Profile management system including user interface for accessing and maintaining profile data of user subscribed telephony services

• US 9,369,574 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baniak, Paul G., Chambers, Kristin, Krein, Katherine L., Rolwes, Christopher H., Vieth, Terry L., Brokaw, Tracy L., Clark, Mary B.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US14/189,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20140169541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.02, 379/201.12, 379/207.13, 379/93.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0033 customer-controlled

Abstract

Data used to implement a communications service is managed. A request for a user interface is received over a first communications network from a hosting client. The user interface is sent over the first communications network to the hosting client in accordance with the request. The data used to implement the communications service is received over the first communications network from the hosting client via the user interface. The data used to implement the communications service is forwarded to within a second communications network. The communications service is implemented in the second communications network in accordance with the data.

Claims

1. A method for managing data used to implement a communications service, the method comprising:

receiving, over a first communications network from a hosting client, a request for a user interface;

sending, over the first communications network to the hosting client in accordance with the request, the user interface;

receiving, over the first communications network from the hosting client via the user interface, the data used to implement the communications service, and

forwarding, to within a second communications network, the data used to implement the communications service,

wherein the communications service is implemented in the second communications network in accordance with the data.

2. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

3. The method for managing data of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, over the first communications network from the hosting client via the user interface, a request to set the data used to implement the communications service.

4. The method for managing data of claim 3,

wherein the request from the hosting client to set the data comprises a request to edit the data.

5. The method for managing data of claim 3,

wherein the request from the hosting client to set the data comprises a request to redirect communications.

6. The method for managing data of claim 3,

wherein the request from the hosting client to set the data comprises a request to replace the data.

7. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the data comprises authorized communication addresses.

8. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the data comprises subscription profile data.

9. The method for managing data of claim 1, further comprising:

generating reports indicating communications for which the data is used.

10. The method for managing data of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling access to the data to allow an authorized user to access and request updates to the data.

11. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the request from the hosting client to set the data comprises a request to maintain the data.

12. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the first communications network comprises an Internet network.

13. The method for managing data of claim 1,

wherein the second communications network comprises a telephony network.

14. A computer readable storage device that stores a set of instructions for managing data used to implement a communications service, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving, over a first communications network from a hosting client, a request for a user interface;

sending, over the first communications network to the hosting client in accordance with the request, the user interface;

receiving, over the first communications network from the hosting client via the user interface, the data used to implement the communications service, and

forwarding, to within a second communications network, the data used to implement the communications service,

wherein the communications service is implemented in the second communications network in accordance with the data.

15. The computer readable storage device of claim 14,

wherein the data is retrieved from the first communications network via an intermediate system.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 14,

wherein the data is forwarded to within the second communications network via an intermediate system.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 14,

wherein the data comprises communication addresses.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 17,

wherein a communication from a first party is only forwarded to a second party when the communication is from an authorized communication address among the communication addresses.

19. An apparatus for managing data associated with a communications service subscribed to by a subscriber, the apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores instructions, and

a processor that executes the instructions, wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the apparatus to perform acts comprising;

receiving, over a first communications network from a hosting client, a request for a user interface;

sending, over the first communications network to the hosting client in accordance with the request, the user interface;

receiving, over the first communications network from the hosting client via the user interface, the data used to implement the communications service, and

forwarding, to within a second communications network, the data used to implement the communications service, and

wherein the communications service is implemented in the second communications network in accordance with the data.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein the first communications network comprises a data network, and

wherein the second communications network comprises a telephony network.