System and Method for Prepay Account Management System

Abstract

A prepay account management system having a prepay customer database operable to store a prepay customer account balance and an estimated usage data of a prepay customer. The system has a data link operable to transmit the prepay customer account balance and an actual usage data of the prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the billing system. Additionally, the system has a prepay server operable to receive the transmitted prepay customer account balance and the actual usage data, the prepay server operable to receive replenishing payment amounts. The prepay server also operable to update a current balance of the prepay customer account in response to the estimated usage data and the replenishing payment amounts and to reconcile a balance of the prepay customer account with the actual usage data of the prepay customer by comparing the estimated usage data with the actual usage data.

1 . A prepay account management system in communication with a billing system, the prepay account management system comprising:
 a prepay customer database operable to store a prepay customer account balance and an estimated usage data of a prepay customer;   a data link operable to transmit the prepay customer account balance and an actual usage data of the prepay customer between the prepay account management system and the billing system, wherein the actual usage data of the prepay customer is extracted from the billing system; and   a prepay server operable to:
 receive the transmitted prepay customer account balance and the actual usage data, the prepay server operable to receive replenishing payment amounts; 
 update a current balance of the prepay customer account in response to the estimated usage data and the replenishing payment amounts; and 
 reconcile a balance of the prepay customer account with the actual usage data of the prepay customer by comparing the estimated usage data with the actual usage data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a communication server in communication with the data link and operable to receive the prepay customer account balance and transmit the prepay customer account balance to the prepay server. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an actual usage server operable to receive the actual usage data of the prepay customer from a meter reading database. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated usage data of the prepay customer includes estimated utility usage data for the prepay customer and the actual usage data of the prepay customer includes actual utility usage data for the prepay customer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a notification server operable to generate a balance notification to the prepay customer in response to the balance of the prepay customer being below a threshold, a daily usage notification order in response to daily usage charges, and a suspend notification in response to the prepay customer account balance being below a suspend threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the notification server is operable to deliver the notification according to preferences specified by the prepay customer. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the notification server operable to send messages and data derived from the prepay server to the prepay customer. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a prepay card management system operable to manage a prepaid card obtained by the prepay customer as payment to the prepay customer account balance. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving prepay customer account data including actual utility usage amount for a prepay customer from a customer account database;   storing the prepay customer account data in a prepay account database;   receiving a payment amount for utility services corresponding to a prepay customer;   updating a prepay customer account balance for the prepay customer in the prepay account database in response to the received payment amount;   receiving an estimated utility usage amount for the prepay customer;   updating the prepay customer account balance for the prepay customer in the prepay account database in response to the received estimated utility usage amount; and   reconciling the prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database with the actual utility usage amount of the prepay customer by comparing the estimated utility usage amount with the actual utility usage amount.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein reconciling the prepay customer account balance includes reconciling the prepay customer account balance based on estimated usage charges in a billing cycle with actual usage charges applied in the same billing cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein receiving the estimated utility usage amount of the prepay customer includes receiving daily estimated utility usage amount; and   wherein updating the prepay customer account balance includes updating the prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database in response to the daily estimated utility usage amount.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein receiving the actual utility usage amount includes receiving real-time utility usage data; and   wherein reconciling the prepay customer account balance includes reconciling the prepay customer account balance in the prepay account database in response to the real-time utility usage data.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising notifying the prepay customer in response to predetermined triggers associated with the prepay customer account. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein receiving the payment amount includes receiving a payment made via at least one of a money transfer service, bill payment service, a credit card, debit card, automated clearing house fund transfer networks, an authorized agent, and a prepaid card.