Apparatus and method for billing in a wireless communication system

• US 5,774,802 A
• Filed: 04/10/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tell, Daniel Francis, Fitch, James A., Hose, David A., Scanlon, John M., Singer, Marty H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/631,688
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/112, 379/114, 379/63, 455/54.1, 455/33.1, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/456, 455/457, 455/422
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method including the steps of receiving a mobile identification number identifying a mobile unit (36), performing a multilateration location measurement based on a nonperiodic signal received from the mobile unit (116), retrieving a location zone from a memory based on the mobile identification number (210), comparing the multilateration location measurement with the location zone, and generating a billing record for the mobile unit (214).

Claims

1. A method of billing in a wireless communication system comprising the steps of:

receiving a mobile identification number identifying a mobile unit;

performing a multilateration location measurement based on a nonperiodic signal received from the mobile unit;

retrieving a location zone from a memory based on the mobile identification number, the location zone designated by a feature code which is transmitted from the mobile unit;

comparing the multilateration location measurement with the location zone; and

generating a billing record for the mobile unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the billing record is responsive to the step of comparing and wherein the nonperiodic signal comprises a mobile unit access message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying the mobile identification number by querying the mobile unit for a personal identification number.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying the mobile unit of the location zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location zone is selected from a group of location zones where each location zone in the group has a different billing rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the billing record is responsive to the billing rate of the retrieved location zone.

7. An apparatus for billing calls in a wireless communication system comprising:

a base station receiving a mobile identification number uniquely identifying a mobile unit;

a location measurement device in communication with the base station, the location measurement device performing a multilateration location measurement based on a nonperiodic signal received from the mobile unit;

a memory in communication with the base station, the memory including a location zone for the mobile identification number, the location zone designated by a feature code which is transmitted from the mobile unit;

a processor responsive to the base station and the memory, the processor comparing the multilateration location measurement with a retrieved location zone; and

the processor generating a billing record for the mobile unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor generates the billing record in response to the comparison between the multilateration location measurement and the retrieved location zone and wherein the multilateration location measurement is based on time of arrival and angle of arrival data associated with the nonperiodic signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor generates the billing record in response to the location zone.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the base station notifies the mobile unit of the location zone.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the location zone is selected from a group of location zones where each location zone in the group has a different billing rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the billing record is responsive to the billing rate of the retrieved location zone.