Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
379114030 | Billing computing software or program | 34 |
20080267372 | Method and apparatus for phone tracking with deferred remote billing - A method of accounting for activities in a system comprising a telephone handset, including associating use of the telephone handset with a user, allowing the user to perform a call through use of the telephone handset without providing billing information relating to the call, communicating unbilled call information to at least one user computer associated with the user through a network, and prompting the user to input billing data relating to the unbilled call information at the at least one computer associated with the user. | 10-30-2008 |
20080285733 | Systems and Methods for Analyzing Telecommunications Invoices for Payment - A system and method for management and processing a plurality of types of telecommunication invoices at a user's site involving importing the plurality of types of telecommunication invoices to provide comparable telecommunication invoices and auditing the comparable telecommunication invoices by performing an automated reasonability test on the comparable telecommunication invoices. The system and method also provide a means for approving, processing and reporting on the comparable telecommunication invoices. | 11-20-2008 |
20080298568 | Hosted system monitoring service - A method and apparatus for providing a system monitoring service to customers. The method may include identifying a new customer based on data received from a reseller, storing data pertaining to this customer in a database, and registering the customer with a system monitoring service. The method may further include tracking the usage of the system monitoring service by the customer, calculating a fee for the usage of the system monitoring service by the customer over a predefined time interval, and then generating a bill for the calculated fee that covers the predefined time interval, where interactions between the customer and the reseller terminate once the customer is registered with the system monitoring service. | 12-04-2008 |
20090028309 | Method and apparatus for portable, source independent, low cost telephonization - The present invention utilizes a message which can be sent from any suitable source for an appropriate message. The basic message includes a pin number, the desired telephone from which the caller intends to talk. This caller may intend his own cell-phone or another's cell phone or any other telephone to be the originating telephone. Included in the message is the destination telephone number. The message is sent to a service center which verifies the pin number and sets up to charge the pin associated pre-paid or open account. Upon verification, a switch is set with the destination telephone number in its switch calling memory. Upon setting up the switch for the call, a call is placed to the intended originating telephone. When that telephone is answered, the destination telephone number is called. | 01-29-2009 |
20090116627 | Charging split negotiation in IMS sessions - A method and apparatus for implementation of split charging in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, allowing subsystem users to negotiate at setup and at a modification of a session initiation protocol session which user will be charged for each multimedia component of the subsystem. A method includes transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message including a split charging offer request and a first split charging ratio, and receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio. The method also includes processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging off ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem. | 05-07-2009 |
20090168980 | REPORT DATA CAPTURE VIA BILLING MODULE - A system for reporting telecommunications system usage data related to a telecommunications service. The system includes a network controller that captures telecommunications service billing data and reporting data, and populates a base module with the billing data and a local use module with the reporting data. The system also includes a storage system that stores the base module and the appended local use module, and a reporting system that generates billing reports from the base module and various user-selectable reports from the appended local use module. | 07-02-2009 |
20090196407 | Telecommunications - According to one aim of the present invention there is provided a method, in a telecommunications network, of creating user-definable call handling functionality accessible by way of telephone call to a voice application, comprising: generating a call handling package comprising one or more conditions, and one or more call handling actions, allocating an identifier to the call handling package in such a way that when a call is placed to the voice application the allocated identifier is requested, and in response to receiving the allocated identifier the voice application handles the call in accordance with the call handling package associated with the identifier. | 08-06-2009 |
20090232289 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY CAPTURING BILLABLE TIME - A method and system helps users capture billable time spent in writing an email and related tasks. A software program is provided that is integrated with an existing email program. The program tracks user time spent on each email and associates billing information with the spent time for use in a billing program. | 09-17-2009 |
20100020950 | DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REALIZING HANGUP NOTIFICATION SERVICE - A method, a system and a device for realizing hangup notification service are provided. The method includes the following steps: during a conversation between a calling party and a called party, obtaining, by a switch device, hangup notification service information subscribed by a non-hangup user and/or a hangup user after one user party hangs up; connecting to a notification service platform according to the hangup notification service information; and playing, by the notification service platform, user-subscribed notification information for the non-hangup user. A system and a device for realizing notification service are provided in the present invention accordingly. Through the present invention, a user may establish individual profile by subscribing individualized notification information, and it is convenient for the user to set dynamic information for notifying the opposite user party. | 01-28-2010 |
