Abstract:
A network resource mapping system generates pricing reports showing street level pricing of business entities. By mechanizing and combining a number of different calculations into a single tool, the system simplifies the pricing activity, reduces the pricing task time; and enables a pricing manager to propose a price without making simplifying assumptions. The network resource mapping system will be able to use business entity fiber routes, lit buildings, street level pricing data, cost of construction models and margin requirements to calculate potential bids. The tool will maintain the data; allow for centralized win-loss reporting and analysis; and feed down stream systems for won bids. The system query functionality enables the pricing manager to quickly review competitive situations associated with individual network circuit.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a system for mapping network resources. In particular, the invention relates to a graphical system for mapping telecommunication network resources and tracking price information for customer bids. 
         [0003]    2. Background Information 
         [0004]    Conventionally, a great deal of manual effort is spent researching and collecting data that is then analyzed and used to develop individual pricing quotes, such as bids, for telecommunications equipment and services. The amount of information available is often limited and in many cases difficult or time-consuming to obtain. The tools do not exist to allow a pricing manager to understand all of the different variables associated with pricing a wired network circuit. The variables that impact the ability to provide a viable price include knowing who the other business entities are in the area, their on- and off-net prices, and estimates of their construction cost if they do not have facilities associated with a particular type of circuit. A pricing manager&#39;s decisions become even more complicated when attempting to respond to multiple circuit bids. The multiple circuit bids drive the pricing manager to make a number of simplifying assumptions that allow them to calculate a price for service. 
         [0005]    For the above reasons the pricing of circuits has often been considered an art because of the amount of information required to establish a competitive price. Pricing managers attempt to establish a price based upon the value provided to the customer balanced against the price and value of all of the potential alternate providers. Existing tools do not provide a method to determine competitor prices and the information cannot be easily processed. So, rather than calculating prices based upon all of the market research and cost structure estimates, which is unique by geography, the much simpler anecdotal information is used in establishing the price, resulting in non-optimal pricing. Without a tool to analyze the research and data, the individual pricing managers use the information inconsistently, resulting in ineffective pricing strategy. 
         [0006]    Another problem with the current environment is that historical pricing bids are not easily retained or shared among all pricing managers. Since the information is not retained or shared effectively, it has little value. Therefore, a need exists for a system that will retain this information and incorporate it in both the maps and reports so that it can be shared effectively and used to develop competitive bids in the future. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an example network resource mapping device. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a process that produces a network resources map and pricing report. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an example map display of network resources. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a process that track bids on network resources. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example customer interface system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    An interactive, web-based mapping tool is disclosed that integrates data from diverse sources including: vendor supplied fiber data; internal fiber and pricing data; and external market research data. The research data includes street-level pricing information, cost of construction and margin requirements. The system provides a view for a single or multiple circuit bid showing the proximity of lit buildings, the distance from fiber routes to designated addresses, and identification of alternate business entities having fiber in a specific geographic area. The information is processed and presented geographically and in report format to enable a user to make pricing decisions based upon all available data. Point-and-click and query functions are used to permit the user to customize and limit the data displayed. The data can be presented globally, regionally, or at a state, or other designated level, based on user selections. 
         [0014]    The disclosed system provides the ability to have a single view of a geographic area including: differentiation between wire center areas; location of switching offices and central offices; location of alternative business entity switch locations and central offices; identification of lit buildings and the business entities having fiber-enabled equipment in those building; differentiation between lit buildings; and identification of fiber routes. Additional functionality allows the user to: locate an address on the map and determine the proximity of a lit building or a fiber route to that address; calculate the distance between an address and another geographic feature such as a lit building, fiber route, wire center, or another address; create a customized pricing report that displays one or more circuits showing the serving wire center (SWC) for the A and Z locations; calculates and displays the distance between the SWCs and the distance to the nearest lit building to each of the A and Z locations; identifies companies with fiber equipment in or near each of the buildings identified by the addresses; calculates circuit level pricing using one set of rates; calculates circuit level pricing using other rates; calculates special construction pricing based upon an alternate providers current fiber availability and their cost to build out to the different locations; store, track, and analyze historical pricing information for a geographic area and produce win/loss reports; and integration of the disclosed system with other upstream and downstream systems. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic diagram of an example network resources mapping system  100 . The network resources mapping system  100  includes a first business entity database set  102 , and a alternative business entity database set  104 . The network resources mapping system  100  includes a processor  106  that is configured to access either of the first business entity database  102  or the alternative business entity database  104 . The mapping system  100  also may include a storage  108  coupled to the processor  106 , a graphical user interface (GUI)  110  coupled to the processor, and a display  112  and input module  114 , both of which may be coupled to the GUI  110 . 
