Prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for implementing a prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network, in which information requested by a mobile station is delivered to the mobile station so long as the subscriber has maintained a sufficient prepaid balance from which the service charges can be deducted. An access point name definition, which points to a service node via which access to or use of an associated prepaid service is provided, is defined. A control server is used to monitor the service traffic between the mobile station and the content server after the access point name definition identified in an activation request for data service has been sent from the mobile station. Traffic monitoring continues as long as the data service is active, and the prepaid service balance in a billing database is dynamically updated to reflect the subscriber'"'"'s ongoing use of the data service based on the continued monitoring of the control server.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1-43. -43. (canceled)
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44. A method adapted for use in a packet-switched mobile communication system, the method comprising:
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receiving an activation request for a data service, said activation request associated with a subscriber, said activation request including an access point name definition associated with the data service, said activation request substantially conforming to a wireless application protocol;
determining that a prepaid service balance exists in a sufficient amount for utilization of said data service by said subscriber;
monitoring data traffic associated with said data service and transferred to said subscriber; and
updating the prepaid service balance based, at least in part, on said data traffic monitoring by utilizing at least one criterion selected from the following criteria;
an amount of data traffic transferred to the subscriber;
units of time for which the service remains activated by the subscriber; and
a number of transactions activated by the activation request. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification