METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING SERVICES USING BEARER TAGS

• US 20100222021A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanshow Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: BALSAN, Damien, Bam, Ajay
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• 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 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7421 Determine tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An approach is provided for managing one or more services corresponding to a bearer tag (e.g., near field communication (NFC) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, contactless card, or barcode). A request to manage a service is initiated by reading service information from a bearer tag corresponding to the one or more services. A services platform initiates management of the one or more services based on the service information according to a predetermined or recurring billing arrangement.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least perform the following:

initiating determination of service information, related to one or more services, from a bearer tag;

generating one or more service requests to manage the one or more services according to the service information; and

initiating transmission of the one or more service requests to a services platform for management of the one or more services according to a billing arrangement.

2. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein managing the one or more services comprises activating, modifying, discovering, accessing, or setting up the one or more services, and the management of the one or more services comprises activation, modification, discovery, accessing, and setting up of the one or more services.

3. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the bearer tag is a near field communication (NFC) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, barcode, contactless card, or a combination thereof.

4. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the billing arrangement is a predetermined billing arrangement or a recurring billing arrangement.

5. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to perform the following:

detecting a single tap of a user equipment on or near the bearer tag,

wherein the single tap causes the one or more processors to initiate the determination of the service information.

6. A computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to perform the following:

receiving a confirmation request from the services platform for management of the one or more services, the confirmation request including billing information related to the one or more services;

detecting another input from the user for responding to the confirmation request;

generating a message based on the input; and

initiating transmission of the message to the services platform.

7. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that if executed cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

initiate determination of service information, related to the one or more services, from a bearer tag;

generate one or more service requests to manage the one or more services according to the service information; and

initiate transmission of the one or more service requests to a services platform for management of the one or more services according to a billing arrangement.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein managing the one or more services comprises activating, modifying, discovering, accessing, or setting up the one or more services, and the management of the one or more services comprises activation, modification, discovery, accessing, and setting up of the one or more services.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the bearer tag is a near field communication (NFC) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, barcode, contactless card, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the billing arrangement is a predetermined billing arrangement or a recurring billing arrangement.

11. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to detect a single tap of a user equipment on or near the bearer tag, the single tap causing the processor and the memory to initiate the determination of the service information.

12. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to receive a confirmation request from the services platform for management of the service, to detect another input from the user for responding to the confirmation request, to generate a message based on the input, and to initiate transmission of the message to the services platform.

13. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mobile phone further comprises:

a bearer tag reader and bearer tag reader circuitry configured to read service information from a near field communication (NFC) tag, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a barcode, a contactless card, or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is part of a communication system further comprising:

user equipment configured to facilitate user access to a communication network; and

a communication network configured to facilitate user connectivity to one or more other user equipment or one or more computer systems, the one or more user equipment or the one or more computer systems configured to access the communication network.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communication system further comprises:

a services platform configured to provide the one or more services corresponding to the service information of the bearer tag; and

a network billing system configured to provide billing information related to the one or more services corresponding to the service information of the bearer tag.

17. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least perform the following:

receiving a request from a user to manage one or more services corresponding to a bearer tag;

determining billing information for the one or more services;

generating a message requesting confirmation to manage the one or more services, the message including billing information related to the one or more services;

initiating transmission of the message to the user;

receiving a response message from the user; and

initiating management of the one or more services according to the response message.

18. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the bearer tag is a near field communication (NFC) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, barcode, contactless card, or a combination thereof.

19. A computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to perform the following:

validating the request to manage the one or more services against one or more service restrictions.

20. A computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more service restrictions include a location restriction, a date restriction, a prior-use restriction, a restriction on the number of uses, or a combination thereof.