WO2002015534A2

WO2002015534A2 - Procedure for facilitating a service in a communication network

Info

Publication number: WO2002015534A2
Application number: PCT/SE2001/001747
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefan Hagbard; Margareta Erhult
Original assignee: Telia Ab (Publ)
Priority date: 2000-08-14
Filing date: 2001-08-14
Publication date: 2002-02-21
Also published as: WO2002015534A3; SE0002894D0; WO2002015534B1; SE0002894L

Abstract

A procedure for facilitating of communication between acting parties in a communication network is shown. A first acting party intends to utilize a service provided by at least one second acting party, at which the service is automatically published in the network. The publishing includes that the content of the service and an activation link to the place of the service is provided.

Description

COMMUNICATION SERVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to methods and devices in telecommunication and data communication networks, particularly handling/managing of distributed services in different communicating units in digital communication systems .

BACKGROUND

In a rapidly changing world of telecommunications with fragmentation of a previously homogeneous market it is associated with a number of problems to know how to handle/manage transactions with belonging information and technical support. There is a larger number of acting party roles involved around the services today than before.

Traditional support systems are managing information as an internal affair of the company, whereas the solutions of today implies that a plurality of parties are involved for end-to-end communication. It also implies an increased mix of different service components in the customer's need for solutions for the communication.

The integration of the "IP-world" with the traditional "telecommunication world" also implies that it will be more and more difficult to take in service offer, information offer and which parties that are involved in the offer on the market. The integration also involves an ever increasing need to have possibility to integrate internal process supporting components in the support systems of traditional operators with public components .

The share of service objects and information objects which need to be accessible is increasing and by that the need to have possibility to take in and manage the accessibility of these. The turnover of different components is also increasing due to shorter product life cycles of the components. This increased need to have possibility to find and work out a certain product mix for individual and target group will arise and at the same time there will arise a need to get support regarding launching and removing of new and old components.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to solve large parts of the these problems by offering an operative distribution service which makes better structure for roles and services, which are connected with the transactions that acting parties want to perform, possible.

Besides to solve the more operative communication and configuration linking, the invention also contributes to a better module based structure which facilitates for a new and more flexible market of telecommunication components .

The aim is achieved by a procedure for facilitating of communication between acting parties in a communication network. A first acting party intends to utilize a service provided by at least one second acting party, at which the service is automatically published in the network. The publishing includes that the content of the service and an activation link to the location of the service are provided.

The invention can be part of a system architecture which controls the roles of communicating units in telecommunication networks. The roles are connected with the transactions users want to make and which in their turn require a corresponding structure for information and technology to make it possible to realize the transaction.

A transaction in this context is in a wide sense an agreement between two parties, a buyer and a seller, where information which characterizes the transaction can include the identities of the parties, identities of exchanged product or service. The transaction consequently includes components or objects which can be signified as agreement objects, product objects, acting party objects, relation objects etc, which all describes parts of a transaction. Besides to solve the more operative transaction oriented part, the architecture also contributes to a module based structure for telecommunication networks which facilitates for a new and more flexible market of telecommunication components .

The architecture includes a number of layers which are defined by transaction interfaces which describe different transactions and roles for communicating units in telecommunication networks. It further consists of three different part architectures which cooperate with each other within the different layers, and between the layers according to the relations, agreements and protocols which are registered in the included relation component which can be a transaction component (that is, agreements between parties or conditions) , an information component and/or a technology/technical component. Cooperation between these different type objects with different functions and the objects exist in all layers. A more detailed description of this architecture follows below in connection with the detailed description of embodiments.

