Methods, systems, and computer program products for selecting or generating a single call detail record (CDR) from a plurality of CDRs associated with a call having a plurality of legs

• US 7,231,024 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec Global, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Marsico, Peter J., Moisey, Kenneth A., Petteway, Clifton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/156,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20050281399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.28, 379/116, 379/119, 379/121.04, 379/121.05, 379/125, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/133, 379/134
• US Class Current: 379/126
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for selecting or generating a single call detail record (CDR) from a plurality of CDRs associated with a call that includes a plurality of legs are disclosed. According to one aspect, a CDR selection/consolidation function may analyze CDRs for calls that involve a plurality of legs and select a representative CDR for the call. The selected CDR is provided to a network services application. According to another aspect, the CDR selection/consolidation function may locate a plurality of CDRs associated with a multi-leg call and produce a single consolidated or “blended” CDR that is representative of the call. The consolidated CDR may contain information from some or all of the multiple CDRs.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a representative call detail record (CDR) from a plurality of CDRs associated with a call that involves a plurality of switching offices, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing a plurality of CDRs, the plurality of CDRs including CDRs associated with different legs of a call that involves a plurality of switching offices and a plurality of legs;

(b) determining an office type associated with each of the CDRs; and

(c) selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs as a representative CDR associated with the call based on the office type.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing a plurality of CDRs includes analyzing a plurality of uncorrelated CDRs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing a plurality of CDRs includes analyzing a plurality of correlated CDRs.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing a plurality of CDRs includes analyzing a plurality of CDRs stored in a single geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing a plurality of CDRs includes analyzing a plurality of CDRs stored in a plurality of different geographic locations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an office type associated with each of the CDRs includes determining an office type based on an originating address associated with each of the CDRs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the originating address includes an originating signaling system 7 (SS7) point code associated with the CDRs.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs as a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR having an originating point code that is not associated with a tandem office.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs as a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR associated with an originating end office.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs as a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR associated with a combined class of 4/5 tandem office.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs as a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR having an originating point code that is associated with a tandem office and that includes a calling party number (CdPN) and a called party number (CgPN) in a tandem NPA-NXX list.

12. A method for identifying and combining call detail records (CDRs) produced for different legs of the same call, the method comprising:

(a) determining an office type associated with a first CDR of a plurality of CDRs collected from different monitoring locations;

(b) determining whether the office type indicates that a call associated with the first CDR is a multi-leg call; and

(c) in response to determining that the call is a multi-leg call, locating at least one additional CDR associated with the call and combining the at least one additional CDR with the first CDR to produce a consolidated CDR for the multi-leg call.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether the office type indicates a multi-leg call includes determining whether the first CDR includes a point code associated with a tandem office.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein locating the at least one additional CDR includes:

(a) extracting a calling party number (CgPN) and a called party number (CdPN) from the first CDR; and

(b) searching for CDRs that include the CgPN and CdPN.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein searching for CDRs that include the CgPN and CdPN includes searching for CDRs within a predetermined time range of the first CDR.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein locating the at least one CDR includes determining whether the first CDR includes number portability information, and, in response, using the number portability information to locate the at least one additional CDR.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the number portability translation information includes a generic address parameter (GAP) value.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein locating the at least one additional CDR includes extracting a CdPN from the first CDR and searching a listing of tandem NPA-NXX values that include LRN values for the tandem office.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein generating a consolidated CDR includes tagging each CDR related to the call with a correlation parameter.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein generating a consolidated CDR includes generating a super CDR record that includes information associated with some or all of the CDR records related to the call.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the first CDR includes number portability translation information.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the number portability translation information includes a location routing number.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the number portability translation information includes a generic address parameter.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the number portability translation information includes a jurisdiction information parameter.

25. A method for selecting a representative CDR from a plurality of CDRs associated with a call that involves a plurality of switching offices and a number portability translation, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing a plurality of CDRs generated from messages collected at a plurality of different monitoring locations;

(b) determining whether a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call; and

(c) in response to determining that a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call, locating the CDRs and selecting a representative CDR from the plurality of CDRs, wherein selecting a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR that includes number portability translation information.

26. A system for selecting a single call detail record (CDR) from a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) associated with a call that involves a plurality of switching offices and a plurality of legs, the system comprising:

(a) at least one database for storing a plurality of CDR records; and

(b) a selection/consolidation function for;

(i) analyzing the CDR records in the at least one database;

(ii) determining an office type associated with each CDR; and

(iii) selecting a representative CDR for the call based on the office type.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein, in selecting a representative CDR for the call based on the office type, the selection/consolidation function is adapted to select a CDR that does not have an originating point code associated with a tandem office.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein, in selecting a representative CDR, the selection/consolidation function is adapted to select a CDR associated with an originating end office.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein, in selecting a representative CDR, the selection/consolidation function is adapted to select a CDR having an originating point code that is associated with a tandem office and that includes a calling party number (CdPN) and called party number (CgPN) and a called party (in a tandem NPA-NXX list).

30. The system of claim 26 wherein, in selecting a representative CDR, the selection/consolidation function is adapted to select a CDR having an originating point code that is associated with a combination class 4/5 office.

31. The system of claim 26 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to provide the selected representative CDR to a network service application.

32. A system for correlating a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) associated with a call that involves a plurality of switching offices and a plurality of legs and for generating a CDR that is representative of the call, the system comprising:

(a) at least one database that includes a plurality of CDR records; and

(b) a selection/consolidation function for;

(i) accessing a CDR record that is contained in the at least one database;

(ii) using an office type to determine whether the CDR is associated with a call that includes a plurality of legs;

(iii) in response to identifying the CDR as being associated with a call that includes a plurality of legs, using information contained in the CDR to locate additional CDR records associated with the call; and

(iv) generating a consolidated CDR that contains information associated with at least some of the CDR records associated with the multi-leg call.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to provide the consolidated CDR to a network service application.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to use a called party identifier in locating additional CDR records associated with the call.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to use a calling party identifier in locating additional CDR records associated with the multi-leg call.

36. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to use time stamp information in locating additional CDR records associated with the multi-leg call.

37. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to use a generic address parameter (GAP) value in locating additional CDR records associated with the multi-leg call.

38. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to identify the CDR as being associated with a multi-leg call based on whether a called party number value or a calling party number value contained in the CDR are serviced by the switching office associated with an originating address associated with the CDR.

39. The system of claim 32 wherein the selection/consolidation function is adapted to tag each CDR related to the multi-leg call with a correlation parameter in generating the consolidated CDR.

40. The system of claim 32 wherein the consolidated CDR includes a super CDR record that includes information associated with some or all of the CDR records related to the multi-leg call.

41. The system of claim 32 wherein the consolidated CDR includes number portability translation information.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the number portability translation information includes a location routing number.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the number portability translation information includes a generic address parameter.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein the number portability translation information includes a jurisdiction information parameter.

45. A system for correlating a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) associated with a call that involves a plurality of legs and a plurality of switching offices and for selecting a CDR that is representative of the call, the system comprising:

(a) at least one database for storing a plurality of CDR records; and

(b) a correlation and consolidation function for;

(i) analyzing the CDR records in the at least one database;

(ii) determining whether a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call; and

(iii) in response to determining that a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call, selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRs that includes number portability translation information.

46. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) analyzing a plurality of CDRs, the plurality of CDRs including CDRs associated with different legs of a call that involves a plurality of switching offices and a plurality of legs;

(b) determining an office type associated with each of the CDRs; and

(c) selecting a CDR from the plurality of CDRS as a representative CDR associated with the call based on the office type.

47. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) determining an office type associated with a first CDR of a plurality of CDRs collected from different monitoring locations;

(b) determining whether the office type indicates that a call associated with the first CDR is a multi-leg call; and

(c) in response to determining that the call is a multi-leg call, locating at least one additional CDR associated with the call and combining the at least one additional CDR with the first CDR to produce a consolidated CDR for the multi-leg call.

48. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) analyzing a plurality of CDRs generated from messages collected at a plurality of different monitoring locations;

(b) determining whether a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call; and

(c) in response to determining that a plurality of CDRs exists for different legs of the same call, locating the CDRs and selecting a representative CDR from the plurality of CDRs, wherein selecting a representative CDR includes selecting a CDR that includes number portability translation information.