Intelligent queuing of transaction records

• US 7,492,881 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evercom Systems Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Jourde, Paula, Hite, Marc, Falcone, Richard, Jones, Jimmie Jr., Mudd, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy; Thjuan K
• Application Number:
  US10/437,839
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.06, 379/219, 379/309, 379/265.09, 379/265.02, 379/191, 379/114.23, 379/114.01, 379/114.09, 379/114.21, 379/114.15, 379/114.14, 379/126, 379/114.03, 379/114.17, 705/13, 709/224
• US Class Current: 379/114.23
• 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 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide intelligent queuing with respect to processing transaction records. According to one embodiment, transaction records, such as collect calling records, are initially processed to a point that they are ready for release to an appropriate third party for further processing, billing, and/or collection, and are submitted to a queue. Queued transaction records preferably have initial queuing period information associated therewith. Embodiments dynamically change such queuing period information while a transaction record is pending in the queue, such as based upon further intelligence collected with respect to the party to the transaction, based upon subsequent transaction behavior, etcetera.

Claims

1. A method for processing calling records for collection, said method comprising:

providing call connections between calling parties on an originating carrier network and called parties on destination carrier networks, wherein costs for the call connections are to be billed to third parties, the third parties being other than the calling parties;

generating a third party call record for each call connection;

storing each of the third party call records in a queue;

assigning a queue time to each of third party call records stored in the queue, the queue time representing a time at which the third party call records will be forwarded to a third party for payment;

calculating an accumulated balance for each third party, the accumulated balance representing a total unbilled amount for the third party'"'"'s call records stored in the queue;

monitoring an amount of each third party'"'"'s accumulated balance with respect to a threshold amount;

adjusting the queue time of at least one third party call record when the accumulated balance amount meets or exceeds the threshold amount; and

releasing one or more third party calling record from said queue to a billing process when the queue time expires.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call connections are collect call connections and the third party is the called party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party is a calling card provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party is a local exchange carrier (LEC).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the billing process comprises a local exchange carrier (LEC) billing process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the billing process comprises a direct billing process.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing additional call connections associated with a particular third party when the particular third party'"'"'s accumulated balance amount meets or exceeds the threshold amount.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

contacting a selected third party when the accumulated balance amount for the selected third party meets or exceeds the threshold amount; and

providing the selected third party with an alternative billing plan to clear the accumulated balance amount.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said alternative billing plan is:

a local-exchange, post-paid billing plan;

a post-paid, direct billing plan;

or

a prepaid plan.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting direct payment for at least one third party calling record directly from said third party.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a rate at which the amount of each third party'"'"'s accumulated balance increases.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a risk score for a selected third party; and

adjusting the queue time of at least one third party call record associated with the selected third party when the risk score meets or exceeds a predetermined level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the risk score is a function of fraudulent activity.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the queue time of at least one third party call record based upon a selected billing cycle.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the queue time of at least one third party call record based upon a selected billing cycle.

15. A method for processing calling records for collection, said method comprising:

providing call connections between calling parties on an originating carrier network and called parties on destination carrier networks, wherein costs for the call connections are to be billed to third parties, the third parties being other than the calling parties;

generating a third party call record for each call connection;

storing each of the third party call records in a queue;

assigning a queue time to each of third party call records stored in the queue, the queue time representing a time at which the third party call records will be forwarded to a third party for payment;

calculating an accumulated balance for each third party, the accumulated balance representing a total unbilled amount for the third party'"'"'s call records stored in the queue;

monitoring a rate at which an amount of each third party'"'"'s accumulated balance increases;

adjusting the queue time of a selected third party'"'"'s call records when the rate at which the third party'"'"'s accumulated balance amount exceeds a predetermined rate; and

releasing one or more third party calling record from said queue to a billing process when the queue time expires.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the billing process comprises a local exchange carrier (LEC) billing process.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the billing process comprises a direct billing process.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the billing process comprises a calling card account.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

preventing additional call connections associated with a particular third party when the particular third party'"'"'s accumulated balance amount meets or exceeds a threshold amount.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

contacting a selected third party when the accumulated balance amount for the selected third party meets or exceeds the threshold amount; and

providing the selected third party with an alternative billing plan to clear the accumulated balance amount.

22. A method for processing calling records for collection, said method comprising:

providing call connections between calling parties on an originating carrier network and called parties on destination carrier networks, wherein costs for the call connections are to be billed to third parties, the third parties being other than the calling parties;

generating a third party call record for each call connection;

storing each of the third party call records in a queue;

assigning a queue time to each of third party call records stored in the queue, the queue time representing a time at which the third party call records will be forwarded to a third party for payment;

calculating an accumulated balance for each third party, the accumulated balance representing a total unbilled amount for the third party'"'"'s call records stored in the queue;

receiving a risk score for a selected third party; and

adjusting the queue time of at least one third party call record associated with the selected third party when the risk score meets or exceeds a predetermined level; and

releasing one or more third party calling record from said queue to a billing process when the queue time expires.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the risk score is a function of fraudulent activity.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein calling party is an inmate, and wherein the risk score is a function of the type of facility in which the inmate is incarcerated.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the risk score is a function of the type of facility in which the calling party resides.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the risk score is adjusted based upon information from the destination carrier networks.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the information from the destination carrier networks comprises an account status for called parties.