub is further configured to develop and test an application, to obtain certification of the application and to transmit the application to be hosted on the service delivery hub, and wherein the service delivery hub is configured to distribute the application to one or more other networks or locales without the application service provider requiring independent access to the one or more other networks.

7. The service delivery hub of claim 1 further comprising an operations and maintenance function to load balance access to the external network elements.

8. The service delivery hub of claim 3 wherein the service level agreement enables the service delivery hub to limit the level of service available to the application service providers to prevent system overloading.