         [0016]    The storage  108  may be configured to store parameters associated with the operation of the mapping system  100 , such as initialization parameters, graphical elements, map primitives, data related to building, street, and geographical elements, or other system parameters. The processor  106  may comprise a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a network appliance, a mobile device processor, or other circuit devices adapted for use in the network resources mapping system  100 . 
         [0017]    The GUI  110  may include a computer screen interface configured to accept information from the input module  114  and transmit information to the display  112 . The GUI  110  may include windows and screen display information for data entry, manipulation and display. The GUI  110  may include computer-executable code adapted to accept and process information, and to display output information. The GUI  110  may comprise a static form that is displayable on the display  112 , an interactive dialog script, a database query screen, a web-based form, a client-server interactive form, or other graphical input and output module. 
         [0018]    The display  112  may include a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display device, a lighted electronic diode display (LED), an organoluminescent electronic diode display (OLED), a field emission display, or other display device. The display  112  may also include printing output devices such as inkjet, laser printer, plotter, dot matrix, or impact printers. 
         [0019]    The input module  114  may include tactile or haptic inputs such as touch screens, styli, keypads, keyboards, touch pads, a mouse, a light pen, joysticks, track balls, or pens. The input module  114  may also include a voice input module, such as a voice recognition/text-to-speech module (VR/TTS), with a microphone, for example. The input module  114  may also include a wired or wireless remote to interface with the GUI  110 . Other input module  114  examples may be available. 
         [0020]    The first business entity database  102  includes data related to wired circuit services, facilities, and pricing corresponding to a first business entity, such as a first provider of network services. Examples of data include wire center area information, a location of switching offices and central offices, identification of fiber-enabled, or lit buildings and fiber-enabled equipment in those buildings along with coordinates of lit and fiber-enabled buildings, a differentiation between lit buildings, identification of fiber routes, address information for fiber-enabled, or lit, buildings, switching offices and central offices, and fiber routes to an address. The data may correspond to geographical and/or regional levels, such as a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) level, a Local Access and Transport Area (LATA) level or other regional classifications. Other examples of data include product information, such as Digital Signal (DS) 1 , DS 3 , OC 3  Point-to-Point (PTP), OC 3  dedicated ring, OC 12  PTP, OC 12  dedicated ring, OC 48  PTP, OC 48  dedicated ring, OC 192  PTP, and OC 192  dedicated ring, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay, or Ethernet wired circuit products, and billing rates and/or wholesale pricing data associated with each of the product types. The data may include mileage bands, per mile rates, central office node rates, and non-recurring or one-time charges. Contract terms, service level agreements, and other business parameters may be included in the first business entity database  102 . The data included in the first business entity database  102  may include specifications of whether a fiber-enabled building or wired circuit resource is on-net (whether a specific building is fiber-enabled and accessible to the first business entity) or off-net (an un-lit building). 
         [0021]    The alternative business entity database  104  may include data similar to the data contained in the first business entity database  102 . As described above, the alternative business entity database  104  may include data related to wired circuit services, facilities, and pricing corresponding to a first business entity, such as a first provider of network services. The alternative business entity data may include street-level or other location level pricing information related to wired circuit services, such as DSL or Ethernet products related to the alternative business entity. Other examples of data include alternative business entity wire center area information, a location of alternative business entity switching offices and central offices, identification of alternative business entity lit buildings and fiber-enabled equipment in those buildings along with coordinates of lit and fiber-enabled buildings, a differentiation between lit buildings, identification of alternative business entity fiber routes, address information for fiber-enabled, or lit, buildings, alternative business entity switching offices and central offices, and fiber routes to an address. The data may correspond to geographical and/or regional levels, such as a MSA level, a LATA level or other regional classifications. Pricing data for different product types may also be included in the alternative business entity database  104 . The first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  may be combined in other embodiments, and the data contained within the databases may be organized differently or contain different information. 
