Abstract:
A system and method for providing call accounting services in a secure, cost-effective manner. A network enterprise includes an intelligent ticket collector (ITC) that retrieves call detail record (CDR) data generated by one or more private branch exchange units. The ITC retrieves the CDR data and transmits it, through encrypted email or other encrypted means, to a service provider over the Internet. The service provider receives, decrypts, and processes the CDR data for generating a call accounting report.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to call accounting systems managing the accounting of telephone charges for an enterprise, and more particularly to a call accounting system that provides call accounting services in a secure, cost-effective manner.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Enterprises, typically utilize call accounting services provided by an on-site call accounting system, or by using a call accounting application service provider (ASP), to correctly apportion telephone charges to individual users or departments. The call accounting ASP is typically located at a site remote from a particular enterprise. In typical operation, the call accounting ASP collects, via a dial-up connection, the enterprise call detail record (CDR) data associated with telephone calls made and received at the enterprise. The CDR data is also referred to as ticket data, and includes a calling number, called number, call duration, and other parameters. The call accounting ASP processes the CDR data to produce a usage profile and generate reports, which are then provided to the enterprise customer.  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a typical system for providing call accounting services. The system includes an enterprise network  10  and a call accounting ASP network  12  coupled to each other over a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  14 . The enterprise network  10  includes a private branch exchange unit (PBX)  16  managing incoming and outgoing calls for the enterprise. The PBX generates the CDR or ticket data for each call and stores it in a buffer box  18  at the end of the call. The buffer box is generally a temporary storage device supporting dial-up connections for accessing the buffer box from a remote location. The call accounting ASP periodically initiates a dial-up connection with the buffer box over the PSTN  14 , and pulls the CDR data using the dial-up connection.  
         [0004]     The call accounting ASP processes the CDR or ticket data to produce a usage profile which may include, for example, a calling number, called number, time of day, trunk, tariff rate, cost of call, and other data associated with a call. The call accounting ASP utilizes the usage profile to generate reports and/or bills which are provided to the enterprise network.  
         [0005]     Reliance on dial-up connections over the PSTN  14  to provide call accounting services has resulted in conventional call accounting ASP services operating at relatively low data transfer rates and incurring long distance telephone costs. Accordingly, there is a need for a call accounting ASP service that operates more robustly and in a cost-effective manner, while maintaining adequate security. Adequate security is desirable for transfers of CDR data since an enterprise&#39;s call history may be used to deduce private details about a company&#39;s business.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing call accounting services in a secure, cost-effective manner. In accordance to one embodiment of the invention, a system for providing call accounting services includes a first network collecting and encrypting call parameter information. The first network may be, for example, an enterprise network. The system further includes a second network receiving, decrypting, and processing the call parameter information for generating a usage profile. The second network may be, for instance, a call cost accounting ASP network. The call parameter information is transmitted from the first network to the second network over a public computer network, such as, for instance, a public internet.  
         [0007]     In accordance to another embodiment of the invention, a method for providing call accounting services includes an intelligent ticket collector retrieving call parameter information from a storage location and encrypting the retrieved call parameter information. The intelligent ticket collector transmits to a service provider the encrypted call parameter information over a public computer network. The service provider receives, decrypts, and processes the call parameter information for generating a usage profile.  
         [0008]     It should be appreciated, therefore, that the use of a public computer network for transmitting call parameter information helps substantially reduce the costs and data transfer time associated with PSTN dial-up connections. In addition, security risks associated with data transfers over the public computer network are reduced by encrypting the call parameter information before its transmission. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood when considered with respect to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a typical system in the prior art for providing call accounting services;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a system for providing a call accounting ASP service according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a more detailed schematic block diagram of an intelligent ticket collector according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a process for providing call accounting services using the intelligent ticket collector of  FIG. 3  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a system for providing a call accounting ASP service according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system preferably includes an enterprise network  20  connected to a call accounting ASP network  22  over a public wide area network, such as, for example, a public internet  24 . The enterprise network  20  preferably includes one or more private branch exchange (PBX) units (generally referenced at  26 ) coupled to one or more buffer boxes (generally referenced at  28 ) via data communication link  30 . Buffer boxes  28  are also preferably coupled to an intelligent ticket collector (ITC)  32  and a network access server (NAS)  34  over data communication link  36 . Also coupled to the ITC  32  and NAS  34  over data communication link  36  is a switching node  38  capable of relaying voice and/or data for the enterprise.  
         [0015]     Data communication link  30  is preferably a serial link. Data communication link  36  is preferably a direct internet protocol (IP) link, but may alternatively take the form of a serial link or PSTN connection. PBX units  26  are conventional in the art, and include logic and circuitry for managing incoming and outgoing calls and related data for the enterprise.  
         [0016]     The buffer boxes  28  are preferably temporary storage units for storing data received from the PBX units, such as, for example, FIFO buffers or other buffers conventional in the art. Each buffer box preferably includes a serial connection, dial-up connection, and/or direct internet connection for communicating with its associated PBX  26 , ITC  32 , or NAS  34 .  
         [0017]     The switching node  38  is preferably a gateway device such as, for example, a router or a bridge, that resides at the edge of the enterprise. The switching node  38  preferably includes one or more internal buffers for storing data associated with incoming and/or outgoing telephone calls.  
         [0018]     The ITC  32  is preferably a stand-alone enterprise server running one or more software applications for collecting, encrypting, and transmitting call detail record (CDR) data. CDR data is also referred to as ticket data, and may include a calling number, called number, call duration, and/or other call parameters.  
         [0019]     In alternative embodiments, the ITC resides in one or more of the PBX units  26  or within the switching node  38 . Electronic mail functionality may also be incorporated into the PBX units  26  or the switching node  38  that includes the ITC  32  for allowing encrypted CDR data to be e-mailed directly to the cost accounting ASP network  22  without invoking the NAS  34 . The ITC  32  may also be programmed to provide fraud alerts and other alarm generation conditions, such as, for example, alarms for expensive off-hour or trunk-to-trunk calls, generally rendered by the call accounting ASP.  
         [0020]     The NAS  34  is preferably a firewall and electronic mail server for the enterprise network  20 . The NAS pushes the encrypted CDR data to the call accounting ASP network via electronic mail or any other IP data transmission method conventional in the art. The NAS  34  also provides corporate firewalls for protecting data transfers within the enterprise network  20 .  
         [0021]     The call accounting ASP network  22  preferably includes one or more call accounting computers running a conventional call accounting software. The one or more call accounting computers further include a decryption module for decrypting encrypted data received from the enterprise network  20 .  
         [0022]     In general terms, each PBX unit  26  generates CDR data for calls transmitted by end devices connected to the PBX. Such end devices include telephones, individual personal computers, and the like. Preferably, the CDR data is generated by the PBX unit  26  at the time of the call, and stored in the buffer box  28  when the call is terminated. For calls managed by the switching node  38 , the switching node  38  generates the CDR data and stores it in its internal buffer.  
         [0023]     The ITC  32  preferably polls the buffer boxes  28  and/or switching node  38  on a periodic basis to collect the stored CDR data. The NAS  34  preferably provides corporate firewalls for protecting the transfer of the CDR data between the buffer boxes/switching node  38  and ITC from external access.  
         [0024]     The ITC  32  encrypts the collected CDR data using standard encryption algorithms. The encrypted CDR data is then transmitted to the call accounting ASP network  22  over the internet  24 , preferably using the NAS  34 . Preferably the encrypted CDR data is transmitted as an electronic mail. However, a person skilled in the art should recognize that any other encrypted data transfer mechanism conventional in the art may be used to transmit the CDR data.  
         [0025]     A receiving computer on the call accounting ASP network receives the encrypted data and preferably decrypts it using a private key. The decrypted data is passed to its call accounting software for processing to produce call accounting reports including usage profile information. The usage profile information preferably includes calling numbers, called numbers, telephone trunk information, telephone company tariff rates, call costs, and/or other information associated with the calls. The usage profile preferably identifies the individuals and departments within each division making the calls, allowing the call costs to be correctly apportioned to the appropriate cost centers. The usage profile may also include information about data usage as well as phone usage. For instance, the usage profile may include IP traffic summaries of usage of the Internet by various subnets or individual personal computers.  
