138 results about "Service planning" patented technology

Adaptive ambient services are provided. In some embodiments, an adaptive ambient service includes providing an ambient service profile. In some embodiments, an ambient service includes implementing an ambient service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of an ambient service on a wireless network, in which the ambient service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings, and in which the ambient service profile is associated with an ambient service plan that provides for initial access to the ambient service with limited service capabilities prior to activation of a new service plan; monitoring use of the ambient service based on the ambient service profile; and adapting the ambient service profile based on the monitored use of the ambient service.

A service plan optimizer is provided. The service plan optimizer includes a storage device, a processor, an optimizer engine, and a user interface. The storage device stores usage data for a communication device. The optimizer engine is executed by the processor to compare a current service plan for the communication device with available service plans based on the stored usage data. The optimizer engine is also executed by the processor to form a recommendation based on the comparison. The user interface displays the recommendation.

Device assisted services (DAS) install techniques are provided in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques for providing service processors for mobile devices are provided. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques for downloading / installing new and / or updated service processors for mobile devices are provided. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques for providing verified service processors for mobile devices are provided. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques for providing secured service processors for mobile devices are provided. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques include determining if a communications device in communication with a wireless network includes a service processor for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on the wireless network, in which the service processor includes a service profile that includes a plurality of service policy settings, and in which the service profile is associated with a service plan that provides for access to the service; and verifying the service processor. In some embodiments, DAS install techniques include providing a generic first version service processor for downloading and installing a second version service processor.

An improved apparatus and method for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—net basis comprising a computer having a database, the database comprising rate plan characteristics for a plurality of rate plans; an input terminal operatively connected to the computer for entering data; a comparison program executing within the computer for comparing rate plans using the entered data; and an output terminal operatively connected to the computer for reporting the results of the comparison program is used to allow consumers to obtain true net cost comparisons of from a plurality of service plans from one or more service providers. Data are obtained from historical data or theorized and then normalized into appropriate per-second, per-block, or other categories for comparison for each of a set of categories describing the rate plans. Adherence to and influence of differing rate plan options are automatically calculated, and the net result of each rate plan is presented to the consumer for side-by-side comparisons. If an alternative rate plan is attractive to a service provider client, the client or its agent may opt to subscribe to that rate plan in place of the current rate plan, and the service provider notified accordingly.

Security techniques for device assisted services are provided. In some embodiments, secure service measurement and / or control execution partition is provided. In some embodiments, implementing a service profile executed at least in part in a secure execution environment of a processor of a communications device for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a wireless network, in which the service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings, and wherein the service profile is associated with a service plan that provides for access to the service on the wireless network; monitoring use of the service based on the service profile; and verifying the use of the service based on the monitored use of the service.

A service plan manager is provided, including a manager engine and a storage device to store data for a service account that comprises a pre-paid service plan associated with a first communication device and a post-paid service plan associated with a second communication device. The manager engine determines whether a balance associated with the pre-paid service plan is below a threshold, and communicates a request for increasing the balance to a device associated with the service account if the balance associated with the pre-paid service plan is below the threshold. The manager engine discontinues service for the first communication device until an approval of the request for increasing the balance is received, increases the balance in response to a receipt of the approval of the request for increasing the balance, and adds an amount associated with increasing the balance to an invoice associated with the service account.

A service plan product providing a tangible representation of a service plan includes a support backer and a tag removably coupled with the backer. The tag includes service plan account identification means corresponding to a service plan account stored in a database and plan administrator contact indicia. The tag is configured to be removed from the backer and applied to a primary product for which the service plan is provided, and wherein only the service plan account identification means is required for the service plan administrator to access the database to identify details regarding the service plan account. Related systems and methods are also disclosed and provide additional advantages.

A method of providing a mobile telecommunications Service Plan to a multi-member user group is provided. The Service Plan provides a predefined total resource allotment which is shared by the group once each billing cycle. The Service Plan enables a member to define separate resource allowances for each group member. Resource usage warning thresholds are defined which alert a member when the member approaches using all of his or her resources. The Service Plan enables a member to receive a resource allotment transferred from a second member upon obtaining permission from the second member. The Service Plan can also enable a member to purchase additional service resources apart from the allowances if so desired.

