System and method for issuing customer credits for information assistance services
First Claim
1. A method for issuing credits for services requested in information assistance calls, comprising:
- collecting records indicative of the services for billing customers for the services;
receiving from a customer a request for credit for a service in an information assistance call;
determining whether the request is received before a termination of the information assistance call;
obtaining data concerning at least an identifier identifying the information assistance call before a termination of the information assistance call when it is determined that the request is received before the termination of the information assistance call;
identifying at least one record from the collected records, which concerns the service and contains the identifier; and
causing the services indicated in the collected records, except the service indicated in the at least one record, to be billed, thereby effecting the credit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a system for providing customers with information assistance services, records are generated to register service events. In prior art, all of the records are transmitted to a billing platform for billing customers for the services. When a customer requests credit for an unsatisfactory service, the credit issuance is traditionally handled at the billing platform. However, in accordance with the invention, the credit issuance is handled by first identifying, from the records, those records of service events for which the credit is requested. All of the records, except the identified records, are then transmitted to the billing platform for completion of the billing process, thereby effecting the credit issuance.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for issuing credits for services requested in information assistance calls, comprising:
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collecting records indicative of the services for billing customers for the services;
receiving from a customer a request for credit for a service in an information assistance call;
determining whether the request is received before a termination of the information assistance call;
obtaining data concerning at least an identifier identifying the information assistance call before a termination of the information assistance call when it is determined that the request is received before the termination of the information assistance call;
identifying at least one record from the collected records, which concerns the service and contains the identifier; and
causing the services indicated in the collected records, except the service indicated in the at least one record, to be billed, thereby effecting the credit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for issuing credits for a selected one of a plurality of services provided in an information assistance call, comprising:
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generating a plurality of records indicative of respective ones of the plurality of services provided in the information assistance call;
receiving from a customer a request for credit for the selected service provided in the information assistance call;
obtaining data concerning at least an identifier associated with a communications device from which the information assistance call originated, and information for distinguishing the selected service from at least one other service provided in the information assistance call;
identifying a record from the plurality of records which is indicative of the selected service based on the data and the information; and
causing the services indicated in the plurality of records, except the selected service indicated in the identified record, to be billed, thereby effecting the credit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for issuing credits for services rendered in information assistance calls, comprising:
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a database for providing records indicative of the services for billing customers for the services;
an interface for receiving from a customer a request for credit for a service in an information assistance call;
a processor for determining whether the request is received before a termination of the information assistance call, data being obtained concerning at least an identifier identifying the information assistance call before a termination of the information assistance call when it is determined that the request is received before the termination of the information assistance call; and
a mechanism for identifying at least one record from said database which concerns the service and contains the identifier, and causing the services indicated in the collected records, except the service indicated in the at least one record, to be billed, thereby effecting the credit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for issuing a credit for a selected one of a plurality of services provided in an information assistance call, comprising:
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a database for providing a plurality of records indicative of respective ones of the plurality of services provided in the information assistance call;
an interface for receiving from a customer a request for a credit for the selected service provided in the information assistance call;
a processor for obtaining data concerning at least an identifier associated with a communications device from which the information assistance call originated, and information for distinguishing the selected service from at least one other service provided in the information assistance call; and
a mechanism for identifying a record from the plurality of records which is indicative of the selected service based on the data and the information, and causing the services indicated in the plurality of records, except the selected service indicated in the identified record, to be billed, thereby effecting the credit. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification