Communications service billing based on bandwidth use
First Claim
1. In a cellular telephone system having a bandwidth-on-demand air interface carrying communication command messages and packet transmissions, and using a minimum bandwidth for maintaining a subscriber communication, a method for determining a charge incurred for use of the air interface bandwidth to carry the subscriber communication, comprising the steps of:
- estimating a total amount of air interface bandwidth used over the course of the subscriber communication; and
multiplying the estimated total amount of bandwidth used by a charging rate to identify the charge incurred for the subscriber communication.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a bandwidth-on-demand type communications system, like that provided with a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular communications system, charging subscribers for calls based on communications length provides an inaccurate measure of communication cost, and further serves to discourage use of the system for data transmission applications. To provide a more accurate cost determination, the amount of bandwidth used by each communication is metered and multiplied by a charging rate. In particular, measurements of the maximum amount of bandwidth used during predetermined time intervals are made during the course of each communication, with the maximum bandwidth measurements being summed to determine an estimate of the total amount of bandwidth used during the communication. The charge for the communication is then determined by multiplying the estimated total bandwidth measurement by a charging rate multiplier.
206 Citations
9 Claims
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1. In a cellular telephone system having a bandwidth-on-demand air interface carrying communication command messages and packet transmissions, and using a minimum bandwidth for maintaining a subscriber communication, a method for determining a charge incurred for use of the air interface bandwidth to carry the subscriber communication, comprising the steps of:
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estimating a total amount of air interface bandwidth used over the course of the subscriber communication; and multiplying the estimated total amount of bandwidth used by a charging rate to identify the charge incurred for the subscriber communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A cellular telephone system, comprising:
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a base station; a plurality of subscriber mobile stations; a bandwidth-on-demand air interface interconnecting The plurality of subscriber mobile stations with the base station to simultaneously carry a plurality of subscriber communications between the mobile stations and the base station, the bandwidth-on-demand air interface carrying communication command messages and packet transmissions and using a minimum bandwidth for maintaining a subscriber communication; and means for determining a charge incurred for use of the air interface bandwidth by each of the subscriber communications, the charge incurred being calculated based on an estimation of a total amount of bandwidth used by each subscriber communication. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification