Real-time interconnect billing system and method of use
First Claim
1. A system for interconnect billing, comprising:
- a processing system communicable with a home provider network and at least one partner provider network, wherein the processing system manages business practices, monitors user usage of the networks, and wherein the processing system assesses the network usage, generates an invoice, and reconciles the invoice in real-time.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of real-time interconnect billing to facilitate invoicing and reconciliation between interconnected communication and service providers. The fully customizable, scalable, and network-based system rates and monitors costs, incorporates agreements between interconnected providers, invoices, bills, and reconciles to establish an accurate and cost-effective accounting of provider revenues and costs. The system is able to communicate with devices, networks, and interconnect providers to obtain, provide and exchange billing information and payments. The system updates subscriber accounts and alerts the home provider, subscribers, interconnect providers and users of these updates.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for interconnect billing, comprising:
a processing system communicable with a home provider network and at least one partner provider network, wherein the processing system manages business practices, monitors user usage of the networks, and wherein the processing system assesses the network usage, generates an invoice, and reconciles the invoice in real-time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of real-time billing of communications by a home provider, comprising:
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communicating with a home provider;
accessing at least one data store of the home provider;
receiving information regarding business practices from the at least one data store;
monitoring network activity on a home network and at least one partner provider network;
accounting for network activity by a subscriber in real time;
updating the subscriber account in real time; and
reconciling the subscriber account. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and
a data structure stored on the medium for billing communications, wherein the data structure comprises a computer readable system for billing communications comprising;
communicating with the home provider;
accessing at least one data store of the home provider;
receiving business practices information from the at least one data store;
monitoring network activity and call/event data records;
identifying a subscriber or user responsible for network activity and call/event data records;
accounting the billing charges assessed to the subscriber or user in real time;
updating an invoice for the billing charges in real time;
receiving payment for the billing charges; and
reconciling the invoice. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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33. A system for billing communications, the system comprising:
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communicating means for communicating with the home provider;
accessing means for accessing at least one data store of the home provider;
receiving means for receiving business practices information from the at least one data store;
monitoring means for monitoring network activity and call/event data records;
identifying means for identifying a subscriber or user responsible for network activity and call/event data records;
accounting means for accounting the billing charges assessed to the subscriber or user in real time. updating means for updating an invoice for the billing charges in real time;
receiving means for receiving payment for the billing charges; and
reconciling means for reconciling the invoice. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method of real-time billing of communications, the method comprising:
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obtaining CDR'"'"'s or EDR'"'"'s in real time from at least one provider;
calculating the charge for network use represented by the obtained CDR or EDR on a near real-time basis;
updating an account balance for a subscriber or provider for the calculated cost of the CDR or EDR on a near real-time basis.
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Specification