These object components consist of a common network organization which together constitute the transaction interface. Each component is implemented by/with network connections to one or more service servers which call the component each time respective service is utilized within respective transaction layer. The components are also utilized by, and cooperate with, the technology components/objects within the transaction layer. The network organization of objects within a transaction layer cooperates in its turn with its adjacent transaction layer/layers . The architecture provides a structure and possibility to handle/manage transactions, information components and technology components in a systematic and rational way where the different components can be reused and be utilized in common by a plurality of acting parties in different roles . It provides an increased flexibility in transactions. Previously each network has had its technology with its services and its administrative systems which has made development, administration and operation expensive and complicated. Transaction have been hampered or made impossible due to rigid technology structures or administrative systems.

A technical starting-point is that it is desirable to have possibility to connect information objects with new and existing service objects and that these can be initiated from above all the service and interconnection level in the architecture, but also from the other transaction layers in the time to come. The implementation is made in form of an infrastructure management function at the same time as it is functioning as a public service. The supply of linkable objects is decided by the number of connected service providers to the acting party' s transaction interface. The acting party can be at just any transaction layer, but most end users will be on the service and context level of the architecture among companies and private persons for a long time ahead. Linked objects are managed by the invention and provide mechanisms which makes cooperation between different transaction layers possible.

The distribution management according to the present invention is realized by a general interface which manages certain standardized services as, for instance, security/ firewall, declaration of the object and how this can be called, addressing and linking to other components, provide utilization information/statistics, and launch itself on the network. Cases of application for the distribution management according to the invention follows. As examples different service aspects have been selected.

1. Implementation of company solution for pre-paid can be made by making payment objects accessible on the intranetwork of a company and declare them in this network. A user who shall utilize a certain service identifies himself/herself as an acting party, which means that the system automatically checks in library for acting party in question which services he/she subscribes to and automatically calls the objects which are concerned, inclusive the administrative objects which concern the price and payment management which provides a possibility to provide advance information about the cost based on all services connected to the acting party.

Automatic publishing of services via the catalog/directory service facilitates for the users to find news on the network and for the service providers to reach out with their new services. One problem which is solved by this is that the rapid development of components can have a rapid impact on the use. By services in this sense we mean traditional services, for instance interception service, mail box, but also hardware such as new servers, but above all administrative services such as acting party and product information services .

2. Administration of their services via catalog/ directory services which makes reconfiguration and design of their own services possible. It also makes possible a target group adapted packeting of services via the library function.

An advantage with the present invention is that the distribution solution provides an operative possibility to a new structure and possibility to manage transactions, information components and technology components in a systematic and rational way where the different components can be reused and utilized in common by a plurality of acting parties in different roles. It provides an increased flexibility in transactions. Previously there has not been any technology to publish above all new administrative information objects so that they will be accessible to those who want to use them. In addition both administrative-technology and service objects can utilize the same publishing service and they can be utilized together by the users. This implies a possibility to much faster and more efficient utilization of new components. Another advantage is that, by the components being realized as independent objects, the object can be used independent of/freely from a lot of services and for a plurality of different ways of calling.

Yet another advantage is that one and the same object can be used for a large number of users and with possibility for design of configuration on individual and group target level. The component consequently combines the requirements of both the IT-world and the telecommunication world and also solves a quality problem by the same information being stored and utilized by both.

In addition it is an economic advantage that the solution according to the invention allows increased profitability for a provider/supplier of objects according to the invention, since it provides an increased possibility to reach a market.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows schematically a division of an infrastructure for communication into a number of logical layers .

Figure 2 shows schematically interfaces and components in logical layers of an infrastructure for communication.

Figure 3 shows schematically a signaling diagram according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to put the invention into its connected whole, a network architecture will, by way of introduction, be described with reference to the Figures 1 and 2. After that, an embodiment of a service according to the invention is shown with reference to Figure 3.

