System and method for capturing real time telecommunications usage data from mobile devices and comparing that data to life cycle telecommunications expense management (TEM) data

• US 8,588,736 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tangoe US, Inc. (Asentinel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gorman, Mike, Nevarez, Hector, Ng, Tat, Ranganath, Sudarshan, Shea, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/192,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20120028603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 455407-409, 455/414.1, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• 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 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/888 severing connection after predetermined time or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a signal having a real-time usage value associated with operation of a mobile device is received from the mobile device. Information on a service agreement for the mobile device is received. A command is sent to the mobile device when the operation of the mobile device crossed a threshold condition of the service agreement. The command is configured to cause the mobile device to implement an operational change at the mobile device in response to the command.

Claims

1. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive from a mobile device at a device separate from the mobile device a first signal having a real-time usage value associated with operation of the mobile device and a second signal having a real-time quality-of-service data associated with operation of the mobile device;

receive at the device information on a service level agreement for the mobile device, the service level agreement being between a carrier and a carrier customer;

send a first command from the device to the mobile device when the operation of the mobile device crossed a first threshold condition of the service level agreement, the first command configured to cause the mobile device to implement an operational change at the mobile device in response to the command; and

send a second command from the device to an enterprise telecommunications manager associated with the mobile device when the operation of the mobile device crosses a second threshold condition of the service level agreement, the second command having an indication of a contractual monetary remedy due from a carrier associated with the service level agreement when the quality of service falls below contractually agreed service levels.

2. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive from a database a plurality of usage values associated with prior operation of the mobile device; and

calculate a cost for the operation of the mobile device based on the service level agreement, the real-time usage value and the plurality of usage values, the threshold condition being associated with the cost.

3. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the cost for the operation of the mobile device is a non-zero value when the real-time usage value plus the plurality of usage values exceeds a plan segment of the service level agreement, the plan segment being at least one of a nights-and-weekend plan segment, a mobile-to-mobile plan segment, a peak plan segment, an off-peak plan segment, a shared plan segment or a pooled plan segment.

4. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first command is at least one of a mobile device shut down command, a voice calling shut command, a block phone number dialing command, a data usage shut down command, a text messaging shut down command, a short message service (SMS) shut down command, or a web browsing shut down command.

5. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first command is at least one of a window popup user notification, an email message notification, a text message notification, a short message service (SMS) message notification or a device output notification.

6. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received from an agent at the mobile device, the agent is configured to determine the real-time usage value based on operation of the mobile device.

7. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising code to cause the processor to:

ascribe an unforeseen cost based on the real-time usage value associated with operation of the mobile device and the service level agreement;

compare the ascribed cost and the actual cost charged by the carrier; and

correct the ascribed cost based on the comparison.

8. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive from a mobile device at a device separate from the mobile device a signal having a real-time quality-of-service data associated with operation of the mobile device;

receive at the device information on a service level agreement for the mobile device, the service level agreement being between a carrier and a carrier customer; and

send a command from the device to an enterprise telecommunications manager associated with the mobile device when the operation of the mobile device crosses a threshold condition of the service level agreement, the command having an indication of a contractual monetary remedy due from a carrier associated with the service level agreement when the quality of service falls below contractually agreed service levels.

9. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising code to cause the processor to:

calculate the contractual monetary remedy based on the real-time quality-of-service data and the service level agreement.

10. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising code to cause the processor to:

receive from a database a plurality of quality-of-service data associated with prior operation of the mobile device;

calculate an average quality-of-service data based on the real-time quality-of-service data and the a plurality of quality-of-service data; and

calculate the contractual monetary remedy based on the average quality-of-service data and the service level agreement.

11. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the real-time quality-of-service data is availability data, the threshold condition is an availability rate value.

12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the real-time quality-of-service data is dropped-call data, the threshold condition is a dropped call rate value.

13. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:

send from a mobile device to a device separate from the mobile device a first signal having a real-time usage value associated with operation of the mobile device and a second signal having a real-time quality-of-service data associated with operation of the mobile device;

receive at the mobile device from the device a third signal having a first command when the real-time usage value indicates that the operation of the mobile device has crossed a first threshold condition of a service level agreement for the mobile device and a fourth signal having second command when the operation of the mobile device crosses a second threshold condition of the service level agreement, the second command having an indication of a contractual monetary remedy due from a carrier associated with the service level agreement when the quality of service falls below contractually agreed service levels; and

implement an operational change at the mobile device in response to the first command.

14. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first threshold condition is associated with a cost for the operation of the mobile device based on the service level agreement, the real-time usage value and a plurality of usage values associated with prior operation of the mobile device.

15. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first threshold condition is associated with a cost for the operation of the mobile device, the cost for the operation of the mobile device is a non-zero value when the real-time usage value plus a plurality of usage values associated with prior operation of the mobile device exceeds a plan segment of the service level agreement, the plan segment being at least one of a nights-and weekend plan segment, a mobile-to-mobile plan segment, a peak plan segment, an off-peak plan segment, a shared plan segment or a pooled plan segment.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first command is at least one of a mobile device shut down command, a voice calling shut command, a block phone number dialing command, a data usage shut down command, a text messaging shut down command, a short message service (SMS) shut down command, or a web browsing shut down command.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first command is at least one of a window popup user notification, an email message notification, a text message notification, a short message service (SMS) message notification or a device output notification.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising code to cause the processor to:

measure at the mobile device real-time usage data associated with operation of the mobile device;

determine the real-time usage value based on the real-time usage data.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the real-time usage data includes at least one of roaming status information, voice minutes usage information, data minutes usage information, or access-attempt information.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

the real-time usage value includes at least one of roaming status information, voice minutes usage information, data minutes usage information, or access-attempt information; and

the real-time quality-of-service data includes at least one of availability data and dropped-call data.