Systems and methods for interfacing with a billing and account management unit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- providing, via a server, a management interface to a user, the management interface including;
an order management option,a service management option, a billing management option, anda customer profile option,the order management option allowing the user to create, modify, cancel, and view orders,the service management option allowing the user to manage services and provision Internet Protocol (IP) communication services,the billing management option allowing the user to view current charges and past invoices for a date range entered by the user, andthe customer profile option allowing the user to create an account and a sub-account;
receiving, via the server, at least one modification to an IP communications network account from the user via one of the order management option, the service management option, the billing option, or the customer profile option;
modifying, via the server, a first record in a database based on the received at least one modification;
transmitting, via the server, the at least one modification from the database to a billing unit; and
updating and storing, via the server, a second record, corresponding to the first record, in the billing unit based on the at least one modification, the updated second record being available in real time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system updates a billing unit. The system receives at least one modification to an Internet Protocol (IP) communications network account from a user and modifies a first record in a database based on the received at least one modification. The system transmits the at least one modification from the database to the billing unit and updates a second record, corresponding to the first record, in the billing unit based on the at least one modification so as to make the updated second record available in substantially real time.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing, via a server, a management interface to a user, the management interface including; an order management option, a service management option, a billing management option, and a customer profile option, the order management option allowing the user to create, modify, cancel, and view orders, the service management option allowing the user to manage services and provision Internet Protocol (IP) communication services, the billing management option allowing the user to view current charges and past invoices for a date range entered by the user, and the customer profile option allowing the user to create an account and a sub-account; receiving, via the server, at least one modification to an IP communications network account from the user via one of the order management option, the service management option, the billing option, or the customer profile option; modifying, via the server, a first record in a database based on the received at least one modification; transmitting, via the server, the at least one modification from the database to a billing unit; and updating and storing, via the server, a second record, corresponding to the first record, in the billing unit based on the at least one modification, the updated second record being available in real time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a network interface including; an order management option, a service management option, a billing management option, and a customer profile option, the order management option allowing a user to create, modify, cancel, and view orders, the service management option allowing the user to manage services and provision Internet Protocol (IP) communication services, the billing management option allowing the user to view charges and past invoices for a date range entered by the user, and the customer profile option allowing the user to create an account and a sub-account, the network interface to; receive, via one of the order management option, the service management option, the billing management option, or the customer profile option, at least one modification to an IP communications network account from the user via a data network, and forward the at least one modification; an operational data store to; receive the at least one modification from the network interface, store the at least one modification, and forward the at least one modification; and a billing and account management unit, associated with the IP communications network account, and to; receive the at least one modification from the operational data store, store the at least one modification, the at least one modification being available in real time, and perform at least one of account management or billing based on the at least one modification. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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providing, via a server, a web-based interface to a user, the web-based interface including; an order management option, a service management option, a billing management option, and a customer profile option, the order management option allowing the user to create, modify, cancel, and view orders, the service management option allowing the user to manage services and provision Internet Protocol (IP) communication services, the billing management option allowing the user to view charges and past invoices for a date range entered by the user, and the customer profile option allowing the user to create an account and a sub-account; receiving, via the server and via one of the order management option, the service management option, the billing option, or the customer profile option, a modification to the at least one account from the user; updating, via the server, a first record associated with the at least one account in an operational data store based on the received modification; transferring, via the server, the modification from the operational data store to an account management and billing unit associated with the IP communications network; modifying, via the server, a second record associated with the at least one account at the account management and billing unit, the modification to the second record being implemented in real time; and performing, via the server, one of an account management function or a billing function using the modified second record. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for updating a billing unit, comprising:
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means for providing a management interface to a user, the management interface including; an order management option, a service management option, a billing management option, and a customer profile option, the order management option allowing the user to create, modify, cancel, and view orders, the service management option allowing the user to manage services and provision Internet Protocol (IP) communication services, the billing management option allowing the user to view charges and past invoices for a date range entered by the user, and the customer profile option allowing the user to create an account and a sub-account; means for receiving at least one modification to a communications network account from a user via one of the order management option, the service management option, the billing option, or the customer profile option; means for modifying a first record in a database based on the received at least one modification; means for transmitting the at least one modification from the database to the billing unit; and means for updating a second record, corresponding to the first record, in the billing unit based on the at least one modification, the updated second record being available in real time. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification