Dynamic call billing and invoice generating application

• US 9,392,125 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Technology Group LLC (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Besson, Jean-Frederic, Edwards, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Ashish K
• Application Number:
  US14/073,041
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8072 Group, conference or multi-party call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Call related invoices may be generated and applied to calls and related services especially in certain countries with dynamic tax models and specific entity authorization rules and other strict requirements for generating such invoices. One example method of operation may include identifying a call session being initiated by at least one call party device and retrieving account information of the at least one call party. Next, a preliminary invoice is generated based on the initiated call session including the account information, and the invoice is then updated to include details of the call session once the call session has ended.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a call session being initiated by at least one call party device;

retrieving account information of the at least one call party;

generating a preliminary invoice based on the initiated call session including the account information, the preliminary invoice comprising a call duration, a call origination location, a call termination location and a call type;

updating the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session once the call session has ended and creating an updated invoice comprising at least one applicable tax rate;

identifying a location of the at least one call party device and applying the at least one applicable tax rate based on local tax information associated with the location of the at least one call party, the call duration and the call type;

updating a plurality of tax rates based on changes to the plurality of tax rates that have occurred since a previous invoice generation operation prior to updating the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session; and

generating a final invoice for all calls for a predetermined period of time, the final invoice comprising the updated plurality of tax rates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a cost of the call session;

applying a plurality of tax rates to the preliminary invoice; and

calculating a total tax cost based on the cost of the call session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call session is between two parties.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call session is a conference call comprising a plurality of call recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sharing the final invoice with a plurality of recipients;

generating a web link to the final invoice; and

transmitting the invoice to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the final invoice comprises a summary of all charges, a bank deposit form, and call information for all calls during the predetermined period of time.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the call session is a conference call comprising a plurality of call recipients.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a call session message indicating a call session being initiated; and

a processor configured to

identify the call session being initiated by at least one call party device,

retrieve account information of the at least one call party,

generate a preliminary invoice based on the initiated call session including the account information, the preliminary invoice comprising a call duration, a call origination location, a call termination location and a call type, and

update the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session once the call session has ended and creating an updated invoice comprising at least one applicable tax rate,

identify a location of the at least one call party device and applying the at least one applicable tax rate based on local tax information associated with the location of the at least one call party, the call duration and the call type,

update a plurality of tax rates based on changes to the plurality of tax rates that have occurred since a previous invoice generation operation prior to updating the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session, and

generate a final invoice for all calls for a predetermined period of time, the final invoice comprising the updated plurality of tax rates.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to

estimate a cost of the call session;

apply a plurality of tax rates to the preliminary invoice; and

calculate a total tax cost based on the cost of the call session.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call session is between two parties.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call session is a conference call comprising a plurality of call recipients.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to

share the final invoice with a plurality of recipients,

generate a web link to the final invoice, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit the final invoice to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the final invoice comprises a summary of all charges, a bank deposit form, and call information for all calls during the predetermined period of time.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

identifying a call session being initiated by at least one call party device;

retrieving account information of the at least one call party;

generating a preliminary invoice based on the initiated call session including the account information, the preliminary invoice comprising a call duration, a call origination location, a call termination location and a call type;

updating the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session once the call session has ended and creating an updated invoice comprising at least one applicable tax rate;

identifying a location of the at least one call party device and applying the at least one applicable tax rate based on local tax information associated with the location of the at least one call party, the call duration and the call type;

updating a plurality of tax rates based on changes to the plurality of tax rates that have occurred since a previous invoice generation operation prior to updating the preliminary invoice to include details of the call session; and

generating a final invoice for all calls for a predetermined period of time, the final invoice comprising the updated plurality of tax rates.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

estimating a cost of the call session;

applying a plurality of tax rates to the preliminary invoice; and

calculating a total tax cost based on the cost of the call session.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the call session is between two parties.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

sharing the final invoice with a plurality of recipients;

generating a web link to the final invoice; and

transmitting the final invoice to at least one of the plurality of recipients, and wherein the final invoice comprises a summary of all charges, a bank deposit form, and call information for all calls during the predetermine period of time.