# US 7,366,493 B2 · System and method for analyzing wireless communication data

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- Number: US 7,366,493 B2
- Document ID: US7366493B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/126,091
- Filed: 2005-05-10
- Published: 2005-09-29
- Granted: 2008-04-29
- Earliest claimed: 2000-09-07
- Assignees: Traq Wireless, Inc.
- Inventors: William Marsh; John Merritt; Juan Gonzales
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7366493B2

## CPC

- 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}
- G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
- H04L 12/5692: {Selection among different networks}
- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04M 15/41: {Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]}
- H04M 15/42: {Dynamic individual rates per user}
- H04M 15/43: {Billing software details}
- H04M 15/44: {Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation}
- H04M 15/49: {Connection to several service providers}
- H04M 15/745: {Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family}
- H04M 15/80: {Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects}
- H04M 15/8044: {Least cost routing}
- H04M 15/8083: {involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts}
- H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing
- 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
- 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]
- H04M 2215/0152: General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
- 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
- H04M 2215/0184: involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
- H04M 2215/2026: Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
- H04M 2215/32: Involving wireless systems
- H04M 2215/42: Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
- H04M 2215/46: Connection to several service providers
- H04M 2215/745: Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

In general, a system and method for analyzing wireless communication records and for determining optimal wireless communication service plans is disclosed. A transceiver is configured to receive billing information associated with a subscriber of a telecommunications service under a current rate plan. A storage unit stores the billing information. A processor processes the subscriber related billing information to produce organized data having a predefined format. The processor then analyzes the processed data in relation to a plurality of rate plans of a plurality of telecommunications service providers, and determines at least one proposed rate plan that would save the subscriber telecommunication costs relative to the current rate plan. A report of at least one proposed rate plan is then produced and provided to the subscriber, which enables selection of a best telecommunication service provider.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing call detail records, the method comprising:
receiving multiple call detail records, the call detail records related to telecommunication service usage by a telecommunication subscriber during a predetermined period;
producing a single calling profile record from the multiple call detail records, the calling profile record representing a profile of the telecommunication service usage by the telecommunication subscriber during the predetermined period, wherein producing the single calling profile record further comprises producing a calling profile record for each of a plurality of billing periods;
determining a trend of the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods;
calculating an expected usage profile based on the determined trend;
calculating an estimated cost for each of a plurality of rate plans, each estimated cost being calculated on the basis of the expected usage profile; and
processing each estimated cost to determine one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans;
wherein determining the trend comprises weigthing each calling profile record in a manner such that calling profile records of more recent billing periods are weighted more heavily.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
calculating an estimated cost for each of a plurality of rate plans, each estimated cost being calculated with respect to the calling profile record; and
determining one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans based on the estimated costs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of rate plans comprises a rate plan currently in service by the telecommunication subscriber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
preparing a report summarizing the most cost-effective rate plans; and
submitting the report to the telecommunication subscriber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising averaging the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
calculating an estimated cost for each of a plurality of rate plans, the estimated costs calculated from the average of the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods; and
determining one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans based on the estimated cost of each rate plan.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each call detail record comprises wireless telecommunication service information pertaining to time-of-day, day-of-week, local versus toll, and home-market versus non-home-market.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period is equal to one billing period.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the billing period is equal to one month.

### Claim 10

A system for processing call detail records, the system comprising:
means for receiving multiple call detail records, the call detail records related to wireless telecommunication service usage by a wireless telecommunication subscriber during multiple billing periods;
means for producing a single calling profile record from the multiple call detail records, the calling profile record representing a profile of the wireless telecommunication service usage by the wireless telecommunication subscriber, wherein the means for producing is further configured to produce a calling profile record for each of a plurality of billing periods;
means for determining a trend of the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods;
means for calculating an expected usage profile based on the determined trend and for calculating an estimated cost for each of a plurality of rate plans, at least one of the rate plans being the rate plan currently in service by the wireless telecommunication subscriber, each estimated cost being calculated on the basis of the expected usage profile; and
means for processing each estimated cost to determine one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans;
wherein the means for determining the trend further comprises means for weighting each calling profile record in a manner such that calling profile records of more recent billing periods are weighted more heavily.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, further comprising:
means, in response to the estimated costs, for determining whether one or more rate plans is more cost-effective than the current rate plan; and
means for reporting the most cost-effective rate plans to the wireless telecommunication subscriber.

### Claim 12

A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising:
logic configured to receive multiple call detail records related to telecommunication service usage by a telecommunication user during a predetermined period;
logic configured to produce a calling profile record from the multiple call detail records, the calling profile record representing a profile of the telecommunication service usage by the telecommunication user during the predetermined period, wherein producing the calling profile record further comprises producing a calling profile record for each of a plurality of billing periods;
logic configured to determine a trend of the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods;
logic configured to calculate an expected usage profile based on the determined trend;
logic configured to factor the expected usage profile in order to calculate an estimated cost for each of a plurality of rate plans; and
logic configured to process each estimated cost to determine one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans;
wherein determining the trend comprises weighting each calling profile record in a manner such that calling profile records of more recent billing periods are weighted more heavily.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer program of claim 12, further comprising:
logic configured to report one or more of the most cost-effective rate plans to the telecommunication user.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The computer program of claim 12, wherein the logic configured to produce the calling profile record is further configured to:
average the calling profile records over the plurality of billing periods.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein weighting the calling profile records includes applying a weighting factor equal to e(1−bp), wherein bp is an integer representing the age of the call detail records based on a number of billing periods.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the estimated cost for each of the rate plans includes using a standard deviation to exclude discontinuities in month-to-month results.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the means for weighting each calling profile record is further configured to apply a weighting factor equal to e(1−bp), wherein bp is an integer representing the age of the call detail records based on a number of billing periods.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the means for processing each estimated cost is further configured to use a standard deviation to exclude discontinuities in month-to-month results.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The computer program of claim 12, wherein the logic configured to determine the trend is further configured to apply a weighting factor equal to e(1−bp), wherein bp is an integer representing the age of the call detail records based on a number of billing periods.