Online reporting tool for conferencing customers

• US 8,340,266 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Teleconferences Services Limited
• Inventors: Bingaman, Anne K., Evans, Dagny Boyd, Mathew, Boban, Schmitt, Kesah N., Scott, Alina K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZENATI, AMAL S
• Application Number:
  US11/518,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202, 379/202.01, 379/202.03, 379/204.01, 379/212, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home

Abstract

Embodiments consistent with the present invention provide an integrated system for conferencing services reporting to support customer billing needs. Systems consistent with the present invention enable a customer to retrieve and use integrated usage data, including data for unbilled conferencing services. Furthermore, systems consistent with the present invention provide an integrated account management interface to enable a customer to retrieve and use account information in real time and to manage a conferencing services account with ease. Still further, systems consistent with the present invention enable a customer to establish multiple levels of security to easily manage multiple users with multiple information needs and responsibilities. Systems consistent with the present invention also provide tools to analyze and track moderator conferencing schedules to enhance accurate timekeeping and billing.

Claims

1. A method for managing moderators of conferences, comprising:

receiving a request to create a moderator report from a customer via a network over a webpage, wherein the request includes an identifier for identifying a plurality of moderators associated with the customer;

compiling moderator account details relating to conferences conducted by participants associated with the customer,

wherein the conferences are associated with the plurality of moderators, and

wherein the moderator account details include the identifier, names, user id, moderator passcodes, participant passcodes, conference access phone numbers, and moderator add dates; and

creating the moderator report based on the compiled account details, wherein the moderator report includes the plurality of moderators and contains all of the moderator account details on one report; and

providing the moderator report to the customer via the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the moderator report comprises one of:

displaying the moderator report, downloading the moderator report, e-mailing the moderator report, and printing the moderator report.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying a permission associated with the customer before receiving the request to create the moderator report.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving search criteria for the at least one moderator from the customer; and

searching a database using the search criteria to locate the at least one moderator based on the search criteria.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the customer to add a moderator to the customer account;

establishing a record of the moderator account based on the selection; and

submitting a moderator creation request to a conferencing services provider based on the record.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the customer to delete a moderator from the customer account, the selection including an identifier of the moderator to delete;

and

deleting a moderator account corresponding to the selection.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the customer for materials associated with the customer account; and

providing the materials to the moderator based upon the selection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the customer for materials associated with the customer account; and

providing the materials to the assistant of the moderator based upon the selection.

9. A method for managing moderators of conferences, comprising:

receiving a request from a customer via a network over a webpage to create an moderator report;

receiving a search criteria selected from a set of data fields related to a moderator;

searching a database for moderators currently associated with the customer and based on the search criteria;

compiling search result details based on one or more results from the searching to create the moderator report, wherein the search result details for each moderator currently associated with the customer includes;

the moderator'"'"'s last name, the moderator'"'"'s first name, the moderator'"'"'s user identification number, the moderator'"'"'s passcode, the moderator'"'"'s participant passcode, a phone number associated with the moderator providing access to conference facilities, and the moderator'"'"'s employee code, the employee code having been received from the customer; and

displaying the moderator report to the customer via the network, including the plurality of moderators and including all of the search result details for each moderator;

receiving from the customer an action request; and

processing the action request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the action request comprises at least one of:

downloading the moderator report, e-mailing the moderator report, and or printing the moderator report.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the moderator account details for each moderator currently associated with the customer includes at least one of:

conferences associated with the moderator, the moderator'"'"'s toll free dial-in number, the moderator'"'"'s international dial-in number, the date on which the moderator was added to the system, or the moderator'"'"'s billing code.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the action request comprises:

receiving a selection of a record displayed in the moderator report representing a conference entry;

receiving a destination e-mail address; and

automatically e-mailing the record along with instructions for use of a conference based on the conference entry.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising:

receiving a second search criteria as part of the action request;

searching a database based on the customer number, search criteria, and second search criteria;

compiling revised search result details based on one or more results from the searching;

displaying a revised moderator report to the customer via the network;

receiving from the customer a second action request; and

processing the second action request according to the requested action.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second action request comprises:

receiving a selection of a record displayed in the revised moderator report representing a conference entry;

receiving a destination e-mail address; and

automatically e-mailing the record along with instructions for use of a conference based on the conference entry.