TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to logging mobile phone communication events and billing such events to a client account.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The invention relates to service providers who bill for time spent on a matter. Of particular relevance to the invention, is the ability to record telecommunication event details between the service provider and a client. Typically, the service provider would make a note of the telecommunication duration upon completion of a call and at a later stage attribute the call details to a client’s account and generate an appropriate invoice. This requires multiple data capturing events and may result in inaccurate capturing of call details, particularly for the case in which the service provider is unaware of the exact duration of the call and client details at the time of the call.

[0003] The aforementioned disadvantages for billing calls are exacerbated when the service provider receives a call to their mobile phone, and the service provider is unable to record the call details during or immediately after the call. Typically, such calls are either not billed accurately or not billed at all, resulting in lost income for the service provider.

[0004] The invention seeks to provide a suitably enabled mobile telecommunication apparatus and method for recording and billing telecommunication events to a client account that at least partially ameliorates the disadvantages associated with the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The described embodiments and the advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. These drawings in no way limit any changes in form and detail that may be made to the described embodiments by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments.

[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a first high-level component diagram of an example computer system architecture, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of logging mobile phone communications, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an illustrative computer system operating in accordance with examples of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Described herein are methods and systems for logging mobile phone

communications. FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates an example mobile communication billing system 101, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Mobile communication billing system may include various components, including billing server 100, network 106, and/or client device 150. Server 100 may include various components, which may allow a web application to run on a server device or client device. Each component may perform different functions, operations, actions, processes, methods, etc., for a web application and/or may provide different services, functionalities, and/or resources for the web application.

[0010] In one embodiment, the server 100 may host web applications. For example, different components of server 100 may be located on and/or may execute on different processing devices (e.g., processing device 120) of the server 100, as discussed in more detail below. In one embodiment, mobile communication billing instructions 127 may be implemented on processing device 120 of server 100 and/or client device 150.

[0011] As illustrated in FIG. 1, server 100 includes a computing processing device 120, a data store 130, and a network 105. The processing device 120 and the data store 130 are coupled to each other (e.g., may be operatively coupled, communicatively coupled, may communicate data/messages with each other) via network 105. Network 105 may be a public network (e.g., the internet), a private network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN)), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, network 105 may include a wired or a wireless infrastructure, which may be provided by one or more wireless communications systems, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot connected with the network 105 and/or a wireless carrier system that can be implemented using various data processing equipment, communication towers (e.g. cell towers), etc. The network 105 may carry communications (e.g., data, message, packets, frames, etc.) between the various components of server 100. The data store 130 may be a persistent storage that is capable of storing data (e.g., a library of skeleton models, as described herein). A persistent storage may be a local storage unit or a remote storage unit. Persistent storage may be a magnetic storage unit, optical storage unit, solid state storage unit, electronic storage units (main memory), virtual storage unit (e.g., associated with a virtual machine, logical instance on a service provider platform, etc.), or similar storage unit. Persistent storage may also be a monolithi c/single device or a distributed set of devices.

[0012] Each component may include hardware such as processing devices (e.g., processors, central processing units (CPUs), memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM), storage devices (e.g., hard-disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc.), and other hardware devices (e.g., sound card, video card, etc.). The server 100 may comprise any suitable type of computing device or machine that has a programmable processor including, for example, server computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, smartphones, set-top boxes, etc. In some examples, the server 100 may comprise a single machine or may include multiple interconnected machines (e.g., multiple servers configured in a cluster). The server 100 may be implemented by a common entity/organization or may be implemented by different

entities/organizations. For example, a server 100 may be operated by a first company/corporation and a second server (not pictured) may be operated by a second company/corporation. Each server may execute or include an operating system (OS), as discussed in more detail below. The OS of a server may manage the execution of other components (e.g., software, applications, etc.) and/or may manage access to the hardware (e.g., processors, memory, storage devices etc.) of the computing device. [0013] As discussed herein, the server 100 may provide various services to client devices

(e.g., client device 150). In one embodiment, server 100 is operably connected to client device 150 via a network 106. Network 106 may be a public network (e.g., the internet), a private network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN)), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, network 106 may include a wired or a wireless infrastructure, which may be provided by one or more wireless communications systems, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot connected with the network 106 and/or a wireless carrier system that can be implemented using various data processing equipment, communication towers (e.g. cell towers), etc. The network 106 may carry communications (e.g., data, message, packets, frames, etc.) between the various components of system 101.

