Method and system for generating a billing record

• US 20020001375A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Linton, Thomas L., Alcott, Scott P., Primo, Diane I.
• Granted Patent: US 6,498,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection

Abstract

A transaction record is received including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by a subscriber. The transaction data is processed by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the telephone calls of the transaction record. The toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans are compared to determine a lowest toll amount. An amount x is deducted from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount. A billing record is generated for the subscriber based on the final toll amount.

Claims

1. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a method of generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by the at least one subscriber;

processing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call;

comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount;

deducting an amount x from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount; and

generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein x is a constant.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of deducting an amount x further comprises calculating a value for x as a percentage of the lowest toll amount.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction record includes a plurality of transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising:

intra-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of interexchange carriers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a optional calling plan corresponding to one of the plurality of interexchange carriers.

9. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a system for generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the system comprising:

an interface unit, coupled to the network, for receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by the at least one subscriber; and

a processor, in communication with the interface unit, for processing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call, for comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount, for deducting an amount x from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount, and for generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein x is a constant.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the processor calculates a value for x as a percentage of the lowest toll amount.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the transaction record includes a plurality of transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising:

intra-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of interexchange carriers.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a optional calling plan corresponding to one of the plurality of interexchange carriers.

17. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a bill generator for receiving the billing record for the at least one of the plurality of subscribers and for formatting and printing a billing statement.

18. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a method of generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period, wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising;

intra-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls, and wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call;

processing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call, wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of interexchange carriers, and wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a optional calling plan corresponding to one of the plurality of interexchange carriers;

comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount;

calculating a value x as a percentage of the lowest toll amount;

deducting an amount x from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount; and

generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount.