Customer billing relationships software

• US 6,337,901 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parris, Raymonda J., OʼBryan, Susan S., Rome, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh
• Application Number:
  US09/418,823
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/118, 379/121, 379/124, 379/128, 379/133, 379/134, 379/135, 379/120, 379/125, 379/126, 379/144, 379/207
• US Class Current: 379/112.01
• 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• 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 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• 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 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• 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 computer network architecture and software that accesses multiple telephone billing systems across multiple telephone service regions, provides a telecommunications service provider with a consolidated view of a customer'"'"'s telephone usage, and provides means for creating, automatically implementing, and monitoring billing plans based on customer billing relationships illustrated in the consolidated view. The present invention pulls information from different billing systems and presents the telecommunications service provider with a consolidated account view that summarizes a customer'"'"'s total worth to the service provider, rather than listing a series of unrelated accounts for the same customer. With the individualized consolidated views, a telecommunications service provider can formulate and implement flexible terms and conditions for each customer. The computer network architecture also supports extensive reporting capabilities and means for correcting the accounts presented in the consolidated views. Further, the architecture enables automatic implementation of billing plans without coding software programs.

Claims

1. A method for executing a telephone service billing plan comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a first group of billing records of a customer from a customer record information system, wherein the first group of billing records is accessed from multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices,

accessing a second group of billing records of the customer from a carrier access billing system, wherein the second group of billing records is accessed from the multiple customer operations units and the multiple revenue accounting offices, and wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity, and

associating the first group of billing records with the second group of billing records to create a compiled group of billing records;

(b) automatically presenting a customer billing relationship based on the compiled group of billing records;

(c) creating and updating a customer billing plan based on the customer billing relationship; and

(d) automatically implementing the customer billing plan based on the customer billing relationship.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating and updating a customer billing plan comprises creating and updating terms, conditions, discounts, and promotions of the customer billing plan.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(e) reporting detailed billing information of the customer; and

(f) providing means for correcting the detailed billing information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is comprised of displaying a customer view that groups accounts under a single logical customer, shows relations between two customers, and provides unique customer-based information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) is automatically completed, without having to program a software code, by using online facilities, offline facilities, and a plurality of applications interfaces.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises the steps of:

(i) retrieving, from the customer record information system and the carrier access billing system, data relevant to terms and conditions of the customer billing plan;

(ii) calculating a discount based on the data and the terms and conditions;

(iii) creating an other-charge-and-credit based on the discount; and

(iv) passing the other-charge-and-credit to the customer record information system and the carrier access billing system for inclusion on a customer bill.

7. A computer network architecture comprising:

(a) a customer records information system;

(b) a carrier access billing system, wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity;

(c) a customer billing relationships manager application that

interfaces with the customer records information system and the carrier access billing system,

accesses a first group of billing records of a customer from the customer record information system, wherein the first group of billing records is accessed from multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices,

accesses a second group of billing records of the customer from the carrier access billing system, wherein the second group of billing records is accessed from the multiple customer operations units and the multiple revenue accounting offices,

associates the first group of billing records with the second group of billing records to create a compiled group of billing records,

creates and maintains a customer view based on the compiled group of billing records, and

supports online tasks and offline data maintenance and exchange; and

(d) a customer terms and conditions manager application that

is integrated with the customer billing relationships manager application,

interfaces with the customer billing relationship manager application, the customer records information system, and the carrier access billing system,

provides means to establish, monitor, take action on, and report on customer level terms and conditions, and

includes both online and offline transaction capabilities and an internal monitoring functionality capable of triggering both online and offline activity.

8. The computer network architecture of claim 7, wherein the customer view shows accounts grouped together that are logically one customer, shows relationships between customers and other customers, and provides unique customer-based information.

9. The computer network architecture of claim 7, wherein the customer relationships manager application and the customer terms and conditions manager application comprise one or more components selected from the group consisting essentially of an online portion, a database, a report generator, offline interfaces, online interfaces, interfaces for updating changes to existing systems, and other application interfaces.

10. The computer network architecture of claim 9, wherein the online portion comprises graphical user interfaces, application servers, and database servers.

11. The computer network architecture of claim 10, wherein the graphical user interfaces reside on client workstations and the application servers reside on midrange UNIX systems.

12. The computer network architecture of claim 9, wherein the database resides on UNIX systems.

13. The computer network architecture of claim 9, wherein the online interfaces communicate with object management software.

14. The computer network architecture of claim 9, wherein the offline interfaces are coded in a business application computer programming language.

15. The computer network architecture of claim 9, wherein the other application interfaces communicate with object management software.