20100080370 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CREDIT-DEBIT OPERATIONS IN ACCOUNTS RELATED TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES - A method and a system for the management of telecommunication services provided by an operator to users and of telecommunication services, the method comprising: assigning a subscriber network identifier (IS) to each subscribed user; monitoring inbound communications toward the subscriber network identifiers (IS) assigned to subscribed users; creating, by virtue of means for creating and managing virtual accounts, a virtual account (CV) registered to each network identifier originating communications (IC); informing, by virtue of information means, at least the user or of telecommunication services who originates the communication toward the subscriber network identifier (IS) and/or the registrant of the network identifier originating communications (IC) of the existence and/or balance of the virtual account (CV). The telecommunication service management system comprises means for implementing the method. | 04-01-2010 |
20100086114 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING BILLING INFORMATION ACCORDING TO A CUSTOMER-DEFINED HIERARCHAL STRUCTURE - Presenting data received from service providers includes receiving billing data from each of the service providers and formatting, by at least one processor, the billing data in a standardized format. A single bill that consolidates the billing data in the standardized format for each of the service providers, and displays the billing data in the standardized format according to a user-defined organizational relationship for a billed entity, is outputted. | 04-08-2010 |
20100316204 | Methods and Systems for Optimizing Online Order Process Flow - A computer-implemented method for optimizing process flow of an online order. The method includes the steps of providing a client device displaying a user interface, presenting a consumer with an information page in the user interface requesting a set of information, including the phone number of the consumer; receiving first level information from the consumer, including the consumer's phone number, and determining whether the phone number is eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing. When the phone number is eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing, the consumer is presented with a credit card billing page. If no credit card information is received, the consumer is then presented with a phone billing page. When the phone number is not eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing, the consumer is presented with a credit card billing page. | 12-16-2010 |
20110081008 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RUNNING A MULTI-MODULE TELEPHONY APPLICATION - A method for running an accountable multi-module telephony application including receiving an application request to a number associated with an account of a telephony platform; directing application control to a first module of an application of the account; passing application control from the first module to a second module of the account through a linking system; and metering use of the first module and the at least second module independently. | 04-07-2011 |
20110116611 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ON-LINE BILLS FOR USE IN COMMUNICATION SERVICES - A method is provided for operating a communications system that provides a service, where a plurality of parties may be associated with members of an account with the system to receive the service. The method includes receiving a call from one of a plurality of members of an account, the call including a request for a service, where a common bill is provided for services rendered to the members of the account. An identifier to be used to identify the one party from among the plurality of members is received from the one party among the plurality of members. The common bill is provided for services rendered to the plurality of members of the account to a communications device via a network. In the common bill an indicator is provided of the one party requesting the service in association with a respective entry for the requested service. | 05-19-2011 |
20110216894 | Tool for Assessing Early Termination Penalty - A computer-implemented method and tool for assessing an early termination penalty on telecommunications service subscribers. In response to a subscriber's request for termination, a customer service representative engages the computerized assessment tool to answer a series of questions about that subscriber. The tool assigns a predetermined weight to each answer and calculates a final score when all questions have been answered. Based on this final score, the tool determines whether an early termination penalty should be levied and provides notice to the customer service representative. | 09-08-2011 |
20110261936 | Online reporting tool for conferencing customers - Embodiments consistent with the present invention provide an integrated system for conferencing services reporting to support customer billing needs. Systems consistent with the present invention enable a customer to retrieve and use integrated usage data, including data for unbilled conferencing services. Furthermore, systems consistent with the present invention provide an integrated account management interface to enable a customer to retrieve and use account information in real time and to manage a conferencing services account with ease. Still further, systems consistent with the present invention enable a customer to establish multiple levels of security to easily manage multiple users with multiple information needs and responsibilities. Systems consistent with the present invention also provide tools to analyze and track moderator conferencing schedules to enhance accurate timekeeping and billing. | 10-27-2011 |
20110311034 | Billing For Call Complete Calls - A method and system for billing a calling party for an unanswered call attempt is provided. A first network component receives a call attempt from the calling party and routes the call attempt to a second network component for establishing a communications link between the calling party and a called party. The second network component redirects the call attempt unanswered by the called party to the voice server. A billing management application, provided for managing the billing of the calling party, detects the redirection of the call attempt and indicates to the first network component to disable billing the calling party for the unanswered call attempt. The billing management application, in communication with the voice server, initiates billing of the calling party based on billing criteria, via the second network component instead of the first network component, for utilizing one or more services provided by the voice server. | 12-22-2011 |