A storage system stores objects and copies of objects on the storage system and other storage systems external to the storage system. The storage system stores the copies in storage pools of volumes, which are organized into one or more tiers. The configuration settings of each tier and each pool within the tier may be configured according to a user's preferences. In one example, the number of copies of data content and the number copies of metadata associated with the data content an individual pool stores may be specified. When objects are migrated between tiers, the objects are stored among the storage pools of the tiers. If the number of data content copies or metadata copies is increased, the data or metadata is copied from a determined copy source and if the number of copies decreases, the data is removed from the volumes in the pools.

Methods and systems for structured communications between business planners to capture and profile a planning and management method as well as tasks, results, and performance indicators for tracking the achievement of a business strategy, goal, or mandate are outlined for an enterprise or an enterprise and its partner organizations. The systems and methods can be used to accelerate the configuration of management information systems and / or enterprise information systems in accordance with those profiles for the purposes of planning, delivering and managing programs and services.

Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a network, in which the service profile includes service policy settings, and the service profile is associated with an ambient service plan that provides for initial access to the service with limited service capabilities prior to activation of a new service plan; and monitors use of the service based on the service profile.

Systems and methodologies that facilitate purchase and / or transfer of a domain name and access of users to the internet, by using a well defined protocol to interact with a plurality of domain name registrars, via employing; a purchasing component, and a mapping component. Once a user has identified a domain name, the purchasing component can automatically query the provider(s) for terms of the service plan to obtain such domain name. The mapping component can then point to a DNS provider designated to host such domain name, to manage in-bound traffic. The subject invention can also be implemented in web services based hosted solutions directory, for example by designation of a trusted on-line registry that registers a plurality of service providers to supply services to clients, with a secure communication between the clients and the trusted on-line registry for selection of a service provider.

A system and method that enables session-based and non-session-based application services to be controlled and managed within the IMS / NGN architecture. The IMS / NGN architecture includes a service layer and a transport layer. IMS service control functions are implemented within the service layer, and RACF and transport functions are implemented within the transport layer. The transport functions include access and core network functions, which have corresponding QoS resources. The access or core network function includes an application service control function (ASCF), which includes a PD-FE and a functional element for inspecting packet data flows, and identifying and classifying application services associated with the flows. The ASCF is employed to signal the IMS service control functions on behalf of non-session-based application services, and to reserve and allocate the QoS resources needed to support packet data flows associated with the non-session-based services. As a result, service providers can provide users or subscribers of such non-session-based services with guaranteed or differentiated QoS and / or differentiated service plans, thereby allowing charges to be calculated for the non-session-based services and service plans that are commensurate with the value of the respective service or plan.

Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a network device implements a service profile for assisting control of a communications device use of a service on a network, in which the service profile includes service policy settings, and the service profile is associated with an ambient service plan for the communications device that provides for initial access to the service with limited service capabilities prior to activation of a new service plan for the communications device; and monitors use of the service by the communications device based on the service profile.

A system and method of providing high speed, prioritized delivery of data packets over broadband communications networks that avoids inducing unwanted latency in data packet transmission. The system employs a hierarchical, real-time, weighted token bucket prioritization scheme that provides for fair sharing of the available network bandwidth. At least one token bucket is employed at each level of the hierarchy to meter data flows providing service applications included in multiple subscribers' service plans. Each token bucket passes, discards, or marks as being eligible for subsequent discarding data packets contained in the data flows using an algorithm that takes into account the priority of the data packets, including strict high, strict medium, and strict low priorities corresponding to strict priority levels that cannot be overridden. The algorithm also takes into account weighted priorities of at least a subset of the low priority data packets. The priority levels of these low priority data packets are weighted to provide for fair sharing of the available network bandwidth among the low priority data flows, and to assure that none of the low priority data flows is starved of service.

