MXPA98001675A - Methods for procurement of automatic service for telecommunication - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for automated service provisioning for telecommunications companies. A calling subscriber establishes a connection with the company and requests one or more service changes. The DTMF tone or voice information of the calling party becomes data compatible with the processors of the automated method. The calling subscriber's data is then validated to determine if the calling party is an existing customer entitled to the requested service. Upon proper validation, a service order is automatically generated and the service order is processed. In some embodiments, a registration feature registers the telephone number of the calling party to allow a subsequent return dialing that confirms that the order has been executed

Description

METHODS FOR PROCUREMENT OF AUTOMATED SERVICE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications and more particularly to automatic service provisioning for telecommunications operations. While the principles of this invention are equally applicable to telecommunications modes such as fax, email, networks, cellular services, PCS, ISDN services, and other telecommunications applications, the invention will be fully understood from the following explanation of its use in the context of telephone services. A significant population of consumers in this country relies on telecommunications services in their personal and business affairs. For this reason, it is not surprising that the average telephone company generates a large number of service orders daily. Service orders, typically generated from customer calls, contain information used to document a specified service that is provided to the calling customer. Service orders also have many purposes. They are used, among other things, to establish new customers to identify service subscription status, to change or add phone numbers, to add or remove features (eg caller ID, wait for REF: 25647 call, etc.). , (to initiate or terminate service and to implement a guest of other telecommunications services.) In the modern telecommunications industry, provisioning of service upgrade is performed using customer service operators to process service requests. , the continuous generation of service orders is expensive, this cost factor is derived in part from the requirement that a large team of operations personnel be present to receive the calls and generate the corresponding service orders. naturally it is transferred to consumers in the form of a telephone service or more expensive. At least for this reason, the costs associated with a large team of operations personnel, are the main objective aspect to reduce by many major telecommunications companies such as AT &T. Efforts to reduce these costs, however, have historically been problematic. For example, difficulties have arisen when telecommunications companies try to combat costs by reducing the size of service personnel. When companies reduce their operations staff, customer service is diminished. This is particularly true during peak calling hours, where long waiting times frustrate customers and delay the institution of required repairs or other services. The provisioning of service in this context is negatively impacted. In this way, a dual dilemma is presented by the use of a telecommunications company of operations personnel for service provisioning. On the one hand, reducing costs by reducing service personnel reduces the acceptable level of customer service. On the other hand, maintaining an effective level of personnel is often prohibitively expensive for the company. Although it is notable for the commercial telecommunications industry, this dilemma is probably more severely felt in the local telephone service arena. There, customers subscribe directly to a local telephone company, which generates service orders for the provisioning of each subscription. Customer service is not only necessary to process initial orders but also to implement changes or repairs subsequent to local service. In this last area, the need for a viable solution to control costs while maintaining customer service has been fundamental in recent years.

There are methods for provisioning service in the art, which are partially automated since these methods provide a degree of marginal automation such as voice-to-data conversion. however, a template or team of human personnel is always required to process and implement service requests. For example, existing methods require the use of human personnel to generate the service orders that correspond to the requested service change. Unfortunately, the generation of service orders represents the majority of the processing time involved in the provisioning of services. In this way, with existing methods, companies must employ a comprehensive operations template to process and implement the most complex aspect of customer service. This configuration reduces the cost savings that are otherwise achieved by reduction in human personnel. In sum, the numerous disadvantages associated with existing service provisioning methods are incompatible with substantial cost savings and effective customer service. Furthermore, existing systems severely restrict customer flexibility. The client must rely on human personnel to implement even the most rudimentary service-based needs. For example, when a customer wants their phone service changed to add a call waiting feature to their existing number, they can not do so by an automated method. On the contrary, you should always interact with human personnel, even for the most routine service request. For the client, the result is often a significant waiting or retention time, until a customer assistant is available to process their request. For the telephone company, the dilemma of customer service persists. Since the company employs a substantial staff of service personnel for routine service requests in the field, cost considerations are again at the forefront. Clearly, a new method for service provisioning to overcome the many practical disadvantages of existing methods would be highly desirable. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a fully automated service provisioning method for telecommunications companies. Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide an automated service provisioning method that is substantially more efficient than existing methods. Another object of the invention is to provide said method that is capable of performing a wide range of customer-based service operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method that can eliminate the need for a large operations template to constantly check phone calls from customers whose needs can be fulfilled more efficiently, expeditiously and reliably by automated service provisioning. Another object of the invention is to provide a service provisioning method that can be fully integrated to allow service order formats of a plurality of service providers. Still another object of the invention is to support the movement of a telecommunications client and other services, which allow a client to rely on expedited self-provisioning to move from one physical site to another. Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for telecommunications service operations that provides service maintenance to clients through the storage and preservation of service orders. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION These and other objects of the invention are achieved in accordance with the principles of the invention by providing methods for provisioning and maintenance of service that are fully automated and that support a variety of virtually unlimited service requests. By providing automated and reliable methods to perform service updates within existing telecommunication systems, the invention replaces the old methods and expenses of requiring a substantial operations template to perform the functions of customer service. In accordance with the invention, an existing customer calls a telecommunications company and makes one or more service requests. When connecting and after the voice data or DTMF tones are fed, the voice or DTMF tones are converted to data using a data-voice conversion stage. The client data received is then validated. If the calling party identifies with or an existing customer with the right to receive the requested service, the method automatically generates a service order that refers to the received service request. The service order is generated using a format compatible with the customer's particular service provider. The service order is then processed and the requested service is implemented. In some embodiments, the method provides a registration feature, which automatically registers a calling subscriber telephone number for the purpose of dialing back to the customer to confirm the status of the requested service. The method is repeated for any multiple number of customer service requests, until the customer completes their call. Also, in some modalities, the service order process updates the subscriber profile information to allow future service requests. From the above method of automatic service provisioning, numerous modalities and variations can be contemplated. These modalities and variations remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. Still further features of the invention and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an illustrative diagram of the general sequence of events of a method according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION pKTAT.T ^ A OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates the general sequence of events comprising a method for automatic service provisioning according to the invention. While the present illustration describes the method in the context of an existing subscriber that implements an update to its telephone service, the method can equally be applied to other telecommunications modes. A subscriber wishes to implement a change to their existing telephone service. The subscriber dials the telephone number of the service center of the telephone company. A connection, represented by data paths 1 and 6, is thus established between the subscriber and the service center. This connection is more specifically established between the subscriber and the voice-data conversion element, represented by the drawer 10. For purposes of this application, the term "element" generally refers to software and / or physical components that are necessarily associated with, and which provide functionality for a corresponding stage of the invention. In response to signals or oral notices, the subscriber provides certain information such as the subscriber's telephone number and the nature of the desired service update (s). Subscriber power may already be voice or DTMF tones (pulse or touch). The purpose of the voice-data conversion stage 10 is to transform the subscriber voice to DTMF tone feeding into data streams that are understood by the processors that implement the automated method. In this way, the voice-data conversion stage 10, converts this information fed into compatible data for further processing in subsequent stages. The physical and functional details of the speech-data conversion element 10 are known in the art and as such are not critical for an understanding of the claimed method. Following the voice-data conversion stage 10, the converted data stream is then received by an element called client validation, which is illustrated graphically as the drawer 20. The conceptual data flow from the speech-data conversion element 10 to the client validation element 20 is represents the data path 2. The purpose of the client validation stage 20 is to restrict the automated provisioning of services to those customers who already have telephone service. That is, only those customers who are already a customer of the telephone company are allowed to use self-provisioning. The client validation stage 20 also determines, based on a customer profile contained in the database 25, whether the requested service change is available to the customer or whether other factors (such as the customer's credit, type of service, etc.) avoid the client's right to the requested service. For example, the validation step of the client 20 accesses the database 25 to evaluate the profile of the client. The customer profile typically contains information such as the subscriber's location, the type of service employed by the subscriber, the quality of the subscriber's credit, service location, service availability, type of equipment, current telephone number, service history , and other information regarding the subscriber's request. If the validation step of the client 20 determines that for any reason, the subscriber is not entitled to the requested service, he sends a convenient error message back to the subscriber. This error message is transmitted back to the voice-data conversion stage 10 via the data paths 7 and 5. The voice-data conversion step 10 converts the electronic data comprising the error message into data of voice for communication to the subscriber about the data path 6. The client validation step 20 can