[0014] In one embodiment, a software application may be installed on a mobile telecommunications device (MTD) (e.g., client device 150) of a user. In another embodiment, the application may be installed on a server (e.g., server 100) and run on a client device as a thin client or web application. In one embodiment, the application may continuously run in the background of the operating system on the server and/or device. In another embodiment, the application runs upon opening the application using the MTD user interface and is activated upon a mobile communication being generated or received by a user of the MTD. By example, the application is activated upon the user making a telephone call over a regular GSM network or via a third-party application which allows voice calls, such as WhatsApp, Skype, or the like. Additionally, listening to or recording voice note communications may result in activation of the billing application described herein.

[0015] When the application is activated, an active screen may be displayed on the MTD user interface and provide prompt graphical user interface elements (e.g., buttons) to bill or refrain from billing a communication. The following set of prompts to bill a telephonic communication may result in the communication being billed in accordance with user determined billing criteria. The prompt buttons may include equivalents of at least two of a“bill” prompt; a“do not bill” prompt; a“bill now” prompt; and a“never bill” prompt. In one embodiment, some period of time after the call is ended, notifications generated by the mobile application may prompt the user to allocate the call to a specific contact, client, or billing account.

[0016] Input data used by the app to measure the length of the communication (e.g., communication duration), or to attribute the communication to a client, may be obtained from at least one of direct user input, data stored on the MTD (client device 150) including a contacts list, or an app on the MTD.

[0017] In response to a billing prompt being selected, subsequent prompts may be generated to enable at least one of: the creation of a client account for client billing; billing of an existing client account; or deferring the creation of the client account for future billing. Where deferred billing prompts are selected, billing reminder criteria may be inputted. Whereafter, deferred billing notifications may be generated in accordance with reminder criteria. For example, the user may select one or more reminders to be generated based on at least one of a geographical location of the MTD determined by its activated GPS, proximity of MTD to an affdiated Wi-Fi router, time of day, or date.

[0018] In one embodiment, the application allows for the default allocation of billing criteria of mobile phone contacts on the basis of at least one of: individual contacts, categories of contacts, or communication apps through which a user can communicate with contacts. For example, a user can define the billing criteria for a specific contact which applies each time a call is made to or received from said contact. Such criteria include billing details and charge rate applicable to communications per unit of time. Additionally, contacts saved as“work” contacts may be automatically billed in accordance with work criteria, whereas contacts saved as “personal” may not be billed and without billing prompts being generated. Further,

communication apps such as Skype or WhatsApp may be billed in accordance with work criteria, or alternately, non-billable“personal” criteria.

[0019] In one embodiment, the application is enabled to provide a summary of communications processed by the MTD. This summary may include billed, non-billed, and communications for which billing has been deferred. Detailed billing details may be viewed by following appropriate links and/or prompts. Such details may include individual communication details on a per client basis. The application may additionally enable viewing of communications processed on a web page interface (e.g., of a web application provided by server 100.

[0020] The embodiments herein may provide for the recording of a time-based communication event using an MTD, such as a smart phone or tablet with an enabling software application installed on to the MTD to attribute the recorded event to a client account. In one embodiment, the software application is enabled to perform the steps of:

recording the duration of a call calculated from the MTD commencing a call;

providing prompts for a user to input information into the MTD attributing call details to a client account; and

rating the call details to client account in accordance with user determined billing parameters, wherein the client account data is transmitted to a remote server, in accordance with user inputted preferences. [0021] In one embodiment,“rating” is meant to include calculating a billable amount based on call time and the billing rate (e.g., dollars per 15 minutes, or part thereof) and not necessarily the actual invoicing operations. In other embodiments,“rating,” as used herein, may include billing, and other invoicing operations. In a variety of embodiments, rating and billing are used interchangeably.

[0022] In one embodiment, recording of the call commences automatically (e.g., without user interaction and/or direction) upon the MTD receiving or initiating a call and terminates automatically upon call termination. Call details may be automatically recorded without user input required. Such details may optionally include call time, whether the call is incoming or outgoing, caller identity, caller number.

[0023] Upon termination of the call, prompts may be displayed on the screen of the MTD to input information to enable the call to be attributed to a client account. The user may, however, select audio prompts to be broadcast by the MTD instead of or in addition to textual prompts. The prompts may include attributing the call to one of an existing client account, to a new client account, to a user determined category, and whether the user wishes to input an additional call description.

[0024] In one embodiment, the software application enables the user to input information into the MTD through at least one of speech, typing or user gestures. Gestures may be recorded by a camera or other sensing device integral with, or external to, the MTD enabled to detect user movement, which movement determines the information inputted. For example, movement of the user’s hand and/or finger may enable input criteria to be selected. In another embodiment, a motion sensor may record gestures, wherein the type and sequence of MTD movement determines information input. For example, rotation of the MTD may enable input criteria to be selected. In a further embodiment of the invention, an impact sensor may record gestures, wherein a sequence of impacts against the MTD determines the information inputted. Gesture input may be particularly advantageous where the user is unable to focus on MTD, for example, while driving. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, input criteria may include whether or not the call should be billed.

[0025] In one embodiment, in response to the call information data being suitably populated, the data may be transmitted to a designated communication address for further processing (e.g., via server 100). For example, the data may be sent to a person responsible for managing client accounts. In another embodiment, the data may be transmitted to a remote server (e.g., server 100) where client accounting data is recorded and processed. In another

embodiment, the data may be transmitted to a third party system for processing (e.g., external to system 101).

[0026] In one embodiment, in response to a billable event having occurred and the event being recorded against the client account, the software application may generate an invoice and transmit the invoice to the client in accordance with client communication preferences, such as via email, fax or html link. In another embodiment, the client's account may be updated to reflect the billable event and invoice transmission may be delayed until a predetermined date or transmission criteria are reached. For example, in one embodiment the invoice is only transmitted if a user determined invoice value is reached or upon the user marking the matter as completed. In accordance with a further embodiments, billable events may be generated and provided as a report on a web interface, as a downloadable report, as a report that can be directly imported into a spreadsheet tool or billing system, and/or exported directly to a third party system. [0027] In one embodiment, the client account transmitted includes a hyperlink on the invoice, which once clicked, results in information pertinent to the event being downloaded. The downloaded information may be retrievable from a server and may be available for a duration determined by the user. For example, the call may be recorded and the audio file recorded during the call is downloadable upon clicking on the hyperlink. In a further example, the audio file may be available for download for some period of time (e.g., one month) after the invoice is transmitted. In one embodiment, the period of time is customizable by a user.

[0028] In one embodiment, multiple telecommunication devices (e.g., MTDs) may be linked to a user profile, whereby the software enables events recorded by linked communication devices to be transmitted to a database (e.g., data store 130 and/or a data store local to the client device 150), collated, and attributed to a client account.

[0029] The embodiments described herein are not limited to the precise details described above. Modifications may be made and other embodiments developed. For example, call information details which are orally inputted by the user may be transcribed by the software, whereafter the transcribed text may be attributed to the intended client account. In a further embodiment, the user may input call information and annotations whilst the call is ongoing or prior to making a call. Further, the MTD may comprise a recorder for recording at least one of an audio and/or an audio-visual event, wherein the software is enabled to attribute and bill the recorded audio and /or audio-visual event to a client account either as part of a call or independent of a call in the same manner as the aforementioned calls are billed to a client account. Still further, the user may edit billing details and reallocate billed communications to different clients or billing categories. Additional details describing the operations of system 101 are provided with respect to FIGs. 2-3, below. [0030] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method 200 of logging mobile phone communications, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 200 may be performed by processing logic that comprises hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions run on a processing device to perform hardware simulation), or a combination thereof. In embodiments, aspects of method 200 may be performed by server 100 and/or client device 150 of FIG. 1.

[0031] With reference to FIG. 2, method 200 illustrates example functions used by various embodiments. Although specific function blocks ("blocks") are disclosed in method 200, such blocks are examples. That is, embodiments are well suited to performing various other blocks or variations of the blocks recited in method 200. It is appreciated that the blocks in method 200 may be performed in an order different than presented, and that not all of the blocks in method 200 may be performed.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, at block 202 the processing logic records communication details comprising a communication duration and caller details calculated from a mobile telecommunication device (MTD) commencing a communication. In one embodiment, the communication may be a telecommunication using at least one of a mobile communication platform comprising: GSM cellular networks, VOIP, or mobile phone audio or audio visual software apps which enable mobile telecommunication.

[0033] In one embodiment, the communication details are recorded automatically (e.g., without user input). In another embodiment, some or all of the communication details may be provided by user input. For example, a user may inputs communication details and annotations, during or after the communication. Communication details may include any suitable information, including but not limited to a communication time (e.g., a time the call was received or initiated), an indication whether the communication is incoming or outgoing, a caller identity, a caller number, etc.

[0034] At block 204, the processing logic provides a prompt to a client device comprising a request to input information into the MTD and attribute the communication details to a client account. In one embodiment, the prompt includes at least one of a text prompt appearing on a user interface of the MTD or an audio prompt broadcast by the MTD. In one embodiment, the client account is viewable on the MTD or on a website interface (e.g., of/associated with server 100 of FIG. 1), whereby the communication details are viewable. It should be noted that although the MTD (e.g., client device 150 of FIG. 1) is referenced throughout with respect to particular operations, server 100 of FIG. 1 is equally capable to perform all of the operations in addition to, or instead of, the MTD.

[0035] In one embodiment, the requested information may be associated with at least at least one of: attributing the communication to an existing client account, attributing the communication to a new client account, delaying attributing the communication to a client account, attributing the communication as non-billable contact, attributing the communication to a user determined category, or inputting a description of the communication. In one embodiment, in response to receiving a selection of a delayed billing prompt (e.g., to delay the transmission of an invoice associated with the communication), billing reminder criteria may be inputted for the delayed billing, whereafter deferred billing notifications are generated in accordance with reminder criteria.

[0036] The information may be input into the MTD in any number of ways. For example, a user input may information into the MTD through at least one of: speech, typing, user gestures or user impact sequences in response to the prompt. In the case that the information is input via speech, processing logic may transcribe the speech into text, whereafter the text may be attributed to the client account.

[0037] At block 206, processing logic bills (e.g., rates), by a processing device, the communication details to the client account in accordance with user-determined billing parameters, wherein the client account is transmitted to at least one recipient, in accordance with a user inputted preference.

[0038] In one embodiment, processing logic, in response to an occurrence of a billable event (e.g., a communication) and a recording of the event against the client account, may: enable the MTD to generate an invoice and transmit the invoice to the client device and/or update the client's account to reflect the billable event and invoice transmission is delayed until a predetermined date or transmission criteria are reached. In the case that multiple MTDs are affdiated for billing purposes, processing logic may further transmitting events recorded by the multiple MTDs to a database, collated and attributed to the client account.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computing device 300 that may perform one or more of the operations described herein, in accordance with some embodiments.

Computing device 300 may be connected to other computing devices in a LAN, an intranet, an extranet, and/or the Internet. The computing device may operate in the capacity of a server machine in client-server network environment or in the capacity of a client in a peer-to-peer network environment. The computing device may be provided by a personal computer (PC), a set-top box (STB), a server, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single computing device is illustrated, the term“computing device” shall also be taken to include any collection of computing devices that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform the methods discussed herein.

[0040] The example computing device 300 may include a processing device ( e.g ., a general purpose processor, a PLD, etc.) 302, a main memory 304 (e.g., synchronous dynamic random access memory (DRAM), read-only memory (ROM)), a static memory 306 (e.g., flash memory and a data storage device 318), which may communicate with each other via a bus 330.

[0041] Processing device 302 may be provided by one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. In an illustrative example, processing device 302 may comprise a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processing device 302 may also comprise one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. The processing device 302 may be configured to execute the operations described herein, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure, for performing the operations and steps discussed herein. In one embodiment, processing device 302 represents processing device 120 of FIG. 1. In another embodiment, processing device 302 represents a processing device of a client device (e.g., client device 150 of FIG. 1).

[0042] Computing device 300 may further include a network interface device 308 which may communicate with a network 320. The computing device 300 also may include a video display unit 310 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 312 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 314 (e.g., a mouse) and an acoustic signal generation device 316 ( e.g ., a speaker). In one embodiment, video display unit 310, alphanumeric input device 312, and cursor control device 314 may be combined into a single component or device (e.g., an LCD touch screen).

[0043] Data storage device 318 may include a computer-readable storage medium 328 on which may be stored one or more sets of instructions, e.g., instructions for carrying out the operations described herein, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure. Instructions implementing module 326 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within main memory 304 and/or within processing device 302 during execution thereof by computing device 300, main memory 304 and processing device 302 also constituting computer-readable media. The instructions may further be transmitted or received over a network 320 via network interface device 308.

[0044] While computer-readable storage medium 328 is shown in an illustrative example to be a single medium, the term“computer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term“computer-readable storage medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform the methods described herein. The term“computer-readable storage medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical media and magnetic media.