Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a batch typed billing method and system by using dispersed processing. One aspect of the present invention is a method for batch typed billing in an on-line system and a billing system which have at least one database jointly, wherein the on-line system for operating custom management and the billing system for billing charges are designed for dispersed processing their own task, comprising of the steps of converting a first database which the on-line system and the billing system have jointly, into the state after that time of submitting the current month bill; copying a second database from the converted first database; performing billing by using the second database on the basis of a billing account; and synchronizing the second database with the first database.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a batch typed billing method and system using dispersed processing.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Billing systems are used for submitting bills for charging usage fees. The billing system calculates the charged amount of money that users should pay for each predetermined period by adjusting the usage fees. Bills for public charges such as power, water, and telephone rates, bills for allotments, bills for mobile communication usage, and bills for credit card usage are generally submitted using such a billing system.  
           [0003]    [0003]FIG. 1 a  is a block diagram illustrating a conventional on-line/billing combination system that conjoins system resources with on-line systems.  
           [0004]    In FIG. 1 a  there is shown a prior art on-line/billing combination system comprising a plurality of on-line terminals  100   a,  . . .  100   n  (hereinafter 100 ), on-line system  110 , and a plurality of databases  130 .  
           [0005]    The on-line system  110  is coupled with on-line terminals  100  of related agents or related branches. The on-line system  110  alters customer&#39;s information in conjunction with operation system  120  by storing the customer&#39;s information inputted from the on-line terminals  100  in the plurality of databases  130  co-owned with the operation system  120 .  
           [0006]    The operation system  120  has the plurality of databases  130  with the on-line system  110 . This system processes batch transactions, billing transactions, receipting transactions and charging transactions.  
           [0007]    The plurality of databases  130  store necessary data for customer management transactions, batch transactions, billing transactions, receipting transactions, or charging transactions and may be a general Relational Database. The Relational Database is an assembling object of data factors comprised of standard tables. The data is easily accessed and assembled with no change of the database&#39;s tables.  
           [0008]    The reason for the conventional on-line/billing combination system is based on the database. Through this database, synchronous control and data consensus by the on-line and billing systems is maintained. By this configuration, file data consensus can be maintained in spite of system failure and the addition or alteration of attributes can occur easily compared to file-based systems, although the process is not fast.  
           [0009]    Because the conventional on-line/billing combination system co-owns a plurality of the databases, it is (1) not necessary to copy data because the system can access on-line billing information directly and (2) bills are submitted by using the altered customer&#39;s information, such as an altered address.  
           [0010]    However, this configuration induces poor system performance due to (1) a bottleneck effect at the time of accessing the database and (2) the load when billing. The billing system, especially in the case of (2), can only process limited billing transactions because the on-line system has limited access to databases. A detailed description of this will follow, referring to FIG. 1 b.    
           [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 b  illustrates the billing process per month on the conventional on-line/billing combination system.  
           [0012]    As shown in FIG. 1 b,  the conventional on-line/billing combination system processes billing transactions from for example Mar. 5, 2001 to Mar. 10, 2001, for charged fees during the period of Feb. 1, 2001 to Feb. 28, 2001. All bills submitted by Mar. 10, 2001 are made during this term.  
           [0013]    For describing the conventional on-line/billing combination system&#39;s disadvantages, the date of March 8 will be used.  
           [0014]    Because the billing process using the on-line/billing combination system should use most parts of the system resources co-owned with the on-line system, it is considerably loaded and may even become overloaded. Accordingly, when the billing process is operated by the system using resources co-owned with the on-line system, the system&#39;s performance is significantly reduced due to the bottleneck effect. In order to avoid this problem, access to the databases by the on-line system may be restricted and the billing system may be given exclusive access to the system resources during a predetermined period of time. Typically the on-line terminal is restricted by allowing access to the on-line system only after a predetermined time (hereinafter called the deadline), for example 11 p.m and before another predetermined time, for example 9am. Accordingly, in our example the billing system operates billing transactions by having exclusive access to the system resources from 11p.m. to 9a.m. on Mar. 9, 2001.  
