MOBILE CELLULAR DEVICE USING ACCESS NUMBERS

• US 20090298464A1
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1992
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schilling, Donald L.
• Application Number:
  US12/536,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298464A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• 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 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/715 Activating new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8353 during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/842 Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue
• 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 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2518 : from material card, using a magnetic stripe card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/255 : local at the terminal itself
• 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 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7027 : Activate new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8112 : during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8133 : Announcement, e.g. IVR dialogue, intelligent peripheral or switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 : Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 : including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A first access number stored on the removable computer chip module is retrieved by a mobile cellular device. The first access number to a cellular network is transmitted by the mobile cellular device using spread spectrum communications. The mobile cellular device receives a second access number in response to the cellular network allowing the mobile cellular device access. The mobile cellular device transmits the second access number to the cellular network using spread spectrum communications for subsequent access to the cellular network.

Claims

1. A method for debit based wireless service, the method comprising:

forwarding to a debit switching system a personal access number representing a call from a cellular telephone;

at the debit switching system, verifying a positive balance in an account identified by the personal access number;

forwarding the call to a destination; and

tracking a credit amount until the call is terminated or until a balance in the account is no longer positive, whichever occurs first.

2. A method for debit based wireless service, the method comprising:

receiving a personal access number representing a call at a switch;

at the switch, checking the personal access number against stored personal access numbers identifying a debit based wireless subscriber; and

forwarding the call to the debit based wireless subscriber if the personal access number matches a stored personal access number.

3. A method of completing debit based wireless telephone calls to a subscriber, the subscriber having a prepaid subscriber account balance associated with a wireless telephone number assigned to the subscriber, comprising:

receiving the wireless telephone number assigned to the subscriber at a wireless switch, the wireless switch recognizing the wireless telephone number of the subscriber as being associated with the subscriber;

validating existence of a pre-determined subscriber account balance; and

if the validating is successful, completing a call.

4. A system for managing debit based wireless communications, comprising:

a wireless switch receiving a wireless call request; and

a debit based wireless service provider, in communication with the wireless switch, selectively authorizing the wireless call request based on information in the wireless call request that identifies a debit based wireless subscriber to whom the wireless call request is directed;

wherein the debit based wireless service provider selectively authorizes the wireless call request by validating, in real time, an account associated with the identified debit based wireless subscriber; and

wherein validation of the account by the debit based wireless service provider includes causing a wireless call to be terminated when a time limit based on a balance in the account is expired.

5. A method of changing a level of credit in an account in a debit based wireless service, the method comprising:

receiving information from a wireless communications device, the information comprising a credit amount and a personal access number, obtained from a vended medium, that represents a specific, predetermined level of credit;

routing the information to a wireless service provider based on the personal access number; and

modifying the account at the wireless service provider based on the information wherein modification of the account comprises changing the level of credit available for the debit based wireless service.