A dynamic rule-based variant configuration system for a SaaS-based billing platform

Abstract

A dynamic rule-based variant configuration system (100) for a SaaS-based subscription billing platform, comprising: (a) a rule definition and creation module configured to enable users to create and manage business rules using a graphical or low-code interface; b) a rule evaluation module configured to process subscription data and evaluate applicable rules in real time; c) a variant configuration module configured to dynamically generate subscription variants based on evaluated rules, including variations in prices, billing cycles, discounts, and feature sets; d) an integration and API gateway module configured to enable communication between the system and external services or client applications through standardised interfaces; (e) an audit and monitoring module configured to log rule changes, rule executions, and variant results to ensure compliance and transparency; and f) a simulation and testing module configured to enable new or modified rules to be tested against historical or simulated subscription data to validate the expected behavior before deployment.

Description

The present invention relates to a dynamic rule-based variant configuration system developed for SaaS-based billing platforms. It allows real-time adjustment of accounting logic, pricing structures and subscription variants based on configurable business rules. This system increases flexibility and scalability in managing different subscription models across multiple customer segments.On the rapidly developing software as a service (SaaS) market, billing platforms become increasingly complex due to different customer requirements, dynamic price models, and frequent changes in business rules. Conventional billing engines are rigid and rely on hard-coded logic and static configurations, making it difficult for companies to quickly adapt to changed market requirements or introduce new pricing strategies without having to undertake extensive manual interventions or redesigns.As companies scale, they often are challenging to manage multiple subscription variants for different regions, industries, or customer groups. The adaptation of billing plans, discount structures or supplementary services requires a considerable development effort, which leads to delayed product introduction and increased operating costs. In addition, inability to dynamically define and change rules results in bottleneckes in responding to legal changes, advertising campaigns, or customized contracts.To address these challenges, a flexible rule-based configuration engine is needed that allows business users to define, modify, and employ billing variants without code changes. Such a system should support dynamic execution of logic, seamless integration with accounting workflows, and scalable rule management to increase flexibility, shorten market introduction time, and improve customer satisfaction with subscription-based SaaS offers.An object of the present disclosure is to enable the real-time adaptation of subscription variants without requiring code changes.Another object of the present disclosure is to reduce operational complexity by allowing business users to independently define and change billing logic.Another object of the present disclosure is to improve scalability by supporting the application of dynamic rules across different client segments.Another object of the present disclosure is to improve flexibility by enabling quick adjustments to price models, advertisements, and subscription offers.Another object of the present disclosure is to optimize integration with external systems through secure, standardized API interfaces.Another object of the present disclosure is to provide compliance with regulations and transparency by providing comprehensive inspection paths and monitoring functions.Another object of the present disclosure is to minimize errors and misconfigured by providing a simulation and test environment prior to deployment.Another object of the present disclosure is to increase efficiency and to reduce the time of market introduction for new subscription models.Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.The present invention provides a dynamic rule-based system that enables the real-time configuration of billing variants in SaaS platforms. This eliminates the need for hard-coded accounting logic, which allows greater flexibility and scalability for companies.Another embodiment of the present invention is the rule definition and creation module that allows business users to define price, discount, and function rules without developer intervention. It supports a graphical or low-code interface for intuitive rule creation.Another embodiment of the present invention is the Rule Evaluation module that dynamically processes incoming subscription data and applies relevant rules in real time. It ensures accurate and context-sensitive variant generation by optimized logic execution with low latency.A further embodiment of the present invention is the variant configuration module which, on the basis of the evaluated rules, generates customized subscription offers such as price levels, billing intervals or bundled functions. It supports both standard and very individual configurations.Another embodiment of the present invention is the integration and API gateway module that ensures seamless connectivity with external platforms such as CRM, ERP, or payment handlers. It provides secure APIs for the retrieval, validation, and cross-system configuration of variants.Another embodiment of the present invention, the simulation and test module, allows users to test the effects of new or updated rules prior to deployment. It provides test environments, conflict detection, and visual analyses to ensure billing accuracy.Another embodiment of the present invention is. The audit and monitor module keeps track of rule changes, execution protocols, and system decisions for compliance with rules and enterprise management. It provides dashboards, alerts, and version control for operational transparency.Another embodiment of the present invention is to provide a flexible, scalable, and smart billing configuration engine that speeds product introduction, improves customer personalization, and simplifies management of subscription variants in modern SaaS ecosystems.The invention relates to a dynamic rule-based variant configuration system developed for SaaS-based billing platforms. It allows the real-time adjustment of subscription plans based on user-defined rules without requiring code changes. The system includes key modules such as the rule definition and creation module for rule creation, the rule evaluation module for processing logic, and the variant configuration module for generating accounting variants. It also has the integration and API gateway module for system interoperability and the audit and monitoring module for compliance and transparency. Together, these modules provide scalable, flexible and intelligent subscription management.Rule Definition and Creation Module: This module provides an intuitive interface for business users to define and manage business rules in a no-code or low-code environment. The rules may be based on customer attributes, subscription levels, usage metrics, geolocation, or advertising criteria. The rules are stored in a structured format such as JSON or XML and are version controlled for better traceability.Module for Variant Configuration: This module dynamically generates subscription variants by applying the defined rules to basic products or services. It supports rule-based pricing adjustments, bundling options, discount strategies, billing cycles, and feature toggles. The configuration logic is executed at runtime, allowing immediate updates and flying variant generation without re-provisioning.Rule Evaluation Module This is the central execution layer responsible for interpreting and processing the rules in real time. It evaluates incoming subscription requests or updates based on the applicable rules and determines the corresponding configuration. The engine is performance optimized by in-memory processing and caching techniques to ensure low latency times even at high transaction rates.Integration and API Gateway Module: This module allows seamless interaction with external systems such as CRM, ERP, payment gateways, and customer portals. It provides RESTful APIs that allow external applications to query, configure, or validate subscription variants based on real-time rule scores, thereby ensuring synchronized and consistent accounting logic across different systems.Audit and Monitor Module: This component keeps track of all rule changes, variant generation events, and configuration results. It provides detailed protocols, dashboards, and alerts for operation monitoring and compliance with regulations. It ensures that all changes to rules or configurations are comprehensible, and thus provides transparency and government.Simulation and Test Module: Before new rules or configurations are introduced, users with this module can simulate the effects on existing and future subscriptions. It offers test scenarios, expected results and conflict detection, thus helping to avoid misconfiguredness and ensure the stability of the accounting process.The invention is explained again below with reference to the figure. The following shows: FIG. 1 : a dynamic rule-based variant configuration system ( 100) integrated into a SaaS-based billing platform.FIG. 1 illustrates a dynamic rule-based variant configuration system (100) integrated into a SaaS-based billing platform. When a user or external application initiates a subscription request or update, the integration and API gateway module detects the input and forwards it to the rule evaluation module, which acts as the decision core of the system. This engine references predefined logic stored in the rule definition and creation module where business users have configured rules based on various conditions such as customer type, region, or entitlement to advertisement actions. These rules direct the variant configuration module to dynamically generate or change subscription offers, such as prices, function sets, billing intervals, or discounts, tailored to the query context. Before providing new rule sets or changes, users may use the simulation and test module to validate the expected behavior through scenario-based evaluations, thus reducing the risk of misconfigureds. Throughout the process, all events, changes, and decision paths are tracked by the audit and monitor module, which provides full traceability, compliance with legal requirements, and operational transparency. This tightly integrated process allows scalable and intelligent management of complex subscription variants in real time without requiring code changes or manual interventions.

