Topping up a subscriber's account for a multimedia service on a communications network while the service is being provided

• US 20030014367A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tubinis, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/162,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014367A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 : Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 : Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 : characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 : Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/853 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 : Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 : Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 17/10 : Account details or usage
• 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 2215/0116 : Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 : Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 : UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 : IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/78 : Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8162 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 : Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A subscriber of a communications network is enabled to top-up an account for a multimedia service provided on the communications network while the service is being provided. Real-time prepaid charging may be applied to a multimedia service being provided to a subscriber of a communications network. Both a count and a time period may be determined from an account balance, and the number of information units exchanged during the service and the duration of the service may be compared against the count and time period, respectively. Further processing may be defined to be performed if either and/or both thresholds are reached. A subscriber of a communications network may be notified of a threshold amount of service being reached while the service is being provided using the same session as is being used to provide the service (in-band) or using a different session (out-of-band). Further, a subscriber may be notified of a threshold being reached using a Short Message Service (SMS) by sending an SMS message to the subscriber. A subscriber of a communications network may be enabled to top-up a service account while the service is being provided using the same session as is being used to provide the service (in-band) or using a different session (out-of-band). To notify the client that a threshold for a service has been reached and/or to enable the client to top-up, either in-band or out-of-band sessions may be used based on any of a number of factors, including a characteristic of the session in progress implementing the service, the capabilities of the user terminal, the capabilities of the application and application server providing the service, or any combination thereof. A session for providing a multimedia service may be implemented using a multimedia control protocol capable of controlling (e.g., initiating, maintaining and terminating) a session that includes the exchange of multimedia content, including audio, video, data or any combination thereof. For example, such protocol may be the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Service content transmitted from a server to a subscriber on the subscriber'"'"'s user terminal may be buffered (e.g., cached) in a buffer while the subscriber is provided the opportunity to top-up the account. While the subscriber is being enabled to top-up a prepaid account for a service, a different billing method, for example, postpaid charging, may be applied for the service until the subscriber tops-up or until the opportunity to top-up has elapsed.

Claims

1. A method of providing a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing a service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least one of data content and video content, and the subscriber has a account balance for the service, the method comprising acts of:

(A) maintaining a threshold for the service during the session, the threshold corresponding to the account balance;

(B) metering an amount of the service used during the session;

(C) determining that the threshold has been reached;

(D) notifying the subscriber through the user terminal that the threshold has been reached; and

(E) enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to the account balance using the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

(F) providing a plurality of options to the subscriber through the user terminal for proceeding in response to the threshold being reached, the plurality of options including the opportunity to add to the account balance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is a prepaid threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is a spending limit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(F) maintaining values for one or more session states for the session from a time at which the threshold was reached, while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(F) providing a proxy for the user terminal that exchanges communication with the server to maintain the session in place of the user terminal while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proxy serves as a proxy for the server and exchanges communication with the user terminal to maintain the session in place of the server while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(F) buffering session content transmitted by the server while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(G) after the subscriber has added to the account balance, transmitting the buffered session content to the user terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(H) suspending values for one or more session states for the session from when the threshold was reached, while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(I) after the buffered content has been transmitted to the user terminal, restoring the session using the values suspended from when the threshold was reached.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(F) in response to the subscriber adding to the account balance, recalculating the threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

(G) resuming the session; and

(H) metering against the recalculated threshold.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(F) establishing another session between the user terminal and a server while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance, the other session providing a free service to the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(G) terminating the session before establishing the other session.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

(H) continuing the session using an alternative payment method while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is a mobile terminal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount is an amount of time.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount is a volume of bytes.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount is a charge for an event.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein act (D) includes:

notifying the subscriber by including notification information in a packet transmitted as part of the session.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein act (D) includes:

notifying the subscriber by establishing another session including the user terminal, and including notification information in a packet transmitted as part of the other session.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein act (D) includes:

notifying the subscriber by sending a Short Message Service message to the user terminal.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein act (E) includes:

enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to the account balance as part of the session.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein act (E) includes:

enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to the account balance using another session with the user terminal.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing the session using a multimedia control protocol.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the multimedia control protocol is Internet protocol-based.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the multimedia control protocol is one of the following:

