METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING THE MOST COST-EFFICIENT PAYMENT PROVIDER TO PAY FOR COMMUNICATION SERVICES

• US 20090233577A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Briancon, Alain Charles Louis, Goldberg, Steven Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/472,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/853 Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• 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 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 : involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 : Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7277 : Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7295 : Reserve amount, e.g. according to estimated costs for a typical communication duration or according to the estimated volume to be transferred
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8162 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selecting the most cost-efficient payment provider to pay for communication services are disclosed. A calling electronic device communicates alternative payment provider data to a network via a communications link. The network examines costs charged by a plurality of alternative payment providers indicated by the alternative payment provider data. The network determines and contacts the most cost-efficient payment provider to determine if the contacted payment provider will accept responsibility for paying for at least a portion of the communication services.

Claims

1. A method for call payment in a mobile unit comprising:

initiating a call from the mobile unit;

automatically transmitting a first payment provider information from the mobile unit;

automatically transmitting a second payment provider information on a condition that the first payment information is not accepted; and

proceeding with the call on a condition that the first or second payment provider information is accepted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting authorization from a user of the mobile unit before transmitting payment provider information; and

automatically transmitting payment provider information on a condition that authorization is provided and on a condition that authorization is approved.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

requesting manual entry of additional payment provider information from the user of the mobile unit on a condition that authorization is not provided;

transmitting the additional payment provider information on a condition that the user manually enters additional payment provider information; and

proceeding with the call on a condition that the additional payment provider information is accepted.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

advising a user of the mobile unit that the call cannot proceed on a condition that the first and second payment provider information was not accepted.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

requesting manual entry of additional payment provider information from the user of the mobile unit;

transmitting the additional payment provider information on a condition that the user manually enters additional payment provider information; and

proceeding with the call on a condition that the manual entry additional payment provider information is accepted.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting authorization from the user of the mobile unit on a condition that a call cost exceeds an authorized amount;

proceeding with the call on a condition that authorization is provided; and

ending the call on a condition that authorization is not provided.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving payment provider information;

determining a most cost-effective payment provider based on payment provider information wherein the determining the most cost-effective payment provider is based on at least one of an analysis of call duration, data length, or rewards; and

using the determined most cost-effective payment provider as the first payment provider information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider information is retrieved from mobile unit memory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider information is retrieved from a subscriber identity module (SIM) card.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider information is credit card information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment provider information is debit card information.

12. A mobile unit for call payment comprising:

a call initiation component configured to initiate a call from the mobile unit;

a transmitting component configured to automatically transmit a first payment provider information from the mobile unit;

the transmitting component configured to automatically transmit a second payment provider information on a condition that the first payment information is not accepted; and

the mobile unit configured to proceed with the call on a condition that the first or second payment provider information is accepted.

13. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a requester component configured to request authorization from a user of the mobile unit before the transmitting component transmits payment provider information; and

the transmitting component further configured to automatically transmit payment provider information on a condition that authorization is provided and on a condition that authorization is approved.

14. The mobile unit of claim 13, further comprising:

the requester component further configured to request manual entry of additional payment provider information from the user of the mobile unit on a condition that authorization is not provided;

the transmitting component further configured to transmit the additional payment provider information on a condition that the user manually enters additional payment provider information; and

the mobile unit configured to proceed with the call on a condition that the additional payment provider information is accepted.

15. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

an advisor component configured to advise a user of the mobile unit that the call cannot proceed on a condition that the first and second payment provider information was not accepted.

16. The mobile unit of claim 15, further comprising:

a requester component configured to request manual entry of additional payment provider information from the user of the mobile unit;

the transmitting component further configured to transmit the additional payment provider information on a condition that the user manually enters additional payment provider information; and

the mobile unit further configured to proceed with the call on a condition that the manual entry additional payment provider information is accepted.

17. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a requester component further configured to request authorization from the user of the mobile unit on a condition that a call cost exceeds an authorized amount;

the mobile unit further configured to proceed with the call on a condition that authorization is provided; and

the mobile unit further configured to end the call on a condition that authorization is not provided.

18. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a retrieval component configured to retrieve payment provider information;

a processing component configured to determine a most cost-effective payment provider based on payment provider information wherein the determining the most cost-effective payment provider is based on at least one of an analysis of call duration, data length, or rewards; and

the mobile unit further configured to use the determined most cost-effective payment provider as the first payment provider information.

19. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a mobile unit memory from which the payment provider information is retrieved.

20. The mobile unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a subscriber identity module (SIM) card from which the payment provider information is retrieved.

21. The mobile unit of claim 12, wherein the payment provider information is credit card information.

22. The mobile unit of claim 12, wherein the payment provider information is debit card information.