Apparatus and method for comparing rate plans on a net-net basis

• US 6,885,997 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technologies Com
• Original Assignee: Technologies Com
• Inventors: Roberts, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/505,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 379/114.02, 379/121.01
• US Class Current: 705/26.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

An improved apparatus and method for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—net basis comprising a computer having a database, the database comprising rate plan characteristics for a plurality of rate plans; an input terminal operatively connected to the computer for entering data; a comparison program executing within the computer for comparing rate plans using the entered data; and an output terminal operatively connected to the computer for reporting the results of the comparison program is used to allow consumers to obtain true net cost comparisons of from a plurality of service plans from one or more service providers. Data are obtained from historical data or theorized and then normalized into appropriate per-second, per-block, or other categories for comparison for each of a set of categories describing the rate plans. Adherence to and influence of differing rate plan options are automatically calculated, and the net result of each rate plan is presented to the consumer for side-by-side comparisons. If an alternative rate plan is attractive to a service provider client, the client or its agent may opt to subscribe to that rate plan in place of the current rate plan, and the service provider notified accordingly.

Claims

1. An improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis, the improved apparatus comprising;

a. a computer having a memory;

b. a database resident in the memory, the database having at least one table comprising one or more records, the records comprising one or more fields having a predetermined structure, the records further detailing at least one rate plan characteristic corresponding to each of a plurality of rate plans for services;

c. an input terminal operatively connected to the computer for obtaining usage data, the usage data comprising cost data for the services;

d. a reduction program executing within the computer for reducing the obtained usage data into a set of net cost data comprising reductions of obtained usage data into commonly denominated data expressed in units of measure congruent with units of measure of the at least one rate plan characteristic;

e. a comparison program executing within the computer for comparing at least one of the plurality of rate plans to the net cost data; and

f. an output terminal operatively connected to the computer for reporting the results of the comparison program.

2. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 further comprising a data communications network.

3. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 2 whereby the input terminal is operatively connected to the computer through the data communications network.

4. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 2 whereby the output terminal is operatively connected to the computer through the data communications network.

5. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 2 wherein the data communications network is at least one of a terminal multiplexers, a local area networks, a wide area networks, a packet switched networks, a dial-up networks, a private data networks, a public data networks, or a cellular packet data networks.

6. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the services are telephony services.

7. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the rate plan characteristic comprises at least one of a local rate characteristics, a local access and transport area (LATA) rate characteristics, an intrastate rate characteristics, an interstate rate characteristics, an Internet rate characteristics, a cellular rate characteristics, a paging rate characteristics, a voice rate characteristics, a video rate characteristics, an international rate characteristics, an incoming toll-free rate characteristics, or an outgoing toll-free rate characteristics.

8. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the database further comprises a custom rate table comprising at least one rate plan characteristic corresponding to a rate plan for services not otherwise contained within the database.

9. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the rate plan characteristics comprises a charges per a predetermined increment.

10. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 9 wherein the predetermined increment is an increment of time.

11. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the rate plan characteristics comprises a cost data describing service provider service offerings available to a user of the service offerings.

12. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the cost data comprise data describing total units consumed and prices charges for each unit.

13. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the rate plan characteristics comprises a plurality of categories.

14. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 13 wherein the categories comprise units of measure and cost per unit of measure for rate plan characteristics.

15. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 1 wherein the database further comprises at least one table comprising descriptions of agents of service providers, clients of service providers, and service providers.

16. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 15 wherein the descriptions of agents comprise an agent'"'"'s name, an agent'"'"'s phone number, an agent'"'"'s fax number, an agent'"'"'s email, and one or more client records to be associated with an agent.

17. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 15 wherein the descriptions of clients comprise a name to appear on a report, and current service provider information.

18. The improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis of claim 15 wherein the descriptions of service providers comprise names, addresses, contact information, referral fees and commissions.

19. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input terminal is a batch input terminal.

20. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input terminal is an interactive input terminal.

21. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output terminal is a visual display device.

22. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output terminal is a personal computer.

23. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output terminal is file capable of storage on at least one of (i) a magnetic medium or (ii) an optical medium.

24. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output terminal is a printer.

25. The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output terminal is selected from the group of output terminals consisting of interactive visual devices, hard copy output devices, memory devices, and electronic devices.

26. An improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis, the improved apparatus comprising;

a. a computer having a memory;

b. a database stored in the memory, the database having at least one table comprising one or more records of a predetermined structure whereby the records comprise categories of at least one rate plan characteristic corresponding to each of a plurality of rate plans for each of a plurality of rate plans for services;

c. an input means operatively connected to the computer for obtaining usage data, the usage data comprising cost data for the services;

d. a reduction program executing within the computer for reducing the obtained usage data into a set of net cost data wherein the obtained usage data are reduced to a set of commonly denominated data expressed in units of measure congruent with units of measure of the at least one rate plan characteristic;

e. a comparison program executing within the computer for comparing at least one of the plurality of rate plans to the net cost data; and

f. an output means operatively connected to the computer for reporting the results of the comparison program.

27. The improved apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a results storage means.

28. The improved apparatus of claim 26, wherein the results storage means comprise a region of the memory.

29. The improved apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a data communications network intermediate between the computer and the output means.

30. The improved apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a data communications network intermediate between the computer and the input means.

31. The improved apparatus of claim 29 or 30, wherein the data communications network selected from the group of data communications networks consisting of terminal multiplexers, local area networks, wide area networks, packet switched networks, dial-up networks, private networks, public networks, and cellular packet data networks.

32. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein input means are batch input means.

33. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the input means are interactive input means.

34. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output means is a display device.

35. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output means is a personal computer.

36. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output means is file capable of storage on magnetic or optical media.

37. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output means is a printer.

38. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output means is selected from the group of output means consisting of interactive visual devices, hard copy output devices, memory devices, and electronic devices.

39. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the input means is a personal computer.

40. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the categories comprise units of measure and a cost per each unit of measure.

41. The improved apparatus of claim 26 wherein the usage data are actual, historical data.

42. An improved apparatus for comparing a plurality of rate plans on a net—

net basis, the improved apparatus comprising;

a. a memory device for containing a database, the database describing the plurality of rate plans as a plurality of records in one or more tables, each of the records comprising predetermined structures describing at least one rate plan category for each of the plurality of rate plans and at least one of the records serving as a first reference record;

b. an input device for accepting a set of usage data which represent usage and cost information for a service;

c. a reduction device for reducing the set of usage data, the reduction device capable of converting the usage and cost data into a reduced record comprising commonly denominated data associated with one or more categories congruent with the rate plan categories;

d. a comparison device, for comparing each category of the reference record to each congruent category of the reduced record;

e. a reporting device for creating a report comprising results of the comparison device for each category of the reference record and each category of the reduced record and each difference between each category of the reference record and each category of the reduced record; and

f. an output device operatively coupled to the comparison device, for outputting the report.

43. The improved apparatus of claim 42, further comprising storage device for storing the report.

44. The improved apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a data communications network disposed intermediate between the computer and the output device.

45. The improved apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a data communications network disposed intermediate between the computer and the input device.

46. The improved apparatus of claim 44 or 45, wherein the data communications network is selected from the group of data communications networks consisting of terminal multiplexers, local area networks, wide area networks, packet switched networks, dial-up networks, private networks, public networks, and cellular packet data networks.

47. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein input device is a batch input device.

48. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the input device is an interactive input device.

49. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the input device is a personal computer.

50. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the reduction device is a computer having a reduction program executing within the computer.

51. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the comparison device is a computer having a comparison program executing within the computer.

52. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the reporting device is a computer having a reporting program executing within the computer.

53. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the output device is a visual display device.

54. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the output device is a personal computer.

55. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the output device is a file capable of storage on magnetic or optical media.

56. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the output device is a printer.

57. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the output device is selected from the group of output means consisting of interactive visual devices, hard copy output devices, memory devices, and electronic devices.

58. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the categories comprise units of measure and a cost per each unit of measure.

59. The improved apparatus of claim 42 wherein the usage data are actual, historical data.