16. A computer network architecture comprising:

(a) a client system containing a client program;

(b) an application server containing an application server program; and

(c) a database server containing a database,

wherein in response to a user request for a customer billing relationships through the client system, the application server program retrieves information from the database, the application server program performs any required business logic, the application server program returns the information to the client program, and the client program formats and displays the customer billing relationships on a screen for the user,

wherein the application server contains business applications and legacy applications,

wherein the business applications are a customer billing relationships manager application and a customer terms and conditions application, and the legacy applications are a customer records information system and a carrier access billing system,

wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity, and

wherein the information retrieved from the database includes

a first group of billing records from the customer record information system, wherein the first group of billing records is accessed from multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices, and

a second group of billing records from the carrier access billing system, wherein the second group of billing records is accessed from the multiple customer operations units and the multiple revenue accounting offices.

17. A method for executing a telephone service billing plan comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a first group of billing records of a customer from a customer record information system, wherein the first group of billing records is accessed from multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices,

accessing a second group of billing records of the customer from a carrier access billing system, wherein the second group of billing records is accessed from the multiple customer operations units and the multiple revenue accounting offices, and wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity, and

associating the first group of billing records with the second group of billing records to create a compiled group of billing records;

(b) automatically presenting a customer billing relationship based on the compiled group of billing records;

(c) creating and updating a customer billing plan based on the customer billing relationship;

(d) implementing the customer billing plan based on the customer billing relationship;

(e) reporting detailed billing information of the customer; and

(f) providing means for correcting the detailed billing information,

wherein the detailed billing information includes a reward total received by the customer, a list of accounts receiving rewards, and a revenue total collected from the customer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of creating and updating a customer billing plan comprises creating and updating terms, conditions, discounts, and promotions of the customer billing plan.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) is comprised of displaying a customer view that groups accounts under a single logical customer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein step (d) is automatically completed, without having to program a software code, by using online facilities, offline facilities, and a plurality of applications interfaces.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein step (d) comprises the steps of:

(i) retrieving, from the customer records information system and the carrier access billing system, data relevant to terms and conditions of the customer billing plan;

(ii) calculating a discount based on the data and the terms and conditions;

(iii) creating an other-charge-and-credit based on the discount; and

(iv) passing the other-charge-and-credit to the customer record information system and the carrier access billing system for inclusion on a customer bill.

22. A computer network architecture comprising:

(a) a customer records information system;

(b) a carrier access billing system, wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity;

(c) a customer billing relationships manager application that interfaces with the customer records information system and the carrier access billing system, creates and maintains a customer view, and supports online tasks and offline data maintenance and exchange,

wherein the customer view includes a customer billing relationship that associates billing records of a customer across multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices; and

(d) a customer terms and conditions manager application that interfaces with the customer relationship manager application, the customer records information system, and the carrier access billing system, provides means to establish, monitor, take action on, and report on customer level terms and conditions, and includes both online and offline transaction capabilities and an internal monitoring functionality capable of triggering both online and offline activity.

23. The computer network architecture of claim 22, wherein the customer view shows accounts grouped together that are logically one customer.

24. The computer network architecture of claim 22, wherein the customer relationships manager application and the customer terms and conditions manager application comprise one or more components selected from the group consisting essentially of an online portion, a database, a report generator, offline interfaces, online interfaces, interfaces for updating changes to existing systems, and other application interfaces.

25. The computer network architecture of claim 24, wherein the online portion comprises graphical user interfaces, application servers, and database servers.

26. The computer network architecture of claim 25, wherein the graphical user interfaces reside on client workstations and the application servers reside on mid-range UNIX systems.

27. The computer network architecture of claim 24, wherein the database resides on UNIX systems.

28. The computer network architecture of claim 24, wherein the online interfaces communicate with object management software.

29. The computer network architecture of claim 24, wherein the offline interfaces are coded in a business application computer programming language.

30. The computer network architecture of claim 24, wherein the other application interfaces communicate with abject management software.

31. A computer network architecture comprising:

(a) a client system containing a client program;

(b) an application server containing an application server program; and

(c) a database server containing a database,

wherein in response to a user request for a customer billing relationship through the client system, the application server program retrieves information from the database, the application server program performs any required business logic, the application server program returns the information to the client program, and the client program formats and displays the customer billing relationship on a screen for the user, and

wherein the customer billing relationship associates billing records of a customer across multiple customer operations units and multiple revenue accounting offices.

32. The computer network architecture of claim 31, wherein the application server contains business applications and legacy applications.

33. The computer network architecture of claim 32, wherein the business applications are a customer billing relationships manager application and a customer terms and conditions application, and the legacy applications are a customer records information system and a carrier access billing system, wherein the carrier access billing system maintains billing records for wholesale customers that purchase blocks of telephone capacity.