Subscriber service management

A method, system and apparatus for service management. A service management system can include a name resolution adapter disposed in a PSTN. The name resolution adapter can be communicatively linked to a LIDB also disposed within the PSTN. Notably, an enterprise application can be configured to manage service subscriptions and can enjoy communicative couplings both to the name resolution adapter over a data communications network and also to a switch disposed in the PSTN. Finally, service renewal logic can be associated with the enterprise application and programmed to renew service subscriptions for calling ones of subscribers to the service subscriptions based upon identifying data for the calling ones of the subscribers as received in the enterprise application over the data communications network from the name resolution adapter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Statement of the Technical Field

The present invention relates to the management of a service subscription for a telephone subscriber, and more particularly to the management of a service subscription based upon call processing provided in a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

2. Description of the Related Art

The intelligent network of today bears little semblance to the PSTN of old. In fact, the term “intelligence” has little to do with the operation of the conventional PSTN. Rather, the conventional PSTN of old incorporates a massive complex of switching matrices and transport trunks that, through the electronic equivalent of “brute force”, forge the interconnections necessary to call completion. More particularly, for decades for every call processed the PSTN relied upon each successive switch to route a voice signal to the next. Still, the modern volume of calls processed within the conventional PSTN demands a faster, more streamlined approach to call routing.

To overcome the elements of the brute force aspect of the conventional PSTN, physically separate signaling networks have been grafted upon the transport and switching PSTN elements to oversee call set-up and billing. These “out-of-band” adjuncts speed routing data and commands directly to the switches involved, establishing all the necessary links prior to the actual transmission of a call. Consequently, with “out-of-band” signaling the PSTN has become “conscious” of the operations it is to perform prior to their execution. As a result, the PSTN has become a more flexible beast, capable even of substantial logic.

The development of the “out-of-band” protocol, Signaling System7(SS7), has led to the widespread deployment of intelligent network technology. In SS7, signaling links transmit routing packets between switches. Consequently, specialized SS7Signaling Transfer Points (STPs) appeared to shepherd routing messages from local switches onto a high-capacity packet switches for distribution to other switches, STPs and call-related databases, such as the Line Information Database (LIDB), the Local Number Portability (LNP) database, the Toll Free Calling database and other databases containing customer information or additional call routing instructions. And, so, the agility of high-speed computer networking began exerting control over the raw power of the PSTN.

The marriage of convenience between SS7and the PSTN soon produced the Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)—an architecture where centralized databases control call processing. Logic ported via STPs to select switches now have become widely distributed throughout the network. AIN-capable switches also have begun to function as interactive signaling-platforms. Equipped with resident software triggers, AIN capable switches now can halt a call in progress long enough to query Service Control Points (SCPs), databases containing service logic and subscriber information which can provide instruction as to how to route, monitor, or terminate the call. The PSTN of today now effectively includes long-term memory as well as intelligence. Accordingly, the modern local exchange carrier holds the means to deploy such advanced telecommunications features such as telephone number portability, wireless roaming, call waiting and a host of other subscriber options.

The LIDB is a database configured for coupling to the PSTN through an SCP. The LIDB typically includes amorphous records arranged to store information regarding telephone callers, such as the business name of the caller, the address of the caller, billing information for the caller, and the like. By storing invariable information regarding the caller, such as the name, address and billing method, many intelligent telephonic services can be provided over the PSTN through a simple query to the LIDB. In this regard, several local exchange carriers have deployed independent LIDB access services to facilitate the deployment of intelligent telephonic services which can exploit the invariant information stored within the LIDB.

Despite the wealth of information associated with a telephone caller stored in the LIDB, the LIDB seems to remain an untapped resource suitable only for advanced telephony billing applications. Accordingly, many conventional inconveniences remain prevalent in the world of the call center and in the customer service industry. For instance, oftentimes service subscribers seek to renew a service telephonically such as the renewal of a time limited rental of a consumer product such as a movie, an automobile, a household appliance, and the like.