20120039450 | DETERMINING COMMUNICATIONS CHARGING - A system for determining a communication charge comprising a charging equation determiner, an inflection point determiner, and a charge determiner. The charging equation determiner for determining a charging equation based at least in part on a normalized set of inputs. The inflection point determiner for determining an inflection point based at least in part on a charging structure database. The charge determiner for determining a communication charge based at least in part on the charging equation and the inflection point. | 02-16-2012 |
20120057686 | BILLING DATA INTERFACE FOR CONFERENCING CUSTOMERS - A billing data interface provides billing data to customers in an accurate and efficient manner. Billing data is processed to preserve client billing information and to meet a customer's individual data requirements. The billing data may be presented in such a way that the customer may input the billing data directly into its client billing system. The billing data may be processed according to client billing specifications corresponding to a client billing system used by the customer. The processed data may preserve leading zeros, separate client code and matter code into two fields, etc. The resulting data file may be delivered to the customer for entry into the customer's client billing system. | 03-08-2012 |
20120069979 | Methods for Providing Overdraft Protection for Post-Paid Communication Service Plans - Methods for adding minutes to a calling plan having a calling plan period. The methods including determining whether a threshold number of minutes have been reached during the calling plan period; and incrementally adding minutes to the calling plan when the threshold number of minutes has been reached. The cost per minute of the added minutes is less than the high-cost per minute rate normally associated with exceeding the threshold number of minutes during the calling plan period. | 03-22-2012 |
20120134483 | DESTINATION DEVICE BILLING ACCORDING TO CALL RECIPIENT - A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to destination device according to the calling plan of the individual receiving the call. An authenticated identity for a callee answering a call placed to a destination device is received at an intermediary device. The intermediary device then accesses a billing plan for the authenticated identity of the callee and loads the billing plan for specifying charges for the call, such that telephone service billed to the callee is accessible at multiple destination devices. | 05-31-2012 |
20120163574 | Integration of Carriers With Social Networks - In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving, at a server system of a social network and from a telephone service provider, information identifying members of a preferred calling group for a first user that is associated with the telephone provider. The sever system of the social network identifies the first user as a member of the social network. The server system of the social network identifies one or more of the members of the preferred calling group as being one or more members of the social network. The server system of the social network automatically defines a social network group that includes the one or more members of the preferred calling group who are members of the social network. | 06-28-2012 |
20120170729 | Unrestricted Calling Circle For Telephone Service - Subscribers of a telephone service can define a calling circle, which includes a group of other telephone subscribers with whom the subscriber receives preferential billing rates. The members of the calling circle may include customers of a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider. | 07-05-2012 |
20120230481 | Prepaid Short Messaging - A prepaid messaging solution that uses open networking standards and supports pre-payment of enhanced Internet messaging services. The prepaid messaging solution accurately determines if a subscriber has sufficient account balance to deliver a complete short message, prior to message delivery. Message delivery is prevented if insufficient funds are in the subscriber's account. A prepaid tariff engine, preferably extensible over a TCP/IP network, supports remote interaction with the SMSC and web chat servers to apply a real-time billing charge for each message. A service provider may create subscriber classes of service that define subscriber rates and/or tariffing plans used to apply real-time billing charges for sending/receiving messages. The prepaid short message tariff engine determines the appropriate message billing based upon, e.g., flat rate per message, character count, Time of Day, etc. The prepaid short messaging service preferably supports Internet web page access to subscriber's short messaging account balances and account status. | 09-13-2012 |
20120328090 | Methods, Systems, and Computer Program Products for Determining Targeted Content to Provide in Response to a Missed Communication - Targeted content is provided to at least one communication device responsive to a notification of a missed communication. Responsive to a notification of the missed communication, a selection of one of a plurality of different pricing options is received for a return communication. Targeted content is provided, in addition to content of the return communication, based on the selected pricing option. | 12-27-2012 |
20130044870 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION VIA CONNECTIONS FOR REAL TIME COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE - Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications to access diverse categories of information. One embodiment includes; storing data representing a privilege of a user during a predetermined period of time; responsive to a first request made via a presentation of a listing of the first entity for a service of the first entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the first entity to deliver the service of the first entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the first request; and responsive to a second request made via a presentation of a listing of the second entity for a service of the second entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the second entity to deliver the service of the second entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the second request. | 02-21-2013 |
