Replenishment of pre-paid wireless telephone accounts using short message service (SMS)

• US 20020115424A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telenity, Inc. (I3g LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telenity, Inc. (I3g LLC)
• Inventors: Ozulkulu, Esref Salih, Serbetcioglu, Bekir Sami, Bagoren, Sevket Ilhan, Ertas, Burak, Koca, Cem
• Granted Patent: US 6,934,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for replenishing a pre-paid telecommunications account utilizes the short message service (SMS). When an account balance is low, a pre-paid service control point (PP-SCP) sends a message to a pre-paid payment server which composes an SMS message and sends it to a short message service center (SMSC). The SMSC forwards the message to a mobile switching center (MSC) which passes the message to the subscriber'"'"'s mobile unit. A confirmation message is automatically sent in a similar manner back to the pre-paid payment server. To replenish the account, the subscriber composes an SMS message using the mobile unit and sends the message to an MSC which forwards it to the pre-paid payment server via an SMSC. The pre-paid payment server validates the request via a billing and finance system, then sends a message to the PP-SCP for account update.

Claims

1. A method for replenishing a pre-paid telecommunications account, said method comprising:

a) composing an SMS message using a mobile unit;

b) sending the SMS message to a pre-paid payment server;

c) validating the message at the pre-paid payment server; and

d) if the message is valid, replenishing the account.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the message includes a requested replenishment amount, and

said step of validating includes determining whether the account associated with the mobile unit has sufficient funds/credit to disburse the requested replenishment amount.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

the message includes a PIN, and

said step of validating includes verifying the PIN.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the message includes a code number associated with a pre-paid wireless card, and

said step of validating includes determining whether the code number is valid and determining the value of the wireless card associated with the code number.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of validating includes communicating with a billing and financial system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of replenishing includes accessing a pre-paid mobile subscriber account database.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e) generating a confirmation message; and

f) sending the confirmation message to the mobile unit via SMS.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

e) monitoring the account database;

f) determining when the subscriber account is due for replenishment; and

g) sending an SMS message to the mobile unit indicating that the account is due for replenishment.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

h) automatically generating a confirmation message at the mobile unit; and

i) sending the confirmation message to the pre-paid payment server via SMS.

10. A method for notifying a pre-paid telecommunications account subscriber that the account needs replenishing, said method comprising:

a) monitoring an account database;

b) determining when the subscriber account is due for replenishment; and

c) sending an SMS message to the subscriber'"'"'s mobile unit indicating that the account is due for replenishment.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

d) automatically generating a confirmation message at the mobile unit; and

e) sending the confirmation message to a pre-paid payment server via SMS.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the replenishment request includes a requested replenishment amount, and

said means for validating includes means for determining whether the account associated with the mobil unit has sufficient funds/credit to disburse the requested replenishment amount.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the replenishment request includes a PIN, and

said means for validating includes means for authenticating the PIN.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the replenishment request includes a code number associated with a pre-paid wireless card, and

said means for validating includes means for determining whether the code number is valid and determining the value of the wireless card associated with the code number.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

e) a billing and financial system, wherein

said means for validating includes means for communicating with the billing and financial system.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

said means for replenishing includes means for accessing a pre-paid mobile subscriber account database.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

e) means for generating a confirmation message; and

f) means for sending the confirmation message to the mobile unit via SMS.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

e) means for monitoring the account database;

f) means for determining when the subscriber account is due for replenishment; and

g) means for sending an SMS message to the mobile unit indicating that the account is due for replenishment.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:

h) means for automatically generating a confirmation message at the mobile unit; and

i) means for automatically sending the confirmation message to the pre-paid payment server via SMS.

12. An apparatus for replenishing a pre-paid telecommunications account, said method comprising:

a) a mobile unit having means for sending and receiving SMS messages;

b) a pre-paid payment server having means for sending and receiving SMS messages;

c) means for validating a replenishment request received as an SMS message; and

d) means for replenishing the account in response to a validated replenishment request received as an SMS message.