Method and apparatus for applying extra services to a prepaid cellular subcriber
First Claim
1. A method for managing a prepaid subscriber (PPS) account in a telecommunication system, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a credit balance in said PPS account;
linking at least one supplementary service to said PPS account wherein a tariff table for said at least one supplementary service includes a rate comprising a periodic charge associated with a predetermined time period;
determining that said predetermined time period associated with said supplementary service is complete; and
applying said associated periodic charge to said PPS account.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for managing periodic supplementary service charges to a prepaid subscriber account in a telecommunications network. Periodic charges in a prepaid billing system associated with a supplementary service such as call waiting, call forwarding or caller ID are imposed utilizing a predefined tariff rate. The tariff rate includes provisions for credit and for charges that may be applied to a subscriber'"'"'s PPS account. Charges for call events and for periodic events may be charged to the same account. Additionally, credit and charges may be applied to a call-event sub-account and a supplementary service sub-account. Credit applied to the call-event sub-account may be converted into call time for debiting call-events. Charges associated with supplementary services are periodically deducted from the available funds in the supplementary service sub-account at the beginning or end of each period as set forth in the applicable tariff.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for managing a prepaid subscriber (PPS) account in a telecommunication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a credit balance in said PPS account;
linking at least one supplementary service to said PPS account wherein a tariff table for said at least one supplementary service includes a rate comprising a periodic charge associated with a predetermined time period;
determining that said predetermined time period associated with said supplementary service is complete; and
applying said associated periodic charge to said PPS account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for managing a prepaid subscriber account in a wireless telecommunication system, comprising:
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a prepaid administration system coupled with said prepaid subscriber account;
a means for charging and reducing funds in said prepaid subscriber account;
a database for storing tariff information associated with said prepaid subscriber account wherein said tariff information comprises;
a first value for call events; and
a second value for periodic charges related to said supplementary service sub-account; and
a timer for determining a time period related to said periodic charges. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for managing a prepaid subscriber (PPS) account in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:
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instructions within the computer usable medium for establishing a credit balance in said PPS account;
instructions within the computer usable medium for linking at least one supplementary service to said subscriber account wherein a tariff table for said at least one supplementary service includes a rate comprising a periodic call data record associated with a predetermined time period;
instructions within the computer usable medium for determining that said predetermined time period associated with said supplementary service is complete; and
instructions within the computer usable medium for applying said associated periodic charge to said PPS account. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification