Assigning telecommunications services to matchable classes

• US 6,912,277 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1999
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AIP Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: ANIP, Inc. (INNOVATE Corp.)
• Inventors: Mashinsky, Alexander, Mayer, Daniel Jitzchak
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/368,828
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/113, 379/114, 379/115, 379/121, 379/124, 379/144, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 705/23, 705/26, 705/27, 705/37, 380/23, 380/25, 380/49
• US Class Current: 379/114.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• 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 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding

Abstract

A telecommunications services exchange that assigns telecommunications services to a relatively small number of tagged classes based on the values of certain parameters characterizing these services is disclosed. Carriers and other traders participating in the exchange may use the class tag to refer to each service they seek to purchase or sell. The relatively small number of classes increases the probability of matching offered and required services. Class definitions may be established on the basis of typical parameter values for a particular type of service, and may be modified over time as those values change. The exchange operator may monitor the parameter variation of each offered service, and swap that service for a different service when monitored variation exceeds that dictated by class boundaries. The system may employ a hysteresis band of suitable dimensions to ensure that the assignment of offered services to classes is as stable as desired when remaining sensitive to meaningful variations in parameter values.

Claims

1. A method of trading telecommunications services, comprising:

identifying at least one parameter;

specifying for that parameter a plurality of values, each value associated with a particular class of service;

receiving from a seller an offer to sell a telecommunications service;

assigning the offered telecommunications service to a class on the basis of the asserted value of that parameter in the offered telecommunications service;

receiving from a buyer an offer to purchase a required telecommunications service;

assigning the required telecommunications service to a class;

matching the offer to sell to the offer to buy when the offered telecommunications service is the same class as the required telecommunications service;

brokering a transaction that effects a transfer of ownership of the offered telecommunications service from the seller to the buyer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the offered telecommunications service is assigned to a class by the seller.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the offered telecommunications service is assigned to a class by the entity that brokers the transaction between the seller and the buyer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the required telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the buyer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the required telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the entity that brokers the transaction between the seller and the buyer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the values specified for the parameter is a function of a median value for the parameter for a class of telecommunications services including the offered telecommunications service.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one value is modified over time as the median value for the parameter changes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the quality of the service provided by the seller; and

reassigning the offered telecommunications service to a different class if the quality of service provided by the seller improves or degrades.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the service offer is reassigned only if the quality of service changes more than a predetermined amount.

10. The method of claim 8, stabilizing the reassignment of service offers using a hysteresis band.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the typical quality of service provided for the class; and

reassigning the offered telecommunications service to a different class if the quality of service provided by the seller improves or degrades relative to the typical quality of service provided for the class.

12. A method of providing a telecommunications sale comprising the steps of:

defining classes for telecommunications services;

acquiring from a buyer and a seller sell and purchase orders for telecommunications services;

verifying the seller'"'"'s telecommunications service parameters;

storing the sell and purchase orders electronically;

pooling sellers'"'"' telecommunications services based on the grade of telecommunications service;

automatically identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service that satisfies the buyer'"'"'s telecommunications service purchase order based on the sell and purchase orders;

and enabling interconnection node or nodes between the seller and the buyer according to a pre-determined bilateral agreement.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of defining classes includes choosing a set of class parameters and the values for the parameters.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of defining grades includes specifying weighting factors for the grade parameters.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of acquiring includes a seller and a buyer inputting sell and purchase orders into input templates on a secure network site.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of inputting sell and purchase orders includes inputting the grade, capacity, route, price and the number of circuits information of the telecommunications service.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of determining the grade of a telecommunications service from the parameter values inputted.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of verifying includes periodically verifying the classes of the telecommunications services available for sale.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of changing the class of a telecommunications service based on changed parameter values.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of verifying includes periodically verifying the classes of telecommunications service being used by a buyer.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of changing the class of a telecommunications service based on changed parameter values.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of assessing a penalty against a seller if its service is reassigned to a lower class.

23. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of recommending an alternate telecommunications service to satisfy the buyer'"'"'s purchase order.

24. The method of claim 12 further comprising a buyer inputting a second purchase order when no match is identified for the buyer'"'"'s first purchase order.

25. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes comparing the purchase order to services assigned to a class that satisfy the purchase order.

26. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes selecting a sell order from a class that satisfies the purchase order.

27. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes replacing a selected sell order with another sell order to satisfy the purchase order during an active use of telecommunications service that was the subject of the selected sell order.

28. A method of trading telecommunication services, comprising:

identifying at least one parameter;

specifying for that parameter a plurality of values, each value associated with a particular class of service;

receiving by a server node from a seller an offer to sell a telecommunications service;

assigning by the server node the offered telecommunications service to a class on the basis of the asserted value of that parameter in the offered telecommunications service;

receiving by the server node from a buyer a request to buy a telecommunications service;

assigning the requested telecommunications service to a class;

matching by the server node the offer to sell to the request to buy when the offered telecommunications service is of the same class as the requested telecommunications service;

brokering a transaction that effects a transfer of the offered telecommunications service from the seller to the buyer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the offered telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the seller.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the offered telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the server node.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the requested telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the buyer.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the requested telecommunication service is assigned to a class by the server node.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of the values specified for the parameter is a function of a median value for the parameter for a class of telecommunications services including the offered telecommunications service.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one value is modified over time as the median value for the parameter changes.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

monitoring the quality of service provided by the seller; and

reassigning the offered telecommunications service to a different class if the quality of service provided by the seller improves or degrades.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the service offer is reassigned only if the quality of service changes more than a predetermined amount.

37. The method of claim 35, stabilizing the reassignment of service offers using a hysteresis band.

38. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

monitoring the typical quality of service provided for the class; and

reassigning the offered telecommunications service to a different class if the quality of service provided by the seller improves or degrades relative to the typical quality of service provided for the class.

39. A method of providing a telecommunications sale comprising the steps of:

defining classes for telecommunications services;

receiving by a server node from a buyer and a seller sell and purchase orders for telecommunications services;

verifying by the server node the seller'"'"'s telecommunications service parameters;

storing by the server node the sell and purchase orders;

classifying by the server node sellers'"'"' telecommunications services based on the grade of telecommunications service;

identifying by the server node a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service that satisfies the buyer'"'"'s telecommunications service purchase order including grade of telecommunication service requirement based on the sell and purchase orders; and

enabling by the server node one or more interconnection nodes between the seller and the buyer according to a pre-determined bilateral agreement.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of defining classes includes choosing a set of class parameters and values for the parameters.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of defining grades includes specifying weighting factors for the grade parameters.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of receiving includes a seller and a buyer inputting sell and purchase orders into input templates on a secure network site.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of inputting sell and purchase orders includes inputting the grade, capacity, route, price, and the number of circuits information of the telecommunications service.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of determining the grade of a telecommunications service from the parameter values inputted.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of verifying includes periodically verifying the classes of the telecommunications services available for sale.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of changing the class of a telecommunications service based on changed parameter values.

47. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of verifying includes periodically verifying the classes of the telecommunications service being used by a buyer.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of changing the class of a telecommunications service based on changed parameter values.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising the step of assessing a penalty against a seller if its service is reassigned to a lower class.

50. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of recommending an alternate telecommunications service to satisfy the buyer'"'"'s purchase order.

51. The method of claim 39, further comprising a buyer inputting a second purchase order when no match is identified for the buyer'"'"'s first purchase order.

52. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes comparing the purchase order to services assigned to a class that satisfy the purchase order.

53. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes selecting a sell order from a class that satisfies the purchase order.

54. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of identifying a seller'"'"'s telecommunications service includes replacing a selected sell order with another sell order to satisfy the purchase order during an active use of telecommunications service that was the subject of the selected sell order.

55. A telecommunications sale system comprising:

a plurality of sellers;

a plurality of buyers;

a network site connected to a server node for receiving sell and purchase offers from the sellers and buyers, respectively, for telecommunications services, each of said sell and purchase offers specifying a class of service; and

means for matching the sell and purchase offers and brokering a transaction of telecommunications service, on the basis of at least one of the specified classes of service.

56. The systems of claim 55, further comprising an interconnection node between a seller telecommunication network and buyer telecommunication network so as to enable a buyer to use telecommunications service purchased from a seller.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein said interconnection node is connected to said server node through a communication line and receives instructions from said server node for connecting said buyer and said seller telecommunications networks.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein the network site includes a secure world-wide-web site.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein at least one of the sellers is not a telecommunications carrier.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein at least one of the buyers is not a telecommunications carrier.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein, for each purchase order, the system assigns the purchase order to a class and requests approval for the assignment from the buyer.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein, for each purchase order, the purchase order is assigned to a class and the system informs the buyer of a price at which the system will be able to match the buyer'"'"'s purchase order with a sell order.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the system gives the buyer the opportunity to enter a price for its purchase order equal to said price.

64. The system of claim 55, wherein said at least one of the specified classes of service includes Answer Seizure Ratio.

65. The system of claim 55, wherein said at least one of the specified classes of service includes Post Dial Delay.

66. The system of claim 56, wherein said interconnection node includes a quality monitoring equipment.