System and method for prepay account management system

• US 20070260562A1
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exceleron Software, LLC
• Original Assignee: Exceleron Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanson, Daniel, Hutson, Craig, Gaines, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/001 for gas
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/06 with means for prepaying basic charges, e.g. rent for meters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/10 with alarm or warning devices, e.g. indicating the interrupting of the supply

Abstract

A prepay account management system comprises a secure data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account and meter data, a prepay server operable to receive the transmitted customer account data, the prepay server operable to update a balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges and replenishing payment amounts, and a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to the prepay customer preferences.

Claims

1. A prepay account management system comprising:

a secure data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account data;

a prepay server operable to receive the transmitted customer account data, the prepay server operable to update a balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges and replenishing payment amounts; and

a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to the prepay customer preferences.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification server is operable to deliver a low balance notification to the prepay customer in response to the customer'"'"'s account balance being below a certain amount, a daily usage notification in response to daily usage charges, and a suspend notification in response to the customer account balance being below a certain suspend threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification server is operable to deliver the notification according to method and timing preferences specified by the prepay customer.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database operable to store the prepay customer account data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a secure communication server affecting the secure data link and operable to receive the prepay customer account data and transmitting the data to the prepay server.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a usage server operable to receive prepay customer usage data.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the notification server operable to deliver pre-recorded voice messages and data from the prepay server to the prepay customer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification server is coupled to the Internet for transmitting electronic notifications to the prepay customer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a prepay card management system operable to manage prepaid cards purchased by the prepay customer as payment to the prepay customer account.

42. The prepay account management system of claim 1, wherein the prepay server is operable to deduct from the balance of a prepay customer account in response to daily usage charges, daily option charges, and taxes.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the prepay server is operable to update a balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges and/or taxes based on a time-of-day and/or day-of-week the usage occurred.

10. A prepay account management system comprising:

a secure data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and usage data;

a prepay server operable to receive the transmitted customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and usage data, the prepay server operable to update a current balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges and replenishing payment amounts; and

a notification server operable to generate a low balance notification to a specified customer in response to the customer'"'"'s account balance being below a certain amount, a daily usage notification order in response to daily usage charges, and a suspend notification in response to the customer account balance being below a certain suspend threshold, the notifications being delivered in a manner consistent with the prepay customer preferences.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a database operable to store the prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and usage data.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a secure communication server affecting the secure data link and operable to receive the prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and usage data and transmitting the data to the prepay server.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a usage server operable to receive prepay customer usage data from a remote automated meter reading database.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the notification server operable to deliver pre-recorded voice messages and data derived from the prepay server to the prepay customer.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification server is coupled to the Internet for transmitting electronic notifications to the prepay customer.

16. A prepay utility method comprising:

receiving customer data including name, address, contact information, notification preferences;

receiving an advanced payment for utility services;

creating a prepay customer account associated with the received customer data and an account balance consistent with the prepayment;

receiving a prepay customer daily utility usage amount;

updating the prepay customer account balance in response to the daily utility usage amount;

notifying the prepay customer of low account balance in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a low threshold;

notifying the prepay customer of imminent suspension in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a suspend threshold;

receiving a payment associated with the prepay customer account;

updating the prepay customer account balance in response to the payment; and

notifying the prepay customer of the updated prepay customer account balance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein notifying the customer is performed consistent with prepay customer preferences in timing and notification method.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving an advanced payment comprises receiving a payment made via at least one of a money transfer service, bill payment service, a credit card or debit card online or over the telephone with the customer service representative, automated clearing house fund transfer networks, an authorized agent, and a prepaid card.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving customer data comprises receiving a preference of notification method including email, text messaging, interactive voice response, and a customer service representative call.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving customer data comprises receiving a preference of notification delivery time and frequency.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising monitoring the prepay customer utility usage using an automated meter reading database.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating a suspend order in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a suspend threshold.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising reconciling estimated customer usage in a prepay system with actual customer usage in a legacy billing system.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving customer usage data for each prepay customer account;

applying daily option charges to each prepay customer account;

applying applicable tax to each prepay customer account; and

determine account balance update for each prepay customer account.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting the account balance updates to a legacy billing system.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising managing a plurality of prepaid cards that may be used to make payments on a prepay customer account.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising verifying a prepaid card'"'"'s unique serial number and PIN.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising posting a denomination of a prepaid card to a balance of a prepay customer account.

46. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving a prepay customer daily utility usage amount comprises receiving a usage amount for a predetermined time interval, and updating the prepay customer account balance in response to the received usage amount for the predetermined time interval.

29. A computer-readable medium having encoded there on a method for prepay utility, the method comprising:

receiving a payment for utility services;

creating a customer prepay account balance consistent with the payment;

receiving a prepay customer utility usage amount;

updating the prepay customer account balance in response to the utility usage amount; and

notifying the prepay customer in response to predetermined triggers associated with the prepay customer account via one of email, interactive voice response.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an additional payment amount associated with the customer prepay account;

updating the customer prepay account balance; and

notifying the prepay customer in response to the updated account balance.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising notifying the prepay customer of low account balance in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a low threshold.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising notifying the prepay customer of imminent suspension in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a suspend threshold.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein notifying the customer is performed consistent with prepay customer preferences in delivery time and frequency.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving a payment comprises receiving a payment made via at least one of a money transfer service, bill payment service, a credit card or debit card online or over the telephone with the customer service representative, automated clearing house fund transfer networks, an authorized agent, and a prepaid card.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising generating a suspend order in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a suspend threshold.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving a prepay customer utility usage amount comprises receiving daily utility usage data.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving a prepay customer utility usage amount comprises receiving real-time utility usage data.

38. A prepay account management system comprising:

a prepay server operable to access data of a prepay customer account and update a balance of the prepay customer account on a daily basis in response to daily usage charges and replenishing payment amounts.

43. The prepay account management system of claim 38, wherein the prepay server is operable to deduct from the balance of a prepay customer account in response to daily usage charges, daily option charges, and taxes.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein the prepay server is operable to update a balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges, option charges, and/or taxes based on when the usage occurred.

39. A prepay account management method comprising:

accessing data associated with a prepay customer account;

accessing a daily usage amount associated with the prepay customer account;

accessing a replenishing payment amount; and

updating a balance of the prepay customer account in response to the daily usage charges and replenishing payment amount on a daily basis.

44. The prepay account management method of claim 39, wherein updating a balance of the prepay customer account comprises deducting from the balance of the prepay customer account in response to the daily usage charges, daily option charges, and taxes on a daily basis.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein updating a balance of the prepay customer account comprises updating the balance of the prepay customer account in response to an interval usage charge and/or taxes.

40. A prepay account management system comprising:

a prepay server operable to access data of a prepay customer account and update a balance of the prepay customer account on a real-time basis in response to usage charges and replenishing payment amounts.

41. A prepay account management method comprising:

accessing data associated with a prepay customer account;

accessing a daily usage amount associated with the prepay customer account;

accessing a replenishing payment amount; and

updating a balance of the prepay customer account in response to updates in the usage charges and replenishing payment amount on a real-time basis.