         [0022]    The first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  may be stored in a computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk drive, disk-based media such as a compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), or floppy disk, or other volatile or non-volatile storage media. The first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  may comprise structured query language (SQL) databases configured to store the data as structured records with the databases. The first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  may further comprise component databases contained within the first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  where the component databases are configured to store different datasets. The first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104  may be stored within the same medium or may be stored separately, such as in different servers or memory modules. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example method that generates a pricing report for wired network services. The method illustrated in  FIG. 2  may be performed by the apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A first business entity database  102  is initialized, in block  202 . The first business entity database  102  may be populated with wired network service information related to the first business entity. As described above, examples of data include pricing data related to geographical areas, business entity information, wholesale product data, billing elements for the wholesale product data, contract data related to the wholesale product data, building network wiring information, wire center areas, or fiber route data, or other data related to availability or pricing of wired network services provided by the first business entity. The data may be updated to reflect changes in pricing or availability. 
         [0024]    An alternative business entity database  104  is initialized, at block  204 . As described above, the alternative business entity database  104  includes wired network services data related to the alternative business entity, such as pricing data and product availability of wired network services. 
         [0025]    A network services mapping system  100  receives input data related to addresses and product types for a wired circuit network, at block  206 . The mapping system may receive input through a GUI  110 , using an input module  114 . Other input mechanisms may be available, such as through an automated script, electronic mail request, or batch processing of a script or data file. A user enters the beginning address and end address for locations to connect a wired circuit between. The user also specifies the product type desired, such as a DSL product or an Ethernet product. 
         [0026]    The input data is validated, at block  208 . The mapping system  100  may determine if the input addresses are valid addresses, such as by checking a map database contained in the storage  108 , or other map validation database. The mapping system  100  may determine if the input product type is supported by the first business entity or the alternative business entity. If the input data is not valid, the mapping system  100  prompts for valid data input, at block  210 , such as by prompting through the GUI  110  using the display  112  or other output module available. The mapping system  100  may transmit an error message, or provide suggested corrections to the input data to allow valid data entry at block  206 . Alternatively, the mapping system  100  may terminate if the input data is not valid. 
         [0027]    If the input data is valid, the mapping system  100  determines wired circuits based on the input addresses and product type, at block  212 . The mapping system  100  determines a location of switch locations and central offices related to the first business entity, and a location of switch locations and central offices related to the alternative business entity. The mapping system  100  determines a wire center area related to the first business entity and wire center related to the alternative business entity, if applicable. Building network wiring information related to the first business entity and building network wiring information related to the alternative business entity are determined and fiber route data related to the first business entity and fiber route data related to the alternative business entity are identified. Building network information may include whether the building is lit or un-lit, or whether the specific building is on-net or off-net. 
         [0028]    The mapping system  100  may further determine a distance between a first address, received at block  206 , and at least one of a geographic feature. The geographic feature may include a lit building, the fiber route, the wire center area, or a second address. The mapping system  100  determines the distance between serving wire centers to serve each end of the wired circuit based on the input address locations. The mapping system  100  locates the nearest building proximate a lit building associated with the first business entity, or a lit building associated with the alternative business entity. 
         [0029]    After processing wired network data from the first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104 , the mapping system  100  determines a wired circuit satisfying the input data conditions and the data accessed from the first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104 . The mapping system  100  may store the wired circuit information in the storage  108 . If more than one wired circuit is determined, or if multiple address pairs are received at block  206 , a list of wired circuits may be stored or output to the GUI  110  or to the display  112 . 
         [0030]    The mapping system  100  generates pricing report data, at block  214 , based on the data accessed from the first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104 , and the wired circuit or wired circuit list determined at block  212 . The pricing report data is based on wholesale product pricing information data associated with the received product information, address, and other related first business entity data. The pricing report data also is based on alternative business entity information associated with the received product type and address information. The mapping system  100  is configurable to create a customized pricing report data that displays one or more circuits showing the serving wire center (SWC) for the first address location and the second address locations. To generate the pricing report, the mapping system  100  calculates the distance between the SWCs and the distance to the nearest lit building to each of the first and second locations, identifies first business entity or second business entities with fiber equipment in or near each of the buildings identified by the addresses, calculates circuit level pricing data using one set of rates, and calculates circuit level pricing data using other rates, such as alternative business entity rates. The mapping system  100  may additionally calculate special construction pricing data based upon an alternative business entity current fiber availability data and cost to build out to the different locations. 
