Method and apparatus for data management of third party services

• US 9,270,815 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2014
• 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: Shaw, Venson, Dowlatkhah, Sangar
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US14/313,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42144 by service provider
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method comprising caching, by a server comprising a processor, a subscriber profile in a network repository to create a cached subscriber profile. The cached subscriber profile comprises a replica of stored subscriber data. The method also comprises updating the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a first application from a first application provider to produce a first updated version of the cached subscriber profile. The method further comprises updating the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a second application from a second application provider to produce a second updated version of the cached subscriber profile. The first and second updated versions of the cached subscriber profile are accessible by the first application provider and by the second application provider. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

storing subscriber data and network data in a first repository of a communication network of a network provider, the subscriber data obtained from equipment of a subscriber to the communication network;

caching a subscriber profile in a second repository in communication with the first repository and accessible by a first application provider, to create a cached subscriber profile that enables updating in accordance with subscriber use of a first application to produce a first updated version of the cached subscriber profile,

wherein the cached subscriber profile comprises the subscriber data from the first repository and information related to the subscriber use of the first application from the first application provider,

wherein the first updated version is accessible by the first application provider, and

wherein access to the subscriber data in the first repository by the first application provider is prevented.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise updating the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a second application from a second application provider to produce a second updated version of the cached subscriber profile,

wherein the second updated version of the cached subscriber profile is accessible to the first application provider and to the second application provider, and

wherein the first application provider and the second application provider are distinct from the network provider and the subscriber.

3. The server of claim 2, wherein the second updated version of the cached subscriber profile is produced subsequent to the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile, and wherein the operations further comprise providing a label for the second updated version identifying the second updated version as a new version of the cached subscriber profile.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise providing the new version of the cached subscriber profile to the first application provider, thereby propagating changes to the cached subscriber profile.

5. The server of claim 4, wherein the propagating is performed using an open application program interface.

6. The server of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

upon detecting an error in the new version of the cached subscriber profile, discarding the new version; and

providing the label to a previously produced version of the cached subscriber profile.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the cached subscriber profile is accessed by the first application provider and the cached subscriber profile is updated in accordance with a network management policy of the network provider.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise storing the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile as updated subscriber data in the first repository upon expiration of a predetermined time period.

9. A computer-readable storage device, comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

caching a subscriber profile in a network repository to create a cached subscriber profile, wherein the cached subscriber profile comprises a replica of stored subscriber data; and

updating the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a first application from a first application provider to produce a first updated version of the cached subscriber profile,

wherein the first updated version is accessible by the first application provider, and

wherein access to the stored subscriber data by the first application provider is prevented.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise updating the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a second application from a second application provider to produce a second updated version of the cached subscriber profile,

wherein the second updated version of the cached subscriber profile is accessible to the first application provider and to the second application provider.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise providing a label for the second updated version identifying the second updated version as a new version of the cached subscriber profile.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise providing the new version of the cached subscriber profile to the first application provider, thereby propagating changes to the cached subscriber profile.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

upon detecting an error in the new version of the cached subscriber profile, discarding the new version; and

providing the label to a previously produced version of the cached subscriber profile.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the cached subscriber profile is accessed by the first application provider and the cached subscriber profile is updated in accordance with a network management policy of a network provider.

15. A method comprising:

caching, by a system comprising a processor, a subscriber profile in a network repository to create a cached subscriber profile, wherein the cached subscriber profile comprises a replica of stored subscriber data;

updating, by the system, the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a first application from a first application provider to produce a first updated version of the cached subscriber profile; and

updating, by the system, the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile in accordance with subscriber use of a second application from a second application provider to produce a second updated version of the cached subscriber profile,

wherein the first updated version of the cached subscriber profile and the second updated version of the cached subscriber profile are accessible by the first application provider and by the second application provider.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein access to the stored subscriber data by the first application provider and by the second application provider is prevented.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a label for the second updated version identifying the second updated version as a new version of the cached subscriber profile.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the new version of the cached subscriber profile to the first application provider, thereby propagating changes to the cached subscriber profile.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

upon detecting an error in the new version of the cached subscriber profile, discarding the new version; and

providing the label to a previously produced version of the cached subscriber profile.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the new version of the cached subscriber profile as updated subscriber data upon expiration of a predetermined time period.