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US 8,527,377 B2Granted
Point code to billing ID
AssigneeVerizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
InventorDavid D'Englere
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes maintaining a repository of location identifiers and billing identifiers, wherein each of a plurality of network devices is associated with a location identifier in the repository, and each location identifier is further associated with at least one billing identifier. The method further includes receiving a communications message; determining a location identifier associated with the communications message; selectively retrieving a billing identifier from the repository based at least in part on the location identifier; and determining a billing rate based at least in part on the billing identifier.
Claims26
A method, comprising:
- maintaining a repository of location identifiers and billing identifiers, wherein each of a plurality of network devices is associated with a location identifier in the repository, and each location identifier is further associated with at least one billing identifier;
- receiving a communications message;
- determining, by a processing device, a location identifier associated with the communications message and a class of service identifier indicative of whether a subscriber account associated with the communication message is a pre-paid account;
- selectively retrieving, by the processing device, a billing identifier from the repository based at least in part on the location identifier and the class of service identifier, the retrieval including:
- querying the repository for a band label based at least in part on criteria including the location identifier, the class of service identifier, and at least one of a service direction identifier, a merchant identifier, and a content type identifier,
- querying the repository for a rate group identifier based at least in part on the band label and a plan identifier, and
- querying the repository for a rate identifier based at least in part on the rate group identifier;
- and
- determining, by the processing device, a billing rate based at least in part on the billing identifier.
6 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a communications network, configured to provide communication services to a plurality of devices;
- a plurality of network devices, wherein the network devices are connected to the communications network, and wherein each network device is associated with a location identifier indicating the network location to which the network device is connected;
- a communications device associated with a subscriber, wherein the communications device is connected to the communications network and configured to send and receive communications messages;
- and
- a processing device connected to the communications network and including at least one processor and a computer readable medium having instructions configured to cause the processor to:
- receive a communications message from the communications device;
- determine a location identifier associated with the communications message and a class of service identifier indicative of whether a subscriber account associated with the communication message is a pre-paid account;
- determine a billing identifier based at least in part on the location identifier and the class of service identifier, the determination including to:
- query a repository for a band label based at least in part on criteria including the location identifier, the class of service identifier, and at least one of a service direction identifier, a merchant identifier, and a content type identifier,
- query the repository for a rate group identifier based at least in part on the band label and a plan identifier,
- query the repository for a rate identifier based at least in part on the rate group identifier;
- and
- determine a fee amount based at least in part on the billing identifier.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- maintaining a repository of point codes and billing identifiers, wherein each of a plurality of network devices is associated with a point code in the repository, and each point code is further associated with at least one billing identifier;
- receiving a communications message;
- determining, by a processing device, a point code associated with the communications message and a class of service identifier indicative of whether a subscriber account associated with the communication message is a pre-paid account;
- selectively retrieving, by the processing device, a band label from the repository, the band label mapping combinations of criteria to a billing identifier, the band label being retrieved based at least in part on criteria including the point code, the class of service identifier, and at least one of a service direction identifier, a merchant identifier, and a content type identifier;
- selectively retrieving, by the processing device, a rate group identifier from the repository based at least in part on the band label and a plan identifier;
- selectively retrieving, by the processing device, a rate identifier from the repository based at least in part on the rate group identifier;
- selectively retrieving, by the processing device, the billing identifier from the repository based at least in part on the rate identifier;
- and
- determining, by the processing device, a billing rate based at least in part on the billing identifier.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.