Real time charging of pre-paid accounts
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for charging a network subscriber'"'"'s prepaid network usage account in real time, said apparatus comprising:
- a service engine operable to analyze network traffic flow through the apparatus and to identify a network transaction corresponding to the account, said service engine further operable to determine a usage quota for the subscriber;
a service manager operable to maintain information related to the subscriber and the account; and
, a quota manager operable to communicate with an external prepaid server (PPS).
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Abstract
An apparatus for charging a network subscriber'"'"'s prepaid network usage account in real time. The apparatus has a service engine, a service manager and a quota manager. The service engine is operable to analyze network traffic flow through the apparatus and to identify a network transaction corresponding to the account. The service engine is further operable to determine a usage quota for the subscriber. The service manager is operable to maintain information related to the subscriber and the account. The quota manager is operable to communicate with an external prepaid server.
110 Citations
71 Claims
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1. An apparatus for charging a network subscriber'"'"'s prepaid network usage account in real time, said apparatus comprising:
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a service engine operable to analyze network traffic flow through the apparatus and to identify a network transaction corresponding to the account, said service engine further operable to determine a usage quota for the subscriber;
a service manager operable to maintain information related to the subscriber and the account; and
,a quota manager operable to communicate with an external prepaid server (PPS). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for charging a subscriber'"'"'s prepaid network usage account in real time, the method comprising:
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a) receiving a first login event generator (LEG) notification for the subscriber authentication;
b) obtaining a prepaid profile of the subscriber from a prepaid server;
c) mapping a new incoming subscriber network transaction to a requested service;
d) obtaining a quota for the prepaid usage account from the prepaid server;
e) allowing the subscriber to access the requested service if the quota is sufficient;
f) applying a first predetermined preventive action on the network transaction if the quota is not sufficient;
g) calculating a remaining credit for the prepaid usage account after the network transaction is completed;
h) if said remaining credit reaches a limit, applying a second predetermined preventing action on subsequent transaction networks. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A computer program product, including computer-readable media with instructions to enable a computer to implement a method for performing over a network real-time charging of prepaid network usage accounts, the method comprising:
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a) receiving a first login event generator notification for the subscriber authentication;
b) obtaining a prepaid profile of the subscriber from a prepaid server;
c) mapping a new incoming subscriber network transaction to a requested service;
d) obtaining a quota for the prepaid usage account from the prepaid server;
e) allowing the subscriber to access the requested service if the quota is sufficient;
f) applying a first predetermined preventive action on the network transaction if the quota is not sufficient;
g) calculating a remaining credit for the prepaid usage account after the network transaction is completed; and
h) if said remaining credit reaches a limit, applying a second predetermined preventing action on subsequent transaction networks. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification