System, method, and computer program product for identifying an optimized rating scheme

• US 8,401,937 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.), Amdocs Software Systems Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amdocs Software Systems Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Patro, Debabrata, Domb, Menachem
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, FAHD A
• Application Number:
  US12/013,991
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying an optimized rating scheme. In use, a first rate calculated for an event utilizing a first predefined rating scheme is received. Additionally, at least one second rate for the event is calculated, utilizing at least one second predefined rating scheme. Further, an optimized rating scheme is identified by comparing the first rate and the at least one second rate.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a second system including an offline platform a first rate calculated for a single event by a first system other than the second system, the first system including an online platform utilizing a first predefined rating scheme, where the first predefined rating scheme is associated with a first priority;

calculating, utilizing a processor, at least one second rate for the single event by the second system including the offline platform, the calculating utilizing at least one second predefined rating scheme, where the at least one second predefined rating scheme is associated with at least one other priority;

identifying an optimized rating scheme by comparing the first rate and the at least one second rate; and

communicating a message to the first system including the online platform if one of the at least one second rate for the single event calculated utilizing the at least one second predefined rating scheme is identified as the optimized rating scheme, the message instructing the first system including the online platform to utilize the at least one second predefined rating scheme of the second system including the offline platform identified as the optimized rating scheme for calculating an optimized rate for the single event as well as rates of future events at the first system including the online platform, the optimized rate including an amount to be billed for the single event;

wherein the second system including the offline platform sends updated predefined rating schemes to the first system including the online platform for synchronizing predefined rating schemes of the first system including the online platform with predefined rating schemes of the second system including the offline platform;

wherein the second predefined rating scheme is associated with a same service provider as the first predefined rating scheme;

wherein the first rate is calculated and sent to the second system by the first system for each of a plurality of single events in response to the identification of each of the plurality of single events by the first system, such that the optimized rating scheme is identified for each of the plurality of single events as each single event is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the single event includes transmission of a text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the single event includes network usage.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rate and the at least one second rate includes a price for the single event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the single event is communicated over a network by the first system to the second system for calculation of the at least one second rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second system identifies the optimized rating scheme.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first predefined rating scheme and the at least one second predefined rating scheme includes a recurring charge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first priority and the at least one other priority are predefined.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the first priority and the at least one other priority if the at least one second rate is less than the first rate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the optimized rating scheme includes selecting the first predefined rating scheme if the first rate is less than the at least one second rate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the single event is associated with a subscriber of one of a prepaid service, a postpaid service or a service charged in part to a prepaid account and in part to a postpaid account.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predefined rating scheme for calculating the first rate is selected based on priorities of the predefined rating schemes, such that the online platform selects the first predefined rating scheme associated with the first priority because the first priority is a highest priority of the priorities of the predefined rating schemes.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the online platform identifies the single event in response to an initiation of the single event.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the online platform identifies the single event in response to a completion of the single event.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the first priority associated with the first predetermined rating scheme and the at least one other priority associated with the at least one second predetermined rating scheme are predefined according to a recurring charge associated with each predetermined rating scheme.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the offline platform selects a predefined rating scheme with a priority next highest to the highest priority of the predefined rating scheme utilized by the online platform to calculate the first rate.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further instructs the online platform to change priorities associated with the predefined rating schemes of the online platform.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the message further instructs the online platform to switch the first priority associated with the predefined rating scheme utilized to calculate the first rate with the at least one other priority associated with the predefined rating scheme utilized to calculate the optimized rate.

12. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium executed by a processor, comprising:

computer code for receiving at a second system including an offline platform a first rate calculated for a single event by a first system other than the second system, the first system including an online platform utilizing a first predefined rating scheme, where the first predefined rating scheme is associated with a first priority;

computer code for calculating at least one second rate for the single event by the second system including the offline platform, the calculating utilizing at least one second predefined rating scheme, where the at least one second predefined rating scheme is associated with at least one other priority;

computer code for identifying an optimized rating scheme by comparing the first rate and the at least one second rate; and

computer code for communicating a message to the first system including the online platform if one of the at least one second rate for the single event calculated utilizing the at least one second predefined rating scheme is identified as the optimized rating scheme, the message instructing the first system including the online platform to utilize the at least one second predefined rating scheme of the second system including the offline platform identified as the optimized rating scheme for calculating a optimized rate for the single event as well as rates of future events at the first system including the online platform, the optimized rate including an amount to be billed for the single event;

wherein the second system including the offline platform sends updated predefined rating schemes to the first system including the online platform for synchronizing predefined rating schemes of the first system including the online platform with predefined rating schemes of the second system including the offline platform;

wherein the second predefined rating scheme is associated with a same service provider as the first predefined rating scheme;

wherein the first rate is calculated and sent to the second system by the first system for each of a plurality of single events in response to the identification of each of the plurality of single events by the first system, such that the optimized rating scheme is identified for each of the plurality of single events as each single event is received.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

receiving at a second system including an offline platform a first rate calculated for a single event by a first system other than the second system, the first system including an online platform utilizing a first predefined rating scheme, where the first predefined rating scheme is associated with a first priority;

calculating at least one second rate for the single event by the second system including the offline platform, the calculating utilizing at least one second predefined rating scheme, where the at least one second predefined rating scheme is associated with at least one other priority;

identifying an optimized rating scheme by comparing the first rate and the at least one second rate; and

communicating a message to the first system including the online platform if one of the at least one second rate for the single event calculated utilizing the at least one second predefined rating scheme is identified as the optimized rating scheme, the message instructing the first system including the online platform to utilize the at least one second predefined rating scheme of the second system including the offline platform identified as the optimized rating scheme for calculating a optimized rate for the single event as well as rates of future events at the first system including the online platform, the optimized rate including an amount to be billed for the single event;

wherein the second system including the offline platform sends updated predefined rating schemes to the first system including the online platform for synchronizing predefined rating schemes of the first system including the online platform with predefined rating schemes of the second system including the offline platform;

wherein the second predefined rating scheme is associated with a same service provider as the first predefined rating scheme;

wherein the first rate is calculated and sent to the second system by the first system for each of a plurality of single events in response to the identification of each of the plurality of single events by the first system, such that the optimized rating scheme is identified for each of the plurality of single events as each single event is received.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is coupled to memory via a bus.

15. A method, comprising:

calculating, utilizing a processor, a first rate for a single event by a first system including an online platform, the calculating utilizing a first predefined rating scheme, the first predefined rating scheme associated with a first priority;

sending the single event and the first rate to a second system other than the first system for calculation of at least one second rate for the single event by the second system including an offline platform, where the calculation of the at least one second rate utilizes at least one second predefined rating scheme, and where the at least one second predefined rating scheme is associated with at least one other priority; and

receiving a message at the first system including the online platform if one of the at least one second rate for the single event calculated utilizing the at least one second predefined rating scheme is identified as an optimized rating scheme, the message instructing the first system including the online platform to utilize the at least one second predefined rating scheme of the second system including the offline platform identified as the optimized rating scheme for calculating a optimized rate for the single event as well as rates of future events at the first system including the online platform, the optimized rate including an amount to be billed for the single event;

wherein the optimized rating scheme is identified by comparing the first rate and the at least one second rate;

wherein the second system including the offline platform sends updated predefined rating schemes to the first system including the online platform for synchronizing predefined rating schemes of the first system including the online platform with predefined rating schemes of the second system including the offline platform;

wherein the second predefined rating scheme is associated with a same service provider as the first predefined rating scheme;

wherein the first rate is calculated and sent to the second system by the first system for each of a plurality of single events in response to the identification of each of the plurality of single events by the first system, such that the optimized rating scheme is identified for each of the plurality of single events as each single event is received.