Method and apparatus to facilitate transferring prepaid units between accounts

• US 20070077911A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Raman, Sundar
• Application Number:
  US11/242,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20070077911A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

At least one network element as comprises a part of a communication system maintains (11) a prepaid units account on behalf of each of a plurality of communication system users, wherein the prepaid units correspond to at least one prepaid data communication service. Upon receiving (12) a message from a first communication system user authorizing a transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to a second communication system uesr'"'"'s prepaid units account, the network element(s) then preferably facilitates (13) a transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at least one network element as comprises a part of a communication system;

maintaining a prepaid units account on behalf of each of a first communication system user and a second communication system user, wherein the prepaid units correspond to at least one prepaid data communication service;

receiving a message from the first communication system user authorizing a transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account;

facilitating the transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the prepaid data communication service comprises an Internet Protocol-based prepaid data communication service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a Short Message Service message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a Short Data Burst message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a Data Over Signaling message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a message that at least contains:

a mobile node identifier of the first communication system user;

a mobile node identifier of the second communication system user;

a number of the prepaid units to be transferred to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein facilitating the transfer comprises transmitting a message to the second communication system user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transmitting a message to the second communication system user comprises transmitting a message to the second communication system user indicating an amount by which the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account is to be increased.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein facilitating the transfer further comprises receiving a responsive message from the second communication system user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the responsive message comprises an acceptance message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein facilitating the transfer further comprises, in response to receiving the acceptance message, transmitting a message to the first communication system user to indicate completion of the transfer.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting a message to the second communication system user further comprises substantially immediately transmitting the message to the second communication system user.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting a message to the second communication system user further comprises transmitting the message to the second communication system user in response to a message sourced by the second communication system user.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the message from the first communication system user comprises a Data Over Signaling message.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a memory having a prepaid units account on behalf of each of a first communication system user and a second communication system user stored therein, wherein the prepaid units correspond to at least one prepaid data communication service;

a receiver;

a prepaid units account transfer processor that is operably coupled to the memory and to the receiver and that is configured and arranged to respond to reception by the receiver of a message from the first communication system user authorizing a transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account by facilitating the transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the prepaid data communication service comprises an Internet Protocol-based prepaid data communication service.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the message from the first communication system user comprises a Short Message Service message.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the message from the first communication system user comprises a Short Data Burst message.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the message from the first communication system user comprises a message that at least contains:

a mobile node identifier of the first communication system user;

a mobile node identifier of the second communication system user;

a number of the prepaid units to be transferred to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a transmitter that is operably coupled to the prepaid units account transfer processor and wherein the prepaid units account transfer processor is further configured and arranged to facilitate the transfer by transmitting a message to the second communication system user.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the message to the second communication system user comprises a message indicating an amount by which the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account is to be increased.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the prepaid units account transfer processor comprises means for facilitating the transfer of at least some portion of the first communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account to the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the prepaid units account transfer processor further comprises means for transmitting a message to the second communication system user indicating an amount by which the second communication system user'"'"'s prepaid units account is to be increased.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the prepaid units account transfer processor further comprises means for responding to reception of an acceptance message from the second communication system user by facilitating transmitting a message to the first communication system user to indicate completion of the transfer.