In Figure 1 is shown a division of an infrastructure for communication into a number of logical layers 1-6. The division in this example is made in six layers S1-S6 for three different part architectures DA1-DA3 which include transaction architecture DAI, information architecture DA2 and technology architecture DA3. Another division into layers and other types of groups/fields of course can be made . At the bottom there is a terminal layer SI with the physical terminals, such as mobile telephones, exchanges/ PABXes, service servers etc. After this there is a transmission layer S2 with equipment for transmission, such as optical fibers, radio links etc. The layer above the transmission layer S2 is the network layer S3 in which the different networks are, such as IP-networks, GSM-networks, PSTN-networks etc. Above this layer there is an interconnectivity layer S4 in which functions for interconnection of different networks exist. The interconnection can be made between networks which utilize the same technology and networks which utilize different technologies. After this layer there is a service layer S5 in which different types of services are realized, which utilize the underlying layers. The services can be information services and communication services, such as web services and telephony, but also administrative services which, for instance, manage relations between acting parties in the transactions. At the top of this division there is a context layer S6 in which tailored services are, for instance customer specific applications and profiles . This logical division into layers is then utilized at storing, management and exchange of information between different systems and services in and between layers by a number of acting parties and logical addresses which are connected to these being defined in the different logical layers. Examples of acting parties are customers/users operators, service providers, information providers etc, and examples of logical addresses which are connected to these are an address to a customer of a provider of a telephone service. The acting parties then are linked to each other. For instance a user of a telephone service in the service layer S5 is linked to a provider of the telephone service. The addresses can be of different types, such as telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, IP-addresses etc.

Figure 2 shows interfaces and components in logical layers of an infrastructure for communication, where the letter references A-G represent the different interfaces according to the description below. A. The transaction interface implies a direct interface between a customer/user and the application environment of the below lying transaction layer/layers. The service components are integrated in the customer' s IT- environment and are designed in a customer unique way via personal profiles and personal portals with mixed service objects from own and from environments of providers/ suppliers. The invention offers a "handle" via a transaction interface towards below lying transaction layer/layers so that each transaction can be managed by/with unique agreements and unique configurations .

A transaction can be a customer who wants to utilize a service which shall be configured in one for the customer personal way. Example of this is telephone calls which shall be forwarded to optional destination where the customer can be at different points of time. The transaction then is the buying of a service and that which is registered is customer, provider/supplier, product (that is telephone service), the relation etc. The in the transaction included objects are influenced/activated and utilized. The configuration can, for instance, be made by means of a web-interface to a service portal.

The management of transactions is made each separately which has advantages in that each agreement is unique and consequently personal. The utilization provides the user/customer with a "standard handle" to below lying layers in the network/architecture which facilitates the use and increases the efficiency in the utilization.

B. The service level (the added value service level) where traditional telecommunication services are combined with new IP- and administrative service objects and are allocated an interface which reflects the transaction agreement between above lying layer and below lying layer in the transaction architecture. Here "handles" are offered in both directions via a "service portal" which can be a web page with a presentation of the products/services. C. The connectivity level offers "handles" to above lying and below lying level according to the same principle as above. This means that services such as number portability services, that is, service independent network access possibilities for traditional network operators at the same time as traditional service providers are offered network independent access with integration to valid/current transaction agreements.

D. Base/network specific services offer transaction interfaces via "handles" towards different transport routes, for instance ISDN-networks, IP-networks etc.

E. The transmission level offers transaction interface which manage transaction agreements between base networks and physical transport route, for instance electric mains, broadband etc. F. The terminal level has an established interface towards different network protocols already today. The transaction interface is completed with transaction agreements for the interface, for instance SIM-cards in mobile telephones, fixed connections to fixed telecommunication networks etc. G. The terminals of the end user and providers/suppliers for connection to any type of transmission route, for instance satellite and GSM- telephone already today imply a functioning interface of the technology components, but the invention offers an integration with transaction components within the architecture .

The central layer is the Interconnectivity layer. This functions as a broker between services and network. It also can be compared to the relation entity which is put between two entities which has a multi-to-multi-relation. This makes it possible to separate services from network and in that way make it possible manage a number of different transactions with a plurality of involved acting parties.

