Method and system for generating a billing record

• US 5,920,613 A
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Linton, Thomas L., Alcott, Scott P., Primo, Diane I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Application Number:
  US08/845,173
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 379/34, 379/111-115, 379/201, 379/207, 379/119-121, 379/126-127, 379/133-134
• US Class Current: 379/114.02
• 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 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• 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 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection

Abstract

A transaction record is received including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by a subscriber. The transaction data is processed by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the telephone calls of the transaction record. The toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans are compared to determine a lowest toll amount. An amount x is deducted from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount. A billing record is generated for the subscriber based on the final toll amount.

Claims

1. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a method of generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by the at least one subscriber;

estimating at least one estimated toll rate based on a plurality of sample calls;

processing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call, wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans is based on the at least one estimated toll rate;

comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount;

deducting an amount x, calculated from a predetermined percentage of the lowest toll amount, from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount; and

generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction record includes a plurality of transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising:

intra-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of interexchange carriers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a optional calling plan corresponding to one of the plurality of interexchange carriers.

7. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a system for generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the system comprising:

an interface unit, coupled to the network, for receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to at least one telephone call placed by the at least one subscriber; and

a processor, in communication with the interface unit, for estimating at least one estimated toll rate based on a plurality of sample calls for processing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call, for comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount, for deducting an amount x, calculated from a predetermined percentage of the lowest toll amount, from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount, and for generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount;

wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans is based on the at least one estimated toll rate.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the transaction record includes a plurality of transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising:

intra-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of interexchange carriers.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a optional calling plan corresponding to one of the plurality of interexchange carriers.

13. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a bill generator for receiving the billing record for the at least one of the plurality of subscribers and for formatting and printing a billing statement.

14. In a network for providing telecommunication service to a plurality of network subscribers, a method of generating a billing record for at least one of the plurality of subscribers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a transaction record, the transaction record including transaction data corresponding to a plurality of telephone calls placed by the subscriber during a time period, wherein the plurality of telephone calls are from the group comprising;

inira-LATA toll calls, inter-LATA toll calls and international toll calls, and wherein the transaction data includes the time of day, date, duration and destination of the at least one telephone call;

estimating at least one estimated toll rate based on a plurality of sample calls;

proccssing the transaction data by a plurality of rate plans, each rate plan generating a toll amount corresponding to the at least one telephone call, wherein each of the plurality of rate plans correspond to a service rate for one of a plurality of carriers wherein at least one of the plurality of rate plans is based on the at least one estimated toll rate;

comparing the toll amounts from each of the plurality of rate plans to determine a lowest toll amount;

calculating a value x as a percentage of the lowest toll amount;

deducting an amount x from the lowest toll amount to form a final toll amount; and

generating the billing record for the at least one of a plurality of subscribers based on the final toll amount.