Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing – Computer network monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-19
2001-07-31
Coleman, Eric (Department: 2783)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Computer network monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269399
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to communication systems, and in particular, to a system and associated method for exchanging information between first and second parties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, passed on Feb. 1, 1996, was the first significant revision to the Communications Act of 1934. Section 251 of the Act of 1996 stated that each local exchange carrier had a duty not to prohibit and not to impose unreasonable or discriminatory conditions or limitations on the resale of its telecommunications services. For instance, local exchange carriers had a duty to offer for resale at wholesale rates any communications service that the carrier provides at retail to subscribers who are not telecommunications carriers and not to prohibit and not to impose unreasonable or discriminatory conditions or limitations on the resale of such telecommunications service. In this regard, there is a need for a system for accommodating the resale of a carrier's telecommunications services.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for exchanging information between a first telecommunications party and a second telecommunications party or parties, the second telecommunications party or parties being a reseller of services provided by the first telecommunications party, a wholesaler of such services.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method which provides for the secure exchange of information between first and second telecommunications parties, the second party being a reseller of services of the first party.
It is yet another object of the present invention to facilitate only valid business transactions between a first party wholesaler of telecommunications services and a second party reseller of the telecommunications services of the first party.
It is another object of the present invention to record potential transaction violations, and to archive certain sensitive transactions, such as billing records for subscribers associated with a second party reseller of telecommunications services of the first party.
The present invention accomplishes one or more of these objectives by providing a gateway system and associated method for exchanging information between a first party and a second party in accordance with a plurality of conditions in a contract between the first and second parties. According to the present invention, the gateway system for exchanging information between a first party and a second party, in accordance with a plurality of conditions of a contract between the parties, includes a first queue system associated with the first party, the first queue system having a plurality of queues for exchanging information (e.g., messages) with a second queue system associated with the second party, the second queue system having a corresponding plurality of queues, and a firewall system interposed between the first and second parties for securely routing information between the first and second parties. Specifically, for purposes of securely exchanging information without providing the second party direct access to internal systems of the first party, the first queue system is capable of sending and receiving messages to and from the second queue system by utilizing corresponding queues of the first and second queue system to exchange messages. More specifically, in one embodiment, where the system of the present invention is utilized for exchanging information between first and second telecommunications parties, whereby the second telecommunications party is a reseller of telecommunications services (e.g., wireless communications) offered by the first party, the first queue system may be configured to send and receive messages to and from the second queueing system accessible by the second party, whereby the message traffic between the parties is unidirectional between corresponding queues. In this regard and in accordance with the present invention, a first of the plurality of queues of the first queue system may receive at least a first request from the second party, the first request being sent to the first party via a corresponding first queue of the second queue system associated with the second party. Further, in instances where the first party would like to communicate a response to the first request from the second party, the system of the present invention includes a second of the plurality of queues of the first queue system for sending to the second party a first response to the first request. Correspondingly, the second queue system includes a second of the plurality of queues for receiving the first response from the second of the plurality of queues of the first queue system. In one embodiment, the first and second queue systems are housed on a single computer associated with the first party, behind the firewall interposed between the first and second parties, whereby the system of the present invention allows the second party access the second queue system via routers associated with the firewall system. In another, preferred embodiment, the first and second queue systems are on separate computers with a firewall system interposed therebetween. As such, the system of the present invention allows the first and second parties to communication without giving the second party direct access to internal systems of the first party.
In one embodiment, the first queue of the first queue system associated with the first party is capable of receiving service activation requests (e.g., messages) from the corresponding first queue of the second queue system accessible by the second party, the service activation requests being related to subscribers of a telecommunications service (e.g., wireless communications) associated with the second party. For example, a first service activation request from the second party may concern activating a telecommunications service for new subscriber associated with the second party, deactivating a telecommunications service for a current subscriber associated with the second party, or activating, deactivating or changing a calling feature associated with a particular subscriber of the second party.
In another embodiment, a request or message sent to the first party from the second party may concern problems with the telecommunications service (e.g., problems concerning coverage in certain geographic areas or features associated with a particular subscriber or subscribers' services). In this regard, the first queue system of the present invention includes another queues for exchanging information related to trouble reports with a corresponding queue of the second queue system associated with the second party. In this embodiment, the first queue system includes a third queue for receiving at least a first trouble report request from the second party, the first trouble report request being sendable to the first queue via a third queue of the second queue system associated with the second party. Further, for purposes of providing information relating to the status of reported problems, the first and second queue systems may also include corresponding fourth queues, whereby the fourth queue of the first queue system is capable of sending a first response to a first trouble report request to the second party, the first response being receivable on the corresponding fourth queue of the second queue system, which is accessible by the second party. In instances where the first trouble report request is invalid (which will be described in more detail hereinbelow), an error response may be transmitted from the first party to the second party on another pair of corresponding queues or, alternatively, on the fourth queues of the first and second queue systems.
In another aspect, the first queue system may include another queue for sending (e.g., transmitting) call detail record information for a particular call made or received by a subscriber associated with the second party to a corr
Dyson Laurie A.
LeBlanc Fredrick W.
Scherer Thomas L.
Coleman Eric
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Qwest Communications International Inc.
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