         [0031]    The pricing report data may comprise a data file such as a text file, a graphical output file, a SQL database report, a web-based form, or other data file. The mapping system  100  may prompt a user to decide if a graphical output of the pricing report data is desired, at block  216 . If a graphical output is desired, the mapping system  100  generates a geographical information systems (GIS) output file. The GIS file comprises layers of data associated with the wired circuit output, available wire centers, lit buildings, geographical features, coordinate information, and regional information. The GIS file may be displayed with a GIS program having a GIS graphical user interface, or the GIS file may be transmitted to the display  112  for output, at block  220 . A user may interact with the GUI  110  to determine what layers, format, scale, or other display parameters to select in displaying the data. 
         [0032]    If a graphical output is not desired, the mapping system  100  generates and outputs summary report data of SWCs, mileage, nearest lit buildings, and pricing components for the product type and address received at block  206  and processed at block  212 . The summary report data includes pricing report information based on first business entity and alternative business entity information. The summary report data may be output to a display  112 , a printer or plotter, stored in the storage  108 , output to a computer-readable medium, or transmitted to an external storage or computer system. The summary report data may be accessible to a user through the GUI  110  as an interactive form, a dialog script, a web-based form, SQL query form or report, or other interactive report format. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example GIS file output  300 . The GIS file output  300  includes a map layer depicting a geographical region where wired network services are available. The GIS layers may include city level data, such as street addresses, routes, rivers, lakes, highways, airports, or other geographical data. The GIS layers include layers associated with wired circuit information. For example, locations of first business entity fiber routes  305 , alternative business entity fiber routes  310 , lit buildings  315 , first business entity switch locations  325 , and alternative business entity switch locations  330  and wire center areas  335  may be displayed as layers in the GIS application. A user may select which layers to display in the GIS output file  300 . The GIS layers may be coded with product type- or business entity-specific shading, colors, graphical elements, or elements sizes. The GIS output file may be transmitted to a display  112 , stored in a data file in the storage  108 , transmitted to an external storage or computer system, or printed on printer or plotter. The user may interact with the GIS output file  300  through the GUI  110 . For example, the user may select which layers to display, which product type, screen zoom scale, business entity information, building types, mileage or rate restrictions to apply, or other desired parameters. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method that tracks pricing information for wired network services. The mapping system  100  is configurable to receive input data, such as a product type desired and address information for wired circuit connections, such as described in  FIG. 2 . The mapping system  100  generates pricing report data, which may be used to create bid data for a customer requesting wired network services. In the example of  FIG. 4 , the mapping system  100  follows the same acts as described in  FIG. 2  up to block  214 , where the mapping system  100  generates pricing report data based on data accessed from the first business entity database  102  and the alternative business entity database  104 . Bidding amount data is determined, at block  316 , based on the pricing report data generated at block  214 . The bidding amount data may be based on the first business entity information related to the desired wired circuit, the alternative business entity information related to the desired wired circuit, or other information relevant to the bidding amount. The bidding amount data may incorporate factors such as pricing discounts related to volume or customer relationship, market conditions, financial factors, or other business data 
         [0035]    The bidding amount data may be generated by the mapping system  100  alone, or may be adjusted by a user based on the above mentioned factors or other considerations. In some systems, the bidding amount data is transmitted to the display  112 , while in other systems, the bidding amount data is stored in the storage  108 , or transmitted to an external storage or computer system. In some systems, the bidding amount data is displayed in conjunction with the output GIS file described in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0036]    A user submits the bidding amount data to a customer, and it is determined whether the bidding amount data is accepted, at block  318 . The bidding amount data may be submitted electronically, such as through an electronic mail message, an encrypted electronic delivery, through a web-based interface, a data file, or other electronic format. The bidding amount data may be submitted to the customer in a printed format, such as a printed report. Alternatively, the bidding amount data may be submitted to the customer orally. If it is determined that the bidding amount data is accepted, the mapping system  100  records the bidding amount data and result data associated with any geographical information for the product type and addresses, at block  320 . The bidding result data includes data associated with the bidding amount data, such as customer comments, first business entity comments, adjustments to the bidding amount, or other bidding result information. If it is determined that the bidding amount data is not accepted, the mapping system  100  records the bidding amount data and a reason for rejection of the bidding amount data, if applicable. Information associated with the rejected bidding amount data may be recorded, such as customer comments, first business entity comments, or requests for more information by the customer or the first business entity. 