be implemented using any known method. Typically, the client validation is implemented using a software routine (or set of routines) together with one or more convenient multiprocessors, in conjunction with the peripheral circuits to execute the routine (s). In some modalities, the client validation information is contained within the same database as the information regarding the generation of the service order (see below). In other modalities, the databases are different. If the search reveals that the customer has a pre-existing account with the service provider and that the subscriber is otherwise entitled to the changes, the service update process advances to the next stage. The client validation element 20 sends the pertinent data of the client to the service order generation stage 30. The conceptual data flow of the element 20 to the element 30 graphically is represented by the data path 3. The generation step of Service order 30 typically comprises the majority of computer processing involved in the auto provisioning routine. The service order generation stage 30 generates a service order. The service order is generated according to the information transmitted by the subscriber, as well as the information in the customer profile and the format description defined by the service order generation stage 30. The service order format depends in part on the identity of the subscriber's service provider. At the time of filing this application, the inventor is aware of 7 regional Bell operating companies (RBOCS = Regional Bell Operating Companies) including AT &; T, GDE and MCI. Each of these companies can use service orders that have a unique format. In addition, these and other telecommunications companies may employ other shipping service providers. Telecommunications companies can also enter into business relationships with foreign companies and can therefore use foreign service providers. Formats associated with a particular service provider, or with a variety of service providers are stored in a database 35. Using the subscriber identity and / or other subscriber information, the service generation step 30 accesses the base of data 35 to read the appropriate format used for the service order. Specifically, the service order generation step 30 considers the service order mapping contained in the database 35 that is associated with the subscriber's service provider. Accordingly, the service order generation step 30 creates a service order using the format that is identified to be compatible with the subscriber service provider. Advantageously, independently of the service provider, the format of the service order always adapts to the parameters required by that provider. Once the service order generation step 30 generates an appropriate service command, the service order is transmitted by the data path 4 to the service order process step 40. The function of the process step of the service order 40 consists in accessing all the necessary databases and operating systems to facilitate the physical implementation of the service changes as decreed by the terms of the service order.

During the execution of the processing step of the service order 40, a status confirmation message may be transmitted back to the voice data conversion stage 10 via the data path 5. The voice data conversion stage 10 translates the message into voice, which is communicated to the subscriber on the telephone connection through the data path 6. This message informs the subscriber that the requested service is approved and will be completed. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the service order process will update the subscriber profile in database 25, which in turn can be used for client validations associated with future service requests. In addition to, or in lieu of, the status confirmation message described above, the method can also perform an automated return marking. This stage involves an automatic telephone call to the subscriber, which occurs after the service request has been successfully completed. The return mark confirms the successful termination of the service update to the subscriber. The return dialing stage uses the phone number stored in the registration stage (see below) to call the customer back. For simplicity, the connections between the previous stages have generally been described as discrete data paths. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that these data trajectories are intended to describe the conceptual relationships between the stages of the invention and not necessarily specific physical connections. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the data paths in Figure 1 do not always require the physical propagation of data from one site to another. In those cases, the data trajectories in Figure 1 are simply intended to clarify the order in which the various stages occur. As an illustration, in some embodiments the output of the voice-data conversion element 10 is not physically propagated to a second site for client validation. In contrast, in these embodiments, the client validation step 20 is implemented using processors that read data from pre-determined memory sites where the converted client data is stored. Figure 2 illustrates a flow chart that can more fully illustrate a self-provisioning method according to the invention. As before, the subscriber dials the customer service center to request one or more service changes. When dialing, the subscriber connects to the voice-data conversion element 100. The voice-data conversion element issues voice patterns that signal the subscriber to feed certain information. The subscriber provides his current telephone number and other information pertinent to the subscriber identity, using either voice or DTMF tones. The pulse tone feed or voice of the subscriber is converted into data, as illustrated by steps 100 and 110. This data may comprise any convenient form that is meant by the processor components marked to implement the service provisioning method. In some embodiments, the voice-data conversion stage 100 includes a registration facility (not shown). The registration facility is used to store the subscriber telephone number, thereby enabling a return dialing capability for subsequent service confirmation. After the information provided by the client has been converted into data form, the data is processed by the client validation stage 120. Using this data, the client validation step 120 assists the subscriber database 125 for verify the status of the subscriber co or a previously existing client, and in other way validate the right of the subscriber to the requested service. In a previously described form, the validation step 120 determines whether the subscriber is an existing client (see block 130). Otherwise, an appropriate error message is sent back to the voice-data conversion stage 100, which is then communicated in voice to the subscriber. If so, the subscriber data below is processed by the service order generation step 140.