System and method for dynamic flexible marketing based on system utilization

• US 6,006,085 A
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Balachandran, Shridharan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/099,999
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/450, 455/62, 455/452, 455/509, 370/468, 370/431, 370/329, 370/348, 705/14, 705/10, 705/400
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for increasing the utilization of available bandwidth, which will simultaneously maximize revenue for wireless service providers. This can be accomplished through a flexible marketing mechanism based on system utilization, which will enable service providers to tailor the system charging rate based upon the current system utilization rate. For example, a mobile subscriber can subscribe to a flexible marketing service, which monitors the number of idle channels within a cell site that the mobile subscriber is currently located in, and sends a Short Message Service (SMS) message to the mobile subscriber offering the mobile subscriber a discounted rate for calls placed within a certain time period when the number of idle channels falls below a desired system utilization ratio.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for maximizing the utilization of available bandwidth within said telecommunications system, said telecommunications system comprising:

a database for storing subscriber information associated with at least one subscriber within said telecommunications system; and

a dynamic flexible marketing node in communication with said database and said subscriber, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining an optimum bandwidth utilization ratio and a current bandwidth utilization ratio, said dynamic flexible marketing node sending a message to said subscriber when said current bandwidth utilization ratio is lower than said optimum bandwidth utilization ratio, said message having discount information therein associated with a call to be placed by said subscriber, said discount information being determined by said dynamic flexible marketing node based upon said subscriber information.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications system is a wireless telecommunications system.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 2, further comprising a mobile switching center in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node and in wireless communication with said subscriber, said mobile switching center connecting said call between said subscriber and an additional subscriber, using said discount information.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node is co-located with said mobile switching center.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 3, further comprising at least one base station in communication with said mobile switching center, said dynamic flexible marketing node sending a channel utilization information request to said base station, said base station sending a channel utilization information response to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining said current bandwidth utilization ratio using said channel utilization information response.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node sends said message to a predetermined number of said subscribers, each said message having a unique one of said discount information associated therewith, said predetermined number of said subscribers corresponding to a predetermined number of channels needing to be allocated to have said current bandwidth utilization ratio equal said optimum bandwidth utilization ratio.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said channel utilization information response is a list of channels, each said channel having a corresponding status.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said channel utilization information response is selected from the group consisting of:

a list of idle channels, a list of in use channels, or a number of assignable channels.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node has a plurality of processing slots associated therewith, said dynamic flexible marketing node sending said channel utilization information request to said base station during each said processing slot.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said database is a home location register.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said subscriber data comprises subscription information and location information associated with said at least one subscriber.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node is co-located with said home location register.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 2, further comprising a charging database in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node, said charging database providing pricing information associated with said at least one subscriber to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining said discount information using said pricing information.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 13, further comprising a marketing database in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node, said marketing database providing marketing information associated with said at least one subscriber to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining said discount information using said pricing information and said marketing information.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 14, wherein said marketing database and said charging database are located within said dynamic flexible marketing node.

16. The telecommunications system of claim 3, wherein said at least one subscriber has a mobile terminal associated therewith, said mobile terminal being in wireless communication with said mobile switching center, said message being a Short Message Service message sent to said mobile terminal, said Short Message Service message having a code therein, said subscriber entering said code on said mobile terminal to avail said discount information.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said discount information is selected from the group consisting of:

price discount, conference calling discount, speed dialing discount, fax calling discount, Internet discount, international calling discount, E-mail sending discount or roaming discount.

18. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications system is a wireline system.

19. The telecommunications system of claim 18, wherein said database is a switch connected to said at least one subscriber, said switch connecting said call between said at least one subscriber and an additional subscriber.

20. The telecommunications system of claim 18, wherein said at least one subscriber sends a discount request to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said message being sent to said at least one subscriber when said discount information equals said discount request.

21. A method for maximizing the utilization of available bandwidth within a telecommunications system, said method comprising the steps of:

sending, by a database having subscriber information associated with at least one subscriber within said telecommunications system stored therein, said subscriber information to a dynamic flexible marketing node;

determining, by a dynamic flexible marketing node, an optimum bandwidth utilization ratio and a current bandwidth utilization ratio for said telecommunications system; and

sending, by said dynamic flexible marketing node, a message to said subscriber when said current bandwidth utilization ratio is lower than said optimum bandwidth utilization ratio, said message having discount information therein associated with a call to be placed by said subscriber, said discount information being determined by said dynamic flexible marketing node based upon said subscriber information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications system is a wireless telecommunications system.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, after said step of sending said message, the step of:

connecting, by a mobile switching center in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node and in wireless communication with said subscriber, said call between said subscriber and an additional subscriber, using said discount information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node is co-located with said mobile switching center.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising, before said step of determining, the steps of:

sending, by said dynamic flexible marketing node, a channel utilization information request to at least one base station in communication with said mobile switching center; and

sending, by said base station, a channel utilization information response to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said step of determining being performed using said channel utilization information response.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of sending said message is performed by said dynamic flexible marketing node sending said message to a predetermined number of said subscribers, each said message having a unique one of said discount information associated therewith, said predetermined number of said subscribers corresponding to a predetermined number of channels needing to be allocated to have said current bandwidth utilization ratio equal said optimum bandwidth utilization ratio.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said channel utilization information response is a list of channels, each said channel having a corresponding status.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said channel utilization information response is selected from the group consisting of:

a list of idle channels, a list of in use channels, or a number of assignable channels.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node has a plurality of processing slots associated therewith, said step of sending said channel utilization information request to said base station being performed during each said processing slot.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein said database is a home location register.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said subscriber data comprises subscription information and location information associated with said at least one subscriber.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said dynamic flexible marketing node is co-located with said home location register.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising, before said step of sending said message, the step of:

providing, by a charging database in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node, pricing information associated with said at least one subscriber to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining said discount information using said pricing information.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising, before said step of sending said message, the step of:

providing, by a marketing database in communication with said dynamic flexible marketing node, marketing information associated with said at least one subscriber to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said dynamic flexible marketing node determining said discount information using said pricing information and said marketing information.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said marketing database and said charging database are located within said dynamic flexible marketing node.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one subscriber has a mobile terminal associated therewith, said mobile terminal being in wireless communication with said mobile switching center, said message being a Short Message Service message sent to said mobile terminal, said Short Message Service message having a code therein;

and further comprising, after said step of sending said message, the step of;

entering, by said subscriber, said code on said mobile terminal to avail said discount information.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein said discount information is selected from the group consisting of:

price discount, conference calling discount, speed dialing discount, fax calling discount, Internet discount, international calling discount, E-mail sending discount or roaming discount.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications system is a wireline system.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said database is a switch connected to said at least one subscriber, and further comprising, after said step of sending said message, the step of:

connecting, by said switch, said call between said at least one subscriber and an additional subscriber.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising, before said step of sending said subscriber information, the step of:

sending, by said at least one subscriber, a discount request to said dynamic flexible marketing node, said step of sending said message being performed when said discount information equals said discount request.