System, method and computer program product for network record synthesis

• US 6,836,797 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.), Amdocs Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Xacct Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Givoly, Tal, Schweitzer, Limor
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HAI V
• Application Number:
  US10/040,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/223, 709/224, 709/302, 709/225, 713/1, 379/93.25, 379/114, 379/119, 379/120, 379/130, 379/114.01, 370/401, 705/30
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2013 Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for generating a single record reflecting multiple services for accounting purposes. First, a plurality of services carried out over a network are identified. Such services may include an hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session, an electronic mail session, and/or a voice over Internet Protocol (IP) session. Further, data is collected describing the plurality of services. A single record is subsequently generated using the collected data to represent each of the services.

Claims

1. A method for generating a single record reflecting multiple services for accounting purposes, comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of services carried out over a network;

(b) collecting data describing the plurality of services; and

(c) generating a single record including the collected data, wherein the single record represents each of the plurality of services.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising sending the single record to a Business Support System.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the single record is used to bill at least one recipient of the services.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of services are received by a single party associated with the single record.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the single party is identified in the record.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising collecting a plurality of the single records, and generating a distinct record including the collected data of each of the single records, wherein the distinct record represents each of the plurality of single records.

7. A computer program product embedded into computer readable medium for generating a single record reflecting multiple services for accounting purposes, comprising:

(a) computer code for identifying a plurality of services carried out over a network;

(b) computer code for collecting data describing the plurality of services; and

(c) computer code for generating a single record including the collected data, wherein the single record represents each of the plurality of services;

wherein the services include at least two services selected from a group consisting of a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session, an electronic mail session, a multimedia streaming session, a voice over Internet Protocol (IP) session, a data communication session, an instant messaging session, a peer-to-peer network application session, a file transfer protocol (FTP) session, and a telnet session;

wherein the data is collected utilizing an enhancement procedure defined utilizing a graphic user interface by;

listing a plurality of available functions to be applied in real-time prior to end-user reporting,

allowing a user to choose at least one of a plurality of fields, and

allowing the user to choose at least one of the listed functions to be applied to the chosen field in real-time prior to the end-user reporting.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, and further comprising computer code for sending the single record to a Business Support System.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the single record is used to bill at least one recipient of the services.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of services are received by a single party associated with the single record.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein the single party is identified in the record.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, and further comprising computer code for collecting a plurality of the single records, and computer code for generating a distinct record including the collected data of each of the single records, wherein the distinct record represents each of the plurality of single records.

13. A system comprising computer readable medium for generating a single record reflecting multiple services for accounting purposes, comprising:

(a) logic for identifying a plurality of services carried out over a network;

(b) logic for collecting data describing the plurality of services; and

(c) logic for generating a single record including the collected data, wherein the single record represents each of the plurality of services;

wherein the services include at least two services selected from a group consisting of a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session, an electronic mail session, a multimedia streaming session, a voice over Internet Protocol (IP) session, a data communication session, an instant messaging session, a peer-to-peer network application session, a file transfer protocol (FTP) session, and a telnet session;

wherein the data is collected utilizing an enhancement procedure defined utilizing a graphic user interface by;

listing a plurality of available functions to be applied in real-time prior to end-user reporting,

allowing a user to choose at least one of a plurality of fields, and allowing the user to choose at least one of the listed functions to be applied to the chosen field in real-time prior to the end-user reporting.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, and further comprising logic for sending the single record to a Business Support System.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the single record is used to bill at least one recipient of the services.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the plurality of services are received by a single party associated with the single record.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the single party is identified in the record.

18. The system as recited in claim 13, and further comprising logic for collecting a plurality of the single records, and logic for generating a distinct record including the collected data of each of the single records, wherein the distinct record represents each of the plurality of single records.

19. A method for generating a single record reflecting multiple services, comprising:

(a) collecting data with different formats describing a plurality of services, wherein the services are selected from the group consisting of an hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session, electronic mail session, a multimedia streaming session, and voice over Internet Protocol (IP) session;

(b) collecting data with different formats describing users of the services;

(c) generating a single record including the collected data representing each of the services and the users;

(d) collecting a plurality of the single records;

(e) generating a distinct record including the collected data of each of the single records, wherein the distinct record represents each of the plurality of single records; and

(f) sending the distinct record to a Business Support System.