Systems, Methods, and Mobile Devices for Providing a User Interface to Facilitate Access to Prepaid Wireless Account Information

• US 20110066985A1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockwood, Ross, King, Simon, Corbin, Sean, O'Leary, Jeremiah
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• 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 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• 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 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8137 Message, e.g. alphanumeric text, SMS, MMS, EMS or www-based messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile device includes, in response to receiving a swipe gesture via a user interface of the mobile device, displaying a balance of a prepaid wireless service account on a display of the mobile device. The balance may be displayed in a currency such as monetary currency or a proprietary currency such as minutes or credits provided by a wireless service provider. The method may also include displaying an expiration time to identity a time remaining until the balance expires. The method may also include generating a balance request including a request for the balance of the prepaid wireless service account from a prepaid billing system in response to receiving the swipe gesture, transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system, and receiving the balance in response to the balance request.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

in response to receiving a swipe gesture via a user interface of the mobile device, displaying a balance associated with a prepaid wireless service account on a display of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the balance of the prepaid wireless service account on the display comprises displaying a currency amount in dollars.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the balance of the prepaid wireless service account on the display comprises displaying a currency amount in a proprietary currency, the proprietary currency comprising one of a monetary currency and a number of minutes associated with the prepaid wireless service account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the swipe gesture via the user interface comprises, receiving the swipe gesture via a capacitive touch sensor of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the swipe gesture via the user interface comprises, receiving the swipe gesture via a touchscreen interface of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving a second swipe gesture via the user interface, displaying an expiration time to identify a time remaining until the balance expires.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an expiration time to identify a time remaining until the balance expires upon receiving the swipe gesture during a threshold time period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold time period is a custom time period set at the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold time period is a custom time period set in response to a request received from a server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the swipe gesture is a first swipe gesture; and

the method further comprises, in response to receiving a second swipe gesture via the user interface in a direction opposite a direction of the first swipe gesture, removing the displayed currency amount from the display.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a call being initiated at the mobile device, removing the displayed currency amount from the display.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to displaying the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account:

generating, at the mobile device, a balance request to request the balance for the prepaid wireless service account from a prepaid billing system in response to receiving the swipe gesture;

transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system;

receiving a response to the balance request, the response comprising the balance for the prepaid wireless service account; and

parsing the balance from the balance request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

generating the balance request comprises generating the balance request as an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) code to request the balance for the prepaid wireless service account;

transmitting the balance request comprises transmitting the USSD code to the prepaid billing system by way of a USSD gateway; and

receiving the response comprises receiving a USSD response.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the balance request as the USSD code comprises generating the balance request as *777#.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the response further comprises an expiration date in the USSD response.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of the mobile device, a swipe gesture; and

displaying on a display of the mobile device a balance associated with a prepaid wireless service account associated with the mobile device.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform additional steps prior to displaying the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account, the additional steps comprising:

generating a balance request to request the balance for the prepaid wireless service account from a prepaid billing system in response to receiving the swipe gesture;

transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system;

receiving a response to the balance request, the response comprising the balance for the prepaid wireless service account; and

parsing the balance from the balance request.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein:

generating the balance request comprises generating the balance request as an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) code to request the balance for the prepaid wireless service account;

transmitting the balance request comprises transmitting the USSD code to the prepaid billing system by way of a USSD gateway; and

receiving the response comprises receiving a USSD response.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform an additional step comprising:

displaying on the display an expiration time to identify a time remaining until the balance expires upon receiving the swipe gesture during a threshold time period.

20. A mobile device, comprising:

a display;

a user interface in communication with the display;

a processor in communication with the user interface;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory being configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving, via the user interface, a swipe gesture; and

displaying on a display of the mobile device a currency amount associated with a balance of a prepaid wireless service account associated with the mobile device.