Mobile phone distribution system

• US 20030008636A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Original Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: McGregor, Gregory M., McGregor, Donald Scott
• Application Number:
  US09/747,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008636A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A mobile telephone programming and accounting system that includes an integrated hardware system interlinking a telephone unit, a telephone interlink receiver, and a central processing unit connected to the interlink receiver. The hardware system also preferably includes a receipt printer and a credit card reader. The telephone unit is preferably equipped with an internal real time clock and calendar circuit and memory store to record the time and date of calls for reporting to the central processing unit to enable tracking and detailed accounting of calls. The interlink receiver in the improved design includes a gang platform for programming multiple phone units, which may be phone units of different manufacturers, and provides for automatic programming of the multiple units and, in the retail distribution setting, programming the operating parameters and assignment of the phone unit to a service provider with encryption keys to reduce service churning.

Claims

1. A mobile phone programming and tracking system comprising:

an information processing unit;

interface means for interfacing a mobile phone unit with the information processing unit and communicating data and programming signals between the information processing unit and the mobile phone unit; and

,

translation means for establishing protocol relative to data signals and programming signals between the mobile phone unit and the information processing unit, wherein the interface means includes a software program including instructions expressed in the form of data and programming signals that are specific to a select type of mobile phone unit, and wherein the software program includes blocking means for programming a mobile phone unit to conditionally limit the use of a mobile phone unit after interfacing the mobile phone unit with the information processing unit and programming the phone with the blocking means wherein the blocking means includes program means for detecting the number of calls made and blocking use of the mobile phone unit when a plurality of calls greater than a preset number have been made.

2. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blocking means includes program means for detecting the number of calls made and blocking use of the mobile phone unit when a preset number of calls have been made.

3. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blocking means includes program means for detecting area code numbers of calls being made and blocking use of the mobile phone unit when predetermined area code numbers are being called.

4. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blocking means includes program means for detecting time and date and the phone unit includes a real time clock and calendar generating time and date, and the blocking means includes further, program means for blocking use of the mobile phone unit when a preset date is detected.

5. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 4 wherein use of the mobile phone unit is blocked when a preset time and date is detected.

6. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the software program includes credit checking means for accessing a mobile phone user'"'"'s credit and mobile phone blocking means for programming a mobile phone to block use of the mobile phone when predetermined credit amount has been expended.

7. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the system includes a credit card swipe for accessing a customer'"'"'s credit and establishing a customer account.

8. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blocking means includes program means for detecting the calls made, calculating the charges for the calls and blocking use of the mobile phone unit when a preset value of charges have been made.

9. A programming and distribution tracking system for mobile phone units having a communication port comprising:

an informational processing unit;

a gang platform having a plurality of interlink receiver stations each receiver station having a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit;

a network routing controller with means for routing data and programming signals selectively to each of the interlink receiver stations and port terminals;

a system program operable in the information processing unit with program means for operating the network controller means and communicating data and programming signals with a plurality of selected receiver stations having a mobile unit installer therein for automated programming of the mobile phone units at substantially the same time.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein each receiver station has electronic circuit means compatible with a select type of mobile phone unit for effecting communication of data and programming signals between the mobile phone unit and the information processing unit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the gang platform comprises a platform module unit with the plurality of receiver stations located in the platform module unit and with each of the plurality of receiver stations having the same electronic circuit means and port terminal compatible with a select type of mobile phone unit, wherein a plurality of the same type of phone units are connectable to the port terminals of the receiver stations for communication with the information processing unit.

12. The system of claim 9 including further, at least one remote interlink receiver station removed from the gang platform wherein the remote interlink receiver station has a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit and includes a program means for communicating data and programming signals to a mobile phone unit installed in the terminal port of the remote interlink receiver station, wherein the program means of the remote receiver station includes phone numbers and instructions which assign a selected phone number to a selected mobile phone unit installed in the port terminal of the remote interlink receiver station.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the program means of the remote interlink receiver station includes instructions which activate for use the selected mobile phone unit to which a phone number has been assigned.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the remote interlink receiver station includes a plurality of port terminals constructed to connect with a plurality of mobile phone units installed in the port terminals wherein the program means of the remote interlink receiver station includes instructions which assign selected phone numbers to selected mobile phone units installed in port terminals of the remote interlink receiver station.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the program means of the remote interlink receiver station includes instructions which activate selected mobile phone units to which phone numbers have been assigned.