Burstable billing

Abstract: A billing and collection system for enabling payment for a service provided over a data network (18) by a customer for a telephone connection (30) to a shared revenue billing network (19) where the telephone connection (30) to the billing network (19) regulates access to the service provided over the data network (18), comprising: a data network (18) including at least one user on-line service provider (27) presenting at least one on-line service for on-line access by a user with a user computer (22) through the data network (18), a billing network (19) and an access management computer (12) communicating with the data network (18) for enabling and terminating access to the on-line service provider (27) through the user computer (22) whereby the billing network (19) shares revenues for the telephone connection (30) with the on-line service provider (27).

Abstract: A billing method and server for gathering and processing billing information for Internet telephony connections. Originating and terminating clients and Internet Service Providers ("ISPs") are identified by the server from information contained in digital packets. The digital packets also identify the beginning and ending time of the connection, as well as enhancements chosen for the particular connection, and choices of information to be displayed during the connection. The billing server transmits selected information to each client during the connection, such information including packet routing, packet density, elapsed time of connection, and available and selected enhancements. The server constructs a billing detail for each connection and constructs a billing record for each ISP and client over a specific time period. The server periodically forwards each billing record to its associated ISP.

Abstract: A billing system is disclosed which performs processing in order to provide service to user terminals, and which performs billing for the service provided to the user terminals. In this billing system, user billing profiles UBP are stored in a user billing profile registration unit, by service type and in user terminal units; a billing condition generation unit within a service provider server compares the user billing profile UBP corresponding to a specified service type and to a user terminal with a server billing profile SBP to generate billing conditions, and a billing condition setting unit of a foreign agent sets the billing conditions in a billing unit; and based on the billing conditions thus set, the billing unit executes billing processing for each user terminal.

Abstract: A method of providing adjustable rate usage-based billing for data services establishes an initial level billing rate based on customer estimates of usage and rates established by the provider based on the location of customer sites within predetermined geographic zones and levels of service intended to be used between those customer site pairs. The initial level billing rate is typically monthly, and is maintained during a predetermined level billing period. Upon expiration of the level billing period, the actual average usage on a monthly basis is calculated and compared to the level billing rate. If the absolute value of the percentage difference between them does not exceed a predetermined maximum adjustment, then the level billing rate for the next level billing period is set equal to the computed average of actual use during the just ended level billing period. If the maximum adjust is exceeded, the new level billing rate is capped at the maximum adjust percentage for the next level billing period. A carryover is provided by which whatever amount of increase or decrease is not covered by the maximum adjustment is carried over to the next level billing period, and is carried until it is finally recovered by either the customer or the provider, depending upon to which party the carryover has been accruing. This billing method is particularly useful in networks such as Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS), which provide the customer a certain amount of bandwidth for access to the network, but for which bandwidth is not pre-allocated to specific connections.