Apparatus, method, and article of manufacture used to invoice for services consumed in a communications network

• Main Authors: BRIGGS, ROBERT D, BAKER, KENT D, KENAGY, JASON, SPRIGG, STEPHEN A, PHILLIPS, MARC S, LOMBARDI, GINA M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.06.2013
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION

An apparatus, method, and article of manufacture that provides an efficient way to invoice the users of a communication system 100 for the system resources consumed. 5 Invoicing is based upon flexible criteria that can be adapted depending upon the charges a resource provider charges. For example, a user may incur a one-time charge for downloading a desired application program, or the user may be charged a download fee plus a recurring monthly fee for having continual access to the program and any updates to the program. A fee might also be charged for each time 10 the application is used. These fees are recorded as debits and transferred to an invoicing location where an invoice reflecting the debits is constructed. For example, the debits may comprise fees for wireless service access, Internet service access, downloaded application programs, data, multimedia services, or other fees.