Facilitating the supplying of services in a network

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method involving the supplying of services, comprising:

defining for analysis a network including four layers, including:

a service layer that defines an information model for management of a number of services available from a plurality of providers to a plurality of users;

a service instance layer that defines an information model for management of a particular service to a user and requests network connections to provide said particular service;

a connection layer that defines an information model for management of physical and logical devices and their interconnections within said network; and

a connection instance layer that defines an information model for management of connections in said network that are required to provide available services;

identifying functions to be accomplished using agent systems associated with said layers, said functions including managing a relationship between a user and a provider that is appropriate for one or more of said layers, fulfilling a capability to be provided to a user that is appropriate for one or more of said layers, determining an amount to be billed for a specific use of a capability that is appropriate for one or more of said layers and crediting or debiting an account that is appropriate for one or more of said layers;

associating with said functions a plurality of mechanized agents including a first agent having a predetermined function that is different from functions of each of said other of plurality of agents;

analyzing using said layers and said agents, in connection with making decisions related to arrangement and implementation of said agent systems, said hardware, said software and said support systems, said analyzing step further including:

allowing for said support systems to be technology and service application independent;

permitting interoperability between at least two of said hardware, software and support systems that are involved with supporting different service applications;

permitting interoperability between said hardware and said software supplied by different vendors;

standardizing data and data formats necessary for initiating and implementing said functions;

reducing a number of said hardware, said software and said support systems that operation support personnel need to be trained upon; and

permitting coordination and cooperation among service and network providers for delivery of new services and new technology; and

implementing the supplying of a plurality of services using at least one of said agent systems, said hardware, said software and said support systems, said implementing step including formulating messages that include informational elements related to: a service request, a service instance request, a connection request and a connection instance request and in which each one of said requests includes at least one of the following: user booking data describing a booking to be used for a user; provider booking data describing a booking to be used for a provider; fulfillment agent data describing a fulfillment agent to be used for fulfilling said request; charging agent data describing a charging agent used in charging an amount associated with said request; description data describing said request; and accounting rules used in charging related to said request.

2. A method for facilitating the supplying of services using a network in which there are a number of service providers and in which there are a plurality of mechanized agents to take responsibility for the accomplishment of desired functions, a plurality of mechanized agent systems for accomplishing the functions initiated by the mechanized agents and with a plurality of messages being received by the mechanized agents in connection with providing the services, the method comprising:

initiating a request to a management agent using a control channel for a first service instance to be provided to a first user by a first service provider, said management agent being responsible for managing the relationship between the first user and the first service provider involving the delivery of said first service instance;

invoking a fulfillment agent a first time using said management agent and in which said fulfillment agent receives a first message that includes informational elements related to an identity of said first user and a description of the first service instance, said fulfillment agent being responsible for operations to be performed by one or more agent systems including at least a first function related to delivery of said first service instance to the first user;

invoking a charging agent a first time using said management agent and in which said charging agent takes responsibility for charging for said first service instance and in which said charging agent receives a second message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the first user and a description of said first service instance, and in which said charging agent delays complete charging for said first service instance until after said first service instance is terminated;

requesting a first component service instance using said fulfillment agent, and in which said first component service instance is involved with a second function, different from said first function, and with both of said first and second functions being needed to provide said first service instance to the first user;

providing said first service instance to the first user over a first service delivery channel in said network, different from said control channel, after said requesting of said first component service instance and after said invoking of said fulfillment agent and said charging agent said first time;

generating a termination request for terminating said first service instance;

invoking said fulfillment agent a second time after said generating step in connection with the termination of said first service instance and in which said fulfillment agent receives a third message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the first user and a description of said first service instance and in which said fulfillment agent takes responsibility for operations related to termination of said providing of said first service instance;

invoking said charging agent a second time after said step of generating said termination request for terminating said first service instance using one of said management agent and said fulfillment agent and in which said charging agent receives a fourth message that includes informational elements related to data based on the amount of use by the first user of said first service instance and charging parameters for use in determining charges for said first service instance including said providing thereof;

discontinuing use of said first service delivery channel in connection with said first service instance;

initiating a request to said management agent for a second service instance to be provided to a second user by the first service provider;

invoking said fulfillment agent a third time using said management agent and in which said fulfillment agent receives a fifth message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user and a description of said second service instance, said fulfillment agent being responsible for operations to be performed by one of more agent systems, including at least a first function, related to delivery of said second service instance to the second user;

invoking said charging agent a third time using said management agent and in which said charging agent receives a sixth message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user and a description of said second service instance;

requesting a second component service instance, different from said first component service instance, using said fulfillment agent and in which said second component service instance is involved with providing a second function, different from said first function, and with both of said first and second functions being needed to provide said second service instance to the second user by the first provider;

providing said second service instance to the second user after said requesting of said second component service instance and after said invoking of said fulfillment agent and said charging agent said third time;

generating a termination request for terminating said second service instance;

invoking said fulfillment agent a fourth time after said generating step in connection with termination of said second service instance and in which said fulfillment agent receives a seventh message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user and a description of the second service instance and in which said fulfillment agent takes responsibility for operations related to termination of said providing of said second service instance;

invoking said charging agent a fourth time after said step of generating said termination request for terminating said second service instance using one of said management agent and said fulfillment agent and in which said charging agent receives a eighth message that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user, data based on the amount of use by the second user of said second service instance and charging parameters for use in determining charges for delivery of said second service instance and in which said charging agent is responsible for determining charges for said second service instance including said providing thereof;

wherein, for each of said first and second service instances, charging for said first and second service instances is pre-established so that the first and second users are not involved in negotiating charging terms with the first service provider in order to conduct said providing of said first and second service instances;

wherein said charging agent, together with its operational relationship involving said management agent and said fulfillment agent, are known and pre-established for charging for said first and second service instances before said first and second services instances are initiated by the first and second users, respectively;

wherein each of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent is a mechanized agent and each communicates with a different one of said plurality of mechanized agent systems, said plurality including a first agent system communicating with said charging agent and in which said first agent system is modular wherein, when said first agent system is replaced by a second agent system, said first charging agent communicates the same informational elements to said second agent system as said first charging agent communicated with said first agent system;

wherein each of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent is responsible for a predetermined function that is different from each predetermined function of each of the other of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent; and

wherein each of said informational elements of each of said one through eighth messages is provided in a predetermined order and format acceptable to said agents and in which each of said management, fulfillment and charging agents initiates a predetermined response depending on content of said messages.

3. The method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

at least said fulfillment agent is selected from a plurality of fulfillment agents using said management agent.

4. The method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

at least one of said one through eighth messages includes a time factor related to one of accessing and updating using one or more of said agent systems.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said network comprises network support systems that include:

a system for handling financial tasks including changing and booking functions;

a network management system for managing functions to be accomplished by said network;

a service management system for coordinating and organizing said plurality of services that are available in said network; and

a user support system that handles tasks associated with supporting customers or other users of said network.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said charging agent is used in providing a ninth message that is sent to a booking agent for taking responsibility in connection with crediting or debiting an account related to said first service instance.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said ninth message includes informational elements related to booking data describing a booking to be used for the first service user and first service provider booking data describing a booking to be used for the first service provider.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 2, further including:

introducing a new service requiring at least said management agent for providing said new service; and

using said management agent in providing said new service.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 8, further including:

providing a new agent system, different from said plurality of agent systems, when said new service is introduced.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said plurality of agent systems includes a first agent system that accomplishes a plurality of functions associated with said first service instance.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of functions relate to charging and booking functions.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of functions relate to managing and fulfilling functions.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of functions relate to managing, fulfilling and charging functions.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said management agent takes responsibility for accomplishing functions related to: managing fulfillment of said first service instance, managing charging for said first service instance and managing booking of charges for said first service instance.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said management agent is used in selecting said fulfillment agent.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said charging agent is involved in sending a message to a booking agent for crediting or debiting an amount to an account.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said step of requesting said first component service instance includes requesting said first component service instance from a second service provider.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said step of requesting said first component service instance includes requesting a supplemental component service instance different from said first component service instance and in which said supplemental component service instance is involved with a third function, different from said first and second functions, and with each of said first, second and third functions being needed to provide said first service instance to the first user and in which at least one of said first component service instance and said supplemental component service instance is provided using a second service provider different from the first service provider.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said step of initiating a request for said first service instance includes invoking a further agent, different from said management, fulfillment and charging agents and in which said further agent is used in initiating said request to said management agent.

