Dynamic reporting tool for conferencing customers

• US 8,767,936 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• 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): ZENATI, AMAL S
• Application Number:
  US12/881,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/127, 379/118, 379/112, 379/121
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• 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 dynamic reporting tool presents conferencing data to customers in a useful and flexible manner. Customers may customize standard reports using dynamic, comprehensive search criteria. Customers may also create custom ad hoc reports as needed. Furthermore, customers may access unbilled usage data and conduct searches on the unbilled usage data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reporting data related to conferencing services, comprising:

receiving, at a computer, data related to a conference conducted by participants associated with a customer, wherein the data comprises customer-supplied information related to a client of the customer, and wherein the participants are organized into groups using at least one identifier previously supplied by the customer;

receiving, at the computer, a request for data related to a conference conducted by participants associated with a customer;

receiving, at the computer, a primary search criteria selected from among a set of data fields in the data related to the conference;

receiving, from the customer, a secondary search criteria; and

providing a report containing data related to the conference meeting the primary search criteria and the secondary search criteria, wherein the report includes the customer-supplied information and wherein the report includes the at least one identifier previously supplied by the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing further includes at least one of:

displaying the report to the customer, enabling the customer to download the report, or enabling the customer to print the report.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-supplied information includes at least one of a client name, a payment amount, a check number, a credit amount, or a transaction type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of primary or secondary filter criteria includes at least one of:

invoice date, invoice number, office code, moderator, biller code, client code, or matter code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the report includes historical invoice data.

6. A system for reporting data related to conferencing services, comprising:

a data receiving component configured to receive, at a computer, data related to a conference conducted by participants associated with a customer, wherein the data comprises customer-supplied information related to the client, and wherein the participants are organized into groups using at least one identifier previously supplied by the customer;

a request receiving component configured to receive, at a computer, a request for data related to the conference;

a primary search criteria receiving component configured to receive, at a computer, a primary search criteria to identify one of the groups of participants associated with the customer;

a secondary search criteria receiving component configured to receive, at a computer, a secondary search criteria;

a providing component configured to provide a report containing data related to the conference meeting the primary search criteria and the secondary search criteria, wherein the report includes the customer-supplied information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the providing component is further configured to

enable a user to at least one of:

display the report, download the report, or print the report.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the client supplied information includes at least one of a customer name, a payment amount, a check number, a credit amount, or a transaction type.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the set of primary or secondary filter criteria includes at least one of:

invoice date, invoice number, office code, moderator, biller code, client code, or matter code.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the report includes historical invoice data demonstrating top users of conferencing services.