Notwithstanding, a high degree of automation required to implement a renewal or subscription extension service telephonically requires access to substantial identifying information. Typically, at least a name, a portion of a social security number, an address, or an account number will be required to access computing data in an enterprise application programmed to manage the subscription service. In consequence, subscribers can become irritated conversing with a customer service representative, an interactive voice response system, or both simply to provide identifying information sufficient to activate the renewal or extension of a subscription service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the deficiencies of the art in respect to the renewal or extension of a subscription service and provides a novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for service management. In accordance with the present invention, a service management method can include the step of establishing a telephone call with a service subscriber over a PSTN. Identifying information for the service subscriber can be received through a computer communications network and the identifying information can be correlated with the established telephone call to identify the service subscriber.

Once the identifying information has been received for the service subscriber and correlated thereto, service information for a service subscribed to by the service subscriber can be retrieved based upon the identifying information. Consequently, the service can be managed by updating the service information with a new service term. In particular, the managing step can include the step of renewing the service term. Additionally, the managing step can include the step of extending the service term.

Notably, the receiving step can include the step of receiving the identifying information over the computer communications network from a name resolution adapter disposed within the PSTN. Specifically, the identifying information can include a name associated with the service subscriber and resolved in the PSTN. Moreover, the name can be resolved in a LIDB disposed in the PSTN.

In accordance with the present invention, a service management system can include a name resolution adapter disposed in a PSTN. The name resolution adapter can be communicatively linked to a LIDB also disposed within the PSTN. Notably, an enterprise application can be configured to manage service subscriptions and can enjoy communicative couplings both to the name resolution adapter over a data communications network and also to a switch disposed in the PSTN. Finally, service renewal logic can be associated with the enterprise application and programmed to renew service subscriptions for calling ones of subscribers to the service subscriptions based upon identifying data for the calling ones of the subscribers as received in the enterprise application over the data communications network from the name resolution adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for managing a subscription service. As used herein, a subscription service can include a consumer or commercial service in which a term can be specified during which term the service can be provided. Examples include the rental of a film, the rental of an automobile, and the rental of a home appliance or a commercial tool, and the provision of consumable materials such as food items, drink items, magazines, newspapers and the like, to name but a few. The subscription service in accordance with the present invention can be renewed for the pre-specified term, or extended for a period of time which differs from the term.

In either circumstance, the subscription service can be operated automatically through identifying information resolved within the PSTN and provided to the service provider electronically concurrently with the placement of a telephone call by the service consumer to the service provider. Significantly, the identifying information can be resolved externally to the service provider within the PSTN. In this way, the service provider can manage the subscription service without first prompting the service consumer for identifying information.

In further illustration,FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating a system, method and process for managing a subscription service according to the inventive arrangements. Specifically, a subscriber130to a subscription service140can extend or renew the subscription service140by contacting the subscription service140telephonically by way of the PSTN110. As the subscriber130initiates the telephone call in the PSTN110, a name resolution adapter180disposed within the PSTN110can capture the caller identification190for the subscriber130to identify the subscriber130.

Using the caller identification190, the name resolution adapter can produce corresponding identification data170for the subscriber130, for instance a name, address, phone number, credit card number, or account number, to name a few. In this regard, the name resolution adapter180can query one or more databases disposed within the PSTN110to obtain corresponding identifying data170for the caller identification190. Once the name resolution adapter180has acquired the identification data170, the name resolution adapter180can provide the identification data170to an enterprise application160associated with the subscription service140over the data communications network120. Concurrently, the call between the subscriber130and the subscription service140can be established over the PSTN110.

Once the enterprise application160has received the identification data170for the subscriber130, the enterprise application160can use the identification data170to obtain the subscription records for the subscriber130. Importantly, the enterprise application160can retrieve the subscription records without first having annoyingly prompted the subscriber130over the PSTN110for identifying information. In any case, renewal logic150can prompt the subscriber130to renew or extend the subscription. The subscriber130can select a renewal or extension of the subscription service140and the enterprise application160can update the subscriber records accordingly. Remarkably, the foregoing renewal/extension process can be performed over the PSTN without requiring a single identifying prompt, or the resolution of caller identifying data in the enterprise application.

To further illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention,FIG. 2is a schematic illustration of a system for managing a subscription service using identifying information acquired within a PSTN. As shown inFIG. 2, a system for managing a subscription service using identifying information acquired within a PSTN can include one or more telephonic switches230coupled to one another within a PSTN200. Each of the switches230can be communicatively linked to a service switching point (SSP)220coupled to an out-of-band signaling network comprised of a multiplicity of signal transfer points (STP)210. Each STP210can be cross-connected to other ones of the STPs210in the PSTN so as to form an inter-network of switched communications links to support out-of-band signaling as is well-known in the art.

One or more switchless nodes each referred to as an SCP240can be communicatively linked to the out-of-band signaling network via one of the STPs210as is well-known in the art and embodied within the SS7 signaling network. The SCP240can be coupled to one or more databases260A,260B,260nwhich can be configured to store invariant data such as the name, address and billing information for callers. For example, the databases260A,260B,260ncan include a local number portability (LNP) database, a LIDB, or any other such database which can be accessed within an SCP240.

Notably, as is well-known in the art, the information stored within the databases260A,260B,260ncan be stored in amorphous records in nothing more than a flat file database, an object database or a relational database. In any event, through the communicative linkages between the SCP240, the STP210and the databases260A,260B,260n, transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) messages can be processed in the SCP240to access the invariant data in the databases260A,260B,260n. In this way, calls processed through the switch230can access logic in the SCP240and data in the databases260A,260B,260nthrough the SSP220.

Notably, a name resolution adapter250can be coupled to the out-of-band network comprised of inter-connected STPs210to access data and logic through the SCP240through an exchange of messages such as TCAP messages. The name resolution adapter250can include a gateway node250having both an interface to the PSTN200and also an interface to a data communications network270such as an Internet Protocol driven network. In this way, data received through the PSTN200, and more particularly from accessing the databases260A,260B,260nin the PSTN200can be passed within IP packets to an enterprise application280over the data communications network270. Also, as the enterprise application280can be coupled to a switch230within the PSTN200through an associated adapter, data disposed within the databases260A,260B,260nregarding an incoming call can be processed within the enterprise application280.

In operation, the name resolution adapter250can monitor calls placed to a switch230to which the enterprise application280has been coupled. As calls are received in the switch230, the name resolution adapter250can receive respective TCAP messages from the STP210coupled to the switch230. Using the TCAP messages, the name resolution adapter250can create additional TCAP messages to query the LIDB260B to identify the callers. For each TCAP message querying the LIDB260B, the LIDB260B can return the identity of the caller, for instance the caller's name, or other identification such as caller's address. Once the name resolution adapter250has received the identity of the caller from the LIDB260B, the name resolution adapter250can transmit the identity to the enterprise application280over the data communications network270. The enterprise application280subsequently can correlate the caller identity received from the name resolution adapter250with a corresponding call received through the switch230.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, service renewal logic290can be coupled to the enterprise application280. The service renewal logic290can provide a facility through which service subscribers can renew or extend the term of service without requiring the subscribers to respond to exhaustive prompting necessary to identify the subscribers. In further illustration,FIG. 3is a flow chart illustrating a process for managing a subscription service in the system ofFIG. 2. Beginning in block310an incoming telephone call can be received by the service provider through the PSTN. In block320, identifying information received in the service provider from outside the PSTN through the data communications network can be correlated to the received telephone call in order to identify the caller.

In block330, the existing services to which the caller has subscribed can be retrieved using the identifying information. Subsequently, in decision block340it can be determined whether the caller desires to renew any one of the existing services. If the caller chooses not to renew any one of the existing services, in block350the call can be transferred to a customer service representative for further processing. Otherwise, in decision block360it can be further determined if a renewal option has been offered for the existing service which the caller has indicated a desire to renew. If the renewal option is offered for the existing service, in block370the service can be renewed. Otherwise, in block380the caller can be prompted to determine the extent of the renewal required and in decision block390, once the extent of the renewal has been established, in block370the service can be renewed.