In general, a system and method for analyzing wireless communication data for determining an optimal wireless communication service plan is disclosed. A transceiver is configured to receive billing information associated with a subscriber of a telecommunications service under a current rate plan. A storage unit stores the billing information. A processor processes the subscriber related billing information to produce organized data in a calling profile record, wherein the calling profile record is organized with parameters selected from the group consisting of, where calls are made and received, when calls are made and received, and what types of calls are made and received. The processor then analyzes the processed data in relation to a plurality of rate plans of a plurality of telecommunications service providers, and determines at least one proposed rate plan that would save the subscriber telecommunication costs relative to the current rate plan. A report of at least one proposed rate plan is then produced and provided to the subscriber, which enables selection of a best telecommunication service provider.

In embodiments of the invention, a method for normalizing service usage data includes defining a plurality of service usage-related data types, collecting service usage data using a computer implemented facility, and sorting the service usage data according to the defined service plan-related data types. Related user interfaces, applications, and computer program products are disclosed.

Embodiments relate to a method, system, and storage medium for transmitting enhanced originator information over a communications network. The method includes receiving information elements selected by an originator terminal from a database. The information elements retrieved are based upon a service plan and / or a terminal capability associated with a recipient terminal. The method also includes transmitting a communication including the information elements to the recipient terminal prior to establishing a communications session with the recipient terminal. The transmission is conducted over at least one of: an Internet Protocol network, a public switched telephone network, a wireless local area network, a wireless network, a cable network, a fiber optic network, a video network, and a satellite network.

Security techniques for device assisted services are provided. In some embodiments, secure service measurement and / or control execution partition is provided. In some embodiments, implementing a service profile executed at least in part in a secure execution environment of a processor of a communications device for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a wireless network, in which the service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings, and wherein the service profile is associated with a service plan that provides for access to the service on the wireless network; monitoring use of the service based on the service profile; and verifying the use of the service based on the monitored use of the service.

A phone embedded within a vehicle for automatically using a service plan of a proximate personal mobile phone. The embedded phone includes an internal communication component that detects the presence of the personal mobile phone, and receives a mobile subscriber identification number from the detected phone. The embedded phone also includes an external communication component that sends the received mobile subscriber identification number to a wireless network authority, and receives an authentication request to the personal mobile phone via the embedded phone. The internal communication component sends the authentication request to the personal mobile phone. The personal mobile phone generates an authentication signal, and the external communication component sends the authentication signal to the wireless network authority.

A system and method for obtaining photographic products and / or services comprises bundling image capture and printing technologies into products and / or services that are paid for by a consumer with monthly or yearly subscription fees. The system and method involves selecting a camera and selecting a photographic products / service plan which designates photographic products and / or services which are to be associated with the selected camera. The system and method gives the consumer the option of selecting a specific camera from a menu of cameras, and a specific photographic product / service plan which is to be associated with the selected camera from a product / service menu. As a further option, the consumer can customize his / her product / service plan in accordance with his / her preference. The plan can provide for products and / or services for images captured and / or film exposed by the camera for a predetermined amount of time at a predetermined fee. At the end of the plan, the consumer could have the option of returning the camera, exchanging the camera for a different camera, or keeping the camera at no cost or for a reduced price. The photographic products and / or services provided by the plan could be products and / or services such as film developing, printing, image products, scanning, photo CDs, image storage, etc.

A service planning engine may predict the future wind speed at a wind farm as well as the future price of energy of the utility grid coupled to the wind turbines. Based on the predicted values, the service planning engine identifies times to perform maintenance when lost revenue is minimized—e.g., when the predicted price of energy is low. Furthermore, the service planning engine may calculate a service priority associated with the turbine to determine when to perform service. The service priority may be based on a status signal associated with the component to be serviced or the time window stipulated in the service contract for performing the maintenance. In one embodiment, the service planning engine also considers resource constraints such as labor costs (e.g., work schedules, overtime costs, availability of technicians with certain skills, availability of components, shipping costs, and the like).