Session Initiation Protocol, Telephony Application Programming Interface, Telephony Server Application Programming Interface, H.323, Media Gateway Control Protocol, MEGACO, Open Services Architecture, PARLAY, Java Advanced Intelligent Network.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is capable of playing video and act (D) includes:

notifying the subscriber by transmitting a video to the user terminal.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is capable of displaying an image and act (D) includes:

notifying the subscriber by transmitting an image to the user terminal.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is capable of playing audio and act (D) comprises notifying the subscriber by transmitting audio to the user terminal.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least audio content formatted in a first format, and act (D) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using audio content formatted in the first format.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least video content formatted in a first format, and act (D) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using video content formatted in the first format.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the session involves the exchange of multiple forms of media content.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the session is packet-switched.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the session is circuit-switched.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

(B) after the subscriber has added to the account balance, transmitting the buffered session content to the user terminal.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

(C) maintaining values for one or more session states for the session from a time at which the threshold was reached, while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

(D) after the buffered content has been transmitted to the user terminal, restoring the session using the values suspended from when the threshold was reached.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least one of data content and video content.

37. A system for providing a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing a service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least one of data content and video content, and the subscriber has a account balance for the service, the system comprising:

a session support module to maintaining a threshold for the service during the session, the threshold corresponding to the account balance, to meter an amount of the service used during the session, and to determine that the threshold has been reached;

means for notifying the subscriber through the user terminal that the threshold has been reached; and

means for enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to the account balance using the user terminal.

38. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer-readable signals stored on the computer-readable medium that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a process of providing a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing a service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least one of data content and video content, and the subscriber has a account balance for the service, the process comprising acts of;

(A) maintaining a threshold for the service during the session, the threshold corresponding to the account balance;

(B) metering an amount of the service used during the session;

(C) determining that the threshold has been reached;

(D) notifying the subscriber through the user terminal that the threshold has been reached; and

(E) enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to the account balance using the user terminal.

39. A method of enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to a balance for a service provided during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, the method comprising acts of:

(A) buffering session content transmitted by the server to the user terminal as part of the session while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

44. A system for enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to a balance for a service provided during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, the system comprising:

means for buffering session content transmitted by the server to the user terminal as part of the session while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the process further comprises:

(B) after the subscriber has added to the account balance, transmitting the buffered session content to the user terminal.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein the process further comprises:

(C) maintaining values for one or more session states for the session from a time at which the threshold was reached, while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the process further comprises:

(D) after the buffered content has been transmitted to the user terminal, restoring the session using the values suspended from when the threshold was reached.

49. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the session involves the exchange of at least one of data content and video content.

45. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer-readable signals stored on the computer-readable medium that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a process of enabling the subscriber an opportunity to add to a balance for a service provided during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, the method comprising acts of;

(A) buffering session content transmitted by the server to the user terminal as part of the session while enabling the subscriber the opportunity to add to the account balance.

50. A method of notifying a subscriber that a threshold amount of service corresponding to an account balance for a service has been reached during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange in a first format of at least one of video content and audio content, the method comprising acts of:

(A) notifying the subscriber that the threshold has been reached as part of the session using the at least one of video content and audio content formatted in the first format.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the session involves the exchange of video content formatted in the first format, and act (A) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using video content formatted in the first format.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the session involves the exchange of audio content formatted in the first format, and act (A) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using audio content formatted in the first format.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising acts of:

controlling the session using a multimedia protocol, including controlling the notification using the multimedia protocol.

56. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the session involves the exchange of video content formatted in the first format, and act (A) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using video content formatted in the first format.

57. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the session involves the exchange of audio content formatted in the first format, and act (A) comprises:

notifying the subscriber as part of the session using audio content formatted in the first format.

58. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the process further comprises an act of:

controlling the session using a multimedia protocol, including controlling the notification using the multimedia protocol.

54. A system for notifying a subscriber that a threshold amount of service corresponding to an account balance for a service has been reached during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange in a first format of at least one of video content and audio content, the system comprising:

means for notifying the subscriber that the threshold has been reached as part of the session using the at least one of video content and audio content formatted in the first format.

55. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer-readable signals stored on the computer-readable medium that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a process of notifying a subscriber that a threshold amount of service corresponding to an account balance for a service has been reached during a session between a user terminal used by a subscriber and a server of a communications network providing the service to the subscriber, wherein the session involves the exchange in a first format of at least one of video content and audio content, the process comprising acts of;

(A) notifying the subscriber that the threshold has been reached as part of the session using the at least one of video content and audio content formatted in the first format.