Automated Roaming Revenue Accounting System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for tracking and accounting for roaming mobile device revenue and expenses are highly manual and resource-intensive, providing limited detailed information as the number of users and roaming trends increase, making the process increasingly burdensome.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for automatically receiving, validating, compiling, and summarizing revenue and expense records for mobile devices across different service providers and geographical areas, using codes to identify service providers and geographical areas, and processing these records to eliminate human error and provide detailed data for analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If manual tracking and journalizing of roaming revenue and expenses is used, then detailed information can be obtained, but the process becomes highly resource-intensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetailed informationVSAvoidtime

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking processes with an automated computer-based system that electronically processes roaming records. The system automatically validates records, matches them against predefined lists of service providers and geographical areas, and generates accounting entries without human intervention, thereby eliminating time-consuming manual operations while maintaining detailed information accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-validation by automatically checking recorded service provider codes and geographical area codes against predefined lists stored in the computer system. This self-service mechanism ensures data accuracy without requiring manual verification, allowing the system to independently verify and process roaming records efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If manual tracking and journalizing of roaming revenue and expenses is used, then detailed information can be obtained, but the process becomes resource-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetailed informationVSAvoidproductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously processes roaming records as they are generated, maintaining constant automated validation and accounting entry generation. This continuous operation eliminates interruptions and inefficiencies associated with manual batch processing, ensuring detailed information is always available while maximizing productivity through uninterrupted automated processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Quantity of substance

If the number of users and roaming trends increase, then more comprehensive data is available, but the effort in accounting for roaming charges becomes more burdensome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata volumeVSAvoidcomplexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex task of processing large volumes of roaming records into distinct automated modules: record reception, validation against predefined lists, matching service provider codes, matching geographical area codes, and accounting entry generation. This segmentation allows the system to handle increased data volumes systematically without increasing operational complexity, as each segment operates independently through automated rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of processing from manual to automated, transforming the nature of how data is handled. By implementing automated validation and processing mechanisms, the system can scale to handle increased data volumes from more users and roaming trends without proportionally increasing complexity or effort, as the automated system adapts to volume changes through its programmed capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9124724B2Method, system, and computer program product for tracking and accounting for roaming of mobile devices

Publication Date: 2015.09.01 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Roaming of mobile devices is tracked and accounted for automatically and accurately. Revenue records are received for at least one service provider due to roaming of mobile devices within a geographical area served by the at least one service provider for mobile devices that do not have a subscription for service with the service provider for the geographic area. Expense records are received for the service provider due to roaming of mobile devices within other geographical areas served by at least one other service provider and not served by the at least one service provider. Each of the revenue and expense records is associated with a mobile device and includes a code identifying a service and a geographical area. If the codes are valid, the revenue records and expense records received over a period of time are compiled and summarized.