Device group partitions and settlement platform

• US 8,548,428 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/694,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/30, 705/34, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/456.3, 455/461, 379/201.01, 379/114.03
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/31 Distributed metering or calculation of charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/752 Terminal based account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7213 Terminal based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/96 Distributed calculation of charges, e.g. in different nodes like for mobiles between HLR and VLR, or between the terminal and the billing function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Device group partitions and a settlement platform are provided. In some embodiments, device group partitions (e.g., partitions of devices based on associated device groups) are provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided for partitioned devices. In some embodiments, collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication on a wireless network; and aggregating the device generated service usage information for a settlement platform for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform implements a service billing allocation and/or a service/transactional revenue share among one or more partners. In some embodiments, service usage information includes micro-CDRs, which are used for CDR mediation or reconciliation that provides for service usage accounting on any device activity that is desired. In some embodiments, each device activity that is desired to be associated with a billing event is assigned a micro-CDR transaction code, and a service processor of the device is programmed to account for that activity associated with that transaction code. In some embodiments, a service processor executing on a wireless communications device periodically reports (e.g., during each heartbeat or based on any other periodic, push, and/or pull communication technique(s)) micro-CDR usage measures to, for example, a service controller or some other network element for CDR mediation or reconciliation.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors of one or more network elements, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

collect device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over a wireless network;

aggregate the device generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

translate the device generated service usage information into a syntax and a communication protocol that can be used to augment or replace network generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more devices are assigned to a device group partition, and wherein the one or more network elements include a settlement platform configured to determine accounting and settlement information for one or more services for the one or more devices assigned to the device group partition and distribute the accounting and settlement information to one or more of the following associated with the device group partition:

a carrier, a distribution partner, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), and a wholesale partner.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

collect the device generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network from an intermediate networking device.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs).

5. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs) collected by a service controller from a service processor executed on each of the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein at least one of the micro-CDRs includes a transaction code for associating a monitored service usage with a service usage activity.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs).

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements include a service usage data store.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements include a service usage data store that aggregates and mediates micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs) and network generated charging data records (CDRs) for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network.

10. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements include a service usage data store and a rules engine for aggregating and mediating the collected device generated service usage information.

11. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

collect network generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network.

12. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is received in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

apply a set of rules to the aggregated micro-CDRs using a rules engine to provide aggregated and mediated micro-CDRs to a settlement platform, wherein the settlement platform implements a service billing allocation or a revenue share among one or more partners, and wherein the revenue share includes a service based revenue share or a transactional based revenue share.

13. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is received in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), wherein the one or more network elements include a CDR storage, aggregation, and mediation feed, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network;

apply a set of settlement platform rules to the aggregated micro-CDRs using a rules engine to generate a new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

communicate the new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a billing interface or a billing system.

14. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network;

verify at least a subset of the micro-CDRs;

apply a set of settlement platform rules to the aggregated and verified micro-CDRs using a rules engine to generate a new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

communicate the new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a billing interface or a billing system.

15. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network;

verify the micro-CDRs by comparing at least a subset of the micro-CDRs to a set of one or more network generated CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network;

apply a set of settlement platform rules to the aggregated and verified micro-CDRs using a rules engine to generate a new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network; and

communicate the new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a billing interface or a billing system.

16. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate the micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network;

apply a set of rules to the aggregated micro-CDRs using a rules engine to generate a new set of CDRs, wherein the set of rules includes a bill by account rule; and

communicate the new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a billing interface or a billing system.

17. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the device generated service usage information is in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

aggregate the micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network;

apply a set of rules to the aggregated micro-CDRs using a rules engine to generate a new set of CDRs, wherein the set of rules includes a bill by account rule; and

communicate the new set of CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a billing interface or a billing system, wherein at least one CDR in the new set of CDRs includes a billing offset.

18. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more devices are assigned to a device group partition, wherein the device generated service usage information is in a charging data record (CDR) syntax, wherein the device generated service usage information includes micro-charging data records (micro-CDRs), and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

communicate a new set of CDRs based at least in part on aggregated micro-CDRs for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the system over the wireless network to a settlement platform, wherein the settlement platform determines accounting and settlement information for one or more services for the one or more devices assigned to the device group partition and distributes the accounting and settlement information to one or more of the following associated with the device group partition;

a carrier, a distribution partner, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), and a wholesale partner.

19. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

store the aggregated device generated service usage information; and

implement a settlement platform to mediate the device generated service usage information.

20. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

store the aggregated device generated service usage information; and

apply a set of settlement platform rules to mediate the device generated service usage information, wherein the set of settlement platform rules is selected based at least in part on a device group partition determination for each of the one or more devices.

21. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

store the aggregated device generated service usage information;

apply a set of settlement platform rules to mediate the device generated service usage information, wherein the set of settlement platform rules is selected based at least in part on a device group partition determination for each of the one or more devices; and

communicate a set of charging data records (CDRs) to a billing interface based at least in part on the mediated device generated service usage information.

22. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

communicate the device generated service usage information to a billing interface, wherein the billing interface includes a settlement platform.

23. The system recited in claim 3, wherein the device generated service usage information includes a transaction code for associating a user of a first device, the first device, or the intermediate networking device with the device generated service usage information, wherein the one or more devices include the first device.

24. A method, comprising:

collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication with a network system over a wireless network;

aggregating the device generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the network system over the wireless network; and

translating the device generated service usage information into a syntax and a communication protocol that can be used to augment or replace network generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network.

25. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication with a network system over a wireless network;

aggregating the device generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication with the network system over the wireless network; and

translating the device generated service usage information into a syntax and a communication protocol that can be used to augment or replace network generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network.