Method for changing mobile subscriber service plan

• US 20050020243A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Benco, David S., Sheen, Baoling S., Voight, Kenneth J., True, Sandra L., Overend, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method for automating changes to a service plan between a mobile subscriber and a wireless service provider is provided. In one embodiment, the method creates a temporary service plan for the subscriber. This method includes: a) receiving a request to create the temporary plan, b) retrieving the subscriber'"'"'s existing service plan from a subscriber database, c) providing a change selection menu to the user, d) modifying the existing service plan in conjunction with one or more user selections associated with the change selection menu to create the temporary plan, and e) storing the temporary plan in the subscriber database. In another embodiment, the method modifies the subscriber'"'"'s existing service plan and the modified service plan supercedes the previous service plan. In another aspect, a method for processing a call from a mobile station associated with the subscriber when the temporary service plan is in effect is provided.

Claims

1. A method for creating a temporary service plan for a subscriber of a wireless service provider when the subscriber currently has a normal service plan with the wireless service provider, the method including the steps:

a) receiving a request to create the temporary service plan from a user;

b) retrieving the subscriber'"'"'s normal service plan from a subscriber database;

c) providing a change selection menu to the user in response to the request;

d) modifying the normal service plan in conjunction with one or more user selections associated with the change selection menu to create the temporary service plan; and

e) storing the temporary service plan in the subscriber database.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, before step a), further including:

f) receiving a request for service plan status from the user; and

between steps b) and c), further including;

g) reporting the normal service plan to the user.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the user is communicating using a mobile station associated with the subscriber'"'"'s normal service plan.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including:

verifying the user has authority associated with the subscriber to create the temporary service plan.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the request from the user is via a call to the wireless service provider from a telephone device.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes an interactive audio portion.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes an interactive graphical display portion.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection between a nationwide plan and a local plan.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection of a quantity of airtime associated with a predetermined period of calendar time.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection of a date for expiration of the temporary service plan.

11. A method for modifying a service plan for a subscriber of a wireless service provider, the method including the steps:

a) receiving a call from a user requesting status of the service plan, wherein the call is initiated by the user via a telephone device;

b) retrieving the service plan from a subscriber database;

c) reporting the service plan to the user in response to the status request;

d) receiving a request to modify the service plan from the user via the telephone device;

e) verifying the user has authority associated with the subscriber to modify the service plan;

f) providing a change selection menu to the user in response to the modification request;

g) modifying the service plan in conjunction with one or more user selections associated with the change selection menu; and

h) storing the modified service plan in the subscriber database.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the telephone device is a mobile station associated with the subscriber'"'"'s service plan.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes an interactive audio portion.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes an interactive graphical display portion.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection between a nationwide plan and a local plan.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection of a quantity of airtime associated with a predetermined period of calendar time.

17. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the change selection menu provided to the user includes a portion for selection of a date for extension and expiration of the service plan.

18. A method for processing a call from a mobile station in a wireless network when the call is associated with a subscriber having a normal service plan with a wireless service provider associated with the wireless network, the method including the steps:

a) receiving the call from the mobile station;

b) determining if the subscriber has a temporary service plan that is in effect with the wireless service provider; and

c) if a temporary service plan is in effect, continuing to process the call and determining charges for the call according to the temporary service plan.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further including:

d) if a temporary service plan is not in effect, determining if the subscriber had a temporary service plan that recently expired; and

e) if a temporary service plan recently expired, sending a message to the mobile station informing the user that a temporary service plan has recently expired, continuing to process the call, and determining charges for the call according to the normal service plan.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, further including:

d) if a temporary service plan has not recently expired, continuing to process the call and determining charges for the call according to the normal service plan.