Method and system for traffic redirection for prepaid subscriber sessions in a wireless network

• US 20060276170A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starent Networks Corporation (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Radhakrishnan, Shaji E., Chowdhury, Kuntal
• Application Number:
  US11/439,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• 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 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/206 CDMA, i.e. Code Division Multiple Access
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method and system for redirecting communication traffic of a prepaid subscriber of a wireless network includes determining when the subscriber has exhausted or nearly exhausted his usage quota, identifying a recharging facility to which the subscriber should be redirected to recharge his account balance, and redirecting the subscriber communication traffic to the recharging facility as a result of determining that the subscriber has exhausted or nearly exhausted his usage quota. The redirection can occur during an existing session or during the process of initially establishing a session.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting a session of a prepaid user, comprising:

determining when an account balance of the prepaid user falls below a predetermined threshold, wherein the account balance indicates an amount of service for which the prepaid user is authorized;

redirecting the session to an application connected to an account recharging facility when the account balance falls below the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the session of the prepaid user includes one or more discrete flows.

3. The method of claim 1, further including notifying the prepaid user that the account balance has fallen below the predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein notifying the prepaid user includes providing a graphical interface that conveys information about the account balance.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein notifying the prepaid user includes providing an audio interface that conveys information about the account balance.

6. The method of claim 1, further including providing the prepaid user with an interface for replenishing the account balance.

7. The method of claim 1, further including restoring the session of the prepaid user from the redirection to the account recharging facility after the prepaid user has replenished the account balance.

8. A method of redirecting one or more flows of a session of a prepaid user, comprising:

determining when an account balance of the prepaid user falls below a predetermined threshold, wherein the account balance indicates an amount of service for which the prepaid user is authorized;

redirecting at least one of the flows of the session to an account recharging facility when the account balance falls below the predetermined threshold.

9. A method of redirecting one or more flows of a session of a user, comprising:

determining when an event has occurred for which the user is not authorized;

redirecting at least one of the flows of the session to a server when the event has occurred;

providing a notification to the user that conveys information about the event.

10. The method of claim 9, further including providing the user with an interface for correcting one or more conditions that caused the event.

11. The method of claim 10, further including restoring the session of the user from the redirection to server after the user has corrected the one or more conditions.

12. A system for redirecting a session of a prepaid user, comprising:

a prepaid client for representing the prepaid user;

a prepaid server for maintaining an account balance of the prepaid user, and for determining when the account balance falls below a predetermined threshold, wherein the account balance indicates an amount of service for which the prepaid user is authorized;

an authentication server for receiving account balance information from the prepaid server, and for redirecting the session to an application connected to an account recharging facility when the account balance falls below the predetermined threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the session of the prepaid user includes one or more discrete flows.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the account recharging facility notifies the prepaid client that the account balance has fallen below the predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the account recharging facility provides a graphical interface to the prepaid client that conveys information about the account balance.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the account recharging facility provides an audio interface that conveys information about the account balance.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the account recharging facility provides the prepaid user with an interface for replenishing the account balance.

18. The system of claim 12, further including restoring the session of the prepaid user from the redirection to the account recharging facility after the prepaid user has replenished the account balance.

19. A system for redirecting one or more flows of a session of a prepaid user, comprising:

a prepaid client for representing the prepaid user;

a prepaid server for maintaining an account balance of the prepaid user, and for determining when the account balance falls below a predetermined threshold, wherein the account balance indicates an amount of service for which the prepaid user is authorized;

an authentication server for receiving account balance information from the prepaid server, and for redirecting at least one of the flows to an application connected to an account recharging facility when the account balance falls below the predetermined threshold.

20. A system for redirecting one or more flows of a session of a user, comprising:

a client for representing the user;

a server for maintaining a list of actions authorized for user, and for determining when an action has occurred for which the user lacks authorization;

an authentication server for receiving the list of actions authorized for the user from the server, and for redirecting at least one of the flows to a resolution server when the action has occurred for which the user lacks authorization.