20130287194 | MEDIA OPTIMIZATION USING TRANSCRIPTION ANALYSIS - A system and method for optimizing the price of a call to a business and the placement of a business' information within an ad buy on a Web page are disclosed. A call is received by a client from a potential consumer of a product. The call is transcribed into a text call stream on both the consumer and the client sides of the call. Patterns are extracted from the call. The patterns extracted may be applied against patterns relevant to the client. Patterns relevant to the client may be tied to certain goals of the business of the client that indicate successful business transactions between the consumer and the client or that indicate a service provide by the client. Extracted patterns may be used for targeting of advertisements based on a call containing patterns relevant to the client. | 10-31-2013 |
20140016764 | ALLOCATING CHARGES FOR COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES - A process and apparatus to facilitate communication between callers and callees in a system comprising a plurality of nodes with which callers and callees are associated is disclosed. In response to initiation of a call by a calling subscriber, a caller identifier and a callee identifier are received. Call classification criteria associated with the caller identifier are used to classify the call as a public network call or a private network call. A routing message identifying an address, on the private network, associated with the callee is produced when the call is classified as a private network call and a routing message identifying a gateway to the public network is produced when the call is classified as a public network call. | 01-16-2014 |
20140064467 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RUNNING A MULTI-MODULE TELEPHONY APPLICATION - A system and method of a telephony application platform can include receiving a communication session request specifying a destination endpoint, connecting the communication session through a first application module according to the destination endpoint, receiving an instruction to transition communication control to a second application module, transitioning communication control of the communication session to the second application module, independently metering resource usage of the communication session of each application module, and accounting the metered usage of the communication session. | 03-06-2014 |
20140254781 | SMARTER TELEPHONY & E-MAIL PROTOCOLS - An apparatus for filtering telephone calls includes a fee module, an exemption list module, a call module, a matching module, and a fee waiver module. The fee module charges a fee to a caller for an incoming call made by the caller to a user. The fee is specific to the incoming call. The exemption list module maintains an exemption list, which includes callers exempt from the fee, and their information. This information identifies an exempted caller when the call module receives an incoming call. The matching module determines if information associated with the incoming call matches an exempt caller's information on the exemption list. The fee waiver module exempts the incoming call from the fee when the matching module determines that the caller's information matches the information on the exemption list. The fee module charges the fee for incoming calls not exempted from the fee. | 09-11-2014 |
20150016595 | RECOMMENDATION, PERSONALIZATION AND PRICING ENGINE BUILT IN WITH A CENTRALIZED TELECOM PRODUCT CATALOG - An apparatus including a server computer processor, a server computer memory, a computer display, and a user computer interactive device. The server computer processor may be programmed to receive a first plurality of user inputs from the user computer interactive device; select a subset of a set of telecommunications service plans based on the first plurality of user inputs; and display on a computer display information concerning the subset of the set of telecommunications service plans. The server computer processor may be further programmed by the computer program stored in the server computer memory to receive a second plurality of user inputs which modify one or more characteristics of the subset of the set of telecommunications service plans to form a modified subset of telecommunications service plans. | 01-15-2015 |
20150312421 | Cost Allocation for Derived Data Usage - A system and method that allows for information relating to data and communication resource usage to be gathered and analyzed such that particular data transactions and usage can be classified based on purpose and/or type. Further, the system and method provide reporting based on amount of usage and/or purpose or type of usage so that associated costs and usage can be calculated applied and allocated to particular accounts, divisions, groups or individuals within and outside of a company or entity. Further, the system may restrict data usage of devices to data usage that can be allocated to particular accounts based on purpose, source, destination or other. | 10-29-2015 |
20160057289 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RUNNING A MULTI-MODULE TELEPHONY APPLICATION - A system and method of a telephony application platform can include receiving a communication session request specifying a destination endpoint, connecting the communication session through a first application module according to the destination endpoint, receiving an instruction to transition communication control to a second application module, transitioning communication control of the communication session to the second application module, independently metering resource usage of the communication session of each application module, and accounting the metered usage of the communication session. | 02-25-2016 |
20160094720 | CHARGING AND BILLING FOR CONTENT, SERVICES, AND ACCESS - Among other things, at a server, information is received from applications, services, or content being used on user devices about usage of communication services attributable to each of the applications, services, or content. The information about the amounts of attributable communication services is used in allocating charges for the services to one or more paying parties in accordance with one or more applicable business rules. | 03-31-2016 |