ACCOUNT AND ASSET LOADER TOOL

• US 20120028601A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bellofatto, Alberto, Angeletti, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• 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 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• 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 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• 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 2215/0172 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 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• 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 2215/56 On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system that enables reconciliation of accounts between a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and a mobile host operator (MHO) includes an asset loader server that receives data that defines a user event. The asset loader server generates a wholesale bill associated with the user event. The rate charged in the generated wholesale bill is based on a negotiated rate between the MVNO and the MHO that is different that the may be different than the rate at which the MVNO charges the user. The asset loader communicates the generated wholesale bill to a billing interface of the MNVO that is configured to receive an extensible markup language (XML) file that defines a wholesale bill associated with the MHO. The format of the generated wholesale bill is substantially the same as the format of the XML file associated with the MHO.

Claims

1. A method of that enables reconciliation of accounts between a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and a mobile host operator (MHO), the method comprising:

receiving, by an asset loader server, data that defines a user event, wherein the MVNO charges a user at a retail rate associated with the user event;

generating, by the asset loader server, a generated wholesale bill associated with the user event, wherein a rate charged in the generated wholesale bill is based on a negotiated rate between the MVNO and the MHO; and

communicating, by the asset loader server, the generated wholesale bill to a billing interface of the MVNO configured to receive an extensible markup language (XML) file that defines an MHO wholesale bill associated with the MHO, wherein a format of the generated wholesale bill is substantially similar to a format of the XML file associated with the MHO.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing, by a billing system of the MVNO, a plurality of generated wholesale bills associated with a plurality of users with the MHO wholesale bill communicated to the billing interface of the MVNO.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data that defines the user event is selected from the group consisting of:

a user ID, a time stamp associated with the event, a duration of the usage, and a user retail price.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising extracting, by a scripting tool, data that defines the user event from a database of the MVNO.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising processing, by the scripting tool, the data that defines the user event and storing processed user event data to an asset loader server database.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising generating, by a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) based tool, the XML file according to data stored in an asset loader server database.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising receiving by the SOAP based tool an acknowledgement from the billing interface that the generated wholesale bill has been processed.

8. A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising at least one code section reconciliation of accounts between a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and a mobile host operator (MHO), the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform acts of:

receiving data that defines a user event, wherein the MVNO charges a user at a retail rate associated with the user event;

generating a wholesale bill associated with the user event, wherein a rate charged in the generated wholesale bill is based on a negotiated rate between the MVNO and the MHO;

communicating the generated wholesale bill to a billing interface of the MVNO configured to receive an extensible markup language (XML) file that defines an MHO wholesale bill associated with the MHO, wherein a format of the generated wholesale bill is substantially similar to a format of the XML file associated with the MHO.

9. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the at least one code section enables comparing a plurality of generated wholesale bills associated with a plurality of users with the MHO wholesale bill communicated to the billing interface of the MVNO.

10. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the data that defines the user event is selected from the group consisting of:

a user ID, a time stamp associated with the event, a duration of the usage, and a user retail price.

11. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the at least one code section enables extracting data that defines the user event from a database of the MVNO.

12. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the at least one code section enables processing the data that defines the user event and storing processed user event data to an asset loader server database.

13. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the at least one code section enables generating the XML file according to data stored in an asset loader server database.

14. The machine-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the at least one code section enables receiving an acknowledgement from the billing interface that the generated wholesale bill has been processed.

15. A system that enables reconciliation of accounts between a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and a mobile host operator (MHO), the system comprising:

an asset loader server configured to receive data that defines a user event, wherein the MVNO charges a user at a retail rate associated with the user event;

generates a wholesale bill associated with the user event, wherein a rate charged in the generated wholesale bill is based on a negotiated rate between the MVNO and the MHO;

wherein the asset loader server is further configured to communicate the generated wholesale bill to a billing interface of the MNVO configured to receive an extensible markup language (XML) file that defines an MHO wholesale bill associated with the MHO, wherein a format of the generated wholesale bill is substantially similar to a format of the XML file associated with the MHO.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the MVNO is configured to compare a plurality of generated wholesale bills associated with a plurality of users with the MHO wholesale bill communicated to the billing interface of the MVNO.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the data that defines the user event is selected from the group consisting of:

a user ID, a time stamp associated with the event, a duration of the usage, and a user retail price.

18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a scripting tool configured to extract data that defines the user event from a database of the MVNO.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the scripting tool is further configured to process the data that defines the user event and store processed user event data to an asset loader server database.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising code and logic that implements a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) based tool that is configured to generate the XML file according to data stored in an asset loader server database.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the SOAP based tool is further configured to receive an acknowledgement from the billing interface that the generated wholesale bill has been processed.