Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Usage measurement
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-10
2001-01-09
Maung, Nay (Department: 2744)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Usage measurement
C455S518000, C455S519000, C379S114030, C379S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173171
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to telecommunications, and in particular apparatus and methods for generating billing data for subscribers in a telecommunications system.
In mobile communications systems, such as cellular telephone networks, billing is conventionally carried out on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis. Herein, the term “subscriber” refers to the person authorised to access a mobile communications system, using a mobile station or a fixed station.
In a GSM system, when a subscriber utilises a mobile communications resource, such as conducting a voice call, sending a fax, retrieving voicemail messages, sending text messages, etc., a call detail record is produced is the network which is sent to a billing centre.
At the billing centre, the call detail records are logged on-line, and periodically transferred to an off-line billing system, for example on magnetic tapes. The call detail records are rated to attach a charge to each usage recorded in the call detail records. This charge depends on the type of service utilised, the length of a connection utilised, and may also depend on the particular type of subscription which the subscriber holds.
At the end of a billing period, for example at the end of each month, the rated call detail records are processed on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis to produce an individual bill for each subscriber.
However, this conventional method of billing implemented in the billing centre is not particularly convenient for customers having multiple subscribers utilising the mobile communications system. It can be difficult to manage costings for a group of subscribers when individual bills are separately received.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,207 proposes a cellular telephone billing system which processes call detail records or calls made by subscribers belonging to multiple-subscriber customers to produce bills. The call detail records are processed to attach a key identification number for each subscriber. The key identification number and a chosen associated information format are used to select a type of billing report required by the customer so that it may be provided during billing. However, this only provides a way to produce a desired format of billing report for a customer, and does not affect the charge made to a customer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would be desirable to provide apparatus whereby charging structures which are flexible, easy to understand, and logical, may be implemented for associated groups of subscribers in a mobile communications system.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for generating billing data for subscribers in a telecommunications system, said apparatus comprising:
data storage means for holding subscriber records for a plurality of groups of subscribers, each of said groups comprising a plurality of subscribers for which a combined subscription is held, said groups comprising different numbers of subscribers; and
data processing means for analysing call data and applying one of a number of different predetermined call charging tariffs to a call made by a subscriber in one of said groups, in dependence on the group of which the subscriber is a member, in order to generate charging data for said call.
This aspect of the invention allows a common charging tariff to be applied for each subscriber in a group for which a combined subscription is held, for example by a business concern.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for generating billing data for subscribers in a telecommunications system, said apparatus comprising:
data storage means for holding subscriber records for a plurality of groups of subscribers, each of said groups comprising a plurality of subscribers and said groups comprising different numbers of subscribers; and
data processing means comprising means for relating respective usage allocations to each of said group, each said allocation being shared by subscribers in the related group.
This aspect of the invention provides apparatus whereby a usage allocation may be allocated not only to a single subscriber, but by groups of subscribers of various sizes, thereby allowing flexibility and the utilisation of usage allocations in accordance with the desires of different groups of subscribers.
According to a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for generating billing data for subscribers in a mobile communications system, said apparatus comprising:
data storage means for storage subscriber records and usage allocation records, said usage allocation records being shared by respective groups of subscribers, each said group comprising a plurality of subscribers; and
data processing means for analysing call data and reducing the usage allocation in a usage allocation record when said call data indicates that a subscriber in a group sharing said usage allocation record has made a call in the mobile communications system, such that said usage allocation record indicates the amount of said usage allocation remaining after said call.
Thus, by means of a common usage allocation record, the current amount of usage allocation remaining may be readily determined either during a billing period or at the end of a billing period.
According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for generating billing data for subscribers in a mobile communications system, said apparatus including data processing means comprising:
first means for associating a shared allocation of usage with a group consisting of a plurality of subscribers; and
second means for processing call data and for reducing said shared allocation when said call data indicates that a call has been made by any of said plurality of subscribers in the group.
By sharing usage allocations, a given usage allocation can be more readily utilised in a given billing period, irrespective of fluctuations of usage by an individual subscriber in a group.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for generating billing data for subscribers in a mobile communications system, said apparatus including data processing means comprising:
first means for selecting a billing account;
second means for allocating a plurality of groups of subscribers to said selected account;
third means for allocating a plurality of subscribers to each of said groups; and
fourth means for processing call data for each subscriber allocated to said billing account to generate said billing data for said account; said billing data including a total charge for said account and a total charge for each said group.
Thus, a set of billing data for an account may be provided which sets out the charge not only for the account as a whole, but also for different groups of subscribers in the account, such as different departments of a business concern.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5345498 (1994-09-01), Mauger
patent: 5359642 (1994-10-01), Castro
patent: 5483575 (1996-01-01), Zdanowski et al.
patent: 5561706 (1996-10-01), Fenner
patent: 5670950 (1997-09-01), Otsuka
patent: 5697060 (1997-12-01), Akahane
patent: 5812945 (1998-09-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5826185 (1998-10-01), Wise et al.
patent: 5953400 (1999-09-01), Rosenthal et al.
patent: 44 19 651 (1995-12-01), None
patent: 0 346 897 (1989-12-01), None
patent: WO 93/03571 (1993-02-01), None
patent: WO 96/20570 (1996-07-01), None
“We Get You the Most From Your Cellular Phone” Brochure. Authored and Published by Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems Brochure p. 4, Jul. 1990.
“Personal Rates” Brochure. Authored and Published by Cellular One, p. 1, Nov. 1991.
“Washington Baltimore Cellular Service Area” Brochure. Authored and Published by Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems, p. 1, Sep. 1992.*
Carr Brian
Ferguson Michael
Green Shelaine
Plush Christopher
Roat David
Craver Charles
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Maung Nay
Orange Personal Communications Services LTD
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for generating billing data in a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for generating billing data in a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for generating billing data in a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2436694