20. An architecture for facilitating the providing of services using a network, comprising:

a network for providing available services to users, said network including support systems for supporting the providing of the services, said support systems having a plurality of agent systems and said network having a plurality of network systems including hardware and software required for proper network operation, said network further including a control channel for carrying a request related to a service instance to be provided to a user and a service providing channel, different from said control channel, through which a service instance is to be delivered; and

an operations gateway in operative communication with said network including said network systems and said agent systems, said operations gateway including a plurality of agents, said agents constituting an interface that takes responsibility for the accomplishment of one or more functions using said agent systems, said agents receiving messages from said agent systems, said network systems and others of said plurality of said agents, each of said messages including informational elements useful in providing the services;

wherein said plurality of agents includes a management agent, a fulfillment agent and a charging agent, said management agent being responsible for managing the relationship between service users and service providers including a first user, a second user and a first service provider, the fulfillment agent being responsible for operations to be performed by one or more agent systems including at least a first function related to delivery of said first service instance to the first user and a first function related to delivery of said second service instance, said charging agent taking responsibility for said first service instance and said second service instance and in which said charging agent delays complete charging for each of said first and second service instances until after each of said first and second service instances, respectively, is terminated;

first means for providing a first component service instance in which said first component service instance involves using said fulfillment agent and said first component service instance has a second function in connection with said first service instance, which is different from said first function, and with both of said first and second functions being needed to provide said first service instance to the first user;

second means for providing a second component service instance in which said second component service instance involves using said fulfillment agent and said second component service instance has a second function in connection with said second service instance, which is different from said first function, and with both of said first and second functions being needed to provide said second service instance to the second user;

wherein said plurality of messages include:

a first message received by said fulfillment agent that includes informational elements related to an identity of the first user and a description of said first service instance and in which said first message is received using said management agent before completion of said first service instance;

a second message received by said charging agent that includes informational elements related to the identity of the first user and a description of said first service instance and in which said second message is received before completion of said first service instance;

a third message received by said fulfillment agent that includes informational elements related to the identity of the first user and a description of said first service instance and in which said third message is received in connection with termination of said first service instance;

a fourth message received by said charging agent that includes informational elements related to data based on the amount of use by the first user of said first service instance and charging parameters for use in determining charges for said first service instance including providing thereof and in which said fourth message is received in connection with termination of said first service instance;

a fifth message received by said fulfillment agent that includes informational elements related to an identity of the second user and a description of said second service instance and in which said fifth message is received using said management agent before completion of said second service instance;

a sixth message received by said charging agent that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user and a description of said second service instance and in which said sixth message is received before completion of said second service instance;

a seventh message received by said fulfillment agent that includes informational elements related to the identity of the second user and a description of said second service instance and in which said seventh message is received in connection with termination of said second service instance; and

an eighth message received by said charging agent that includes informational elements related to data base based on use by the second user of said second service instance and charging parameters for use in determining charges for said second service instance and in which said seventh message is received in connection with termination of said second service instance;

wherein said charging agent, together with its operational relationship with said management agent and said fulfillment agent, are known and pre-established for charging for said first and second service instances before said first and second service instances are initiated by the first and second users, respectively;

wherein each of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent is a mechanized agent and each communicates with a different one of said plurality of mechanized agent systems, said plurality including a first agent system communicating with said charging agent and in which said first agent system is modular wherein, when said first agent system is replaced by a second agent system, said charging agent communicates the same informational elements to said second agent system as said charging agent communicated with said first agent system;

wherein each of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent is responsible for a predetermined function that is different from each predetermined function of each of the other of said management agent, said fulfillment agent and said charging agent; and

wherein each of said informational elements of each of said one through eighth messages is provided in a predetermined order and format acceptable to said agent that receives said messages and in which each of said management, fulfillment and charging agents initiates a predetermined response depending upon content of said messages.

21. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said network includes at least one of the following: a personal communications network for providing desired communications among a plurality of users linked together by said network; a full service network for providing said plurality of said available services to users on said network; and a telephone network for providing voice communications services to users of said network.

22. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said support systems include at least one of the following: a system for handling financial tasks, including charging and booking functions; a network management system for managing and identifying network systems of said network; a service management system for organizing and coordinating said plurality of available services for users of said network; and a user support system for supporting customer requirements and inquiries related to use of said network.

23. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said plurality of agents further include a booking agent being responsive to a message from said charging agent.

24. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, further including:

a new agent system using said agent interface that is provided based on a new service to be delivered by said network and in which said new agent system accomplishes functions communicated through said management agent in providing said new service.

25. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said fulfillment agent is selected from among a plurality of fulfillment agents using said management agent.

26. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said network includes a connection layer that defines an information model for management of physical and logical devices and their interconnections within said network and a connection instance layer that defines an information model for management of particular connections in said network that are required to provide available services.

27. An architecture, as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

a ninth message is received by an agent associated with one of said connection layer and said connection instance layer.

28. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said plurality of agents includes a booking agent that receives a message from said charging agent, with said booking agent taking responsibility for debiting or crediting an account of the first user in connection with said first service instance.

29. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said plurality of agents includes a second management agent different from said management agent and in which said second management agent is involved in said request to said management agent for said first and second service instances.

30. An architecture, as claimed in claim 20, further including:

third means for providing a third component service instance in response to a message from said fulfillment agent and in which said third component service instance is involved with providing a third function, different from said first and second functions, and with each of said first, second and third functions being needed to provide said first service instance to the first user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an architecture for managing and supporting the operations of a network, specifically a method for analysis and development of systems required for network management, for the billing of services, and customer support. These techniques will be particularly useful for structuring dynamic support systems required for the operations of current and future communications networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within the communications industry what is commonly termed "operational support systems" ("OSS") are the systems that enable the provision of service to customers, the billing for such service, and the support of customers. Cable television and telephone systems are two examples of communication networks. Each offers services to users of the network. Such services currently include the delivery of video and voice signals, digital data delivery, and voice messaging and retrieval services. The processes required to deploy and deliver these services, and others, are numerous and in some cases very involved.

Customers who want to obtain such communication services must be able to order the appropriate services. The service providers must be able to configure the necessary equipment, make the necessary connections, and allow the information to flow from the source to its destination. Network equipment such as telephone switching equipment, signal amplifiers, encoders and decoders, connections over lengths of cable must be installed, configured, switched from one state to another, inventoried, etc. If customers experience any problems, they need to be able to request the repair of the service. Orders for installation of services or repair must be processed and carried out. The services provided must be rated and billed to the client. Revenue received must be allocated or distributed to the provider of the network, the provider of the information and to other companies involved.

To allow for the operations of such networks, communications companies employ OSS's. Such systems are typically proprietary to the service applications and vendors' equipment that they support. OSS's tend to support predetermined services offered through specific network equipment. For example, voice messaging and retrieval, a particular communications application, may be supported by an OSS designed specifically to support the operations involved in delivering such service. That OSS may not necessarily be capable of supporting operations for other particular service applications such as call waiting or call forwarding.

Since OSS's are equipment and applications specific, when new applications or new technology become available, either a new OSS must be developed for each new service or technology or the current OSS must be redesigned to accommodate the new application or new technology. Such changes are expensive and time consuming. These difficulties can delay or forestall the offering of the service. Only in rare instances can a new service be accommodated by an existing OSS without requiring expensive changes.

When multiple companies are involved in the delivery of a service, close coordination must occur to ensure that these processes are properly executed. The problem becomes more apparent and pronounced when services span multiple enterprises, such as a billing company serving a cable television company. In this case, in order to support the necessary processes, a high level of coordination and cooperation is required between the two companies. The companies must exchange data to bill for the service, to control the network and to provide support to the customers. Such coordination and cooperation is required because there are no well accepted or standard interfaces between different companies' systems. This coordination is time consuming and expensive so the enterprises involved are loathe to alter the service offerings and limits the competition around such relationships. This also further limits the offering of new services.

Communication companies offer many types of service applications to their customers. Because of the application specific nature of current OSS's, companies which offer multiple services have multiple operations systems that are not integrated with one another. This causes personnel to have to be trained on a number of systems and the cost of supporting the service offerings is substantially increased because of the need for such multiple OSS's. Furthermore, often times data that is necessary for the support of one application is also necessary for another. Thus, such data is duplicated because of the lack of integration and interoperability among such systems. Such duplication is wasteful and expensive and causes operational problems when the duplicative data becomes inconsistent.

The current architecture for support systems which manage and support the operations of communication networks, specifically the method for facilitating the development of systems necessary for the operations of a network, do not offer any solutions to the above problems. Participants in the communications industry recognize this problem as new applications and technology are continually being proposed and developed. Indeed, the environment of the communications industry is changing at unprecedented rates, and the demand for new communication services and technology to support new service applications is growing exponentially.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an architecture, methodology and apparatus for analyzing, developing, and implementing systems required for network management, the billing of services, and customer support. The invention facilitates the supplying of services offered by a network by providing a structure for the development of dynamic support systems required for communications networks. It allows for the rapid introduction of new technology and new service applications by reducing the need for development of new support systems. The invention also reduces the cost of developing and operating support systems.

