Scripting designer for a billing mediation system

• US 20040138970A1
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Convergys Information Management Group (Convergys Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Convergys Information Management Group (Convergys Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Pankaj, Swarna, Chandramouli, Desai, Niraj, Ramachandran, Renjith
• Application Number:
  US10/724,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• 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 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts

Abstract

A mediation system for converged network system for an xSP (i.e., any service provider of Information Technology (IT)/business services) is readily configured to collect revenue related transaction data (usage data) from network elements. A user is able to customize intuitively and efficiently the mediation system for their specific needs by using a Script Design Environment. In particular, a graphical environment presents scripts that receive, parse, validate, format, assemble, correlate and distribute the usage data and provide tools for modifying these scripts.

Claims

1. A mediation manager for a billing system between network elements and revenue-related distribution systems, comprising:

a protocol handler configured to receive usage data from a plurality of network elements and to format the usage data into a standard format;

a data handler configured to parse, format and assemble the standard format usage data in accordance with a plurality of scripts; and

a mediation script designer configured to graphically and interactively present a user with an environment for modifying the plurality of scripts.

2. The mediation manager of claim 1, wherein the mediation script designer is further configured to display a script in a graphical depiction.

3. The mediation manager of claim 2, wherein the mediation script designer is further configured to display a script as a flow diagram.

4. The mediation manager of claim 2, wherein a script contains a modifiable element and a nonmodifiable element, the mediation script designer is further configured to display the modifiable element with a graphical annotation that differs from the nonmodifiable element.

5. The mediation manager of claim 2, wherein the mediation script designer is further configured to selectively display a script in a graphical depiction and as a text depiction.

6. The mediation manager of claim 1, wherein the mediation script designer is further configured to display a script editing window and a resource listing of recorded scripts.

7. The mediation manager of claim 6, wherein the mediation script designer is further configured to respond to a drag and drop operation between a recorded script in the resource listing and the script editing window.

8. A mediation manager for distributing billing-related usage data received from a plurality of collection points of a converged mediation network system, the mediation manager comprising:

a database containing the billing-related usage data;

a mediation manager script interface in electronic communication with the database and operably configured in accordance with a plurality of scripts to perform protocol handling of receive usage data in the database from a plurality of network elements, to format the usage data into a standard format, and to perform data handling to parse, format and assemble the standard format usage data for distribution; and

a script designer responsive to a user and in client communication with the mediation manager script interface and database;

the script designer comprising a presentation layer providing a platform independent graphical user interface that is coupled to an integrated testing environment framework for communicating with the mediation manager.

9. The mediation manager of claim 8, wherein the mediation manager is further configured to accesss script verions control repository, the script designer furhter configures to respond to a user to interact with the script verions control repository.

10. A mediation manager for distributing billing-related usage data received from a plurality of collection points of a converged mediation network system, the mediation manager comprising:

a means for receiving and protocol handling the usage data from the plurality of collecton points;

a means for assembling, correlating and sitributing the usage data to a plurality of billing system outcollects; and

a means for remotely presenting a graphical user interface for editing a pluralit of scripts that control the means for receiving, protocol handling, assembling, correlating, and distributing the usage data.