Delivery of network services

• US 7,565,137 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson M, Holmes, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US10/336,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.3, 455/418, 455/419, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 705/37
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/56 On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A service request is received from a terminal device, and payment parameters are received for the user of the terminal device. Information of the service request and payment parameters is communicated to a plurality of service providers, sufficient for the service providers to bid on the service request. Bids are received from at least one of the service providers, and a service provider is selected to fulfill the service request based on the bids.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming logical user information including terminal capabilities for a plurality of terminal devices and providing the logical user information to at least one service provider;

receiving bids on fulfilling a service request from the at least one service provider;

selecting a winning service provider that provided a winning bid for fulfilling the service request;

receiving changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device;

providing to at least one service provider the changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device;

receiving bids on fulfilling the service request based at least in part on the changed terminal capabilities from the at least one service provider; and

connecting a terminal device which terminal capabilities have been changed with a second winning service provider that provided a second winning bid for fulfilling the service request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and providing the logical user information to the at least one service provider further comprises:

applying terminal capabilities for the plurality of terminal devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and providing the logical user information to the at least one service provider further comprises:

applying presence information for users of the plurality of terminal devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and applying the logical user information to determine media delivery parameters for fulfilling the service request further comprises:

applying readiness information for the plurality of terminal devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and applying the logical user information to determine media delivery parameters for fulfilling the service request.

6. A network element comprising:

logic to receive service requests from a plurality of terminal devices having terminal capabilities and to form logical user information including the terminal capabilities for the plurality of terminal devices and provide the logical user information to at least one service provider;

logic to receive bids on fulfilling a service request from the at least one service provider;

logic to receive changed terminal capabilities;

logic to provide updated logical user information containing changed terminal capabilities to at least one service provider; and

logic to select a winning service provider that provided a winning bid for fulfilling the service request based on the changed terminal capabilities and to connect a terminal device with the changed terminal capability with the winning service provider.

7. The network element of claim 6, wherein the logic to receive service requests from a plurality of terminal devices and to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and provide the logical user information to the at least one service provider further comprises:

logic to apply terminal capabilities for the plurality of terminal devices.

8. The network element of claim 6, wherein the logic to receive service requests from a plurality of terminal devices and to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and provide the logical user information to the at least one service provider further comprises:

logic to apply presence information for users of the plurality of terminal devices.

9. The network element of claim 6, wherein the logic to receive service requests from a plurality of terminal devices and to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and provide the logical user information to the at least one service provider further comprises:

logic to apply readiness information for the plurality of terminal devices.

10. The network element of claim 6, further comprising:

logic to provide the at least one service provider with paid access to a repository of user information comprising an HLR or HSS.

11. The network element of claim 10, further comprising:

logic to provide the at least one service providers with access to terminal capabilities and payment parameters via paid access to the repository of user information.

12. The network element of claim 6, farther comprising:

logic to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and applying the logical user information to determine media delivery parameters for fulfilling the service request.

13. The network element of claim 12, wherein the logic to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and applying the logical user information to determine media delivery parameters for fulfilling the service request further comprises:

logic to apply presence information to determine which of the plurality of terminal devices should be considered when forming the logical user information.

14. The network element of claim 12, wherein the logic to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and applying the logical user information to determine media delivery parameters for fulfilling the service request further comprises:

logic to apply readiness information to determine which of the plurality of terminal devices should be considered when forming the logical user information.

15. A network element, comprising:

logic to receive service requests from a plurality of terminal devices and to form logical user information for the plurality of terminal devices and provide the logical user information to at least one service provider;

logic to receive bids on fulfilling a service request from the at least one service provider;

logic to provide the at least one service provider with paid access to a repository of user information comprising an HLR or HSS;

logic to provide the at least one service providers with access to terminal capabilities and payment parameters via paid access to the repository of user information;

logic to provide changed terminal capabilities for a terminal device and payment parameters for a user of the terminal device to the at least one service provider;

logic to receive bids on fulfilling the service request; and

logic to select a winning service provider that provided a winning bid for fulfilling the service request based on the changed terminal capabilities, and to connect the terminal device with the winning service provider.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a service request from a terminal device;

providing at least one service provider with terminal capabilities and at least one of subscription access, pay-per-use, or percentage of bid access to a repository of user information;

receiving bids on fulfilling the service request from the at least one service provider;

selecting a first winning service provider that provided a winning bid for fulfilling the service request;

receiving changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device;

providing to at least one service provider the changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device;

receiving bids on fulfilling the service request based at least in part on the changed terminal capabilities from the at least one service provider; and

connecting the terminal device which terminal capabilities have been changed with a second winning service provider that provided a second winning bid for fulfilling the service request.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a service request from a terminal device;

providing terminal capabilities and payment parameters for a user of the terminal device to at least one service provider;

receiving bids on fulfilling the service request from the at least one service provider;

connecting the terminal device with a first winning service provider that provided a first winning bid for fulfilling the service request;

receiving changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device;

providing the changed terminal capabilities for the terminal device and the payment parameters to at least one service provider;

receiving bids on fulfilling the service request based at least in part on the changed terminal capabilities from the at least one service provider; and

connecting the terminal device which terminal capabilities have been changed with a second winning service provider that provided a second winning bid for fulfilling the service request.