Shared usage telecommunications billing system and method

• US 7,987,122 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moran, Douglas Robert, Roper, Danny Lee, Anderson, Jennifer Lynn, Koeppen, Gregg R., Thane-Paquette, Michael, Wolken, Kimberly Renee, Bevente, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/654,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,882 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705 34- 36, 705/52, 379/112.07, 379/112.09, 379/114.03, 379/114.21, 379/115.01, 379/115.02, 379/121.02, 455/405, 455/406
• US Class Current: 705/34
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 : per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of providing a bill to a telecommunications subscriber. The method includes distributing a bill using shared account information to the telecommunications subscriber. The shared account information identifies shared telecommunications units used in connection with a first subscriber service and a second subscriber service. The first subscriber service is distinct from the second subscriber service. In another embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a telecommunications subscriber service package. The subscriber service package includes an allocation of shared account units. At least a portion of the allocation of shared account units is available for use of a first subscriber service and available for use of a second subscriber service. The first subscriber service is distinct from the second subscriber service.

Claims

1. A telecommunications subscriber service package, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to;

store an allocation of unshared account units for use of a first subscriber service provider;

store an allocation of shared account units for use of a second subscriber service provider and available for use of the first subscriber service provider;

store instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine a number of unshared account units remaining;

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a type of account units to be utilized by the first subscriber service provider based on the number of unshared account units remaining, wherein the allocation of unshared account units is utilized by the first subscriber service provider prior to utilization of the allocation of the shared account units by the first subscriber service provider;

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to allocate the determined type of account units to the first subscriber service provider; and

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate an exchange of an amount of money from the first subscriber service provider to the second subscriber service provider, wherein the amount of money is reconciled according to usage of the shared account units.

2. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the allocation of shared account units includes shared telecommunication minutes.

3. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the first subscriber service provider is a land-line telecommunications service provider and the second subscriber service provider is a mobile telecommunications service provider.

4. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 3, wherein the land-line telecommunications service provider comprises a long distance telephony service provider.

5. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 3, wherein the land-line telecommunications service provider comprises a local telephony service.

6. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the first subscriber service provider is associated with a first operating entity and the second subscriber service provider is associated with a second operating entity.

7. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the allocation of shared account units is available for a period of time.

8. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 7, wherein the period of time is one month.

9. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate a first bill with charges corresponding to the shared account units and a second bill that includes supplemental invoice data unrelated to the shared account units.

10. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to use the shared account units to generate a bill to a telecommunications subscriber.

11. A telecommunications subscriber service package, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to;

store an allocation of unshared account units for use of a first subscriber service provider;

store an allocation of shared account units for use of a second subscriber service provider and available for use of the first subscriber service provider;

store instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine a number of shared account units remaining;

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a type of account units to be utilized by the first subscriber service provider based on the number of shared account units remaining, wherein the allocation of the unshared account units is utilized by the first subscriber service provider after exhaustion of the allocation of shared account units;

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to allocate the determined type of account units to the first subscriber service provider; and

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate an exchange of an amount of money from the first subscriber service provider to the second subscriber service provider, wherein the amount of money is reconciled according to usage of the shared account units.

12. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 11, wherein the allocation of shared account units includes shared telecommunication minutes.

13. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 11, wherein the first subscriber service provider is a land-line telecommunications service provider and the second subscriber service provider is a mobile telecommunications service provider.

14. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 13, wherein the land-line telecommunications service provider comprises a long distance telephony service provider.

15. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 13, wherein the land-line telecommunications service provider comprises a local telephony service provider.

16. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 11, wherein the first subscriber service provider is associated with a first operating entity and the second subscriber service provider is associated with a second operating entity.

17. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 11, wherein the allocation of shared account units is available for a period of time.

18. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 17, wherein the period of time is one month.

19. A telecommunications subscriber service package, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to;

store an allocation of unshared account units for use of a first subscriber service provider;

store an allocation of shared account units for use of a second subscriber service provider and available for use of the first subscriber service provider;

store instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine a type of account units to be utilized by one of the first subscriber service provider and the second subscriber service provider, wherein relative usage of the allocation of the shared account units by the one of the first subscriber service provider and the second subscriber service provider is limited according to a predefined usage ratio;

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to allocate the determined type of account units to the one of the first subscriber service provider and the second subscriber service provider; and

store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate an exchange of an amount of money from the first subscriber service provider to the second subscriber service provider, wherein the amount of money is reconciled according to usage of the shared account units.

20. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 19, wherein the allocation of shared account units includes shared telecommunication minutes.

21. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 19, wherein the first subscriber service provider is a land-line telecommunications service provider and the second subscriber service provider is a mobile telecommunications service provider.

22. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 21, wherein the land-line telecommunications service provider comprises a long distance telephony service provider.

23. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 19, wherein the first subscriber service provider is associated with a first operating entity and the second subscriber service provider is associated with a second operating entity.

24. The telecommunications subscriber service package of claim 19, wherein the allocation of shared account units is available for a period of time.