         [0026]     The call accounting reports may then be transmitted to the enterprise via electronic mail, or made available to enterprise network users on a password-protected server on the internet  24 . The enterprise may use the reports to track and correctly apportion call costs to the appropriate individuals or departments.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a more detailed schematic block diagram of the ITC  32  of  FIG. 2  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The ITC preferably includes an input port  40 , an encryption module  42 , a data transfer protocol stack  44 , and an output port  46 . The encryption module  42  and data transfer protocol stack  44  are preferably software modules. However, the ITC may be created as a combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or dedicated hardware unit.  
         [0028]     The input port  40  preferably receives CDR data from data communication link  36 . The data transfer protocol stack  44  preferably contains a TCP/IP based File Transfer Protocol (FTP) used to collect the CDR data from the PBX units  26 . Alternatively, the data transfer protocol stack  44  contains a point-to-point (PPP) protocol for collecting data over the PSTN via a modem connection to the PBX units  26 .  
         [0029]     The encryption module  42  encrypts the collected CDR data using a public-key cryptography or a secret-key cryptography conventional in the art. For instance, the encryption module  62  may include a script programmed to use public-key cryptography to encrypt the collected CDR data with a public key. Conventional encryption packages such as, for example, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) may be used for doing the encryption.  
         [0030]     The output port  46  receives the encrypted CDR data and transmits it to the call accounting ASP network  22  over the internet  24 .  
         [0031]     It is understood, of course, that  FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of the ITC  32  without obfuscating inventive aspects of the present invention with additional elements and/or components that may be required for creating the ITC. These additional elements and/or components, which are not shown in  FIG. 3  are well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a process for providing call accounting services using the ITC  32  according to one embodiment of the invention. The process starts, and in step  60 , a call is initiated and completed through the PBX  26  or switching node  38  by an end device on the enterprise network  20 . In step  62 , the PBX  62  or switching node  38  generates the CDR data associated with the call according to conventional methods. In step  64 , the PBX  26  transmits the CDR data over data communication link  30  to its corresponding buffer box  28  for storage. If the switching node  38  is used, the CDR data is stored in internal buffers within the switching node  38 .  
         [0033]     In step  66 , the ITC  32  collects the CDR data from the PBX  26  and/or switching node  38 . If the ITC  32  is located remotely from the PBX  26  or switching node  38 , the ITC preferably collects the CDR data via an FTP session over an IP data communication link. Alternatively, the ITC  32  collects the CDR data via a modem connection over the PSTN.  
         [0034]     In step  68 , the ITC  32  invokes its encryption module  42  to encrypt the collected CDR data according to conventional methods. If public-key encryption is used, the encryption module  42  encrypts the CDR data using a public key and the private key for decrypting the CDR data is made available to the call accounting ASP network  22 .  
         [0035]     In step  70 , the ITC  32  forwards the encrypted CDR data to the NAS  34  which then transmits the data to the call accounting ASP network  22  over the internet  24 . Preferably the encrypted CDR data is transmitted in the form of an electronic mail according to conventional methods.  
         [0036]     In step  72 , the call accounting computer in the call accounting ASP network  22  receives the encrypted CDR data and in step  74 , decrypts the data preferably using its private key.  
         [0037]     In step  76 , the call accounting computer generates usage profile data  76  to be included in a call accounting report. In step  78 , the call accounting computer provides the usage profile data in the call accounting report to the enterprise network. The usage profile data may be provided via electronic mail or via a web page on a password-protected server on the internet  24 .  
         [0038]     It should be appreciated, therefore, that the use of the public internet  24  to push the CDR data to the cost accounting ASP network  22  helps reduce the costs and data transfer delays associated with PSTN dial-up connections. Furthermore, the encryption of the CDR data by the ITC  32  provides security in using the relatively unsafe internet for the data transfer.  
         [0039]     Although this invention has been described in certain specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will have no difficulty devising variations which in no way depart from the scope and spirit of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than is specifically described. Thus, the present embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention to be indicated by the appended claims and their equivalents rather than the foregoing description.