Method, system, and article for determining an availability of a telecommunication device

• US 7,577,243 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Light, Jordan Howard, Kagan, Denise Violetta, Cruz, Jose M., Stuckman, Bruce Edward, Bennett, III, Raymond Walden, Pickard, Michael Steven, Sullivan, Barry James, Krupka, Richard Peter, Bossemeyer, Jr., Robert Wesley, Stebbings, Philip Martin, Israelski, Edmond W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov, Igor N
• Application Number:
  US09/407,126
• Time in Patent Office: 3,613 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/500, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 705/22, 705/26, 705/27, 379/201.03, 379/9.02, 379/9.03, 379/211.01, 379/32.01, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42144 by service provider
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A data structure, which identifies a party of a telecommunication network and a telecommunication feature unavailable to the party, is stored in a database. After storing the data structure, availability data is inputted. The availability data indicates an availability of the telecommunication feature to a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the party. The data structure and the availability data are processed to determine that the telecommunication feature has become available to the party.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

inquiring in a first transaction about a first telecommunication feature unavailable to a first party of a telecommunication network;

in accordance with the inquiring in the first transaction, storing a first data structure which identifies the first party of the telecommunication network and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the first party;

after storing the first data structure, and after completion of the first transaction, upgrading a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party;

in accordance with upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, inputting availability data which indicates an availability of the first telecommunication feature to the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party;

in response to upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, processing the first data structure and the availability data to determine that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party; and

placing a call to the first party to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available, wherein placing the call to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available occurs before the first party has subscribed to the first telecommunication feature, wherein the placing of the call to the first party occurs in response to the inquiring in the first transaction, the upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network, and the processing of the first data structure and the availability data, wherein the first party has the opportunity to subscribe to the first telecommunication feature after the call is placed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

before inputting the availability data, storing a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party; and

processing the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the first telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

3. The method of claim 1 before inputting availability data, storing a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and a second telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party;

and

processing the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the second telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to inputting the availability data:

receiving a call from the first party; and

informing, in the call, that the first telecommunication feature is unavailable to the first party.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication service.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication product.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecommunication network comprises a telephone network.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after completion of the first transaction, at a later time notifying the first party in a second transaction that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating the first data structure with information regarding the first party at least one of requesting and denying the first telecommunications service in accordance with a response by the first party to the call.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a first call from a first party of a telecommunication network;

determining that a first telecommunication feature is unavailable to the first party;

informing, in the first call, that the first telecommunication feature is unavailable to the first party;

storing a first data structure which identifies the first party and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the first party;

receiving a second call from a second party;

determining that a second telecommunication feature is unavailable to the second party;

informing, in the second call, that the second telecommunication feature is unavailable to the second party;

storing a second data structure which identifies the second party and the second telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party;

receiving a third call from a third party;

determining that the first telecommunication feature is unavailable to the third party;

informing, in the third call, that the first telecommunication feature is unavailable to the third party;

storing a third data structure which identifies the third party and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the third party;

after storing the first data structure, the second data structure, and the third data structure and after the first call, the second call, and the third call have terminated, upgrading a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party;

in accordance with upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, inputting availability data which indicates and availability of the first telecommunication feature to a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party but not the third party;

in response to upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, processing the first data structure, the second data structure, the third data structure, and the availability data to determine that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party but remains unavailable to the third party; and

after the first call, the second call, and the third call have terminated, notifying the first party in a fourth call that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party by placing a call to the first party, wherein notifying the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available occurs before the first party has subscribed to the first telecommunication feature, wherein the placing of the call to the first party occurs in response to the receiving of the first call, the second call and the third call, the upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network, and the processing of the first data structure, the second data structure, the third data structure and the availability data, wherein the first party has the opportunity to subscribe to the first telecommunication feature after the fourth call is placed.

25. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

updating the first data structure with information regarding the first party at least one of requesting and denying the first telecommunications service in accordance with a response by the first party to the fourth call.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a database comprising a first data structure which identifies a first party of a telecommunication network and a first telecommunication feature unavailable to the first party, wherein the first data structure is generated in response to a first inquiry;

a computer to receive availability data which indicates an availability of the first telecommunication feature to a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, wherein the computer receives availability data after the completion of the first inquiry and after generation of the first data structure and in accordance with upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, the computer to process the first data structure and the availability data in response to upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party to determine that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party, and the computer to place a call to the first party to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available, wherein placing the call to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available occurs before the first party has subscribed to the first telecommunication feature, wherein the placing of the call occurs in response to the first inquiry, the upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network, and the processing of the first data structure and the availability data, wherein the first party has the opportunity to subscribe to the first telecommunication feature after the call is placed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the database further comprises a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party, and wherein the computer is to process the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the first telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the database further comprises a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and a second telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party, and wherein the computer is to process the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the second telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication service.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication product.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the telecommunication network comprises a telephone network.

22. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, after completion of the first inquiry, generation of the first data structure, and determining that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party, the computer outputs a signal to initiate notifying the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party.

26. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first data structure is updated with information regarding the first party at least one of requesting and denying the first telecommunications service in accordance with a response by the first party to the call.

15. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer to store a first data structure which identifies a first party of a telecommunication network and a first telecommunication feature unavailable to the first party, after completion of storage of the first data structure, and after, at a later time, upgrading a portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, in accordance with the upgrading, receiving availability data which indicates an availability of the first telecommunication feature to the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party, and to process the first data structure and the availability data in response to upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network which serves the first party to determine that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party, and placing a call to the first party to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available, wherein placing the call to inform the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available occurs before the first party has subscribed to the first telecommunication feature, wherein the placing of the call to the first party occurs in response to the storing of the first data structure, the upgrading the portion of the telecommunication network, and the processing of the first data structure and the availability data, wherein the first party has the opportunity to subscribe to the first telecommunication feature after the call is placed.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the contents further cause the computer to store a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and the first telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party, and to process the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the first telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the contents further cause the computer to store a second data structure which identifies a second party of the telecommunication network and a second telecommunication feature unavailable to the second party, and to process the second data structure and the availability data to determine that the second telecommunication feature remains unavailable to the second party.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication service.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the first telecommunication feature comprises a telecommunication product.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the telecommunication network comprises a telephone network.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein, after completion of storage of the first data structure and after processing the first data structure and the availability data, the contents further cause the computer to output a signal to initiate notifying the first party that the first telecommunication feature has become available to the first party.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the first data structure is updated with information regarding the first party at least one of requesting and denying the first telecommunications service in accordance with a response by the first party to the call.