           [0015]    This can be an effective method but restricts the number of bills that can be processed because it can only operate during the predetermined time period if overloading of the on-line/billing combination system is to be prevented and if it is to be stopped from getting out of order. Thus the number of bills able to undergo transactions is limited even though the billing system has exclusive use of the system resources. Accordingly, when the number of bills is increased some will not be able to be processed during the predetermined period. In order to overcome this problem, the system resources need to be upgraded or a new system is needed. However, both of these options are very expensive.  
           [0016]    Another solution to overcome this problem may be to divide the on-line system and the billing system to process billing transactions. If the on-line system and the billing system were divided, the performance of the billing system would improve. Accordingly, the bottleneck phenomenon and the lowering of the system&#39;s performance would be overcome. However, the effectiveness of combining the on-line system and the billing system would inevitably be lost. Accordingly, the system&#39;s operator would need to decide whether to integrate or divide the on-line system and the billing system.  
           [0017]    Further, when the billing transaction is processed during a predetermined time in order to prevent the on-line/billing combination system from getting out of order, a problem will occur if a customer pays after the conclusion of or during the billing process.  
           [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 c  illustrates the receipt obtained from month fee process using the on-line terminal utilizing the existing prior art on-line billing combination system.  
           [0019]    As shown in FIG. 1 c,  the billing transaction for customer A is terminated on March 8 during the billing process period for February, 2001. However, customer A pays a fee that should be reflected in February&#39;s bills if errors are made in January 2001 and if the bill is not submitted by March 9. In this case, the conventional on-line/billing combination system should process the billing transaction for only customer A&#39;s related data, for the fee to be reflected in February&#39;s bill.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0020]    The present invention aims to address the above disadvantages of the conventional on-line/billing combination system. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a batch type billing method and system using dispersed processing.  
           [0021]    It is another objective of the present invention to provide a batch type billing method and system using dispersed processing to address the disadvantages of dividing operation and integrating operation of the on-line system and billing system.  
           [0022]    According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for batch type billing in an on-line system and a billing system which has at least one jointly accessable database, wherein the on-line system for operating custom management and the billing system for billing charges are designed for dispersedly processing their own tasks, comprising the steps of converting the first database, which the on-line system and the billing system have joint access to, into the state after the time of submitting the current month bill; copying a second database from the converted first database; performing billing by using the second database on the basis of a billing account; and synchronizing the second database with the first database.  
           [0023]    Further, the step of converting preferably increases the consecutive numbers of the bill in the first database by a predetermined value in order that the alteration factors that occurred after the beginning of the billing are reflected on the next month&#39;s bill. Also, the step of synchronizing preferably comprises the steps of dividing the billing accounts into the number of simultaneously possible synchronizations, in correspondence with the number of billing accounts, which completes their billing process, determining whether or not any alteration occurred in the first database during the period of performing billing by comparing the first database with the second database on the basis of at least one billing account simultaneously and transmitting the data in the second database to the first database corresponding with the determined result. Preferably, the first database comprises at least one billing related database. Preferably, the second database comprises at least one database accessed by only the billing system. Preferably, the billing account comprises identification numbers granted for at least one customer.  
           [0024]    According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a batch type billing system having an on-line system and a billing system which has at least one jointly accessible database, comprising billing conclusion means for converting a first database which the on-line system and the billing system have joint access to, into the state after that time of submitting the current month bill, copying means for transmitting data stored in the first database to a second database, billing means for performing billing by using the second database as the basis of a billing account, and at least one synchronizing means for synchronizing the second database with the first database.  
           [0025]    Preferably, the billing conclusion means increases the consecutive number of the bill in the first database by a predetermined value in order that alteration factors occuring after the time of starting the billing is reflected on the next month&#39;s bill. Also, at least one synchronizing means preferably comprises, means for dividing the billing accounts into the number of simultaneously possible synchronizations, in correspondence with the number of billing accounts which completes their billing process, means for determining whether or not any alteration occurred in the first database during the period of performing billing by comparing the first database with the second database on the basis of at least one billing account simultaneously and means for transmitting the data in the second database to the first database corresponding with the determined result. Also, the first database preferably comprises at least one billing related database. Also, the second database preferably comprises at least one database accessed by only the billing system. Also, the billing account preferably grants an identification number for at least one customer. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    The objectives and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 a  is a block diagram illustrating a conventional on-line/billing combination system that has system resources jointly with the on-line system;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 b  illustrates the billing process for every one month on the conventional on-line/billing combination system having the system resources with the on-line system;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 c  illustrates the receipting of the current month fee process from the on-line terminal after the billing process in the conventional on-line/billing combination system having system resources with the on-line system;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c  are schematic block diagrams illustrating data processing on a batch type billing system using dispersed processing according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart illustrating data processing by a batch type billing method using dispersed processing according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 a  is an illustration describing the operation of a billing conclusion process in the on-line system;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 b  is a flow chart illustrating the procedure of an on-line system by the billing conclusion process;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 c  is a block diagram illustrating a billing account database  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 d  is an illustration describing an alteration procedure of the consecutive numbers of the bill by a billing conclusion process;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 a  is an illustration describing copying of databases from an on-line/billing system co-ownership database to the billing system&#39;s database;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 5 b  is an illustration describing a configuration of a settling list database;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5 c  is an illustration describing a configuration of a charging list database;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 5 d  is an illustration describing a configuration of a receipting list database;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 6 a  is an illustration describing a billing operation using an on-line/billing system co-ownership database terminated with billing;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 6 b  is a block diagram illustrating a billing conclusion customer database;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 7 a  is an illustration describing a process of transmitting information of customers or the billing accounts completed with billing to an on-line/billing system co-ownership database;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 7 b  is an illustration describing alteration in an on-line/billing system co-ownership database after operation billing conclusion and before completion of billing; and  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 7 c  is an illustration describing synchronization between a copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database and an on-line/billing system co-ownership database. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0045]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c  are schematic block diagrams illustrating data processing on a batch type billing system using dispersed processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0047]    In FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c,  a batch type billing system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises on-line system  200 , billing system  210 , on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  and billing system&#39;s exclusive database  240 .  
         [0048]    On-line system  200  operates all processes for accepting a billing process in the existing on-line/billing combination system. The on-line system  200  may be a UNIX machine or mainframe or any other suitable system. On-line system  200  stores altered customer information, receipting information, or similar information transmitted from on-line terminals  100  in on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , regardless of whether or not billing system  210  starts creating bills.  
         [0049]    Also, on-line system  200  may further comprise existing processed bills for generating a requested fee list when customers request a fee list covering a previous period of time or when queries on existing bills are received. These historic lists and information may be generated on-line or off-line by on-line system  200 . In this case, billing system  210  may be used to operate the billing to adjust the amount of money charged to customers using bills and the existing processed billing, which provides an on-line and/or off-line fee list inquiry service for customers.  
         [0050]    Billing system  210  may comprise a UNIX machine, mainframe or any other suitable system, which preferably is the same grade or lower grade as on-line system  200 . Billing system  210  preferably only operates billing for submitting bills. Preferably, an assistance or backup system is provided and used to carry out the operating tasks of the billing system during such times when the main system is not functioning effectively.  
         [0051]    On-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  stores data for customer managing tasks, arranging tasks, billing tasks, receipting tasks, charging tasks and similar tasks. On-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  may be a general Relational Database or other suitable database. On-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  comprises settling list database  221 , charging list database  222 , billing account database  223  and receipting list database  224 .  
         [0052]    Copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  is copied from on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 . Preferably the copying occurs just before the billing system  220  starts to operate billing. Copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  may be accessed by billing system  210  and at times will not be identical to the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  altered by the on-line system  200  during billing operations. Namely, altered factors in the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , preferably should not be reflected to the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  until the billing operation for arbitrary customers or billing accounts is terminated.  
         [0053]    The billing account may grant identical numbers for one customer or a plurality of customers, and may be a unique identifier for identifying a charging target. All of the billing related databases preferably comprise a billing account field. Examples of when a plurality of customers is granted one billing account include when a company pays for all its staff&#39;s business mobile communication fees, or when a family pays for all of the family&#39;s mobile communication fees together.  
         [0054]    The billing system&#39;s exclusive database  240  is only used for billing operations by billing system  210 . Billing system&#39;s exclusive database  240  preferably stores customer&#39;s lists and/or billing account lists when the billing operation is terminated.  
         [0055]    One embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the block diagrams in FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c.    
         [0056]    As shown in FIG. 2 a,  when the date for billing operation arrives for to prepare and submit bills, billing system  210  starts the billing operation and copies on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  for the billing operation.  
         [0057]    As shown in FIG. 2 b,  billing system  210  adjusts the amount to be charged or fee by customer or billing account, by using the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230 . Billing system  210  stores customer information and/or billing accounts completed by the billing operation in the billing system&#39;s exclusive database  240 .  
         [0058]    As shown in FIG. 2 c,  billing system  210  retrieves the customer information and/or billing accounts completed by the billing operation from the billing system&#39;s exclusive database  240 , and copies billing data related to the customer information and/or the billing account in on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  from the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230 .  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart illustrating data processing by a batch type billing method using dispersed processing according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0060]    In FIG. 3, billing conclusion process  201  closes processing of the on-line/billing co-ownership database  220  (Step  300 ). By the billing conclusion process  201 , on-line system  200  alters factors of the bill including alteration of customer information, and receipting activities during the billing operation, to be reflected in the next months bill and stores them in on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 .  
         [0061]    At step  310 , copying process  202  copies the database of billing system  210  from on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  processed by the billing conclusion process  201 .  
         [0062]    At step  320 , billing process  203  operates billing by customers or billing accounts by using the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230 . Billing process  203  stores the customer list or the billing account list completed with billing operation in the billing conclusion customer database  240 . Billing conclusion customer database  240  may be the billing system&#39;s exclusive database illustrated in FIG. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c.    
         [0063]    At step  330 , dividing process  204  retrieves the customers information and/or the billing accounts completed by the billing operation from billing conclusion customer database  240 , and calculates the number of the customers or the billing accounts, for transmitting the billing data to on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 . Dividing process  204  calls the database synchronizing processes  205  on the basis of the calculated numbers. Dividing process  204  divides the customer list or the billing account list for transmitting the billing data to the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  into the called database synchronizing process  205 .  
         [0064]    At step  340 , database synchronizing process  205  transmits the customer&#39;s billing data or the billing account&#39;s billing data from the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  to on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , by referring to the customer list or the billing account list divided by the dividing process  204 . When the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  is not the same as the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  due to alterations of customer&#39;s information or receipting activity after the billing conclusion time, the database synchronizing process  205  reads the related billing data from billing system  210 . Also, the database synchronizing process  205  alters the state of operating of the customer or the billing account in the billing conclusion customer database  240 .  
         [0065]    A batch type billing method using dispersed processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail steps.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 4 a  is an illustration describing the operation of a billing conclusion process in an on-line system. FIG. 4 b  is a flow chart illustrating the procedure of an on-line system by the billing conclusion process. FIG. 4 c  is a block diagram illustrating the billing account database. FIG. 4 d  is an illustration describing the alteration procedure of the consecutive numbers of the bill by the billing conclusion process.  
         [0067]    In FIG. 4 a,  billing conclusion process  201  is operated in on-line system  200  and is terminated after that time of billing conclusion operation for billing account database  223 . When billing account database  223  is closed to billing, on-line system  200  alters the customer&#39;s information or receipting activity inputted from customer/receipt process during the period of billing operation, to be reflected on the month&#39;s bill.  
         [0068]    The ordinary billing related database comprises consecutive numbers of the bills submitted by predetermined period (for example, by 1 month). Because the consecutive bill numbers are settled at the time of initial submission of the bills and are increased by predetermined value by every submission of the bills, the number of bills submitted to the customers may be recognized.  
