Telecommunication services reporting system

• US 7,062,024 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.), Pacific Telesis Shared Services, South Western Bell Corporation -Long Distance
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreckel, Richard D., Watson, Raymond P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US10/024,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20030112937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 379/126, 379/112.07, 379/112.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.15, 379/114.19, 379/115.01, 379/121.05
• US Class Current: 379/126
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• 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 2215/0164 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 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number

Abstract

A system and method for processing a plurality of call detail records (CDR) each indicative of a call transaction on a telecommunications network. The method includes receiving the plurality of CDRs at a first controller, wherein each of the CDRs include a data structure including a plurality of fields each containing at least one character. The method then selects a first sorting field from the plurality of fields and groups the plurality of CDRs as a function of data within the first sorting field. In one embodiment, the first sorting field is used to group the CDRs according to different carriers. The method then analyzes at least one additional sorting field within each of the CDRs which were previously grouped according to the first sorting field. A report is then generated for each of the grouped CDRs as a function of data within the additional sorting field. In this way, periodic, customized reports can be generated from information contained with CDRs with user-selectable sorting or analysis fields.

Claims

1. A method of processing a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) each indicative of a call transaction on a telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of:

preliminarily processing said CDRs according to which telecommunications service providers supported the call transactions indicated in said CDRs;

in response to a user request from a remote user terminal, receiving said plurality of CDRs at a first controller, each of said CDRs having a data structure including a plurality of fields containing at least one character;

selecting a first sorting field from said plurality of fields and grouping said plurality of CDRs as a function of data within said first sorting field, said first sorting field being user selected as a carrier identification field;

thereafter analyzing a user-selected second sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field;

generating a customized carrier-specific report for each of said grouped CDRs as a function of data within said user-selected second sorting field;

delivering said customized carrier-specific report to said remote user terminal; and

presenting said customized carrier-specific report to said user at said remote user terminal according to user-selected format preferepces, said customized carrier-specific report being selectively utile for monitoring network usage and making billing statements.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of CDRs are generated at a second controller coupled to said telecommunications network and located remote from said first controller.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of fields includes a plurality of subfields.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said call transaction is a long distance calling card transaction.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said user-selected second sorting field is an enhanced service identifier field including at least one subfield selected from the group consisting of a message store and forward subfield, a directory assistance subfield, and a conference calling subfield.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving said plurality of CDRs at said first controller is executed periodically at daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly intervals.

7. A method according to claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

analyzing a user-selected third sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field; and

generating a customized report for each of said grouped CORs as a function of data within said user-selected second and third sorting fields.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of generating said customized report includes the step of determining and displaying a system variable as a function of data within at least one of said user-selected second and third sorting fields.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said user-selected second sorting field contains data indicative of Total Call Attempts, and said system variable corresponds to Successful Call Attempts.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said customized carrier-specific report includes transaction activity data and information for an originating trunk group and a terminating trunk group.

11. A call detail record (CDR) processing system for a telecommunications network, said system comprising:

a system cluster in operative communication with said telecommunications network for generating a plurality of CDRs each indicative of a call transaction on said telecommunications network;

a server-based splitter in operative communication with said system cluster for preliminarily processing said CDRs according to which telecommunications service providers supported the call transactions indicated in said CDRs;

a production database server in operative communication with said system cluster for storing said CDRs as periodically received from at least one of said system cluster and said splitter;

a user access server in operative communication with said production database server, said user access server programmed to (i) select a first sorting field from a plurality of fields within each CDR and group said plurality of CDRs as a function of data within said first sorting field, wherein said first sorting field is user selected as a carrier identification field, (ii) analyze a user-selected second sorting field within each of said CDRs within a group of CDRs sorted by said first sorting field, and (iii) generate a customized carrier-specific report for each of said grouped CDRs as a function of data within said user-selected second sorting field; and

a user access terminal in operative communication with said user access server for presenting said customized carrier-specific report to a user according to user-selected format preferences, said customized carrier-specific report being selectively utile for monitoring network usage and making billing statements.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said system cluster comprises a plurality of servers.

13. A system according to claim 12, said system comprising at least one additional cluster located remote from said system cluster and in operative communication with said telecommunications network for generating CDRs indicative of call transactions on said telecommunications network.

14. A system according to claim 13, said system comprising a master database in operative communication with said system cluster and each said additional cluster for storing said CDRs generated by said system cluster and each said additional cluster.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein said system cluster is a calling card system cluster for generating a CDR in response to each calling card transaction on said telecommunications network.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein said CDR fields include at least one field selected from the group consisting of a Call Type Offered field, a System Failure field, a Rate Class field, a Method of Recording field, a Message Type field, and a Call Statistics field.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said Call Statistics field includes at least one subfield selected from the group consisting of a message store and forward subfield, a directory assistance subfield, and a conference calling subfield.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said Rate Class field includes at least one subfield selected from the group consisting of a person-to-person subfield, an operator station-to-station subfield, a dialed station subfield, and an operator assisted dialing subfield.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein said Call Type Offered field includes at least one subfield selected from the group consisting of a local exchange carrier calling card subfield and a proprietary calling card subfield.