Profile management system including user interface for accessing and maintaining profile data of user subscribed telephony services

Abstract

A profile management system is provided for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with a telecommunications service subscribed to by a user. The profile data is stored on a telecommunications network which executes the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user in accordance with the profile data. The profile management system includes a client and a server. The client hosts a user interface allowing the user to view and update the profile data. The server processes user requests from the client to view and update the profile data by obtaining the profile data from the telecommunications network and forwarding the profile data to the client. The server also processes user requests from the client to update the profile data by forwarding user updates of the profile data from the client to the telecommunications network. As a result of the profile management system, the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A profile management system for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with a telecommunications service subscribed to by a user, the profile data being stored on a telecommunications network which executes the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user in accordance with the profile data, the profile management system comprising: 
 a client which hosts a user interface allowing the user to view and update the profile data; and    a server which processes user requests from the client to view and update the profile data by obtaining the profile data from the telecommunications network and forwarding the profile data to the client, the server processing user requests from the client to update the profile data by forwarding user updates of the profile data from the client to the telecommunications network;    wherein the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.    
     
     
         2 . The profile management system of    claim 1   , in which the user interface is a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         3 . The profile management system of    claim 2   , in which the telecommunications service comprises positive identification, and in which the profile data comprises access codes and authorized telephone numbers.  
     
     
         4 . The profile management system of    claim 3   , wherein when a calling party calls the user, the calling party is only successfully connected to the user if either the calling party's telephone number is one of the authorized telephone numbers or the calling party inputs one of the access codes, wherein if the calling party is not successfully connected to the user, the calling party hears a prerecorded message and is subsequently disconnected.  
     
     
         5 . The profile management system of    claim 4   , further comprising a reporting system which generates reports comprising calling parties attempting to connect to the user, indicating each calling party successfully connected to the user, and each calling party not successfully connected to the user.  
     
     
         6 . The profile management system of    claim 1   , further comprising an access control system which only allows authorized users to access and maintain the profile data.  
     
     
         7 . The profile management system of    claim 1   , in which the user specifies a time when the server will forward the user updates from the client to the telecommunications network.  
     
     
         8 . The profile management system of    claim 1   , further comprising a DTMF system for accessing and maintaining the profile data.  
     
     
         9 . A profile management system for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with a telecommunications service subscribed to by a user, the profile management system comprising: 
 a client which hosts a user interface allowing the user to view and update the profile data;    an telecommunications network which stores the profile data and executes the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user in accordance with the profile data; and    a server which processes user requests from the client to view and update the profile data by obtaining the profile data from the telecommunications network and forwarding the profile data to the client, the server processing user requests from the client to update the profile data by forwarding user updates of the profile data from the client to the telecommunications network;    wherein the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.    
     
     
         10 . The profile management system of    claim 9   , in which the user interface is a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         11 . The profile management system of    claim 10   , in which the telecommunications service comprises positive identification, and in which the profile data comprises access codes and authorized telephone numbers.  
     
     
         12 . The profile management system of    claim 11   , wherein when a calling party calls the user, the calling party is only successfully connected to the user if either the calling party's telephone number is one of the authorized telephone numbers or the calling party inputs one of the access codes, wherein if the calling party is not successfully connected to the user, the calling party hears a prerecorded message and is subsequently disconnected.  
     
     
         13 . A profile management system for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with an AIN service subscribed to by a user, the profile management system comprising: 
 a client which hosts a user interface allowing the user to view and update the profile data;    an AIN network which stores the profile data and executes the AIN service subscribed to by the user in accordance with the profile data; and    a server which processes user requests from the client to view and update the profile data by obtaining the profile data from the AIN network and forwarding the profile data to the client, the server processing user requests from the client to update the profile data by forwarding user updates of the profile data from the client to the AIN network;    wherein the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the AIN service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.    
     
     
         14 . The profile management system of    claim 13   , in which the user interface is a graphical user interface.  
     
     
         15 . The profile management system of    claim 14   , in which the AIN service comprises positive identification, and in which the profile data comprises access codes and authorized telephone numbers.  
     
     
         16 . The profile management system of    claim 15   , wherein when a calling party calls the user, the calling party is only successfully connected to the user if either the calling party's telephone number is one of the authorized telephone numbers or the calling party inputs one of the access codes, wherein if the calling party is not successfully connected to the user, the calling party hears a prerecorded message and is subsequently disconnected.  
     
     
         17 . A profile management system for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with a telecommunications service subscribed to by a user, the profile management system comprising: 
 a client which hosts a user interface allowing the user to view and update the profile data; and    a server which stores the profile data and executes the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user in accordance with the profile data, the server processing user requests from the client to view and update the profile data by forwarding the profile data to the client, the server processing user requests from the client to update the profile data by replacing the stored profile data with user updates of the profile data received from the client;    wherein the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.    
     
     
         18 . A method for accessing and maintaining profile data associated with a telecommunications service subscribed to by a user, the method comprising: 
 remotely logging into a server, from a client;    viewing the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user;    and if desired, updating the profile data;    wherein the user can access and maintain the profile data associated with the telecommunications service subscribed to by the user without involving service personnel.