Validating user information prior to switching Internet service providers

• US 8,145,720 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• 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: Lord, Jeffrey Allen, Malik, Dale W., Jackson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, LaShonda
• Application Number:
  US12/254,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

Inconveniences in switching from one Internet service provider (ISP) to another ISP are remedied by providing streamlined approaches that facilitate the migration from one ISP to another ISP. In one embodiment, user information is validated prior to migrating from the old ISP to the new ISP, thereby ensuring proper transfer of information from the old ISP to the new ISP.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating migration from an old Internet service provider to a new Internet service provider, the method comprising:

receiving, using a programmed processor, user information for an old Internet service provider account and a new Internet service provider account, the user information comprising an old Internet service provider user name, an old Internet service provider password, a new Internet service provider user name, and a new Internet service provider password;

receiving, using a programmed processor, data validating the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password from the old Internet service provider;

receiving, using a programmed processor, data validating the new Internet service provider user name and the new Internet service provider password from the new Internet service provider;

accessing, using a programmed processor, the new Internet service provider account and old Internet service provider account using the user information to forward email from the old Internet service provider account to the new Internet service provider account;

receiving, using a programmed processor, approval from a user associated with the user information to wait for a designated period of time to elapse before terminating the old Internet service provider account; and

in response to the approval, automatically conveying, using a programmed processor, a cancellation of service request to the old Internet service provider after the designated period of time elapsed.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein communicating with the old Internet service provider to validate the old Internet service provider user name and password comprises attempting to login to an old Internet service provider email account using the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein conveying the cancellation of service request to the old Internet service provider comprises sending a facsimile message including account information associated with the old account at the old Internet service provider.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising automatically creating the facsimile message by automatically populating one or more fields with the account information.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising receiving an image of a signature via an Internet portal and populating a field of the facsimile message with the image.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one of an email, a contact stored in an address book, an instant message, an instant messaging contact, the old Internet service provider user name, and the old Internet service provider password, and storing the at least one of the email, the contact, the instant message, the instant messaging contact, the old Internet service provider user name, and the old Internet service provider password in association with the new Internet service provider account.

7. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive user information for an old Internet service provider account and a new Internet service provider account, the user information comprising an old Internet service provider user name, an old Internet service provider password, a new Internet service provider user name, and a new Internet service provider password;

communicate with the old Internet service provider to validate the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password;

communicate with the new Internet service provider to validate the new Internet service provider user name and the new Internet service provider password;

access the new Internet service provider account and the old Internet service provider account using the user information to forward email from the old Internet service provider account to the new Internet service provider account;

request a user associated with the user information for approval to allow a designated period time to elapse from a date of switching to new Internet service provider before the old Internet service provider account is to be terminated; and

in response to receiving the approval, automatically convey a cancellation of service request to the old Internet service provider after the designated period of time from the date of switching has elapsed.

8. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal as defined in claim 7 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to communicate with the old Internet service provider to validate the user information by attempting to login to an old Internet service provider email account using the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password.

9. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal as defined in claim 7 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to convey the cancellation of service request to the old Internet service provider by sending a facsimile message including account information associated with an account at the old Internet service provider.

10. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal as defined in claim 9 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to automatically create the facsimile message by automatically populating one or more fields with the account information.

11. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal as defined in claim 7 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to receive an image of a signature via an Internet portal and to populate a field of the facsimile message with the image.

12. A tangible machine accessible medium, wherein the medium is not a signal as defined in claim 7 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to receive at least one of an email, a contact stored in an address book, an instant message, an instant messaging contact, the old ISP user name, and the old ISP password, and to store the at least one of the email, the contact, the instant message, the instant messaging contact, the old ISP user name, and the old ISP password in association with the new ISP account.

13. A switcher application for facilitating migration from an old Internet service provider to a new Internet service provider, the switcher application comprising:

a web server to receive user information for an old Internet service provider account and a new Internet service provider account, the user information comprising an old Internet service provider user name, an old Internet service provider password, a new Internet service provider user name, and a new Internet service provider password, the web server to communicate with the old Internet service provider to validate the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password at the old Internet service provider, the web server to request approval from a user associated with the user information to schedule a cancellation request to be conveyed to the old Internet service provider after a designated period of time has elapsed;

a database to store the new Internet service provider user name and the new Internet service provider password at the new Internet service provider; and

an application server to access the old Internet service provider using the user information to forward email from the old Internet service provider to the new Internet service provider, the application server to automatically convey the cancellation request to the old Internet service provider after the designated period of time has elapsed in response to receiving the approval from the user.

14. A switcher application as defined in claim 13, wherein the web server is to validate the user information by attempting to login to an old Internet service provider email account using the old Internet service provider user name and the old Internet service provider password.

15. A switcher application as defined in claim 13, wherein the application server is to convey the cancellation of service request to the old Internet service provider by sending a facsimile message including account information associated with the old account at the old Internet service provider.

16. A switcher application as defined in claim 15, wherein the application server is to automatically create the facsimile message by automatically populating one or more fields with the account information.

17. A switcher application as defined in claim 13, further comprising a webpage implemented by the web server, the webpage to receive an image of a signature via an Internet portal, and the web server to populate a field of the facsimile message with the image.