The invention accomplishes this by: establishing a model that represents all networks, including communications networks, and services provided by such networks; separating the operations functions in the support systems necessary for the support of the operations of the network from the physical components that actually deliver the service; implementing a system of standard interfaces for purposes of network management, billing functions, and service fulfillment; allowing for support systems that are technology and service application independent; permitting interoperability between systems that support different applications and interoperability between components of systems supplied by different vendors; standardizing the data and data formats necessary for initiating and implementing operations functions thereby reducing duplicate information necessary for the operations support systems; reducing the number of systems that operations support personnel need to be trained upon; permitting coordination and cooperation among service and network providers for delivery of new services and new technology.

The functions of the invention are preferably implemented by: defining layers that include a service layer, a service instance layer, a connection layer, and a connection instance layer; establishing an operations gateway comprised of one or more agents which constitute a defined interface which takes responsibility for accomplishment of desired support functions for the operations of a network upon receipt of a message from a sender; providing for defined messages comprised of defined informational elements, which messages are sent by at least one sender to at least one agent, including at least one message associated with at least one service, for the purpose of having the agent initiate the necessary functions by appropriate agent systems; having the senders be agents, agent systems, and network systems; having such operation functions performed by agent systems, which systems are invoked by the agents; not having agents perform any of the operations functions; having one or more agents which include management agents, fulfillment agents, charging agents, and booking agents; having one or more agent systems for performing the management of the service, fulfillment of the service, the charging of the service and the booking of the service; having the agents take responsibility for invoking agent systems in one or more of the defined layers in the communications network.

In performing functions, management agents associated with one or more of the service, service instance, connection and connection instance layers receive messages having informational elements that contain data or other information necessary for the agents to take responsibility for accomplishing the management related functions. Among other responsibilities, the management agents are responsible for invoking appropriate fulfillment agents and charging agents. The fulfillment agents are responsible for fulfilling the desired function or functions associated with a particular layer, such as fulfilling the particular service instance and providing the necessary network connection or connections for delivery of the service instance. In one application, the service instance relates to the delivery of a specific movie pursuant to a video on demand service. The charging agents take responsibility for determining an amount, such as an amount related to the cost of providing network connections and/or the delivery of the particular service instance. The charging agents also are responsible for invoking appropriate booking agents, which take responsibility for debiting and/or crediting proper accounts using the amount.

When a new service is to be provided in the network of the present invention, the agent interface acts to support this new service. In conjunction with the financial transaction supporting system, for example, the management, fulfillment, charging and booking agents, are available for receiving messages from new and/or existing agent systems and/or network systems in order to assume responsibility for the accomplishment of the support functions for this new service. A new financial transaction support system need not be designed and integrated with the new service.

In a related embodiment, the operations gateway is configured to take on responsibility for only a single support system, such as the financial transaction support system. In this embodiment, agents are employed that are equivalent to management, fulfillment, charging and booking agents found in the above-described network embodiment. This agent interface is able to assume responsibility for billing functions required by a variety of providers of services, as well as providers of goods. Since equivalent agents are utilized, just as with the previously described network embodiment, the supplying of new goods and services would be readily handled by the operations gateway. Furthermore, new and/or substitutable systems required to accomplish the functions and/or send messages could be readily integrated with the operations gateway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the operations gateway and the network, which includes a number of support systems and subnetworks that communicate with the operations gateway;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating more detailed aspects of the operations gateway and a communications network including a number of agents that make up the agent interface, and a number of agent systems, network systems and message paths;

FIGS. 3A-3G schematically illustrate a general application of the operations gateway involving service, service instance, connection and connection instance layers;

FIGS. 4A-4D schematically illustrate a specific example of the operations gateway as applied to a video on demand service;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates information and/or data received in messages by agents associated with the four layers of the network; and

FIGS. 6A-6D schematically illustrate embodiments in which a single agent may assume responsibility for a number of functions that, in other embodiments, might be handled by a plurality of agents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a network 10 is provided that includes a number of support systems 14. The network 10 is used in providing a variety of services and can be defined as including, for example, such networks as a personal communications network 18, a full service network 22, a telephone network 26 and/or other present/future communication networks 30. The personal communications network 18 provides desired communications among a plurality of users linked together by the network. The full service network 22 provides a plurality of available services to users on the network. The telephone network 26 provides voice communication or other data services to users of the network. The services are delivered using the network 10 by a multitude of service providers to one or more users or customers that request any such service. Typically, these networks 18-30 comprise a number of hardware components or equipment, software, operations support systems and other systems that are required for proper operation of the network (collectively and individually referred to as "network systems"). Such network systems are utilized in providing presently defined services and at least some of which are expected to be useful in providing future and not yet defined services over the network 10.

