System, method, and computering program product for applying an offer scheme to usage data using a user interface

• US 8,494,918 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amdocs Development Limited (Amdocs Ltd.), Amdocs Software Systems Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amdocs Software Systems Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Vinnitskiy, Andrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US12/415,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for applying an offer scheme to usage data using a user interface. In operation, usage data associated with a user is received from a server. Additionally, one or more offer schemes are displayed to the user using a user interface. Furthermore, the user is allowed to apply the one or more offer schemes to the usage data, utilizing the user interface. Still yet, the user is allowed to select one of the one or more offer schemes based on a result of the application, utilizing the user interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving usage data associated with a user from a server, wherein the usage data is received from an email, the usage data includes previous chargeable activity associated with the user, and the usage data is associated with a predetermined past billing period, and wherein the usage data is sent from the server via the email in response to a query by the user;

displaying at least two offer schemes to the user, utilizing a user interface, comprising displaying a list including the at least two offer schemes, each offer scheme including an offer for one or more of a service and a product;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

in response to receiving the selection of the first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected first offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected first offer scheme;

displaying, in association with the selected first offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected first offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected first offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected first offer scheme;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

in response to receiving the selection of the second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected second offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected second offer scheme;

displaying, in association with the selected second offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected second offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected second offer scheme;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a subsequent selection of the second offer scheme based on a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data; and

in response to receiving the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme, transmitting at least one billable element associated with the user to a service provider that provides the second offer scheme for use by the service provider in generating an invoice according to the second offer scheme using the at least one billable element;

wherein the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme received from the user includes a commitment to the second offer scheme and an offer identifier associated with the second offer scheme, wherein the offer identifier is transmitted with the at least one billable element associated with the user to the service provider that provides the second offer scheme, and wherein the service provider that provides the second offer scheme utilizes the offer identifier to determine a rate of a future usage of the user, and produces charges based on the rate of the future usage of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage data is capable of being downloaded from the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one billable element includes event ratings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one billable element includes charges.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one billable element includes taxes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the invoice to the user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the invoice is presented to the user utilizing the user interface by which the user applies the first offer scheme and the second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes to the usage data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if the user fails to react to a notification message to create a bill utilizing the list including the at least two offer schemes within a predetermined amount of time, and does not create the bill after the predetermined amount of time, a bill is generated for the user based on a previous selection of an offer scheme.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein both of the first offer scheme and the second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes are provided by the service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first offer scheme is provided by another service provider different from the service provider that provides the second offer scheme, such that the list including the at least two offer schemes includes offer schemes provided by multiple service providers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes includes receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of certain aspects of the usage data such that the selected first offer scheme is applied only to the certain aspects of the usage data.

7. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving usage data associated with a user from a server, wherein the usage data is received from an email, the usage data includes previous chargeable activity associated with the user, and the usage data is associated with a predetermined past billing period, and wherein the usage data is sent from the server via the email in response to a query by the user;

computer code for displaying at least two offer schemes to the user, utilizing a user interface, comprising displaying a list including the at least two offer schemes, each offer scheme including an offer for one or more of a service and a product;

computer code for receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

computer code for, in response to receiving the selection of the first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected first offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected first offer scheme;

computer code for displaying, in association with the selected first offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected first offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected first offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected first offer scheme;

computer code for receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

computer code for, in response to receiving the selection of the second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected second offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected second offer scheme;

computer code for displaying, in association with the selected second offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected second offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected second offer scheme;

computer code for receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a subsequent selection of the second offer scheme based on a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data;

and computer code for, in response to receiving the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme, transmitting at least one billable element associated with the user to a service provider that provides the second offer scheme for use by the service provider in generating an invoice according to the second offer scheme using the at least one billable element;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme received from the user includes a commitment to the second offer scheme and an offer identifier associated with the second offer scheme, wherein the offer identifier is transmitted with the at least one billable element associated with the user to the service provider that provides the second offer scheme, and wherein the service provider that provides the second offer scheme utilizes the offer identifier to determine a rate of a future usage of the user, and produces charges based on the rate of the future usage of the user.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a server configured for;

receiving usage data associated with a user from another server, wherein the usage data is received from an email, the usage data includes previous chargeable activity associated with the user, and the usage data is associated with a predetermined past billing period, and wherein the usage data is sent from the other server via the email in response to a query by the user;

displaying at least two offer schemes to the user, utilizing a user interface, comprising displaying a list including the at least two offer schemes, each offer scheme including an offer for one or more of a service and a product;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

in response to receiving the selection of the first offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected first offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected first offer scheme;

displaying, in association with the selected first offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected first offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected first offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected first offer scheme;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a selection of a second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes;

in response to receiving the selection of the second offer scheme from the list including the at least two offer schemes, applying the selected second offer scheme in the list to the usage data by inputting the usage data to the selected second offer scheme;

displaying, in association with the selected second offer scheme, a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data, wherein the result of the application of the selected second offer scheme includes a predicted charge for the previous chargeable activity under the selected second offer scheme;

receiving from the user, utilizing the user interface, a subsequent selection of the second offer scheme based on a result of the application of the selected second offer scheme to the usage data;

and in response to receiving the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme, transmitting at least one billable element associated with the user to a service provider that provides the second offer scheme for use by the service provider in generating an invoice according to the second offer scheme using the at least one billable element;

wherein the apparatus is operable such that the subsequent selection of the second offer scheme received from the user includes a commitment to the second offer scheme and an offer identifier associated with the second offer scheme, wherein the offer identifier is transmitted with the at least one billable element associated with the user to the service provider that provides the second offer scheme, and wherein the service provider that provides the second offer scheme utilizes the offer identifier to determine a rate of a future usage of the user, and produces charges based on the rate of the future usage of the user.