System and method for prepay account management system
First Claim
1. A prepay account management system for use with a legacy post-pay billing system, the legacy post-pay billing system having a customer account database operable to store customer account data the system, and the prepay account management system comprising:
- a prepay account database operable to store prepay customer account data and estimated usage charges for each prepay customer;
a secure data link operable to transmit the prepay customer account data and actual usage charges of a prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the legacy post-pay billing system, wherein the actual usage charges of the prepay customer are extracted from the legacy post-pay billing system;
a prepay server operable to;
receive the transmitted prepay customer account data and actual usage charges, the prepay server having at least one interface that is operable to receive a replenishing payment amount;
update in the prepay account database a balance of a prepay customer account in response to the estimated usage charges and the replenishing payment amount;
reconcile a balance of a prepay customer account with the actual usage charges of the prepay customer extracted from the legacy post-pay billing system by comparing the estimated usage charges with the actual usage charges; and
a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to prepay customer preferences.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A prepay account management system comprises a secure data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account and meter data, a prepay server operable to receive the transmitted customer account data, the prepay server operable to update a balance of a prepay customer account in response to usage charges and replenishing payment amounts, and a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to the prepay customer preferences.
39 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A prepay account management system for use with a legacy post-pay billing system, the legacy post-pay billing system having a customer account database operable to store customer account data the system, and the prepay account management system comprising:
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a prepay account database operable to store prepay customer account data and estimated usage charges for each prepay customer; a secure data link operable to transmit the prepay customer account data and actual usage charges of a prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the legacy post-pay billing system, wherein the actual usage charges of the prepay customer are extracted from the legacy post-pay billing system; a prepay server operable to; receive the transmitted prepay customer account data and actual usage charges, the prepay server having at least one interface that is operable to receive a replenishing payment amount; update in the prepay account database a balance of a prepay customer account in response to the estimated usage charges and the replenishing payment amount; reconcile a balance of a prepay customer account with the actual usage charges of the prepay customer extracted from the legacy post-pay billing system by comparing the estimated usage charges with the actual usage charges; and a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to prepay customer preferences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A prepay account management system in use with a post-pay billing system, the prepay account management system comprising:
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a prepay customer database operable to store the prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and estimated usage data of the prepay customer, a data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and actual usage data of a prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the post-pay billing system, wherein the actual usage data of the prepay customer is extracted from the post-pay billing system; a prepay server operable to; receive the transmitted prepay customer account balance, prepayment, preferences and actual usage data, the prepay server having at least one interface that is operable to receive replenishing payment amounts; update a current balance of a prepay customer account in response to the estimated usage data and the replenishing payment amounts; and reconcile a balance of a prepay customer account with the actual usage data of the prepay customer extracted from the post-pay billing system by comparing the estimated usage data with the actual usage data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
- a tangible computer-readable storage structure storing a computer program that includes a plurality of computer instructions executable by a processor, the plurality of computer instructions including;
instructions for receiving prepay customer account data including actual utility usage amount for a prepay customer from a customer account database of a post-pay billing system; instructions for storing the prepay customer account data in a prepay account database; instructions for receiving a payment amount for utility services corresponding to a prepay customer; instructions for updating a prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database, in response to the payment amount; instructions for receiving an estimated utility usage amount for a prepay customer; instructions for updating the prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database in response to the estimated utility usage amount; instructions for reconciling the prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database with the actual utility usage amount of the prepay customer extracted from the post-pay billing system by comparing the estimated utility usage amount with the actual utility usage amount; and instructions for notifying the prepay customer in response to predetermined triggers associated with the prepay customer account. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
- a tangible computer-readable storage structure storing a computer program that includes a plurality of computer instructions executable by a processor, the plurality of computer instructions including;
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34. A prepay account management system for use with a legacy post-pay billing system, the legacy post-pay billing system having a customer account database operable to store customer account data the system, and the prepay account management system comprising:
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a prepay account database operable to store prepay customer account data; a secure data link operable to transmit a prepay customer account data and usage charges of a prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the legacy post-pay billing system; a prepay server operable to; receive the transmitted prepay customer account data, the prepay server having at least one interface that is operable to receive a replenishing payment amount; update in the prepay account database a balance of a prepay customer account in response to the usage charges and the replenishing payment amount; reconcile a balance of a prepay customer account with the legacy post-pay billing system; and a notification server operable to deliver a notification to the prepay customer in response to specific triggers associated with the prepay customer account according to prepay customer preferences.
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Specification