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of generating service order 140 generates a service order based on: (1) the data provided by the subscriber specifying the particular service (s) requested; (2) system information that defines the particular order necessary to implement the requested service; and (3) the format of the service order (unique to the service provider). With respect to point (1), the service order generation step 140 obtains this information from the client (see steps 100 and 120). With respect to points (2) and (3), the service order generation step 140 accesses one or more knowledge-based databases to read the necessary information. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the service order generation stage can be decomposed into two sub-stages, namely the order definition sub-stage 146 and the order format construction sub-stage 148. In the order definition sub-step 146, the service order generation step 140 accesses the database 147. Based on the information fed by the subscriber detailing the subscriber's particular service request, the sub-stage The order definition 146 reads a corresponding service order definition from the database 147. The service order generation step 140 will use this information to generate a properly defined service order. Next, in the order form construction sub-stage 148, the service order generation step 140 uses the subscriber feed information to read from the database 148, the appropriate format for the service order. In a preferred embodiment, database 148 is a generic order mapping database containing information regarding the specific format of the subscriber service provider. Then, using the information obtained from databases 147 and 149, the service order generation step 140 generates a service order. In the illustration of Figure 2, the respective format and definition data were stored in two separate databases 147 and 149. In other embodiments, this information is all contained within a single database. Alternatively, the service order generation step 140 may be information from more than two databases. In still other embodiments, the customer profile information contained in the database 125 instead resides in one or more of the databases used in the service order generation step 140. Said differently, the invention it does not depend on the specific way in which the databases are implemented. In some embodiments, the service order generation step 140 describes the service order generated in database 147, 149 or another designated database. This information is used to maintain customer information and to maintain automated records. If the system determines that the service order generation step 140 has successfully created a service order (see block 150) the service order will be transmitted to the service order process 180. More specifically, as illustrated in blocks 160 and 170, the service order process step 180 will invoke all of the necessary operations systems 170 through the telecommunications network to implement the requested service. This stage includes the assignment of tasks based on necessary service to various machines and in some cases, the activation of circuit elements necessary to physically implement the required changes. To support the service order process 180, there are many subsystems of operations in the art. As such, the components involved in the service order process 180 will vary since each service provider equipment in general is different. The service order process is complex. Fortunately, the physical and functional details of the process are not critical to understanding the invention, since any existing service order implementation method will suffice for the service order process step 180. The invention therefore contemplates that the equipment The physical, software and network components comprising the service order process element 180 will vary depending on, among other things, the telecommunications company and the particular subscriber's service provider. In some embodiments, the method automatically inspects the results of the service order process 180 to determine if the service update is successful. Once the service information is successfully transmitted to the appropriate devices in the network to implement the service request, the service order process step 180 generates a service confirmation message, as illustrated in block 200. message is transmitted back to the conversion element xJe voice-data 100 to convert into speech, which in turn is communicated to the subscriber. Typically this message informs the subscriber that a service order that outlines the requests or that delimits the subscriber's requests has been generated successfully and that the implementation of that order is in process. Preferably, the message will also provide the date and time at which the requested changes will be made. In other embodiments, wherein the requested change is capable of rapid implementation, the service order process 180 will update the subscriber profile in database 125, with new information regarding changes in subscriber service as illustrated in block 210. This updated subscriber information can be used by the client validation process 120 for future service requests. Also, the service order process will send a message to the voice-data conversion stage 100, that the requested service has been implemented successfully. Even in other modalities, the method will use the registration information (see above) to automatically mark the subscriber back when the service is completed. In these modalities, the method confirms to the client that the requested service has been implemented successfully. A combination of the above confirmation features can also be contemplated. According to the invention, customers can quickly move from one physical location to another. The client movement is granted, since the customer's telephone number can be updated automatically upon client initiation. The service order for the change of telephone number is generated automatically and confirms the customer, which greatly accelerates the response time of customer service. As such, the present method advantageously provides greater customer satisfaction. With the invention, the subscribing client can rely on a service mark to update the service changes of the client. Operations personnel are not required to perform these and service orders are generated automatically. