RATING CHANGE FOR A PREPAID SESSION BASED ON MOVEMENT OF A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20110035336A1
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Xiangyang, Cai, Yigang
• Application Number:
  US12/988,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• 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 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• 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 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• 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 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• 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 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 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• 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: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8154 : Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

Communication networks and methods are disclosed for dynamically changing the rating for a prepaid session based on movement of a mobile device. During a session involving a mobile device, the communication network monitors location information for the mobile device to determine if the mobile device moves from the first zone to a second zone (i.e., a home zone to a non-home zone). Responsive to a determination that the mobile device has moved zones, the communication network identifies updated location information for the mobile device. The communication network then processes the updated location information for the mobile device to determine an updated rating the session, and applies the updated rating for prepaid charging for the session.

Claims

1. A communication network, comprising:

a prepaid charging function operable to receive location information for a mobile device located in a first zone, to process the location information to determine a rating for a session involving the mobile device, and to apply the rating for prepaid charging for the session; and

a zone determination system operable to monitor the location information for the mobile device during the session to determine if the mobile device moves from the first zone to a second zone, to identify updated location information for the mobile device responsive to a determination that the mobile device has moved from the first zone to the second zone, and to transmit the updated location information to the prepaid charging function;

the prepaid charging function is further operable to process the updated location information for the mobile device to determine an updated rating the session, and to apply the updated rating for prepaid charging for the session.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the prepaid charging function is further operable to:

determine if the mobile device moves from a non-home zone to a home zone; and

apply the updated rating if the mobile device moves from the non-home zone to the home zone.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the prepaid charging function is further operable to:

determine if the mobile device moves from a home zone to a non-home zone; and

apply the updated rating if the mobile device moves from the home zone to the non-home zone.

4. The communication network of claim 1 wherein:

the prepaid charging function is further operable to set a timer responsive to receiving the updated location information;

the zone determination system is further operable to determine new updated location information for the mobile device responsive to expiration of the timer in the prepaid charging function; and

the prepaid charging function is further operable to process the new updated location information to determine if the mobile device remains in the second zone, and to apply the updated rating if the mobile device remains in the second zone.

5. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the prepaid charging function is further operable to:

apply the updated rating if the second zone is not a boundary zone to the first zone.

6. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the zone determination system is further operable to:

periodically query a subscriber database for the location information for the mobile device.

7. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the prepaid charging function is further operable to:

transmit a notification to the mobile device indicating that the updated rating will be applied to the session.

8. The communication network of claim 1 wherein if the prepaid charging function has granted a quota of service units according to the rating to a budget control system, then prepaid charging function is further operable to:

request a return of the unused quota from the budget control system;

calculate a new quota based on the updated rating; and

transmit the new quota to the budget control system.

9. A method of dynamically changing the rating for prepaid sessions, the method comprising:

receiving location information for a mobile device located in a first zone;

processing the location information to determine a rating for a session involving the mobile device;

applying the rating for prepaid charging for the session;

monitoring the location information for the mobile device during the session to determine if the mobile device moves from the first zone to a second zone;

identifying updated location information for the mobile device responsive to a determination that the mobile device has moved from the first zone to the second zone;

processing the updated location information for the mobile device to determine an updated rating the session; and

applying the updated rating for prepaid charging for the session.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein applying the updated rating for prepaid charging comprises:

determining if the mobile device moves from a non-home zone to a home zone; and

applying the updated rating if the mobile device moves from the non-home zone to the home zone.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein applying the updated rating for prepaid charging comprises:

determining if the mobile device moves from a home zone to a non-home zone; and

applying the updated rating if the mobile device moves from the home zone to the non-home zone.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein applying the updated rating for prepaid charging comprises:

setting a timer;

determining new updated location information for the mobile device responsive to expiration of the timer;

processing the new updated location information to determine if the mobile device remains in the second zone; and

applying the updated rating if the mobile device remains in the second zone.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein applying the updated rating for prepaid charging comprises:

applying the updated rating if the second zone is not a boundary zone to the first zone.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein monitoring the location information for the mobile device during the session comprises:

periodically querying a subscriber database for the location information for the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the mobile device indicating that the updated rating will be applied to the session.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein if a quota of service units has been granted to a budget control system, then the method further comprises:

requesting a return of the unused quota from the budget control system;

calculating a new quota based on the updated rating; and

transmitting the new quota to the budget control system.

17. A method of dynamically changing the rating for a prepaid session involving a mobile device, wherein an initial rating is defined for the session during set up, the method comprising:

identifying updated location information for the mobile device during the session responsive to a determination that the mobile device has moved from one location to another;

processing the updated location information for the mobile device to determine an updated rating the session; and

applying the updated rating for prepaid charging for the session instead of the initial rating.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring the location information for the mobile device during the session to determine if the mobile device moves from one zone to another zone; and

identify the updated location information responsive to a determination that the mobile device has moved from one zone to another zone.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein applying the updated rating for prepaid charging comprises:

setting a timer;

determining new updated location information for the mobile device responsive to expiration of the timer;

processing the new updated location information to determine if the mobile device remains in the other zone; and

applying the updated rating if the mobile device remains in the other zone.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the mobile device indicating that the updated rating will be applied to the session.

21. A prepaid charging system, comprising:

a prepaid charging function operable to receive location information for a mobile device located in a first zone, to process the location information to determine a rating for a session involving the mobile device, and to apply the rating for prepaid charging for the session; and

the prepaid charging function is further operable to identify updated location information for the mobile device, to process the updated location information to determine an updated rating the session, and to apply the updated rating for prepaid charging for the session.