Credit optimization to minimize latency

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods are described for reducing latency during invoice generation involving credit distribution. In some implementations, references to invoice line items are sorted by supplemental charge rate and credits are applied to the invoice line items in decreasing supplemental charge rate order. An invoice is generated that includes the invoice line items and associated credits. The process of generating applying the credits is optimized to minimize latency and to provide the greatest financial benefit to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable instruction sets configured to reduce latency during invoice generation involving credit distribution, the computer-executable instruction sets comprising:
 a supplemental charge rate determination instruction set configured to determine a supplemental charge rate associated with each of a plurality of invoice line items;   a credit application instruction set configured to apply credits to select ones of the plurality of invoice line items in decreasing supplemental charge rate order, each credit being associated with particular invoice line item information; and   an invoice generation instruction set configured to generate an invoice that includes at least some of the invoice line item information and the associated credits, as applied by the credit application instruction set.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a line item acquisition instruction set configured to retrieve, from an electronic data store, invoice line item information from a plurality of accounts associated with a common payor. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a line item acquisition instruction set configured to retrieve, from an electronic data store, invoice line item information based upon predetermined invoice requirements. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a line item acquisition instruction set configured to retrieve only a sub-set of invoice line item information prior to processing with a reference generation instruction set, wherein the reference generation instruction set is configured to generate an electronic reference table comprising a plurality of reference table entries, each entry associated with select portions of the invoice line item information. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , further comprising a credit re-allocation instruction set configured to re-allocate credits from a portion of the sub-set of the line item information. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein each invoice line item includes a line item reference and an associated line item cost. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the credit application instruction set is further configured to sort the invoice line items by supplemental charge rate. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the credit application instruction set is further configured to apply credits only when a credit balance exists. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the invoice generation construction set is further configured to generate an invoice line item that includes a supplemental charge calculated based upon (i) the supplemental charge rate associated with a particular one of the reference table entries and (ii) a line item cost less the credit applied to the particular invoice line item. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method of reducing latency during invoice generation involving credit distribution, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 as implemented by one or more computer systems comprising computer hardware and memory, the one or more computer systems configured with specific executable instructions:
 determining an allocated memory size usable to store data retrieved from an electronic data store; 
 determining, by the one or more computer systems, a supplemental charge rate associated with each of a plurality of invoice line items; 
 applying credits, by the one or more computer systems, to select ones of the plurality of invoice line items in decreasing supplemental charge rate order, each credit being associated with particular retrieved invoice line item information; and 
 generating an invoice that includes at least some of the line item information and associated credits. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving the invoice line item information from a plurality of accounts associated with a common payor. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving invoice line item information based upon predetermined invoice requirements. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving only a sub-set of line item information prior to generating a reference table comprising a plurality of reference table entries, each reference table entry associated with select portions of the invoice line item information. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising re-allocating credits from a portion of the sub-set of line item information. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein each invoice line item includes a line item reference and an associated line item cost. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein said applying credits further comprises sorting the invoice line items by supplemental charge rate. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein said generating an invoice comprises generating an invoice that further includes supplemental charges associated with the line item information. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a data store that store invoice line item information associated with data service usage; and   one or more processors in communication with the data store, the one or more processers configured to:
 determine a supplemental charge rate associated with invoice line items, the invoice line items comprising the invoice line item information; 
 apply credits to select ones of the invoice line items in decreasing supplemental charge rate order, each credit being associated with particular invoice line item information; and 
 generate an invoice that includes at least some of the line item information and associated credits. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processor are further configured to retrieve the invoice line item information from a plurality of accounts associated with a common payor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to retrieve the invoice line item information based upon predetermined invoice requirements. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to retrieve only a sub-set of the line item information prior to causing a computing system to generate a reference table. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to re-allocate credits from a portion of the sub-set of line item information. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each invoice line item includes a line item reference and an associated line item cost. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to sort the invoice line items by supplemental charge rate. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate an invoice that further includes supplemental charges associated with the line item information. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to retrieve, from the data store, invoice line item information for at least one thousand line items.