         [0069]    In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, on-line system  200  determines that the alteration of the customer information and the receipting activity are able to be reflected in the correct months bill, by referring to the consecutive numbers of the bill stored in the billing account database  223 . Namely, on-line system  200  determines that the correct bill is submitted for the last month&#39;s use by referring to the consecutive numbers of the bill. When the correct month&#39;s bill is not submitted, on-lime system  200  includes the last month&#39;s use into the correct month&#39;s bill. When the correct month&#39;s bill has been submitted, on-line system  200  carries the last month&#39;s use forward to the next month&#39;s bill.  
         [0070]    Accordingly, the billing conclusion process  201  increases the consecutive numbers of the bill in the billing related database by a predetermined value, when the date of billing operation is reached for preparing and submitting bills. On-line system  200  alters all of the factors including alteration of customer information and receipting activities, reflected to the next month bill. Namely, the on-line system  200  carries forward the current month&#39;s part or the next month&#39;s part.  
         [0071]    In FIG. 4 b,  at step  400 , billing conclusion process  201  accesses the billing related database. In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, all the consecutive numbers of all the bills may be altered.  
         [0072]    At step  410 , billing conclusion process  201  increases the consecutive numbers by the customers or the billing accounts according to a predetermined value. As shown in FIG. 4 d,  the numbers  9 ,  12 ,  3  are stored in the consecutive numbers of the bill fields  223   c.  Namely, each of the consecutive numbers of the bill of the current month by each billing account is  9 ,  12 , and  3 . Consecutive numbers of the bill filed  223   c ′ can be increased. As shown each of the consecutive numbers is increased by a predetermined value (‘1’).  
         [0073]    At step  430 , billing conclusion process  201  stores the increased consecutive numbers of the bill in the billing account database  223 .  
         [0074]    In FIG. 4 c,  billing account database  223  comprises a billing account field, a customer activity code field, a consecutive numbers of the bill field, a customer ID field, a first activity date field, an agreement type field, a total balance of amounts field, an account state field, an arrear identification field, a payment information field and a bill information field. Some of the fields illustrated in FIG. 4 c  will be now be described.  
         [0075]    Billing account field  223   a  is a billing account field related to the current month bill. Billing account field  223   a  is a primary key field and has unique value among a plurality of billing related databases.  
         [0076]    Customer activity code field  223   b  is a field rated to the customer management activity code that effects the state alteration of the current billing account. A basic value is allocated to the billing account when the billing account is created. Also, the billing account is renewed at the time of alteration of its state. The state of billing account comprises a current use customer, termination/cancellation of termination, integration of claimants, alteration of claimants, and use stoppage/cancellation of use stoppage.  
         [0077]    Consecutive numbers of the bill field  223   c  is a field related to the consecutive numbers of the bill submitted.  
         [0078]    Customer activity conditions field  223   d  is a field related to a customer activity conditions. The customer activity conditions comprises changes in occupation, sales promotion, termination/termination due to nonpayment/termination due to dissatisfaction of service.  
         [0079]    Total balance accounts field  223   e  is a field related to the balance between total charging amount and total receipting amount. The total balance accounts field  223   e  is related to the nonpayment or payment in excess.  
         [0080]    Receipt method field  223   f  is a field related to payment means including credit card, bank account, and similar means.  
         [0081]    The creation data of the last month bill field  223   g  is a field related to the creation date of the last month bill.  
         [0082]    Billing conclusion process  201  copies billing system  201  from a plurality of billing related databases terminated with billing. The copying of databases and operating billing will now be described.  
         [0083]    [0083]FIG. 5 a  illustrates copying of databases from an on-line/billing system co-ownership database to a billing system&#39;s database. FIG. 5 b  illustrates the configuration of a settling list database. FIG. 5 c  illustrates the configuration of a charging list database. FIG. 5 d  illustrates the configuration of a receipting list database.  
