Abstract:
A method of modifying a network service comprising, identifying a service to be modified, determining services affected by the identified service; and performing a modification of the service level of at least the identified service, wherein the modification of the service level comprises a logical interruption of at least the identified service.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to methods for restricting and restoring network services. More specifically, the present invention relates to performing a soft disconnect of a service for a predetermined time period followed by a hard disconnect of the service and all subtending services. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Typically, when a network service provider receives a request from a customer for a service disconnect, the provider responds by physically removing the service from the network inventory and stopping billing. However, problems are associated with this approach. For example, at least about 10% of the time, the customer contacts the provider and indicates that they want service restored, or that they want to postpone the service disconnect date. The provider must then scramble in order to reinstate billing and put back the facilities necessary to restore the network service. Moreover, the process for restoring the network service often does not have any administrative structure to it, so the provider cannot bill the customer for restoring the service. 
     A further problem associated with current methods for disconnecting a network service is that of idle subtending services. For example, a request from a customer for a service disconnect typically results in a complete physical removal of that service from the network. However, services affected by the disconnected service, such as subtending services, are often not removed from the network. The result is that the provider&#39;s inventory is being used up by the idle subtending services, and yet the provider cannot bill for these idle network services. 
     In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method of disconnecting a network service which does not have these disadvantages. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a service disconnect method whereby service and billing can be readily restored when a restore service order is received from the customer, and whereby the provider&#39;s inventory can be spared. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicant has overcome the shortcomings of prior art methods with the present invention by providing a computer implemented method for controlling the connections to a large communications network for a particular customer. 
     The present invention therefore provides a method of modifying a network service comprising, identifying a service to be modified, determining services affected by the identified service; and performing a modification of the service level of at least the identified service, wherein the modification of the service level comprises a logical interruption of at least the identified service. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the restrict/restore events and process flow method according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for soft disconnects. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for hard disconnects. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for in-flight orders. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for existing contracts. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     There will be detailed below the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like members are designated by like reference characters in all figures. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 CCI: 
                 End State Database 
               
               
                 ECX: 
                 End State Database 
               
               
                 MCN: 
                 End State Database 
               
               
                 GRC: 
                 Data Group Code 
               
               
                 SO: 
                 Sales data Code 
               
               
                 CSI: 
                 Database Identifier 
               
               
                 MCN/SO/BG&#39;s: 
                 Master Customer Number, customer identifier 
               
               
                 BMP: 
                 Ticket, a data flag 
               
               
                 AOTS: 
                 Ticket, a data flag 
               
               
                 CSPS: 
                 Provisioning application 
               
               
                 NICAM: 
                 Provisioning Application 
               
               
                 CPP: 
                 Provisioning Application 
               
               
                 EFMS: 
                 Workflow Application 
               
               
                 CWM: 
                 Workflow Application 
               
               
                 IOM: 
                 Ordering Application 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Referring now to the Figures there is shown an embodiment of a system according to the present invention. The system is suitable for implementation of the subject method of restricting or restoring a network service 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a block diagram of the restrict/restore events and process flow method according to the present invention. In step  1 , the Customer Financial Management (CFM)  100  sends account number identification, biller identification and action type, either restrict or restore as part of a request to database of reference (DBOR). The dispatcher sends information to the restrict-restore handler  101  in Step  2 . The handler updates the database in Step  3  and then in Step  4  responds to the dispatcher  102  with validity of the request. The Dispatcher in turn, response to the CFM with validity of the request in Step  5 . In Step  6  the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  reads the outstanding restrict/restore requests from the persistent data base store  106 , and then in Step  7  accesses CCI  108  to provide the mapping of the CFM account number to the Customer and Customer&#39;s Billing Accounts. The Restrict-Restore Processor accesses ECX  110  to retrieve customer account details such as for example MCN, GRC or SO, for a list of services that a customer has subscribed to and Inventory keys such as circuit ID, Port ID and PVC-ID. Once Step  8  is complete, the Restrict-Restore Processor accesses CSI  112  to retrieve inventory details in Step  9  and initiates Step  10 , which includes Step  10   a , Restrict-Restore Processor will send the MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to BMP  114  to create or close a restrict ticket for data services. In Step  10   b , the Restrict-Restore Processor will send MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to AOTS  116  to create/close a restrict ticket for managed services, and in Step  10   c  the Restrict-Restore Processor will send MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to Clarify  118  to create/close a restrict ticket for management information systems (MIS) services. The Restrict-Restore Processor sends a restrict/restore request to the: Common Test Platform (CTP)  120  for data services in step  11   a , to CSPS  122  for switched inbound services in Step  11   b , to NICAM  124  for switched outbound services in Step  11   c , and to CPP  126  for credit card services in Step  11   d . In Step  11   e  the Restrict-Restore Processor sends a restrict/restore action request to RUBY  128 . If the Action type is restrict, RUBY should suppress all the alarms for the particular service. If the action type is restore, RUBY should start processing the alarms again for all the alarms for the particular service. Turning to Step  12 , in Step  12   a , the Restrict-Restore Processor sends Restrict/Restore status indicator to EFMS  130  to suspend workflow, in Step  12   b  the Processor sends Restrict/Restore status indicator to CWM  132 . In Step  13  the Restrict Restore Processor sends Restrict/Restore status indicator to IOM  134  to suspend pending orders and stop new orders. Finally, in Step  14  the Dispatcher sends CFM  100  Restrict/Restore status indicator. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for soft disconnects. In accordance with the events and process flow described with respect to  FIG. 1  the activity flow includes the following steps. In Step  1   a , the Customer Financial Management (CFM)  100  sends account number identification, biller identification and action type, either restrict or restore as part of a request to DBOR. The dispatcher sends information to the restrict-restore handler  101  in Step  2 . The handler updates the database in Step  3  and then in Step  4  responds to the dispatcher  102  with validity of the request. In Step  6 , which includes Step  6   a , Restrict-Restore Processor  104  will send the MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to BMP  114  to create or close a restrict ticket for data services. In Step  6   b , the Restrict-Restore Processor will  6   c  the Restrict-Restore Processor will send MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to Clarify  118  to create/close a restrict ticket for MIS services. In Step  7  the Restrict-Restore Processor sends a restrict/restore request to the Rule Builder for Yourself (“RUBY”) for data services in step  8   a , to CSPS  122  for switched inbound services in Step  8   b , to NICAM  124  for switched outbound services in Step  8   c , and to CPP  126  for credit card services in Step  8   d  and in Step  8   e  the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  sends a restrict/restore action request to CTP  120 . Turning to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for hard disconnects. The activity shows in Step  1   a , the Customer Financial Management (CFM)  100  sends account number identification, biller identification and action type, either restrict or restore as part of a request to DBOR. The dispatcher  102  sends information to the restrict-restore handler  101  in Step  2 . The handler updates the database in Step  3  and then in Step  4  responds to the dispatcher  102  with validity of the request. In Step  6 , which includes Step  6   a , Restrict-Restore Processor  104  will send the MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to BMP  114  to create or close a restrict ticket for data services. In Step  6   b , the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  will  6   c  the Restrict-Restore Processor will send MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to Clarify  118  to create/close a restrict ticket for MIS services. In Step  7  the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  sends a restrict/restore request to the Persistent State Store  100 . In step  8   a , the Restrict Restore Service the Processor  104  sends to a Restrict Restore Service to IOM  134 . In Step  8   b , the Restrict Restore Service the Processor  104  sends to a Restrict Restore Service to CWM  132  and to EFMS  130  in Step  8   c  and to EFMS  130  in Step  8   d.    
     Turning to  FIG. 4  there is shown a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for in-flight orders. The activity shows in Step  1  the Customer Financial Management (CFM)  100  sends account number identification, biller identification and action type, either restrict or restore as part of a request to DBOR. The dispatcher  102  sends information to the restrict-restore handler  101  in Step  2 . The handler updates the database in Step  3  and then in Step  4  responds to the dispatcher with validity of the request. In Step  6 , which includes Step  6   a , Restrict-Restore Processor  104  will send the MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to BMP  114  to create or close a restrict ticket for data services. In Step  6   b , the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  will  6   c  the Restrict-Restore Processor will send MCN/SO/BG&#39;s to Clarify  118  to create/close a restrict ticket for MIS services. In Step  7  the Restrict-Restore Processor  104  sends a restrict/restore request to the Persistent State Store  106 . In step  8   a , the Restrict Restore Service the Processor  104  sends to a Restrict Restore Service to IOM  134 . In Step  8   b , to CWM  132  and to EFMS  130  in Step  8   c  and to EBPC  200  in Step  8   d.    
     Turning to  FIG. 5  there is shown a flow chart depicting the activity flow for in-effect service restrict/restore method according to the present invention for existing contracts. In Step  1   a  the IOM  134  send a request to Get Account Info,  500  which relays to the Account Manager  502 , In Step  2  the Account Manager sends account data to CCI  108  Service Data to ECX  110 , in Step  3 , and Inventory Data to CSI  112  in Step  4 . The Persistent State Store  106  is updated to reflect account manager activity. 
     Thus, the system of the present invention ensures an automatic restrict or restore of the requested network service (or component), such that the customer can initially experience the feeling of a complete removal of that service from the network, but without an initial physical or hard disconnect of any components. The system also ensures proper handling of all orders in the event that a customer cancels the restrict or restore request or postpones the service change date. Because the service change is initially performed using a soft disconnect mechanism, service and billing can be readily restored in this instance by performing a soft reconnect of the service. As described above, the present invention further ensures a complete physical removal from the network of all components of the technology on which a soft-disconnected service is based. This optimizes availability of network inventory so that it can readily be reallocated for use by other customers. Optionally, the customer may be notified of the affected services. Also, optionally, the customer may be contacted to confirm if they want to proceed with the service change. For example, the person requesting the change service order may not have been authorized by the customer to make such a request. Moreover, the customer may not have been aware of the services affected by a service disconnect, and once provided with this information, may choose to cancel the restrict service order and implement a restore. 
     It will be appreciated that the present invention has been described herein with reference to certain preferred or exemplary embodiments. The preferred or exemplary embodiments described herein may be modified, changed, added to or deviated from without departing from the intent, spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all such additions, modifications, amendments, and/or deviations be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.