Dynamic usage inequity detection and/or remedy

• US 10,404,865 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Richard, Marini, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B.
• Application Number:
  US15/958,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20180241885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An architecture that can dynamically detect and/or automatically remedy service usage inequities in a communications network is provided. For example, based upon a comparison of incoming call detail records (CDRs) to various subscriber information entities (e.g., service plan, blacklisted devices for the service plan, historic or current billing cycle usage, etc.), the architecture can identify when a usage inequity occurs or is likely to occur, substantially in real time.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving first data representative of a call detail record that is generated in response to a determination a first subscriber device accessed a network service;

determining, based on the first data, that a second subscriber device accessed the network service via the first subscriber device;

in response to examining second data representative of a service agreement between a provider entity that provides the network service and a subscriber entity associated with the first subscriber device, determining that a usage violation has occurred, wherein the usage violation is representative of a determination that the second subscriber device is not authorized by the service agreement to access the network service; and

in response to the determining that the usage violation has occurred, implementing a violation policy in connection with access to the network service by the first subscriber device.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting instruction data in accordance with the violation policy, and wherein the instruction data is representative of an instruction to monitor call detail records, generated in response to the first subscriber device accessing the network service, in a manner described by the violation policy.

3. The network device of claim 2, wherein the instruction is a first instruction and the instruction data further comprises a second instruction to create an audit record of the call detail records generated during an audit period described by the violation policy.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise determining, based on an examination of the audit record, cost data representative of a cost of the usage violation during the audit period.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise, based on the cost data, determining treatment data representative of a recommended response to the usage violation.

6. The network device of claim 5, wherein the recommended response comprises a recommendation to take no further action in response to a value of the cost data being determined to be below a defined threshold.

7. The network device of claim 5, wherein the recommended response comprises a recommendation to transmit notification data to the first subscriber device in accordance with the violation policy, and wherein the notification data is representative of a notification that the second subscriber device is not authorized by the service agreement to access the network service.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein the notification data is transmitted to the first subscriber device via a short message service.

9. The network device of claim 7, wherein the notification data comprises information regarding authorizing the second subscriber device to access the network service.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device comprising a processor, first data representative of a call detail record that is generated in response to a determination a first subscriber device accessed a network service;

based on the first data, determining, by the device, that a second subscriber device accessed the network service via the first subscriber device;

in response to examining second data representative of a service agreement between a provider entity that provides the network service and a subscriber entity associated with the first subscriber device, determining, by the device, that a usage violation has occurred, wherein the usage violation is in response to a determination that the second subscriber device is not authorized by the service agreement to access the network service; and

in response to the determining that the usage violation has occurred, implementing, by the device, a violation policy in connection with access to the network service by the first subscriber device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, by the device, instruction data in accordance with the violation policy, wherein the instruction data is representative of an instruction to monitor, in a manner described by the violation policy, call detail records generated in response to the first subscriber device accessing the network service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instruction is a first instruction and the instruction data further comprises a second instruction to create an audit record of the call detail records generated during an audit period described by the violation policy.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, based on an examination of the audit record, determining, by the device, cost data representative of a cost of the usage violation during the audit period.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, based on the cost data, determining, by the device, treatment data representative of a recommended response to the usage violation.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving first data representative of a call detail record that is generated in response to a determination a first subscriber device accessed a network service;

based on the first data, determining that a second subscriber device accessed the network service via the first subscriber device;

in response to examining second data representative of a service agreement between a provider entity that provides the network service and a subscriber entity associated with the first subscriber device, determining that a usage violation has occurred, wherein the usage violation is determined to have occurred in response to a determination that the second subscriber device is not authorized by the service agreement to access the network service; and

in response to the determining that the usage violation has occurred, implementing, by the system, a violation policy in connection with access to the network service by the first subscriber device.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting instruction data in accordance with the violation policy, and wherein the instruction data is representative of an instruction to monitor, in a manner described by the violation policy, call detail records generated in response to the first subscriber device accessing the network service.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instruction is a first instruction, and wherein the instruction data further comprises a second instruction to create an audit record of the call detail records generated during an audit period described by the violation policy.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise, based on an examination of the audit record, determining cost data representative of a cost of the usage violation during the audit period.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise, based on the cost data, determining treatment data representative of a recommended response to the usage violation.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the recommended response comprises a recommendation to take no further action in response to a value of the cost data being determined to be below a defined threshold.