Patent · US Expired

CLEC convergent billing system

US7184977B1 · kind B1 · utility

11Cited by
6References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 31, 1997
Grant dateFeb 27, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 31, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q40/00
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A process is provided for a billing controller receives a request identifying a customer and indicating one of a plurality of providers for a selected product, converts a portion of the received request into a provisioning request based on the selected product; and provides the provisioning request to the provider. The billing controller also receives a request identifying a customer and including a bundle code indicating a plurality of providers for selected products, converts portions of the received request into provisioning requests based on the code, and provides the provisioning requests to the providers. The billing controller also receives usage data for a customer from a plurality of providers, converts the usage data from each provider into a standard usage data format based on predetermined billing rules, and stores the converted usage data linked to a customer record. The billing controller also accesses a stored customer record identifying a customer and including usage data and a plurality of codes, specifies a bill format from the codes, determines whether codes identify a selected bundle of products from at least two providers, and generates a bill including the usa…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.