Billing data interface for conferencing customers

• US 8,718,250 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Teleconferencing Services Limited (Premiere Global Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bingaman, Anne K., Evans, Dagny Boyd, Mathew, Boban
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US13/296,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20120057686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.21, 379/114.22, 379/114.26, 379/114.28, 379/121.03, 379/126, 379/127.03, 379/127.05, 705/51, 705/52
• US Class Current: 379/114.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/41 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 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• 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 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2073 Multipoint, e.g. messaging, broadcast or group SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A billing data interface provides billing data to customers in an accurate and efficient manner. Billing data is processed to preserve client billing information and to meet a customer'"'"'s individual data requirements. The billing data may be presented in such a way that the customer may input the billing data directly into its client billing system. The billing data may be processed according to client billing specifications corresponding to a client billing system used by the customer. The processed data may preserve leading zeros, separate client code and matter code into two fields, etc. The resulting data file may be delivered to the customer for entry into the customer'"'"'s client billing system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing billing data for a customer of conferencing services comprising:

storing, in a computer, client billing specifications for a client billing system used by the customer to bill conferencing charges to its clients;

receiving, by the computer, cost data and client billing information for a conference conducted by participants related to the customer;

processing, by the computer, the cost data and client billing information based on the client billing specifications to generate a billing data file having a format compatible with the client billing system such that the billing data file may be input into the client billing system without modifying the format of the billing data file; and

providing the billing data file to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client billing specifications comprise the identification of a known client billing system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, as a result of the compatible format, the billing data file may be input into the known client billing system without modification of the billing data file by the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the billing data file contains information to automatically allocate cost data to a third party.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

compiling, by the computer, account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising:

compiling, by the computer, account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating, by the computer, an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

8. The method of claim 2, comprising:

generating, by the computer, an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the unbilled usage report includes a discount rate associated with the customer.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating, by the computer, a moderator report indicating a record of time spent by at least one moderator on conferences associated with the customer;

providing the moderator report to the customer via a network.

11. The method of claim 2, comprising:

generating, by the computer, a moderator report indicating a record of time spent by at least one moderator on conferences associated with the customer;

providing the moderator report to the customer via a network.

12. A system for managing billing data for a customer of conferencing services comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, perform a method comprising;

storing client billing specifications for a client billing system used by the customer to bill conferencing charges to its clients;

receiving cost data and client billing information for a conference conducted by participants related to the customer;

processing the cost data and client billing information based on the client billing specifications to generate a billing data file having a format compatible with the client billing system such that the billing data file may be input into the client billing system without modifying the format of the billing data file; and

providing the billing data file to the customer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the client billing specifications comprise the identification of a known client billing system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein, as a result of the compatible format, the billing data file may be input into the known client billing system without modification of the billing data file by the customer.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the billing data file contains information to automatically allocate cost data to a third party.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the method comprises:

compiling account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

compiling account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the method comprises:

generating an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

generating an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the unbilled usage report includes a discount rate associated with the customer.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the method comprises:

generating a moderator report indicating a record of time spent by at least one moderator on conferences associated with the customer;

providing the moderator report to the customer via a network.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

generating a moderator report indicating a record of time spent by at least one moderator on conferences associated with the customer;

providing the moderator report to the customer via a network.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on a processor, perform a method for managing billing data for a customer of conferencing services, the method comprising:

storing client billing specifications for a client billing system used by the customer to bill conferencing services to its clients;

receiving cost data and client billing information for a conference conducted by participants related to the customer;

processing the cost data and client billing information based on the client billing specifications to generate a billing data file having a format compatible with the client billing system;

providing the billing data file to the customer,

generating a moderator report indicating a record of time spent by at least one moderator on conferences associated with the customer; and

providing the moderator report to the customer via a network.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the client billing specifications comprise the identification of a known client billing system.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein, as a result of the compatible format, the billing data file may be input into the client billing system without modification of the billing data file by the customer.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein, as a result of the compatible format, the billing data file may be input into the known client billing system without modification of the billing data file by the customer.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the billing data file contains information to automatically allocate cost data to a third party.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method comprises:

compiling account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the method comprises:

compiling account details relating to conferences associated with the customer;

creating a report based on the compiled account details; and

providing the report to the customer via a network.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method comprises:

generating an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the method comprises:

generating an unbilled usage report reflecting unbilled usage data associated with the customer, wherein the unbilled usage report includes unbilled charges and estimated tax;

providing the unbilled usage report to the customer via a network.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the unbilled usage report includes a discount rate associated with the customer.