         [0037]    In some systems, new pricing report data or bidding amount data is generated for submission to the customer after a rejected bidding amount. The process is iterated until either the customer accepts revised bidding amount data, or negotiations halt. In some embodiments, the mapping system  100  is configured to track win/lose reports based on the bidding results. The win/lose reports are stored in the storage  108 , or transmitted to an external storage or external computer system. The win/lose reports may be associated with the GIS output file, or may comprise additional layers of GIS information displayable in the GIS output file. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  illustrates a customer interface system  500 . A customer in this system is considered an entity different from the first business entity and from the alternative business entity, and may include business customers, suppliers, clients, or other external users. The customer interface system  500  includes a mapping system  502 , a communications interface  510 , and a customer GUI  520 . The mapping system  502  includes the components described in  FIG. 1 . In addition, the mapping system  502  includes a customer interface module  504 . The customer interface module  504  is operable to accept customer input from the customer GUI  520 , transmit the customer input to the processor  106 , and transmit pricing reports and/or bidding amounts to the customer GUI  520 . The customer interface module  504  may include computer security modules  505 , that prevent unauthorized access to the mapping system  100 , data validation and data verification modules  506 , communications service modules  507  that monitor communications performance and integrity with the communications interface  510 . 
         [0039]    The communications interface  510  may be a wired interface, such as a telephone dial-up, cable, DSL, or Ethernet communication network. The communications interface  510  may also be a wireless interface, such as a WiFi, cellular telephone, or Bluetooth interface. 
         [0040]    The customer GUI  520  is coupled to the communications interface  510  and includes interface modules that allow a customer to enter input data, such as addresses for desired wired network services, and product type information. The customer GUI  520  includes display modules that display information input by the customer, or information transmitted from the mapping system  100 , such as pricing reports, bidding amounts, and/or graphical output data. The customer GUI  520  includes graphical input and output elements, such as display windows, interactive dialog and query forms, or data verification display windows. In some embodiments, the customer GUI  520  is coupled to an input module  525 . The input module  525  includes tactile or haptic input  526 , such as keyboards, keypads, touch screens, touch pads, light pens, touch styli, joysticks, a mouse, a tablet input, or remote key input. The input module  525  may, in some embodiments, include a voice input module  527 , such as a VR/TTS system and microphone inputs. The customer GUI  520  includes an output module  530 , such as a display screen, printer, plotter, and/or audio output. 
         [0041]    By providing a customer GUI  520  coupled to the mapping system  100 , the mapping system  100  receives customer requests for wired network services, generates a pricing report and/or a bidding amount, and outputs graphical data files, such as GIS data files with layers associated with wired circuit location. A customer may conveniently access wired network service availability and pricing from remote locations. 
         [0042]    Like the methods shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the sequence diagrams may be encoded in a signal bearing medium, a computer readable medium such as a memory, programmed within a device such as one or more integrated circuits, or processed by a controller or a computer. If the methods are performed by software, the software may reside in a memory resident to or interfaced to the network resources mapping system  100 , a communication interface, or any other type of non-volatile or volatile memory interfaced or resident to the processor  106  or network resources mapping system  100 . The memory may include an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. A logical function may be implemented through digital circuitry, through source code, through analog circuitry, or through an analog source such as through an analog electrical, audio, or video signal. The software may be embodied in any computer-readable or signal-bearing medium, for use by, or in connection with an instruction executable system, apparatus, or device. Such a system may include a computer-based system, a processor-containing system, or another system that may selectively fetch instructions from an instruction executable system, apparatus, or device that may also execute instructions. 
         [0043]    A “computer-readable medium,” “machine-readable medium,” “propagated-signal” medium, and/or “signal-bearing medium” may comprise any means that contains, stores, communicates, propagates, or transports software for use by or in connection with an instruction executable system, apparatus, or device. The machine-readable medium may selectively be, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. A non-exhaustive list of examples of a machine-readable medium would include: an electrical connection “electronic” having one or more wires, a portable magnetic or optical disk, a volatile memory such as a Random Access Memory “RAM” (electronic), a Read-Only Memory “ROM” (electronic), an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (electronic), or an optical fiber (optical). A machine-readable medium may also include a tangible medium upon which software is printed, as the software may be electronically stored as an image or in another format (e.g., through an optical scan), then compiled, and/or interpreted or otherwise processed. The processed medium may then be stored in a computer and/or machine memory. 
         [0044]    It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of this invention.