An image sharing server and a printer for carrying out a printing service in association with the image sharing server are prepared and planners are invited to develop planned pages on the image sharing server. Contribution of images from general users is accepted through registered planned pages, and a service for offering contributed images for pay (ordered printing, downloading, etc.) is developed. A manager of the image sharing server performs centralized management including carrying out services and collecting charges for the services. Instances of use of each service is totalized with respect to each planned page and with respect to each contributor, and portions of a profit made by offering the service are respectively returned to the corresponding planner and contributor. Each planner and each contributor are periodically notified of the totalization results. Thus, a system is provided in which each service planner can easily develop its original planned page without holding a individual data base server and a Web server of its own, and portions of a profit made by offering planned pages are respectively returned to the planner and contributors. Also, the manager of operations for the services in this system prepares a portal site server, a gallery provision server, a photograph storage server and a printing service provider on the Internet and invites contents providers to utilize the system. The printing service provider collects orders accepted through planned pages from users, performs printing according to the orders, and delivers finished prints to the users. In this system, a portal site service, a gallery provision service, a photograph storage service and page making GUI components provision service are offered to assist opening of a gallery page. Thus, finely divided functions and services for exhibiting contents such as photographs on the network are provided, thereby enabling each contents holder to easily develop a galley site.

A satellite communication system includes a global bandwidth enforcer that allocates bandwidth from the global bandwidth pool in accordance with a group service plan having a predetermined geographic scope. The system further includes an allocation of bandwidth from the one or more channels of the one or more beams of a first satellite in accordance with the group service plan. The system further includes a second satellite access station that receives an allocation of bandwidth from the one or more channels of the one or more beams of the second satellite in accordance with the group service plan. The system further includes a first sub-network associated with the first satellite access having a coverage area in the predetermined geographic scope of the group service plan, where the first sub-network receives an allocation of bandwidth from the first satellite access station in accordance with the group service plan.

Systems and methodologies that facilitate obtaining a digital certificate from a Certificate Authority, by using a well defined protocol exchanged between a user machine and the Certificate Authority. The well defined protocol employs; a purchasing component and an update component. Once a user has obtained a domain name, the purchasing component can be used to query the Certificate Authority for terms of the service plans to issue the digital certificate and to programmatically create and transmit a certificate signing request. The purchase component will also allow the signed certificate to be configured on the requesting cluster of machines. The update component can provide a revised and / or updated list of contact information to the Certificate Authority in addition to revoking an existing certificate.

A system (10) for planning and scheduling service events for one or more assets includes a demand optimizer engine (12) that receives information regarding future service requirements for an asset and operating characteristics of the asset. The demand optimizer engine (12) also generates a service plan identifying one or more planned service events during which one or more services are to be performed on the asset and identifying a planned start time and a planned end time for each service event so as to minimize the amount of time the asset is non-operational and the costs associated with each service event. The system (10) also includes a supply optimizer engine (14) that receives the service plan from the demand optimizer engine (12) and generates a service schedule for one or more of the planned service events based on information regarding the flow of one or more parts used in conjunction with the services of each planned service event. The service schedule includes a scheduled start time and a scheduled end time for the one or more planned service events. The supply optimizer engine (14) communicates the service schedule to the demand optimizer engine (12) and the demand optimizer engine (12) modifies the service plan according to the service schedule received from the supply optimizer engine (14).

An apparatus for providing dynamic assignment of session capabilities such as buddy list capabilities includes a processing element. The processing element may be configured to receive a message associated with a communication session with a network node, acquire service plan based capabilities associated with the network node, receive device based capabilities associated with the network node, and determine session based capabilities associated with the service based on the device based capabilities and the service plan based capabilities on a per subscriber basis.

In general, techniques are described for representing services, network resources, and relationships between such services and resources in a graph database with which to validate, provision, and manage the services in near real-time. In one example, a controller device includes at least one processor; and at least one memory to store a graph database comprising a graph that represents network resources and relationships between network resources. The controller device receives, at an application programming interface, a data-interchange formatted message that indicates a service request to configure a network service; queries, at least a portion of the plurality of the graph, to determine whether a set of the plurality of network resources can satisfy the service request to provision the network service within the network; and configures the set of the plurality of network resources to provide the network service.