Telecommunication services reporting system

• US 20030112937A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.), Pacific Telesis Shared Services, South Western Bell Corporation -Long Distance
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.), Pacific Telesis Shared Services, South Western Bell Corporation -Long Distance
• Inventors: Kreckel, Richard D., Watson, Raymond P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,062,024 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• 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 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number

Abstract

A system and method for processing a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) each indicative of a call transaction on a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving the plurality of CDRs at a first controller, wherein each of the CDRs include a data structure including a plurality of fields each containing at least one character. The method then selects a first sorting field from the plurality of fields and groups the plurality of CDRs as a function of data within the first sorting field. In one embodiment, the first sorting field is used to group the CDRs according to different carriers. The method then analyzes at least one additional sorting field within each of the CDRs which were previously grouped according to the first sorting field. A report is then generated for each of the grouped CDRs as a function of data within the additional sorting field. In this way, periodic, customized reports can be generated from information contained with CDRs with user-selectable sorting or analysis fields.

Claims

1. A method of processing a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) each indicative of a call transaction on a telecommunications network comprising:

receiving said plurality of CDRs at a first controller, each of said CDRs having a data structure including a plurality of fields containing at least one character;

selecting a first sorting field from said plurality of fields and grouping said plurality of CDRs as a function of data within said first sorting field;

analyzing a second sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field; and

generating a report for each of said grouped CDRs as a function of data within said second sorting field.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of CDRs are generated at a second controller remotely located from said first controller, said second controller coupled to said telecommunications network.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of fields includes a plurality of subfields.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said call transaction is a long distance calling card transaction.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first sorting field is a carrier identification field.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said second sorting field is an enhanced service identifier comprising at least one of the following subfields:

message store and forward, directory assistance, or conference calling.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving includes periodically receiving said plurality of CDRs at a first controller at daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly intervals.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising analyzing a third sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field, and generating a report for each of said grouped CDRs as a function of data within said second and third sorting fields.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein generating a report includes determining and displaying a system variable as a function of data within at least one of said second and third sorting fields.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said second sorting field contains data indicative of Total Call Attempts and said system variable corresponds to Successful Call Attempts.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said report is a Trunk Capacity Report including transaction activity for an originating trunk group and a terminating trunk group.

12. A call detail record (CDR) processing system for a telecommunications network comprising:

a system cluster in operative communication with said telecommunications network for generating a plurality of CDRs each indicative of a call transaction on said telecommunications network;

a production database server periodically receiving and storing said CDRs from said system cluster; and

user access server in operative communication with said production database server, said user access server programmed to select a first sorting field from a plurality of fields within each CDR and group said plurality of CDRs as a function of data within said first sorting field, analyze a second sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field, and generate a report for each of said grouped CDRs as a function of data within said second sorting field.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said cluster comprises a plurality of servers.

14. A system according to claim 13 comprising a plurality of remotely located clusters.

15. A system according to claim 14 comprising a master database in operative communication with each of said plurality of remotely located clusters, said master database for storing each of said plurality of CDRs generated by each of said clusters.

16. A system according to claim 12 wherein said system cluster is a calling card system cluster generating a CDR in response to each calling card transaction on said telecommunications network.

17. A system according to claim 12 wherein said CDR fields comprise at least one of a Call Type Offered field, System Failure field, Rate Class field, Method of Recording field, Message Type field, or Call Statistics field.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said Call Statistics field comprises at least one of the following subfields:

message store and forward, directory assistance, or conference calling.

19. A system according to claim 17 wherein said Rate Class field comprises at least one of the following subfields:

person-to-person, operator station-to-station, dialed station, or operator assisted dialing.

20. A system according to claim 17 wherein said Call Type Offered field comprises at least one of the following subfields:

local exchange carrier calling card or proprietary calling card.