Methods and systems for performing special service maintenance and installation operations in a telecommunications system

• US 7,224,787 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, James R., Smith, Steven G., Mills, Ralph J., McCracken, James R., Willis, Robert H. Jr., Glascoe, R. Eddie Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar; Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US10/246,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.12, 379/22.04, 379/22, 379/112.01, 379/201.01, 715/717, 705/7
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/051 technician dispatch system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/305 testing of physical copper line parameters, e.g. capacitance or resistance locating faults in cables G01R31/08

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for processing data in association with an operation performed by a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system. In one embodiment, the method includes transmitting data related to at least one piece of existing telecommunications equipment being used in connection with the special service at the customer service location; communicating at least one alternative candidate for the existing telecommunications equipment through at least one graphical user interface to the technician at the customer service location; and, generating change data including at least one new candidate selected from a group of the alternative candidates for replacement of the existing telecommunications equipment at the customer service location. Computer-readable media embodiments of the present methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for processing data in association with an operation performed by a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the customer service location to a technician server at a location remote from the customer service location, data related to at least one piece of existing telecommunications equipment being used in connection with a special service at the customer service location;

communicating data from the technician server to a component record keeping system including at least one computer system maintaining equipment data for the telecommunications system;

communicating from the technician server to the customer service location at least one alternative candidate, obtained from the communication with the component record keeping system, for the existing telecommunications equipment through at least one graphical user interface to the technician at the customer service location;

generating change data including at least one new candidate selected from a group of the alternative candidates for replacement of the existing telecommunications equipment at the customer service location; and

communicating the change data to the component record keeping system for updating the telecommunications equipment data maintained thereon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the special service includes a high-speed data transmission service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications equipment includes at least one cable pair.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the graphical user interface for generating a list of the alternative candidates.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with the technician server through an access device of the technician at the customer service location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing at least one of the alternative candidates prior to generating the change data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one maintenance change document in connection with generating the change data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the change data to the component record keeping system comprises communicating the change data to at least one legacy system of the telecommunications system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the change data to the component record keeping system comprises communicating the change data to at least one administrative system of the telecommunications system.

10. A system for processing data in association with an operation performed by a technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

means for transmitting data from the customer service location to a technician server at a location remote from the customer service location, related to at least one piece of existing telecommunications equipment being used in connection with a special service at the customer service location;

means communicating data from the technician server to a component record keeping system including at least one computer system maintaining telecommunications equipment data for the telecommunications system;

means for communicating at least one alternative candidate, obtained from the communication with the component record keeping system, for the existing telecommunications equipment through user interface means, from the technician server to the technician at the customer service location;

means for generating change data including at least one new candidate selected from a group of the alternative candidates for replacement of the existing telecommunications equipment at the customer service location; and

means communicating the change data to the component record keeping system for updating the telecommunications equipment data maintained thereon.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the special service includes a high-speed data transmission service.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications equipment includes at least one cable pair.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for accessing the user interface means to generate a list of the alternative candidates.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for testing at least one of the alternative candidates.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for generating at least one maintenance change document in connection with the means for generating the change data.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for communicating the change data to the component record keeping system operates to communicate the change data to at least one legacy system of the telecommunications system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for communicating the change data to the component record keeping system operates to communicate the change data to at least one administrative system of the telecommunications system.

18. A physical computer-readable medium having a tangible component and comprising instructions for assisting a computer system to perform a method for processing data in association with an operation performed by technician at a customer service location in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

transmitting data from the customer service location to a technician server at a location remote from the customer service location, related to at least one piece of existing telecommunications equipment being used in connection with a special service at the customer service location;

communicating data from the technician server to a component record keeping system including at least one computer system maintaining equipment data for the telecommunications system;

communicating from the technician server to the customer service location at least one alternative candidate, obtained from the communication with the component record keeping system, for the existing telecommunications equipment through at least one graphical user interface to the technician at the customer service location;

generating change data including at least one new candidate selected from a group of the alternative candidates for replacement of the existing telecommunications equipment at the customer service location; and

communicating the change data to the component record keeping system for updating the telecommunications equipment data maintained thereon.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the special service includes a high-speed data transmission service.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the telecommunications equipment includes at least one cable pair.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising accessing the graphical user interface for generating a list of the alternative candidates.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising communicating with a technician server through an access device of the technician at the customer service location.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising testing at least one of the alternative candidates prior to generating the change data.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising generating at least one maintenance change document in connection with generating the change data.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein communicating the change data to the component record keeping system comprises communicating the change data to at least one legacy system of the telecommunications system.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein communicating the change data to the component record keeping system comprises communicating the change data to at least one administrative system of the telecommunications system.