         [0084]    In FIG. 5 a,  copying process  202  copies databases from an on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  to a billing system&#39;s database  210 . Copying process  202  may use (1) a copying method by table (database) by using the UNIX machine&#39;s import, export function, and (2) a copying method by disk box (storage) by using a data transmitting apparatus like the EMC&#39;s storage networking apparatus, or (3) any other suitable method. The first method is suitable for small amounts of data, but is slow for copy speed. Otherwise, the second method is suitable for large amount of data and is fast for copy speed. However, the second method is expensive.  
         [0085]    Also, for the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , only billing operation fields may be copied. A system operator selects the billing operation fields in advance.  
         [0086]    The settling list database  221 , charging list database  222  and receipting list database  224  copied by the copying process  202  will now be described in detail.  
         [0087]    Referring to FIG. 5 b,  settling list database  221  comprises a billing account field, a consecutive numbers settling field, a settlement division field, an occurrence data of settling field, a settling amount of money field, a reflection date of settling field, a field of consecutive numbers of bill that will be settled, and a settling target field. Settling list database  221  stores fee settlement lists of the billing accounts. Some consequence fields illustrated in FIG. 5 b  will now be described.  
         [0088]    The consecutive numbers of settling is a field  221   a  related to a consecutive numbers of settling that may be unique identifier for identifying settling target in the same billing account and may be primary key.  
         [0089]    Settlement division field  221   b  has a ‘settlement’ or ‘cancellation of settlement’ field and is primary key or foreign key.  
         [0090]    The occurrence date of settling field is a field related to the occurrence date of ‘settlement’ or ‘cancellation of settlement’.  
         [0091]    The settling amount of money field  221   c  is a field related to a ‘settling’ or ‘cancel of settling’ amount of money.  
         [0092]    The reflection date of settling field  221   e  is a field related to a ‘settling’ or ‘cancel of settling’ date.  
         [0093]    The consecutive numbers of bill reflected settlement field  221   f  is a field related to consecutive numbers of bill reflected with ‘settlement’ or ‘cancellation of settlement’.  
         [0094]    The settling target field  221   g  is a field related to a target reflected with ‘settlement’ or ‘cancellation of settlement’. The settling target may be a basic fee, a monthly fee, an entrance fee, the price of terminal or a fee of telephone call.  
         [0095]    Referring to FIG. 5 c,  charging list database  222  comprises a billing account field, a consecutive numbers of bill field, a date of operating billing field, a date of billing field, a date of payment field, a charging amount of the last month field, a receipting amount of the last month field, an increasing amount of the last month field, a settling amount of the last month bill field, a nonpayment amount of the last month field, a nonpayment amount of arrear target field, an un-charging amount of the current charging period by billing account field, a total charging amount of money field and a payment method field. Some consequence fields illustrated in FIG. 5 c  will now be described.  
         [0096]    The date of operating of billing field  222   a  is related to a date of operating of billing.  
         [0097]    The date of billing field  222   b  is related to a submitting date of bill.  
         [0098]    The date of payment field  222   c  is a field related to a closing day of payment for charging fee.  
         [0099]    The charging amount of the last month field  222   d  is a field related to total charging amount of money for the last month. The charging amount of the last month has positive value or negative value.  
         [0100]    The receipting amount of the last month field  222   e  is a field related to receipting amount of money until the date of charging.  
         [0101]    The settling amount of the last month bill field  222   f  is a field related to charging amount occurred through on-line and to receipting amount through on-line.  
         [0102]    The nonpayment amount of the last month field  222   g  is a field related to total nonpayment amount expired the closing day of payment of the last month. The nonpayment amount of the last month has positive value or negative value.  
         [0103]    The nonpayment amount of arrear target field  222   h  is a field related to nonpayment amount imposed with additional charges out of nonpayment amount of the last month.  
         [0104]    The arrears amount of money field  222   i  is a field related to arrears charges imposed on the nonpayment amount of arrear target.  
         [0105]    The un-charging amount of the current charging period by billing account field  222   j  is a field related to charging amount accumulated between the date of billing and the date of submitting bill.  
