Communication billing system

• US 6,615,034 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Scott F., Laura, Joseph G., Carter, Mark D., Ganter, Robert W., McKee, Mark S., Williams, James D., Alloune, Kathleen E., Seefeldt, Angela L., Paelinck, Charles A., Knapp, Gretchen L., Benoist, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC M
• Application Number:
  US09/560,423
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/408, 455/426, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/445, 455/461, 455/560, 455/414, 379/114.01, 379/132, 379/144.01
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 : per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A communication billing system comprising a processing system coupled to an interface system. The processing system is configured to process a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system together at the event level with a plurality of wireline service events from a wireline system to generate total charge records for a plurality of wireless services and a plurality of wireline services. The processing system is also configured to process the total charge records for the plurality of wireless services and the plurality of wireline services to generate a customer bill. The interface system is configured to receive the plurality of wireless service events from the wireless system, receive the plurality of wireline service events from the wireline system, and transmit the customer bill for the processing system.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication billing system the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of wireless service events from a wireless system and a plurality of wireline service events from a wireline system into the communication billing system;

extracting the wireless service events and the wireline service events generated during a billing period by a customer based on a customer identification;

determining a total charge record for the extracted wireless service events and a total charge record for the extracted wireline service events;

determining if the extracted wireless service events and the extracted wireline service events are eligible for a cross-contribution;

applying the cross-contribution to the extracted wireless service events eligible for the cross contribution and the extracted wireline service events eligible for the cross-contribution; and

processing the total wireless charge records and the total wireline charge records to generate a bill for the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the cross-contribution comprises:

applying a credit for unused wireline service minutes to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the cross-contribution comprises:

applying a credit for unused wireless service minutes to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for prorating;

prorating the extracted wireless service events eligible for prorating; and

adjusting the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for prorating;

prorating the extracted wireline service events eligible for prorating; and

adjusting the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for a discount;

discounting the extracted wireless service events eligible for the discount; and

adjusting the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for the discount;

discounting the extracted wireline service events eligible for the discount; and

adjusting the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the discount is based on a promotion.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireline service events.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events and wireline service events.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireless service events are subject to a minimum service charge; and

applying the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the extracted wireline service events are subject to a minimum service charge; and

applying the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

14. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireless service events, validating each of the plurality of wireless service events.

15. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireless service events, formatting each of the plurality of wireless service events.

16. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireline service events, validating each of the plurality of wireline service events.

17. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireline service events, formatting each of the plurality of wireline service events.

18. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireless service events, generating reporting information based on the received plurality of wireless service events.

19. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireline service events, generating reporting information based on the received plurality of wireline service events.

20. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the plurality of wireline service events and the plurality of wireless service events, generating reporting information based on the received plurality of wireline service events and the received plurality of wireless service events.

21. A communication billing system comprising:

an interface system configured to receive a plurality of wireless service events at an event level from the wireless system and receive a plurality of wireline service events at an event level from the wireline system for the processing system;

an event storage system configured to store the plurality of wireline service events and the plurality of wireless service events;

a processing system configured to extract from the event storage system the wireless service events generated during a billing period by a customer based on a customer identification and extract from the event storage system the wireline service events generated during the billing period by the customer based on the customer identification;

the processing system further configured to determine a total charge record for the extracted wireless service events and determine a total charge record for the extracted wireline service events;

the processing system further configured to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for a cross-contribution, apply the cross-contribution to the extracted wireless service events eligible for the cross-contribution, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events; and

the processing system is further configured to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for the cross-contribution, apply the cross-contribution to the extracted wireline service events eligible for the cross-contribution, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

22. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to process the total charge records for the plurality of wireless services and the plurality of wireline services to generate a bill for a customer and the interface system is further configured to transmit the bill for the processing system.

23. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the cross-contribution comprises:

a credit for unused wireless service minutes applied to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

24. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the cross-contribution comprises:

a credit for unused wireline service minutes applied to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

25. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for prorating, prorate the extracted wireless service events eligible for prorating, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

26. The communication billing system of claim 25 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for prorating, prorate the extracted wireline service events eligible for prorating, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

27. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for a discount, apply the discount to the extracted wireless service events eligible for the discount, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

28. The communication billing system of claim 27 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for the discount, apply the discount to the extracted wireline service events eligible for the discount, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

29. The communication billing system of claim 28 wherein the discount is based on a promotion.

30. The communication billing system of claim 28 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events.

31. The communication billing system of claim 28 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireline service events.

32. The communication billing system of claim 28 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events and wireline service events.

33. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireless service events are subject to a minimum service charge and apply the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

34. The communication billing system of claim 33 wherein the processing system is configured to determine if the extracted wireline service events are subject to the minimum service charge and apply the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

35. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to validate each of the received plurality of wireline service events and to validate each of the received plurality of wireless service events.

36. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to format each of the received plurality of wireline service events and format each of the received plurality of wireless service events.

37. The communication billing system of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to generate reporting information based on the received plurality of wireline service events and the received plurality of wireless service events.

38. A software product for use in operating a communication billing system wherein an interface system is configured to receive a plurality of wireless service events at an event level from a wireless system and receive a plurality of wireline service events at an event level from a wireline system and transfer the wireline service events and wireless service events to the communication billing system, the software product comprising:

processing system instructions configured to direct a processing system;

to store the plurality of wireline service events and the plurality of wireless service events and to direct the processing system to extract the wireless service events generated during a billing period by a customer based on a customer identification and extract the wireline service events generated during the billing period by the customer based on the customer identification,

to determine a total charge record for the extracted wireless service events and determine a total charge record for the extracted wireline service events;

to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for a cross-contribution, apply the cross-contribution to the extracted wireless service events eligible for the cross-contribution, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events,

to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for the cross-contribution apply the cross-contribution, to the extracted wireline service events eligible for the cross-contribution, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events,

to process the total charge record for the plurality of wireless service events and the total charge record for the plurality of wireline service events to generate a bill for a customer, and

a storage system that stores the processing system instructions.

39. The product of claim 38 wherein the cross-contribution comprises:

a credit for unused wireless service minutes applied to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

40. The product of claim 38 wherein the cross-contribution comprises:

a credit for unused wireline service minutes applied to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

41. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for prorating, prorate the extracted wireless service events eligible for prorating, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

42. The product of claim 41 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for prorating, prorate the extracted wireline service events eligible for prorating, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

43. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireless service events are eligible for a discount, apply the discount to the extracted wireless service events eligible for the discount, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

44. The product of claim 43 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireline service events are eligible for the discount, apply the discount to the extracted wireline service events eligible for the discount, and adjust the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

45. The product of claim 44 wherein the discount is based on a promotion.

46. The product of claim 44 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events.

47. The product of claim 44 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireline service events.

48. The product of claim 44 wherein the discount is based on a volume of wireless service events and wireline service events.

49. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireless service events are subject to a minimum service charge and apply the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireless service events.

50. The product of claim 49 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to determine if the extracted wireline service events are subject to the minimum service charge and apply the minimum service charge to the total charge record for the extracted wireline service events.

51. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to validate each of the received plurality of wireline service events and to validate each of the received plurality of wireless service events.

52. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to format each of the received plurality of wireline service events and format each of the received plurality of wireless service events.

53. The product of claim 38 wherein the processing system instructions are configured to direct the processing system to generate reporting information based on the received plurality of wireline service events and the received plurality of wireless service events.