Patent ID: 7487121
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: G06Q,H04M

Abstract:
1. A real-time computer-implemented method of distributing billing-related usage data records of one or more usage events received from a plurality of network collection points and processed through a converged mediation network system having at least one computer, the usage data records received raw from the plurality of network collection points in different formats and with varying types of informational content, and distributed as processed usage data records to one or more billing systems, the method comprising: a) converging all usage data records directly into a central data pool of the converged mediation network, wherein the central data pool provides a single point of entry into the converged mediation network and the usage data records are received directly from the plurality of network collection points as raw usage data records in different formats and with varying types of informational content detailing all of or part of one or more usage events, and received in any sequence; b) identifying usage data records converged within the single assembly pool for further processing by identifying one or more field values within each usage data record that match one of a predefined record type associated with one or more of the plurality of external network collection points, wherein the predefined record types are stored on computer readable media within the converged mediation network system and are used to identify incoming usage data records for further processing by identifying the incoming usage data records as comprising one or more of: c) matching identified usage data records in accordance with a matching criteria stored on computer readable media within the converged mediation network system, the matched usage data records comprising source records and related records of one of the predetermined record types matched for assembly together by evaluating one or more field values of each identified usage data record against a logical expression of the matching criteria to determine if the usage data records can be assembled; d) assembling one or more matched usage data records of one of the predetermined record types in accordance with an assembly criteria stored on computer readable media within the converged mediation network system and specifying the conditions under which the matched usage data records are to be assembled, wherein when the assembly criteria are met, the one or more matched usage data records are assembled to create an assembled record of processed usage billing data correlated and aggregated for use by an appropriate billing system; and e) distributing assembled records of processed usage billing data to the appropriate billing systems for collection.