System and method for recording billing information for a telecommunications service request
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. In a telecommunications network including a plurality of network elements, a method for recording information relating to the services provided by the telecommunications network in response to a telecommunications service request requiring the services of a primary network element and at least one secondary network element, said method comprising:
- generating a primary record containing information relating to the services provided by a primary network element in response to the request and an identification key;
transmitting the primary record from the primary network element to a separate network element including a merge processor;
generating at least one secondary record, wherein each secondary record contains information relating to the services provided by a secondary network element in response to the service request and an identification key containing information associating the secondary record with the primary record;
transmitting the at least one secondary record from the secondary network element to the merge processor;
comparing the identification keys of records received at the merge processor; and
merging associated primary and secondary records to form a single network record containing information relating to the services provided by the primary and secondary network elements in response to the request.
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Abstract
A system for recording the services provided by a telecommunications network in response to a service request generates a number of individual records corresponding to the number of network elements providing telecommunications services in response to the request. Each individual record contains information relating to the services provided by the corresponding network element. Those service requests requiring the services of two or more network elements are assigned an identifier which is stored in each corresponding record. Records having a common identifier are matched with one another and merged into a single network record corresponding to the service request. Billing statements and statistical reports may be derived from the single network record.
123 Citations
34 Claims
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1. In a telecommunications network including a plurality of network elements, a method for recording information relating to the services provided by the telecommunications network in response to a telecommunications service request requiring the services of a primary network element and at least one secondary network element, said method comprising:
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generating a primary record containing information relating to the services provided by a primary network element in response to the request and an identification key; transmitting the primary record from the primary network element to a separate network element including a merge processor; generating at least one secondary record, wherein each secondary record contains information relating to the services provided by a secondary network element in response to the service request and an identification key containing information associating the secondary record with the primary record; transmitting the at least one secondary record from the secondary network element to the merge processor; comparing the identification keys of records received at the merge processor; and merging associated primary and secondary records to form a single network record containing information relating to the services provided by the primary and secondary network elements in response to the request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for recording in a single network record the services provided by a telecommunications network responsive to a service request, wherein the telecommunications network includes a plurality of network elements, said method comprising:
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generating a primary record for each service request, each primary record containing information relating to the services provided by a primary network element in response to the corresponding service request; transmitting the primary record from the primary network element to a separate network element including a merge processor; generating at least one secondary record for each service request, each secondary record containing information relating to the services provided by a secondary network element in response to the corresponding service request and an identification key; transmitting the at least one secondary record from the secondary network element to the merge processor; matching each primary record with any secondary records generated in response to the same service request; and processing the primary and secondary records so that the information relating to the services provided by each of the network elements in response to a service request is contained in a single network record corresponding to that service request. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for generating one or more records for recording information relating to the services provided by a telecommunications network in response to a service request, wherein the telecommunications network includes a plurality of network elements, said system comprising:
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a primary network element adapted to generate a primary record in response to a service request, the primary record containing information relating to the services provided by the primary network element in response to the corresponding service request; at least one secondary network element adapted to generate a secondary record, in response to a service request, the secondary record containing information relating to the services provided by the secondary network element in response to the corresponding service request; means for assigning an identification key to the primary and secondary records, the identification key including information for associating the primary and secondary records; and a third network element separate from the primary network element and the secondary network element adapted to receive records from the primary network element and the secondary network element and comprising means for comparing the identification keys assigned to the records and means for merging associated records. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification