Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing – Computer network access regulating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-24
2002-04-30
Winder, Patrice (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Computer network access regulating
C709S229000, C713S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06381644
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to information delivery systems and, particularly, to a novel, WWW/Internet-based, telecommunications network management service for customers of a telecommunications service provider.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telecommunications service entities, e.g., MCI, AT&T, Sprint, and the like, presently provide for the presentation and dissemination of customer account and network data management information to their customers predominantly by enabling customers (clients) to directly dial-up, e.g., via a modem, to the entity's application servers to access their account information, or, alternately, via dedicated communication lines, e.g., ISDN, T-1, etc., enabling account information requests to be initiated through their computer workstation running, for example, a Windows-based graphical user interface. The requests are processed by the entity's application server's, which retrieves the requested customer information from one or more databases, processes and formats the information for downloading to the client's personal computer, or more primitively, a 3270 dumb terminal or a low-end workstation.
Telecommunications service providers that offer 800/8xx (toll-free) and other “virtual” telecommunications network services, e.g., private networks, to their customers currently provide some type of user interaction to manage their virtual and private networks and call routing plans.
The assignee of the present invention, MCI, currently provides an MCI ServiceView (“MSV”) product line referred to as Virtual Network “Vnet” which is a telecommunications service offering private network capabilities and features at low cost to multi-location companies with domestic and international calling needs. Particularly, the Vnet virtual network uses switched public network facilities, sophisticated software systems, and MCI's virtual network to provide customers with a private voice and data network. MCI's Vnet service additionally provides consolidated long distance service for all locations, eliminating the need to provide multiple long distance services to locations of different sizes. Thus, Vnet is suitable for long distance calls between company locations, as well as long distance calls to U.S. and international locations. This allows for a consolidation of all company long distance usage charges for all locations under one corporate invoice and one basic rate structure subject to a volume discount.
Another MCI MSV product is referred to as “Vision” which is an integrated product for consolidated or multi-location business. The “Vision” network platform is similar to that of “Vnet,” and is also a software defined virtual network telecommunications service offering a single solution for: domestic and international outbound calling, inbound Toll-Free service, card, data and the different access types which include: outbound, Toll-free inbound, switched data, dedicated and IntraLATA. Vision also offers Customized Business Programs with special rates and discounts geared to meet customer's specific traffic pattern needs.
Further provided by MCI is an MSV Outbound Network Management system (“Outbound NM”) which enables customers to manage the Vnet/Vision Features selected for their networks including: 1) Call Tracking and Control Features: 2) Call Routing Features: and 3) Multiple Networks Feature. Particularly, the MSV Outbound NM system is a PC-Windows based GUI to MCI's Network Control System (“NCS”) which comprises interrelated software and hardware components allowing customer's to enter and process MCI Outbound NM orders. With more particularity, NCS comprises the following components: 1) a legacy order entry system referred to as MCI's Network Capabilities System (“NetCap”) which system provides near “real-time” processing (editing, validation, logging) of customer orders pertaining to customers'Vnet and Vision networks entered therein; 2) data access points (“DAPS”) which implements Vnet and Vision call routing plan orders at the network switches; and, 3) a Service Control Manager (“SCM”) which provides the link between NetCap and the DAPs for translating, formatting and distributing the information included in the submitted orders to each of the DAPS. Once an order is implemented on the DAPS, Vnet and Vision network calls are processed with the features specified in the order.
Particularly, NetCap is a mainframe MVS system that implements an on-line subsystem for accepting orders for toll-free, VNET, and Vision routing plans. It also has a background-processing subsystem that takes these orders, processes them, stores them in a database, and feeds orders to SCM. Currently, the three methods employed for accessing NetCap are: a direct 3270 terminal connection for internal MCI users which provides access to 100 percent of NetCap's functions; a PC-based 3270 terminal emulation program that utilizes 56 kbps dial-up access to a majority of NetCap functions; and, the PC-based Windows application entitled “OutBound NM,” written in C++, for example, which enables customers to implement and configure routing plans for Vnet network via the existing MCI Service View (MSV) infrastructure comprising a private network of routers and protocol converters that connect PC Windows applications to NetCap.
With more particularity, the MSV Outbound NM Call Tracking and Control feature enables a customer to establish the rules that apply to calls made on their Vnet/Vision network including: 1) establishment of Range Privileges for allowing restriction of calls to specific geographic areas; 2) establishment of Range Restrictions for restricting the use of a calling card from a specific origination point to specified termination point(s); 3) establishment of rules for extending a customer's Vnet/Vision network beyond a corporate boundary; 4) establishment of Supplemental Codes which may be used for controlling and monitoring a business including ID codes that specify who may place calls and their range privileges, and accounting codes that associate a call with a category that a customer may specify for their internal audit/call management purposes; and 5) establishment of exclusions which enable the blocking of calls to specific numbers and/or geographic locations, e.g., prohibiting calls to a single number or range of specified public numbers.
The MSV Outbound NM Call Routing feature enables the customer to engineer the routes that calls follow on their network. Thus, customers may: 1) define a dialing plan order enabling the creation of private numbers and vanity numbers; 2) force public numbers on the network; 3) implement Customized Message Announcements (“CMA”) which enables a call to be routed to a pre-recorded message including, for example, customer-defined messages and error-intercept messages; 4) implement exclusions; 5) implement hotlines which enables automatic dialing of a specified number, e.g., upon lifting of the handset; and, 6) point of origin routing which enables the designation of an alternative DAL, overriding the DAL already specified in the dialing plan based on originating switch. Further, customers are enabled to reroute a call originating from a Dedicated Access Line (“DAL”) to a different destination (DAL), Calling Party Number (“CPN”) or customized message announcement) when the called number is busy. A dedicated access line is a direct link from a company tp the nearest service provider switch.
The MSV Outbound NM Multiple Networks feature enables a Vnet to be structured in a way that a company's individual subsidiaries or divisions may have their own sub-network of the company's “main” Vnet network and enables the individual subsidiaries or divisions to define their own Vnet requirements.
Using the MSV MCI Outbound NM involves creating and approving orders that change the configuration of a customer's network. MCI Outbound NM assigns each order a unique number (e.g., in the format VXXXXXX) and presents a series of screens for user
Munguia Wayne J.
Pfister Robert A.
Suscheck Charles A.
MCI WorldCom Inc.
Winder Patrice
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