Prepaid phone service for both wired and wireless telecommunication devices

• US 20030086548A1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Roderick
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/144.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/79 Virtual purses
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 : per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless

Abstract

A system is provided for receiving prepayment of telecommunication services is provided. The system comprises a wireless communication network, a wireline communication network, and a pre-payment server communicating with both the wireless communication network and the wireless communication network. The prepayment server stores a monetary amount associated with the telecommunication time paid for by a subscriber. A measuring module operating on the prepayment server monitors the amount of time the subscriber uses both the wireless communication network and the wireless communication network and decreasing the monetary amount accordingly. The system enables a subscriber to make a single prepayment for telecommunication services, and the amount applies to both the subscriber'"'"'s wireline or wireless telecommunications devices.

Claims

1. A system for making a single pre-payment of telecommunication services for both wireline and wireless telecommunications connections, the system comprising:

a wireless communication network;

a wireline communication network;

an account management server communicating with both the wireline communication network and the wireless communication network, the account management server storing a value associated with telecommunication time paid for by a subscriber; and

a measuring module, the measuring module monitoring the amount of time the subscriber uses both the wireline communication network and the wireless communication network and decreasing the value accordingly.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the account manager server further comprises a data storage unit for storing data associated with a subscriber'"'"'s account.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the account manager server'"'"'s data storage unit stores a single subscriber pre-paid account have at least one associated telecommunication device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the account manager server provides a warning when the value associated with the subscriber'"'"'s account drops below a predetermined level.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein a subscriber table maintains a plurality of telecommunication devices as associated with a single subscriber prepaid account.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the subscriber table stores a single value in the account for all the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunication devices.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the subscriber table stores a separate value associated with each of the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunication devices, each separate value associated with the remaining amount for each respective telecommunications device within a subscriber'"'"'s account.

8. The system according to claims 6 or 7, wherein a subscriber may access and modify via a communications network the subscriber'"'"'s pre-paid account information.

9. A system for making a single pre-payment of telecommunication services that for a subscriber'"'"'s plurality of telecommunications devices, the system comprising:

a communication network associated with the subscriber'"'"'s at least one telecommunications device;

an account management server communicating with the central switching station, the account management server receiving and storing a value associated with the telecommunication time paid for by a subscriber; and

a measuring module, the measuring module monitoring the amount of time the subscriber uses both the wireline communication network and the wireless communication network and decreasing the value accordingly.

10. A method for providing a prepaid subscriber account for a plurality of subscriber telecommunication devices, the method comprising:

storing a prepaid value associated with the subscriber account in a computer server;

monitoring telecommunication time for a each of the plurality of subscriber telecommunication devices; and

decreasing the prepaid value on the computer server according to the used telecommunication time.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein decreasing the prepaid value according to the used telecommunication time further comprises decreasing the prepaid value on a subscriber account basis.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein decreasing the prepaid value according to the used telecommunication time further comprises decreasing the prepaid value on a subscriber telecommunication device basis.

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

warning the subscriber when the prepaid value drops below a threshold amount.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

preventing telecommunication if the prepaid value is exhausted.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

if the prepaid value drops below a threshold amount, determining whether rate-billing approval is authorized for the subscriber account.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

if the subscriber account authorizes rate-billing upon exhaustion of the prepaid value, requesting approval from the subscriber before proceeding with rate-billing.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein determining whether rate-billing approval is authorized for the subscriber account is performed on a subscriber account basis.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein determining whether rate-billing approval is authorized for the subscriber account is performed on a telecommunications device basis.

19. A method for providing a single prepaid subscriber account for at least a subscriber wired telecommunications device and a subscriber wireless telecommunications device, the method comprising:

receiving a prepaid value associated with the prepaid subscriber account;

assigning a first portion of the prepaid value to at least the wired telecommunications device and a second portion of the prepaid value at least to the subscriber wireless telecommunications device;

monitoring telecommunication time for a each of the telecommunication devices;

decreasing the prepaid value on the computer server according to the used telecommunication time.

20. The method for providing a single prepaid subscriber account of claim 19, further comprising:

terminating service for the wired or wireless telecommunications device when the respective prepaid value for that device is exhausted.

21. The method of providing a single prepaid subscriber account according to claim 20, further comprising:

warning the subscriber when the prepaid value for the respective telecommunications device is below a predetermined threshold.

22. The method of providing a single prepaid subscriber account according to claim 21, further comprising:

if a telecommunications device exhausts the prepaid value, switching telecommunication billing to rate-billing for the telecommunications device if approved on the subscriber account.

23. The method of providing a single prepaid subscriber account according to claim 22, further comprising:

providing a billing statement reflecting both prepaid value time used and rate-billing for the respective telecommunications device.

24. A system for making a single pre-payment of telecommunication services within both a wireline communication network and a wireless telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an account management server communicating with both the wireline communication network and the wireless communication network, the account management server storing a value associated with telecommunication time paid for by a subscriber; and

a measuring module, the measuring module monitoring the amount of time the subscriber uses both the wireless communication network and the wireless communication network and decreasing the value accordingly.