The support systems 14 that support the network 10 include a financial transaction system 32, a network management system 36, a service management system 40 and a user support system 44. The financial transaction system 32 handles financial tasks including charging and booking functions related to services that are provided by the network 10. The network management system 36 manages functions that are to be accomplished by the network 10, particularly as such network functions relate to the providing of the services. The service management system 40 coordinates and organizes the plurality of services that are available on the network 10. The user support system 44 manages or handles tasks associated with supporting customers or other users of the network 10.

Essential to the present invention is an operations gateway 50 that interfaces with the networks 18-30 and the support systems 14. The operations gateway 50 responds to a predetermined protocol in taking responsibility for functions that need to be accomplished in order to support the providing of services by the network 10. The operations gateway 50 receives information and/or data from the network 10 that enable it to respond in a manner that results in the accomplishment of the desired functions. These functions include, for example, managing relationships between service providers and service users, fulfilling service instances, determining an amount to be billed for a specific service instance and crediting and/or debiting an account related to a particular service instance. The accomplishment of these functions is achieved primarily by means of the financial transaction system 32 and other agent and network systems. It should be appreciated, however, that these are only representative functions for the system 32 and further and/or other appropriate functions can be accomplished by the system 32, as well as further and/or other functions appropriate to systems 36-44.

With reference to FIG. 2, the operations gateway 50 is further described as it relates particularly to the financial transaction system 32, although it should be understood that a similar description applies to the other support systems 36-44. The operations gateway 50 includes a number of agents 54, such as agents A.sub.1, A.sub.2 . . . A.sub.11, A.sub.12 . . . The agents 54 together constitute an agent interface 58 through which necessary and appropriate communications occur involving the financial transaction system 32 and a communications network 60, with the communications network 60 being representative of one or more of a number of networks or subnetworks that are part of the network 10 and are useful in providing available services. Although the operations gateway 50 shown in FIG. 2 illustrates a division or separation to more than one agent interface, it should be appreciated that there is, generally speaking, a single interface that defines the plurality of agents' interfaces that are required for implementing the functions associated with the financial transaction system 32 of the support systems 14. Each of the agents 54 takes responsibility for the accomplishment of one or more desired functions. None of the agents performs any of the functions for which it takes responsibility. With regard to the accomplishment of the necessary or appropriate functions, the financial transaction system 32 includes a plurality of agent systems 66 including agent systems 66a, 66b, 66c, with each of these agent systems being identified as AS.sub.T1, AS.sub.T2, AS.sub.T3, respectively. Each of the agent systems 66 accomplishes one or more of the functions initiated by an agent 54. For example, the agent system 66a may accomplish functions initiated by the agent 54a and the agent systems 66b, 66c may accomplish functions initiated by the agent 54b. The agent systems 66 typically include, for example, computer equipment or components, such as computer processing hardware, computer peripheral hardware and computer software that are involved in accomplishing the afore-noted financial-related functions.

With respect to achieving the communication that is required for the agent interface 58 and its associated agents 54 in conjunction with taking on the responsibility for accomplishing the functions, messages are sent or inputted to the agent interface 58 by message senders. Each message includes common information. In particular, each message can be defined as including a number of informational elements that include data and/or other information useful in implementing the functions. In the context of financial transaction related functions, such informational elements may include service request information, service instance request information and connection request information that relate to a service to be supplied by a provider to a user and how a particular service instance is to be charged. Other informational elements may contain booking data describing a particular booking to be used for a user or a provider, fulfillment agent data describing a fulfillment agent to be used for fulfilling a request, charging agent data describing a charging agent to be used in charging an amount associated with a request, description data describing a particular request and/or accounting rules used in determining an amount to charge. Informational elements that are more general or more common among a plurality of messages include: an identification of a user of a particular service, an identification of a provider of the particular service, a type of information that is related to the particular service, such as a voice communication service or a video on demand service, and a session.sub.-- id that describes the particular service, such as the providi