Method and system for generating call data reports

• US 20020136389A1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stroud, Kenneth Robert, Fleischer, Harold C. III, Simino, John E., Morales, Louie Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/221.08
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13222 : PBX circuits in public exchange, centrex
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13224 : Off-net subscriber, dial in to/out from network, teleworking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 : Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 : Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 : Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13395 : Permanent channel, leased line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 : for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A method and system for generating customer reports based on station message detail recording (SMDR) data includes a service control point (SCP) in a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN). The service control point samples calling data from multiple service switching points for calls originating from a private customer network, including centrex and PBX systems. The service control point interfaces with a front end processor and transmits the calling data. The front end processor formats the calling data into SMDR data, which is transmitted to a host central processing unit. The host generates reports regarding the SMDR calling data, the reports being accessible by a customer via a connection to a private customer network.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining call data in a telecommunications system comprising a service control point (SCP) and a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN), including at least one switch, the method comprising:

sampling calling data, received from the switch, at the SCP; and

formatting the sampled calling data as station message detail recording (SMDR) data.

2. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 1, further comprising generating a call data report from the SMDR data.

3. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 1, further comprising storing the sampled call data at one of a data distributor node and the SCP.

4. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 1, further comprising storing the call data report at a host processor, wherein the call data report is accessible by a customer.

5. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 1, wherein the formatting is performed by a front end server.

6. A method for obtaining call data in a telecommunications system comprising a service control point (SCP) and a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN), including at least one switch, the method comprising:

sampling calling data, received from the switch, at the SCP;

formatting the sampled calling data as station message detail recording (SMDR) data; and

generating the call data from the SMDR data.

7. A method for reporting calling data to a telecommunications system customer comprising a service control point and a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN), including at least one service switching point, the method comprising:

generating calling data for a telephone call from a customer'"'"'s private facility involving the at least one service switching point;

sampling the calling data at the service control point;

interfacing with a front end server;

receiving the sampled calling data at the front end server;

formatting the sampled calling data into station message detail recording (SMDR) data;

receiving and storing the SMDR data at a host central processing unit; and

generating a SMDR report from the SMDR data for reference by a customer.

8. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 7, wherein the calling data comprises a calling party ID and a called party ID.

9. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 7, wherein the calling data comprises attempt data and completion data, and wherein the formatting into SMDR data comprises associating the attempt data and the completion data of the calling data to generate consolidated SMDR data.

10. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 7, wherein the interfacing with the front end server comprises transmitting the calling data from the service control point to a data distributor, the data distributor storing and sorting the calling data, and transmitting the calling data to the front end server via an interface.

11. The method for obtaining call data according to claim 10, wherein the interface comprises an American Standard Code for Information Interexchange (ASCII) interface.

14. The system for obtaining call data according to claim 13, further comprising a central processing unit that receives the SMDR formatted data from the front end server and provides information based on the SMDR formatted data to the customer.

15. The system for obtaining call data according to claim 13, further comprising a data distributor interface node that receives the calling data from said service control point, sorts the calling data and transmits the sorted calling data to said front end server.

17. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 16, wherein the network of the customer comprises at least one of a centrex system and a PBX system.

18. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 16, further comprising a data distributer that receives the sampled calling data from said service control point and transmitting the sampled calling data to said front end server via an interface.

19. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 16, wherein the calling report generated from the SMDR formatted data is customized according to instructions received by said host central processing unit.

12. A method for reporting calling data to a telecommunications system customer comprising a service control point and a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN), including at least one service switching point, the method comprising:

generating calling data for a telephone call from a customer'"'"'s private facility at the at least one service switching point;

sampling the calling data at the service control point;

receiving the calling data at a data distributor;

interfacing with a front end server;

receiving the sampled calling data at the front end server;

formatting the sampled calling data into station message detail recording (SMDR) data;

receiving and storing the SMDR data at a host central processing unit; and

generating a SMDR report from the SMDR data for reference by a customer.

13. A system for reporting calling data to a customer comprising:

a service control point that samples calling data received from at least one service switching point in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) handling a telephone call of the customer; and

a front end server in a private network, said front end server receiving the sampled calling data from said service control point and formatting the sampled calling data into a station message detail recording (SMDR) format.

16. A system for reporting calling data to a customer in a telecommunications system comprising:

a plurality of service switching points that collect calling data while processing telephone calls placed from a network of the customer;

a service control point that samples calling data from said plurality of service switching points;

a front end server that receives the sampled calling data from said service control point and formats the sampled calling data into a station message detail recording (SMDR) format; and

a host central processing unit that receives the SMDR formatted data from said front end server and generates a calling report from the SMDR formatted data, the calling report being accessible by the customer.

20. A system for reporting calling data to a customer in a telecommunications system comprising:

a plurality of service switching points that collect calling data while processing telephone calls placed from a network of the customer;

a service control point that samples calling data from said plurality of service switching points;

a data distributer that receives the sampled calling data from said service control point and transmits the sampled calling data to said front end server via an interface;

a front end server that receives the sampled calling data from said data distributer and formats the sampled calling data into a station message detail recording (SMDR) format; and

a host central processing unit that receives the SMDR formatted data from said front end server and generates a calling report from the SMDR formatted data, the calling report being accessible by the customer.

21. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 20, wherein the interface comprises an American Standard Code for Information Interexchange (ASCII) interface.

22. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 20, wherein the sampled calling data is stored at said data distributer.

23. The system for reporting calling data according to claim 20, wherein the calling report generated from the SMDR formatted data is customized according to instructions received by said host central processing unit.