Systems and methods for retrieving and modifying data records for rating and billing purposes

• US 8,700,528 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Leskuski, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US13/490,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 : Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 : Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 : Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 : Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 : Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 : Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 : Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 : Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• 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 15/06 : Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• 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 15/47 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 : for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 : using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 : Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 : Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 : composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• 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 2215/0148 : Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 : General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• 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 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2013 : Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 : Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 : Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 : Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 : Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 : Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 : where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

An operational support system includes a data collection unit and a number of network devices that are associated with various telecommunications services. The data collection unit retrieves raw data records from the network elements and identifies information in the raw data records that is relevant for billing purposes. The data collection unit normalizes the raw data records to create a billable record. The billable record may then be passed to a rating or billing unit that determines the charges associated with a customer'"'"'s use of the telecommunications services.

Claims

1. A non-transitory 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:

retrieve data from a plurality of network elements associated with a plurality of telecommunications services, wherein when retrieving data, the instructions cause the processor to;

track access to voice portal services by customers,

track contact center usage associated with the customers,

track actions performed by network gateways with respect to routing communications using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) for the customers, and

track actions performed by edge routers associated with an Internet protocol (IP) communication network for the customers;

identify information in the retrieved data that is relevant for billing;

modify the data based on the identified information to create a billable record for each of the customers; and

forward the billable record for each of the customers to a billing unit.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data includes a number of fields and when modifying the data, the instructions further cause the processor to delete a number of the fields.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein when modifying the data, the instructions further cause the processor to add a number of fields.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises a group of records associated with use of a voice portal service and when modifying the data, the instructions further cause the processor to:

calculate a number of uses of the voice portal service for a first one of the customers, and

insert the calculated number of uses in the billable record for the first customer associated with the voice portal service.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the number of uses of the voice portal service for the first customer includes a number of communications received by the first customer.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further including instructions for causing the processor to:

access a database storing customer identifiers; and

perform a database lookup to determine a first customer'"'"'s identifier.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein when modifying the data, the instructions further cause the processor to insert the first customer'"'"'s identifier in the billable record for the first customer.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telecommunications services comprises voice portal services, contact center services, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services and Internet protocol data services.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein when modifying the data records, the instructions cause the processor to:

calculate a duration of each of a plurality of network communications using the VoIP services, and

insert the calculated duration in a respective billable record associated with each of the network communications.

10. An operational support system, comprising:

a plurality of network elements associated with a plurality of systems, each of the systems configured to provide a different telecommunications service;

a data collection unit configured to;

gather data records from the plurality of network elements, wherein a first group of gathered data records is associated with use of a voice portal service, a second group of gathered data records is associated with use of a contact center, a third group of data records is associated with routing communications using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and a fourth group of data records is associated with routing data in an IP communication network,

identify information in the first, second third and fourth groups of gathered data records relevant to rating or billing,

generate billable records based on the identifying, and

forward the billable records; and

a billing unit configured to;

receive the billable records, and

determine charges for customers based on the billable records.

11. The operational support system of claim 10, wherein when generating the billable records, the data collection unit is further configured to:

delete a number of fields from the gathered data records, and

add a number of fields to the gathered data records.

12. The operational support system of claim 10, wherein the third group of the gathered data records include start and end times associated with a plurality of network communications and when generating billable records, the data collection unit is further configured to:

calculate a duration of each of the network communications based on the start and end times, and

insert the calculated duration in the respective billable record associated with each of the network communications.

13. The operational support system of claim 10, wherein the data collection unit is further configured to:

access a database storing customer identifiers, and

performing a database lookup to determine a customer'"'"'s identifier.

14. The operational support system of claim 13, wherein the data collection unit is further configured to insert the customer'"'"'s identifier in the billable records.

15. The operational support system of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications services comprises voice portal services, contact center services, VoIP services and Internet protocol data services.

16. The operational support system of claim 15, wherein the data records comprise raw data records and when generating billable records, the data collection unit is configured to:

convert the raw data records into normalized billable records associated with one of the telecommunications services.

17. The operational support system of claim 15, wherein when gathering data records, the data collection unit is configured to:

track use of the voice portal services by the customers,

track use of the contact center services associated with the customers,

track actions performed by network gateways with respect to routing communications using the VoIP services for the customers, and

track actions performed by edge routers associated with the Internet protocol data services for the customers.

18. The operational support system of claim 17, wherein when generating billable records, the data collection unit is configured to:

calculate a number of uses of the voice portal services for a first one of the customers, and

insert the calculated number of uses in the billable record for the first customer associated with the voice portal services.

19. The operational support system of claim 18, wherein when identifying information in the first group of gathered data records relevant to rating or billing, the data collection unit is configured to:

identify a number of communications received by the first customer.

20. The operational support system of claim 17, wherein when identifying information in the second group of data records relevant to rating or billing, the data collection unit is configured to:

identify whether an agent has received at least one communication during a billing cycle.