Real-time reservation of charges for pre-paid services

• US 20030101135A1
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intec Telecom Systems PLC (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intec Telecom Systems PLC (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Michael, Crouch, Malcolm, Jenvey, Michael, Agnew, Grahm, OʼNeill, Felim, Myatt, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/960,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101135A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• 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 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• 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 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 : Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• 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 2215/724 : 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 2215/7277 : Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7295 : Reserve amount, e.g. according to estimated costs for a typical communication duration or according to the estimated volume to be transferred
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 : Available credit

Abstract

A computerized system includes a rating engine and a balance manager. The balance manager maintains a database having accounts, where the accounts have an account balance. The balance manager is operative to receive event data, calculate a reservation amount based on the event data, determine a service unit quantity based on the reservation amount, and reserve the reservation amount against the pre-paid account.

Claims

1. A computerized method for reserving an amount against a pre-paid account, the method comprising:

receiving event data;

calculating a reservation amount based on the event data;

determining a service unit quantity based on the reservation amount; and

reserving the reservation amount against the pre-paid account.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising sending the service unit quantity to a device generating the event data.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an event corresponding to the depletion of the service unit quantity;

calculating a second reservation amount;

determining a second service unit quantity based on the second reservation amount; and

reserving the second reservation amount against the pre-paid account.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a time duration.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a storage unit quantity.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a message quantity.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a token quantity.

8. A computerized method determining a reservation amount comprising:

receiving a wireless event;

calculating a reservation amount based on a duration initially set to a default service unit quantity;

fetching the available credit in a pre-paid account;

comparing the reservation amount with the available credit; and

if the reservation amount is less than the available credit, then authorizing the event for the default service unit quantity;

otherwise performing the task of;

adjusting the service unit quantity,

recalculating the reservation amount based on the adjusted service unit quantity.

9. The computerized method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the service unit quantity to a minimum service unit quantity; and

sending an authorization failure if the service unit quantity is less than the minimum service unit quantity.

10. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the service unit quantity comprises multiplying the previously calculated service unit quantity by a pre-determined percentage.

11. The computerized method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining if the event is a free event; and

returning a successful authorization prior to comparing the reservation amount with the available credit.

12. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein comparing the reservation amount with the available credit comprises satisfying the condition expressed as:

13. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the service unit quantity includes determining a new reservation amount according to the formula:

14. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein determining a second service unit quantity comprises setting the second service unit quantity to the minimum service unit quantity if a rating algorithm counter exceeds a pre-determined count.

15. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the reservation amount is determined by a rating engine that receives the service unit quantity and applies a tariff to the service unit quantity.

16. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a time duration.

17. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a storage unit quantity.

18. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a message quantity.

19. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a token quantity.

20. A machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions for performing a method for reserving an amount against a pre-paid account, the method comprising:

receiving event data;

calculating a reservation amount based on the event data;

determining a service unit quantity based on the reservation amount; and

reserving the reservation amount against the pre-paid account.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises sending the service unit quantity to a device generating the event data.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an event corresponding to the depletion of the service unit quantity;

calculating a second reservation amount;

determining a second service unit quantity based on the second reservation amount; and

reserving the second reservation amount against the pre-paid account.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a time duration.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a storage unit quantity.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a message quantity.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a token quantity.

27. A machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions for performing a method for determining a reservation amount, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless event;

calculating a reservation amount based on a duration initially set to a default service unit quantity;

fetching the available credit in a pre-paid account;

comparing the reservation amount with the available credit; and

if the reservation amount is less than the available credit, then authorizing the event for the default service unit quantity;

otherwise performing the task of;

adjusting the service unit quantity,

recalculating the reservation amount based on the adjusted service unit quantity.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the service unit quantity to a minimum service unit quantity; and

sending an authorization failure if the service unit quantity is less than the minimum service unit quantity.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein adjusting the service unit quantity comprises multiplying the previously calculated service unit quantity by a pre-determined percentage.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

determining if the event is a free event; and

returning a successful authorization prior to comparing the reservation amount with the available credit.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein comparing the reservation amount with the available credit comprises satisfying the condition expressed as:

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein adjusting the service unit quantity includes determining a new reservation amount according to the formula:

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein determining a second service unit quantity comprises setting the second service unit quantity to the minimum service unit quantity if a rating algorithm counter exceeds a pre-determined count.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the reservation amount is determined by a rating engine that receives the service unit quantity and applies a tariff to the service unit quantity.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a time duration.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a storage unit quantity.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a message quantity.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the service unit quantity comprises a token quantity.

39. A computerized system comprising:

a rating engine; and

a balance manager operative to maintain a database having accounts, said accounts having an account balance;

wherein the balance manager is operative to perform the tasks of;

receive event data;

calculate a reservation amount based on the event data;

determine a service unit quantity based on the reservation amount; and

reserve the reservation amount against the pre-paid account.