Systems and methods for generating reports

• US 20030040936A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Carter, James, Beeson, Thomas H., Alonso, Michael, Stroud, Daniel, Brunsen, William E., Nader, Timothy C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• 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 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• 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 2215/0168 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 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number

Abstract

A system for generating reports includes a graphical user interface that enables a user to submit requests for pre-defined or customized reports. The user may select the data upon which a report will be based and test the report at various stages to determine whether the report will provide the desired information.

Claims

1. In a system comprising at least one server and at least one client device, a method for generating a report regarding a user'"'"'s telecommunications usage, comprising:

providing a user interface for the client device, the user interface allowing the user to generate a report request associated with the user'"'"'s telecommunications usage and to test the report;

inputting, by the user, information identifying a plurality of fields associated with at least one telecommunications product and at least one set of data upon which the report will be based;

inputting, by the user, a test command;

receiving, at the server, the information identifying the plurality of fields, the at least one set of data and the test command;

generating a report based on the received information; and

downloading the report to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the report on the client device;

at least one of modifying one of the fields, adding a field and modifying a condition associated with one of the fields;

inputting the test command;

generating a second report;

downloading the second report to the client device;

displaying the second report on the client device; and

inputting a save command, by the user, to save the report.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the report includes a plurality of data items, each data item representing summary information, the method further comprising:

selecting a data item, wherein additional information associated with the data item is displayed in response to the selecting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server stores information identifying a plurality of reports, the method further comprising:

selecting, by the user, information identifying at least one report and at least one set of data;

selecting, by the user, a deferred output option;

receiving, by the server, the information identifying the at least one report, the at least one set of data and the deferred output option;

executing the at least one report by the server; and

deferring output of the at least one report to the client device to a later time.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing, by the server, an indication to the client device that a deferred report is available.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting, by the user, mathematical operators and Boolean operators associated with one or more of the plurality of fields.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface allows the user to input translations for at least one of the plurality of fields, the method further comprising:

inputting, by the user, a translation for a first one of the plurality of fields, the translation comprising a plurality of alphanumeric characters;

receiving, by the server, the translation; and

inserting the translation in the report in place of the first field.

8. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, said sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to a client device, the GUI allowing a user to generate a request for a customized report associated with the user'"'"'s telecommunications usage and to select at least one set of data upon which the customized report will be based;

generate the customized report based on information received via the GUI, the information identifying various fields and conditions associated with the customized report; and

provide the customized report to the client device.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the GUI includes a test input that allows the user to test the customized report at various stages, the instructions further causing the processor to:

generate the customized report in response to the test input received via the GUI; and

download the customized report to the client device via a network.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9;

the instructions further causing the processor to;

receive at least one of modifications and additions to the customized report;

receive a second test input;

generate a second report based on the at least one of modifications and additions; and

download the second report to the client device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, the instructions further causing the processor to:

provide a summary data item in the customized report based on the received information, wherein when the summary data item is selected, detailed information associated with the summary data item is displayed.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the GUI allows the user to identify a plurality of reports and a deferred output option, the instructions further causing the processor to:

receive information identifying at least one report, at least one dataset and the deferred output option;

generate the at least one report; and

defer output of the report to the client device to a later time.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, the instructions further causing the processor to:

provide an indication to the client device that a deferred report is available.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the GUI allows the user to input at least one of mathematical operators and Boolean operators associated with one or more fields, the instructions further causing the processor to:

generate the customized report using received information that includes at least one of mathematical and Boolean operators.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the GUI allows the user to provide alphanumeric translations for a plurality of fields, the instructions further causing the processor to:

receive an alphanumeric translation for a first one of the plurality of fields; and

insert the alphanumeric translation in the customized report in place of the first field.

16. A system for generating reports, comprising:

a memory configured to store data associated with a customer'"'"'s telecommunications usage; and

a processor configured to;

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) allowing the customer to generate a request for a customized report and to select data upon which the customized report will be based,

receive information identifying various fields and conditions associated with the customized report and information identifying at least one set of data upon which the customized report will be based, the at least one set of data being stored in the memory,

generate the customized report based on the received information and the at least one set of data, and

provide the customized report.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI includes a test input that allows the customer to test the customized report at various stages, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the customized report in response to the test input received via the GUI, and

download the customized report to a client device via a network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive at least one of modifications and additions to the customized report,

receive a second test input,

generate a second report based on the at least one of modifications and additions, and

download the second report to the client device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the customized report includes a plurality of data items, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display at least one summary data item in the customized report, wherein the summary data item includes additional information that may be displayed when selected by the customer.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI allows the customer to identify a plurality of reports and a deferred output option, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive information identifying at least one report and a deferred output option,

execute the at least one report, and

defer output of the report to the client device to a later time.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI allows the customer to identify a plurality of reports and to schedule execution for each of the respective plurality of reports, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive information identifying a first report and schedule information indicating when the first report is to be executed, and

execute the first report at a time indicated by the schedule information.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI allows the customer to input mathematical operators, Boolean operators and alphanumeric translations associated with the plurality of fields, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the customized report using received information that includes at least one of the mathematical and Boolean operators, and

insert received alphanumeric translations in the customized report.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, said sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) allowing the user to;

generate a request for a report, the report including at least one of a pre-defined report and a customized report,

identify data upon which the report will be based,

test the report at various stages, and

identify a plurality of reports and at least one of a deferred output option and a scheduled execution option; and

generate the report based on information received via the GUI.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the GUI further allows the user to:

input at least one of mathematical operators and Boolean operators associated with one or more fields, and

provide alphanumeric translations for a plurality of fields.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the instructions further causing the processor to:

generate the report in response to a test input received via the GUI; and

provide the report to a client device.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the instructions further causing the processor to:

provide the report to a client device, the report including at least one summary data item, wherein when the summary data item is selected, detailed information associated with the summary data item is displayed.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, the instructions further causing the processor to:

receive information identifying at least one report, at least one dataset and the deferred output option;

execute the at least one report; and

defer output of the report.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, the instructions further causing the processor to:

receive information identifying a first report and schedule information indicating when the first report is to be executed; and

execute the first report at a time indicated by the schedule information.