         [0106]    The total charging amount of money field  222   k  is a field related to total charging amount of money for the current month for the customers or the billing accounts.  
         [0107]    The payment method data field  222   l  is a field related to payment methods.  
         [0108]    Referring to FIG. 5 d,  receipting list database  224  comprises a billing account field, a consecutive numbers of receipting field, a date of operating of receipting field, a receipting method field, a detail receipting information field, a bank code field, a credit card numbers field, a card admission numbers field, a actual payment amount by customer field, and a membership numbers field. Fields illustrated in FIG. 5 d  will now be described.  
         [0109]    The consecutive numbers of receipting field  224   a  is a field related to a unique identifier for identifying receipting by billing accounts.  
         [0110]    The date of operating of receipting field  224   b  is a field related to a date of customer&#39;s actual receipting for charging fee.  
         [0111]    The receipting method field  224   c  is a field related to customer&#39;s receipting method for charging fee.  
         [0112]    [0112]FIG. 6 a  is an illustration describing billing operations using the on-line/billing system co-ownership database terminated with billing. FIG. 6 b  is a block diagram illustrating the billing conclusion customer database.  
         [0113]    Referring to FIG. 6 a,  billing system  210  operates billing by using the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  copied from the on-line system terminated with billing.  
         [0114]    The copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  decreases the consecutive numbers of the bill by the predetermined value in order to restore the consecutive numbers to its original state. Billing process  203  extracts specific data for the billing operation and recomposes tables. Also, billing process  203  stores the extracted data in particular order in order that a lot of data can be processed in 1 block of the SGA area in the UNIX machine. Also, billing process  203  may recompose or eliminate indexes for improvement of performance of the billing system.  
         [0115]    The customers information and/or the billing accounts completed with billing may be stored in the billing conclusion customer database  240 . Also, the state of operating field may be altered with ‘completion of billing’.  
         [0116]    Referring to FIG. 6 b,  billing conclusion customer database  240  comprises a billing account field, a consecutive numbers of bill field, a membership numbers field, a state of operating field, a operating time of billing conclusion field, and a completion time of billing operation field.  
         [0117]    State of operating field  240   a  is a field related to whether or not the billing operation is completed. The state of operating comprises ‘waiting for billing operation’, ‘billing operating’ and ‘completing of billing operation’.  
         [0118]    Operating time of billing conclusion field  240   b  is a field related to an operating time of billing conclusion in on-line system. The operating time of billing conclusion field  240   b  may be a selective field, and may be used only for separately managing an altering time of databases as the time of billing conclusion in the on-line system  200 .  
         [0119]    Completion time of billing operation field  240   c  is a field related to a completion time of billing operation. The completion time of billing operation field  240   c  may be a selective field, and may be used for separately managing an altering time of database in the on-line system  200  and simplifying the operation of the database synchronizing process  205 . Namely, the operating time of billing conclusion field  240   b  and the completion time of billing operation field  240   c  may be used for comparing the alteration times of the databases, in order that the comparing process in the database synchronizing process  205  is omitted.  
         [0120]    [0120]FIG. 7 a  illustrates transmitting customers&#39; information and/or billing accounts completed with billing to the on-line/billing system co-ownership database. FIG. 7 b  illustrates the alteration of the on-line/billing system co-ownership database after operation billing conclusion and before completion of billing. FIG. 7 c  illustrates describing synchronization between the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database and the on-line/billing system co-ownership database.  
         [0121]    Referring to FIG. 7 a,  dividing process  204  retrieves the customers information or the billing accounts completed with billing from the billing conclusion customer database  240 , and divides the customer list or the billing account list completed with billing into a plurality of database synchronizing processes  205 . The plurality of database synchronizing processes  205  reads the billing data related to the information of the customers and the billing accounts from the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230 , by referring to the customer list or the billing account list, and transmits them to the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 .  
         [0122]    Referring to FIG. 7 b,  at step  400 , dividing process  204  retrieves the customers&#39; information or the billing accounts completed with billing from the billing conclusion customer database  240 .  
         [0123]    At step  410 , the dividing process  204  alters the state of operating of the customers or the billing accounts completed with billing into ‘operating’. Also, the dividing process  204  counts the number of the customers or the billing accounts altered by their state as ‘operating’, and decides the number of necessary database synchronizing processes  205 . When the number of necessary database synchronizing processes  205  is decided, the necessary database synchronizing processes  205  are created in correspondence with the number.  
         [0124]    If the number of created database synchronizing processes exceeds the number of operations, the exceeded database synchronizing processes are terminated, in order that system resources are allocated to the billing process. Also, the database synchronizing processes are terminated when they do not have any operation during the predetermined time.  
         [0125]    At step  420 , dividing process  204  divides the customer list or the billing account list that their state is ‘operating’ into the created plurality of database synchronizing processes  205 . The quantity of the divided customer list or billing account list may be restricted to the number of one database synchronizing process&#39;s ability. Because the number of lists that the database synchronizing processes  205  operates during predetermined time is depended on each billing system&#39;s ability, the system operator may set up the predetermined value in advance.  
         [0126]    At step  430 , database synchronizing process  205  reads the data of the customers or the billing accounts from the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230 , compares the data with the billing data related to the customers or the billing accounts stored in the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 . After copying the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  for billing, some fields of the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220  are modified, deleted or created, if the on-line system  200  modifies the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 . Referring to FIG. 7 c,  on-line system  200  modifies the customer activity conditions field of the billing account database  223  from ‘using service’ to ‘terminating’, after starting the billing.  
         [0127]    Database synchronizing process  205  compares each field of the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  with each field of the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , by referring to the customers or the billing accounts. Namely, the database synchronizing process  205  compares the setting list database  221 , the charging list database  222 , the billing account database  223  and the receipting list database  224  of the on-line system  200  with the database synchronizing process  205  compares the setting list database  231 , the charging list database  232 , the billing account database  233  and the receipting list database  234  of the billing system  210  respectively, by referring to the equal billing accounts.  
         [0128]    At step  440 , if there is any alteration in the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , then step  450  is processed. If there is no alteration in the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , then step  470  is processed.  
         [0129]    At step  450 , billing system  210  reads the billing data of the altered billing conclusion customers from the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 , stores the billing data in the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  and modifies the state of operating field of the billing conclusion customer database  240 .  
         [0130]    At step  460 , billing system  210  operates the billing process for the altered customers or the altered billing accounts.  
         [0131]    At step  470 , billing system  210  transmits the customers billing data of the billing accounts that are not altered to the on-line system  200 . The on-line system  200  stores the billing data in the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 . If there is no alteration during the billing process, both the databases are equal, except for the billing data of the copied on-line/billing system co-ownership database  230  modified by the billing process. Accordingly, it is preferable that billing system  210  transmits just the billing data comprising the total charging amount to the on-line/billing system co-ownership database  220 .  
         [0132]    The present invention is intended to improve on-line processing efficiency and overcome limitations in billing process of companies that operate prior art combination systems of the on-line system and the billing system. The present invention facilitates a billing system with exclusively the necessary database for billing process during billing operation, and the on-line system reserves alterations of the customer information or the receipting activity on-line, and reprocesses the reserved alterations.  
         [0133]    Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described it is not intended that the invention be limited to these embodiments. Modifications within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are incorporated.  
         [0134]    One advantage of the batch type billing method and system using dispersed processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the system (1) charges fees using altered address/name when the address/name are altered at the beginning of the month, and (2) applies some alterations such as agreement termination or drawback to the bill of the current month because the on-line system and the billing system have jointly a plurality of databases.  
         [0135]    Another advantage of the batch typed billing method and system using dispersed processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention is that (1) the billing system operates the billing process, no connection with the on-line system, (2) the billing performance is improved because there is no relation to the workloads on the on-line system, (3) the performance of the total system is improved because occupation competitions for system resources are removed, (4) the performance of the billing system is improved by reconstructing the tables of the database, because the billing system has exclusively a plurality of databases.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6