Mediaone Group, Inc.

Comcast Mo Group, Inc.

Bruce F Bahlmann

Chris F Melle

Brian Field

An enhanced provisioning server and method of operating a provisioning server that allow for network lease customization for client groups and individual clients. The enhancement also provides a standard interface for exchanging the client lease customization information, a method for maintaining a one lease per client association when clients roam from network to network, and a method for transitioning all of the leases associated with one network to another network approximately simultaneously. The transition may include renumbering all of the IP addresses.

Provisioning server enhancement

A method for preparing a computer for service activation with a network service provider. A pre-qualifying routine is executed on the computer to gather information about the computer's initial configuration setting. A diagnostic routine is executed on the computer to test the hardware components involved in network services. If the initial configuration setting and test results meet or exceed predetermined requirements, then service software applications programs are installed in the computer and programmable configuration settings are updated. The computer then transfers a copy of the final configuration settings and test results to the network service provider where the information is stored for future reference.

Customer self-help toolkit

A self service gateway and method of operation that allows a user on a network to interface with the provisioning and billing systems of the network. The self service gateway is controlled by a user interface program that interfaces the user with the provisioning and billing systems. User identifications, passwords, and other user related data are stored in a record database. A tool database holds a set of tools used to instruct or enable the user interface program to invoke, present, and process information provided to and received from the users. Web pages are stored in another database. A web server program provides a standard set of protocols for communicating on the network. In operation, the user logs into the self service gateway and provides commands and inputs that may result in changes in the provisioning and billing systems and the record database.

Self service gateway

A policy management system for an Internet service provider having standalone Internet provisioning servers in different regions includes a central policy database (CPD) for providing centralized configuration and local management of the policies which control aspects of service and level qualities of the Internet servers and for distributing central product definitions to the Internet servers. In addition to the central policy database, the policy management system includes a plurality of regional policy databases each associated with the Internet servers in a respective region. The central policy database is operable with each of the regional policy databases for providing central definitions to the Internet servers. The central policy database stores product, feature, subscriber, and device objects. The objects of the central policy database are operable with the regional policy databases for providing the central definitions to the Internet servers. The product objects define products supported by the Internet service provider and the feature objects define features of the products supported by the Internet service provider. Combinations of feature objects define each product object.

Policy management method and system for internet service providers

A system and method for troubleshooting devices on a network where each device is identifiable by a medium access control address. Personnel interact with the system from a browser using hypertext markup language pages. A search capability allows the personnel to find a particular device based upon its medium access control address, and display device specific data. The device specific data is kept in a database internal to the system. Update functions are provided to change the data in the internal database. Utility functions are also provided to aid in troubleshooting, maintenance, and verification. The functions include clearing the device's packet errors, viewing the device's bridging table and history logs, registering and de-registering the device with a provisioning server, changing address filter and port filters, invoking a software reset and software download, looking up the device's hostname, and searching the provisioning server's log files for transactions involving the device.

Cable modem and personal computer troubleshooting tool

An apparatus and method for controlling network provisioning servers. Users are provided with a common user interface that is independent of each provisioning server vendor's unique user interface. Tools are provided to allow the user to add, view, modify and delete parameters for network definitions, headend nodes, network policies, custom devices and static Internet Protocol addresses used by the provisioning servers. Tools are also provided to view, and modify top level network policy group definitions. The parameters are stored in a database. Locks are provided on the database as a whole, and for individual records within the database to prevent simultaneous changes by multiple users. Requested changes to the database are validated before being implemented. Reports can be generated from the information within the database. Access to various tool features is limited based upon a user level assigned to each user. A log file provides a history of all user initiated transactions.

Headend provisioning agent

A network server, and a method for building a boot file in response to a standard protocol request. Network specific and client specific parameters necessary to build the boot file are encoded into the path name and file name of the standard protocol request respectively. A special character in the standard protocol request triggers the network server to decode the parameters from the standard protocol request and then use the decoded parameters to build the boot file on-the-fly.

Growing community of inventors

White Bear Lake, MN, United States of America

Bruce F Bahlmann