Claims

A dynamic rule-based variant configuration system (100) for a SaaS-based Abonnementabrechnungsplattform comprising: a) a rule definition and creation module configured to allow users to create and manage business rules using a graphical or low code interface; b) a rule evaluation module configured to process subscription data and evaluate applicable rules in real-time; c) a variant configuration module configured to dynamically generate subscription variants based on evaluated rules, including variations in prices, billing cycles, discounts, and function sets; d) an integration and API gateway module configured to enable communication between the system and external services or client applications via standardized interfaces; e) an audit and monitoring module configured to log rule changes, rule executions, and variant results to ensure compliance with rules and transparency; and f) a simulation and test module configured to test new or changed rules based on historical or simulated subscription data to validate the expected behavior prior to provisioning.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the rule definition and creation module supports conditional logic based on customer attributes, geographic regions, usage metrics, or advertising codes.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the rule evaluation module uses in-memory processing and rule caching to optimize real-time performance and reduce latency.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the variant configuration module supports bundling of products or services and dynamically switching features based on rule results.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the integration and API gateway module provides RESTful APIs to external applications for querying and configuring subscription variants in real-time.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the audit and monitor module generates alerts or protocols in response to predefined rule thresholds or anomalies.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the simulation and test module provides a graphical interface for defining test cases and visualizing the effects of rules on different customer scenarios.The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the rules are stored in a structured, version controlled format such as JSON or XML to enable rollback, auditability, and portability.

Images