Blockchain Event Logging for IVA Billing Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) providers face challenges in accessing data for billing purposes without compromising customer privacy, as they are typically hosted in different environments and rely on manual reports from customers or companies, leading to delayed and potentially inaccurate billing.
Innovation Solution
The use of blockchain technology to securely track and record actions by encrypting data with entity-specific keys, allowing IVA providers to access necessary data for billing without direct access to customer systems, while preserving customer anonymity and enabling real-time invoicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual reporting is used for billing data collection, then customer privacy is protected, but billing accuracy and timeliness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A blockchain-based intermediary system is introduced between the IVA provider and the customer's data systems. The blockchain acts as a neutral mediator that records billing events immutably without requiring the IVA provider to directly access customer systems or rely on manual customer reporting. This resolves the contradiction by enabling automatic, accurate, and timely billing while maintaining customer privacy through cryptographic proofs rather than direct data access.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical reporting process is replaced with an automated digital system based on blockchain technology. Instead of customers manually collecting and reporting billing data, the system uses automated event logging on the blockchain with cryptographic verification. This substitution eliminates billing delays and improves accuracy while maintaining privacy through the use of digital signatures and encrypted data structures.
2Measurement precision
If IVA providers access customer systems directly for billing data, then billing accuracy improves, but customer security and privacy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The essential billing information is extracted and recorded on the blockchain without extracting or exposing the underlying customer PII. The system captures billing-relevant events (transactions assisted by IVA) and stores them as cryptographic records on the blockchain, separating the billing data from the sensitive customer data. This allows accurate billing measurement while preventing harmful data exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain serves as an intermediary layer that enables the IVA provider to obtain billing data without directly accessing customer systems. Customer data remains securely stored in the customer's environment, while the blockchain receives and verifies billing events through cryptographic proofs. This intermediary architecture eliminates the security risk of direct access while maintaining billing accuracy.
3Productivity
If monthly manual reporting is used, then customer privacy is maintained, but productivity and billing efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The billing data collection transitions from discrete monthly manual reports to a continuous automated process. Billing events are recorded continuously on the blockchain as they occur, with the IVA provider able to query and verify data at any time. This continuous action improves productivity by eliminating monthly delays while the blockchain's immutable ledger ensures the reliability and trustworthiness of the data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service billing verification where the IVA provider can independently query the blockchain for billing data without requiring customer intervention. The blockchain automatically maintains the billing records and provides verification capabilities, eliminating the need for customers to manually collect and report data. This improves productivity while the automated verification processes maintain data reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method using blockchain for monitoring and tracking service provider involvement in a transaction on behalf of a customer company. In the system and method, session information related to the transactions are encrypted using an encryption key specific to a company on whose behalf the service provider is acting. The encrypted action is signed the with a private key of a public/private key pair. The signed, encrypted action record is placed on the blockchain, which can later be accessed to review the actions on behalf of the specific company.