Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-30
2001-11-13
Tran, Sinh (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
C379S111000, C379S112010, C379S114010, C379S114030, C379S121040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317490
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manipulating telephony service information, and in particular to a method and apparatus for providing real-time telephony service billing information queries.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, telephony service billing is conducted periodically. At the end of the billing period, the accumulated call data stored on telecommunications switches is downloaded to a facility that combines data for a subscriber and then compiles a summarized billing for the subscriber which is sent for payment.
Due to this accounting structure, a subscriber cannot access the billing information for an up-to-date or real-time billing summary. Such information is important to a subscriber, particularly with the advent of per-use charge features and for cellular service subscribers, to determine whether or not a budgetary limit is being exceeded. Under the present system, a user will not know whether a limit has been exceeded until receiving their services bill.
Therefore, a need exists for a telecommunications system billing administrator that can maintain a billing information data repository for real-time queries by a user when requested. Furthermore, a need exists for system that allows a real-time query in an expedient manner such that a user or subscriber need not wait an extended period to receive the information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, provided herein is a method and apparatus for providing real-time telephony service billing information queries.
A telecommunications service billing administrator has a billing system with a processor coupled to a billing information data repository. The billing information data repository updates an account table and a call table during the placement of a telecommunications call leg. The information updated includes a billing account summary. At least the billing account summary is accessible by a subscriber through a user interface coupled to the billing system. The subscriber can then issue a billing inquiry request in which the billing system responds with the billing account summary in either voice announcement form, if a voice access device was used to access the billing system, or in data announcement form.
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Adams Rodney Glen
Cameron Garnet
D'Ingianni Rita
Lad Raman
Shah Nimesh
Carr & Storm, L.L.P.
Nortel Networks Limited
Tran Quoc
Tran Sinh
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