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the method advantageously monitors all service orders for existing clients, thus preserving all customer status information. Additionally, the method can be designed to support a virtually unlimited variety of service requests, including without limitation adding new telephone numbers, removing existing telephone numbers, adding new service features, removing existing service features, changing existing service providers. , change billing information and withdraw the service completely. It will be understood that the foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that various modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims cover all these modifications and variations. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS 1.- Automated method for provisioning service by a telecommunications company, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving a call for a service request and establishing an automated connection with the calling subscriber; converting, in response to voice feed or DTMF, identifying the calling party, the DTMF feed or voice of the calling party in data feed; validate, based on the data feed, the subscriber's status as a customer; generate only if the validation stage establishes that the calling subscriber is a customer, a service order that documents the service request; and process the service order when executing the service request specified therein.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the validation step further comprises the step of: searching, based on the data feed, a database for customer profile information that establishes the subscriber's status who calls as a customer.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the processing step further comprises the step of: updating, after generating the service order, the profile information of the client in the database.
4. 4. - The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data feed comprises the telephone number of the calling subscriber.
5. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: registering the telephone number of the calling subscriber, the registration step is used to activate a subsequent return dialing to the calling subscriber.
6. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the generation step further comprises the steps of: reading from one or more databases, based on the data feed, format data corresponding to the service provider of the calling subscriber; and use the data feed and format data to create the service order.
7. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing step further comprises the step of: transmitting the service order to operating systems necessary to implement the service request.
8. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: storing the data feed in a database to maintain the records of the calling subscriber.
9. 9. - A method for generating and automatically processing a service order in response to a customer call to a telecommunications company, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: establishing, upon receiving a call from a calling subscriber, an automated connection with the subscriber who calls; signaling the calling subscriber to transmit pulse or DTMF tone or voice data corresponding to the caller's identification and one or more desired service requests; convert all DTMF or voice data received from the calling party to compatible digital data for processing; validate each service request by locating in memory, data corresponding to the caller's identification; generate, only on proper validation, a service order for each service request; and process each service order by transmitting each order to the operations systems necessary to execute each service order.
10. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: registering the digital data to perform a return marking to confirm the execution of the service order.
11. 11. A method for automatically generating a service order for telecommunications operations before the initiation of a client, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving a call from a client indicating a request in exchange for an existing telecommunications service; connect the call to a converter, to convert the service request into data format; validate the request using a validation database that contains existing customer information; generate a service order from the service request upon successful validation of the request; access to all the databases necessary to change the existing telecommunications service for the client based on the service order; and update the existing customer information in the validation database.
12. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the converted data comprises the telephone number of the calling subscriber.
13. 13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: registering the customer telephone number to make a return dial to confirm successful execution of the service order.
14. 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: performing a return marking to confirm successful execution of the service order.
15. 15. Method for provisioning automated service for a telephone company, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving a service request from a calling subscriber and establishing a connection with the calling subscriber; receiving voice power or DTMF tone power of the calling subscriber in the connection, the voice feeding or DTMF tone feeding comprises the telephone number of the calling party and one or more requests to update the telephone service; convert the voice feed or DTMF tone feed into digital data compatible with the processors used to perform the automated service provisioning method; validate, using the telephone number in the digital data, the status of the subscriber who calls as a customer; generate, upon proper validation of the calling party as a customer, one or more service orders in response to each of the one or more service requests; and execute each of the one or more requests when transmitting the service order or orders to all the necessary operations systems.
16. 16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the generation step further comprises the steps of: accessing a first database to determine the format for generating the service order; and access a second database to determine the definition of the service order to generate.