Modular, convergent customer care and billing system

• US 20040133487A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Management Systems, Incorporated (CGI, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Management Systems, Incorporated (CGI, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seeger, Andreas, Tatem, Chris, Hanagan, Mike, Sotola, Rene, Moore, Leslee Eaton Cattrall, Rakic, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/667,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133487A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• 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 15/90 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 2215/0108 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 2215/0152 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 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• 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 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection

Abstract

A system that includes a set components that can offer a complete solution to a client or can be partitioned to offer solutions to specific areas. The components are modular. The components are independent and integrated containing all the necessary processes and inputs and outputs to function independently. The components can also be. integrated together into a system where the components work together. The set of components are also convergent by allowing all services to be provided and viewed via single interface through a single consolidated customer database independent of the type of service(s) being provided to a customer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting events from a plurality of service systems;

rating and pricing the events; and

producing a consolidated bill for a customer subscribing to a plurality of services.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an integrated view of the customer data, billing data, product data and services.

3. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer via a process of collecting events from a plurality of service systems, rating and pricing the events;

and producing a consolidated bill for a customer subscribing to a plurality of services.

4. A method, comprising:

providing a collection of convergent products providing distinct and independent services, each having different event collection and service systems;

collecting events from a plurality of said service systems providing a collection of heterogeneous usage events;

converting said events into a common formatted usage event;

rating, pricing, discounting, summarizing and billing said usage events based on said event collection system including cross discounting across the converged products; and

producing a consolidated bill for a customer subscribing to said convergent products.