Abstract: A high performance Rule Engine, capable of handling interactions and dependencies within a system. A system, such as a provisioning system for customer care, contains many pieces of interdependent Data. The Rule Engine uses Rule Objects that only need to know hoe to understand and apply a very specific type of Rule from a Rule set. This minimizes the need to parse and interpret a complex all-purpose Rule language. Each Rule Object can be linked together to form a list of Rules emanating from a Business Rule Coordinator Objects. Moreover, each Rule Object is loaded with a operator, such as a conditional operator, at startup, after which the conditional operator does not need to change and the Rule Object hierarchy can be kept active in memory.

Abstract: A method for provisioning at least one subscriber characteristic in a billing system includes the steps of creating at least one subscriber characteristic record. The method continues by creating a one subscriber record with entries for subscriber identification and inserting in a subscriber characteristic record, a first key for associating with the subscriber record. A characteristic record is created with entries for subscriber characteristics. A second key is inserted in the subscriber characteristic record. The second key is associated with the characteristic record so that the characteristic record is associated via the second key to the subscriber characteristic record that has been associated via the first key. A characteristic group to characteristic record is created for holding characteristics for a group of subscribers. A third primary key is inserted in the characteristic group.

Abstract: A method, and computer readable medium for control of data in a caching application. An indexed list of a type is used to hold cache elements for ease of lookup while a linked usage list is maintained for the Most Recently Used/Least Recently Used elements. Pointers between the lists are also maintained. This allows the cache to find both a specific entry if it exists and if it does not, and in the latter case the LRU element can be located without the need for a sequential search. Each element in the linked list holds a pointer to a cache element in the, and each cache element record in the indexed list also holds a pointer to its corresponding record in the linked list, in addition to the actual cached data.

Abstract: A system, a method and a computer readable medium for distributing messages from a third-party to a group of subscribers by using subscriber information and subscriber preferences stored in a database so that the group of subscribers can form a community to negotiate a group purchase of a good and/or service from the third party. A subscriber selection system is used for querying the database using one or more subscriber criteria to form a group of one or more subscribers. The one or more subscriber criteria used to query the database is chosen by the third party, which allows the subscriber selection system to form a group of subscribers who satisfy the criteria for a type of subscriber that the third-party wants to send a message, such as an advertisement, to. A billing system, which is coupled to the database receives one or more messages from a third-party and then provides the one or more messages from the third party to the group of subscribers that was formed by the corresponding query of the database.

Abstract: A method on a data processing server for creating customizable electronic documents in a client-server computer network having one or more data processing servers electronically connected to a plurality of data processing clients. In one embodiment, the method provides the sender with the ability of defining, via one or more interface controls, which portions of an electronic bill are changeable and modifiable by one or more recipients. This permits the subsequent users the authority to only modify the fields as controlled by the sender. In another embodiment, the system permits tracking of changes made by each subsequent recipient of the bill compared with the original billing data. In another embodiment, the method provides the recipient a user preference file which controls how the bill is laid-out by the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to create billing records in a rating engine. The method comprising the steps of assembling one or more sets of subscriber information; assembling a rating plan; associating a rating procedure with a rating engine; calculating billing records with the rating engine through the rating procedure using the rating plan and the subscriber information. The method and apparatus are applicable to any service where a subscriber is billed by the usage of a service or where the subscriber is billed a periodic basis for the service.