The part architectures of the transaction architecture makes possible a simple and efficient frame for the development of the service components according to the following:

The TRANSACTION (M&F) - part architecture implies that all transaction agreements have a standardized interface for cooperation with the components of the other part architectures and a standardized way to communicate between the transaction agreements of adjacent transaction interface/interfaces .

The INFO/IT - part architecture implies that all information objects are accessible to the components of the other part architectures and that a standardized way of utilization of information can be made between the network objects of the transaction layers.

The TECHNOLOGY - part architecture implies that the technology components are connected to their information objects and transaction agreements via standardized "handles" and that they can communicate with service objects on other transaction level via interface agreements .

The components of the architecture are realized by a general interface which handles/manages standardized services such as: security/firewall declaration of the object and how this can be called - addressing and linking to other components provide utilization information/statistics launch itself on the network Figure 3 shows schematically a distribution service for network organized transaction interfaces according to the present invention. The communicating components and information transmission between these are shown in form of block diagrams. A customer system 301 at a user's is connected to a network in which he/she wants to utilize a service 304, via a network adapter AX. The network adapter AX is software functions which make communication possible with the services of different acting parties in different layers in the network. The tasks of the adapters are the same, irrespective of their location, but their way of action are depending on which customer system it communicates with, or in which layer it is etc. A link/linking library 302 contains addresses to services and information for publishing of these services which are accessible for use by customer systems such as the system 301. Contact with acting parties in the transaction architecture (see Figure 1 and 2) is illustrated by a transaction interface 305 via adapter AX. Information about service objects are stored 303 and accessible via adapter AX.

The letter references in Figure 3 indicate events of information exchange according to the following: A. The acting party end user/customer initiates that he/she wants to utilize a service. Via an adapter solution he/she is automatically linked to his/her transaction interface towards the world around at the same time as he/she integrates own objects with requested services in other servers.

B. The system checks the acting party's authorities and checks which objects that are network connected to the acting party. Configuration data which is associated with the acting party are linked. This is a central part of the invention. Here is established which services that are accessible and also links that can be utilized for activation of the services.

C. Check of which acting parties in the providing/distribution of the services that are concerned. Starts concerned objects in the network organization on the network.

D. Activation of current technology components and services . E. Check of transaction rules and agreements and security components connected to the network organization objects. Transaction conditions, if any, of/for the transaction interface are linked.

F. Delivery of functionality according to wanted network organization of concerned objects. Messages, if any, about restrictions are enclosed.

Even if the description has been described within the frame of an architecture according to the Figures 1 and 2, it can be realized also in other network architectures . Further, also hardware objects can be subject for automatic publishing as has been described for services.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Procedure for facilitating of communication between acting parties in a communication network, at which at least one first acting party intends to utilize a service provided by at least one second acting party, at which the service automatically is published in the network at which the content of the service and an activation link is provided. '

2. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 1, at which communication between acting parties and services is made via at least one adapter and at which the network publishing is made via a linking library.

3. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 2, including:

- initiation, at which the acting party via an adapter function is linked to his/her transaction interface towards the network, and at which the first acting party' s own objects are integrated with the service,

- control/check of the first acting party's authorities and which objects that are accessible to the first acting party, at which configuration data which is associated with the acting party is linked, - control/check of which other acting party/parties in the delivery of the services that are concerned, at which concerned objects are started in the network organization,

- activation of the service,

- control/check of transaction rules and agreements as well as security components connected to the communicating services in the network, and

- delivery of functionality according to wanted network organization of concerned objects.

4. Procedure as claimed in patent claim 3, at which the control/check of transaction rules and agreements as well as security components connected to the communicating services in the network includes that transaction conditions for the transaction interface are linked.

5. Procedure as claimed in any of the patent claims 2 or 3, at which delivery of functionality according to wanted network organization of concerned objects includes that messages about restrictions are enclosed.