Shared Telecom Billing With Automated Payer Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for sharing communication service payments among multiple users are cumbersome and require substantial manual effort by the subscriber to manage and collect payments from other users, leading to inefficiencies and increased workload.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows a subscriber to designate users as payers and automate the payment process through a communication network, sending payment prompts with a link or mechanism for authorization directly to the designated payers, simplifying the payment process and providing real-time status updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual payment management is used, then the subscriber can control payment distribution, but the administrative burden and workload increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables payers to automatically manage their own payment obligations through automated prompts and authorization mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual collection and distribution by the subscriber. The payment system self-manages the entire workflow from prompting to authorization to distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical payment collection and distribution processes with an automated electronic system that uses communications to transmit prompts, authorize payments, and distribute funds automatically, substituting human labor with automated technological processes.
2Productivity
If automated payment system is implemented, then the administrative burden is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service provider acts as an intermediary that manages the complex automated payment system between the subscriber and the payers. The provider handles system complexity, prompt transmission, authorization processing, and fund distribution, allowing the subscriber to benefit from automation without managing the underlying system complexity.
3Loss of time
If manual payment collection is used, then the system remains simple, but the time required for payment management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically transmitting payment prompts to designated payers before the payment deadline, providing automated reminders and authorization mechanisms in advance. This eliminates the need for last-minute manual collection efforts and reduces overall payment management time.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, providing, to a subscriber to communication services, an interface, the interface accessible over a communication network, the subscriber associated with a subscription account for the communication services, receiving, from the subscriber, information defining one or more designated payers, each designated payer of the one or more designated payers being responsible for payment of a designated portion of amounts due for payment to the subscription account for the communication services, communicating, to each designated payer, a communication indicating a designated amount due from the designated payer and a payment mechanism, receiving from the designated payer, an authorization of payment of the designated amount through the payment mechanism and crediting the subscription account according to the authorization of payment. Other embodiments are disclosed.