Method for transmitting voice or data in a wireless network depending on billing account status

• US 6,088,431 A
• Filed: 03/20/1996
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aeris Communications Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aeris Communications Inc.
• Inventors: LaDue, Christoph K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/619,363
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112, 379/114-115, 379/121, 379/130, 379/140, 379/144, 455/422, 455/426, 455/31.1-31.3, 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 455/507, 455/517, 455/466, 455/405-406, 455/409, 455/410-411, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 379/114.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit

Abstract

A method for paging network personal communications system voice and data services comprising transmitting a control channel origination data packet including data specifying an identification number, data specifying a user serial number, a voice airtime register data packet, and a sequence of dialed digits for activating a switch to activate a remote feature access control procedure. The control channel origination data packet is then transmitted through control channels or digital access channels of a paging network. The control channel origination data packet is received and stored cellular base station. The control channel origination data packet is relayed to a mobile switching center and then a selected service may be activated if debit information requirements of a user are met by loading and comparing parameter table values for the identification number and the serial number or the user at the mobile switching center. A personal communications apparatus is also disclosed having a housing and circuitry for transmitting a control channel origination data packet. A speaker is mounted in housing and includes a display screen for displaying data messages and a keypad for entering a landline telephone number or mobile number. A plurality of selection keys allow for selecting a data message for transmission from the apparatus.

Claims

1. In a cellular mobile radio network having a voice channel for transmitting voice information and a control channel for transmitting control information that manages access to and use of the voice channel, a method of allocating a voice channel to a cellular mobile radiotelephone, comprising:

a) transmitting a call origination message from the radiotelephone over the control channel, the call origination message comprising;

i) a mobile identification number (MIN) uniquely identifying the radiotelephone;

ii) a sequence of digits specifying a remote feature control request that invokes the forwarding of the sequence of digits by a serving mobile switching center (MSC) upon detecting the remote feature control request, and a count indicating time elapsed for a previous call by the radiotelephone;

b) receiving the call origination message at the MSC;

c) decoding the call origination message and detecting the MIN and the remote feature control request at the MSC;

d) forwarding the remote feature control request and the count to a central monitoring station (CMS) associated with the MIN upon detecting the remote feature control request;

e) comparing the count with a prepaid time associated with the MIN; and

f) sending an approval message to the serving MSC if the prepaid time is greater than the count.

2. The method of claim 1, including the further step of:

g) sending a cancellation message to the serving MSC if the prepaid time is less than or equal to the count.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending an approval message to the serving MSC if the prepaid time is greater than the count includes the further step of allocating a voice channel for the radiotelephone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of sending a cancellation message to the serving MSC if the prepaid time is less than or equal to the count includes the step of blocking a voice channel for the radiotelephone.

5. In a wireless radio network having a voice channel for transmitting voice information and a control channel for transmitting control information that manages access to and use of the voice channel, a method of allocating a voice channel to a radiotelephone, comprising:

a) transmitting a control message from the radiotelephone over the control channel, the control message comprising;

i) a mobile identification number (MIN) uniquely identifying the radiotelephone;

ii) a sequence of digits specifying a remote feature control request that invokes the forwarding of the sequence of digits by a serving mobile switching center (MSC) upon detecting the remote feature control request, and billing account information associated with the radiotelephone identified by the MIN;

b) receiving the control message the MSC;

c) decoding the control message and detecting the MIN and the remote feature control request;

d) forwarding the remote feature control request and the billing account information to a central monitoring station (CMS) associated with the MIN upon detecting the remote feature control request;

e) analyzing the billing account information associated with the MIN; and

f) sending an approval message to the serving MSC if the billing account information indicates the billing account is in good standing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the control message is a call origination message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the control message is a registration notification message.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the control message is an autonomous registration message.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the billing account information associated with the radiotelephone identified by the MIN is the time elapsed for a previous call completed by the radiotelephone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein forwarding the remote feature control request and the billing account information to the CMS associated with the MIN upon detecting the remote feature control request comprises forwarding the remote feature control request and time elapsed for a previous call completed by the radiotelephone to the CMS associated with the MIN upon detecting the remote feature control request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of analyzing the billing account information associated with the MIN includes the step of comparing the time elapsed for a previous call completed by the radiotelephone with an amount of prepaid time for the billing account.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of sending an approval message to the serving MSC if the billing account information indicates the billing account is in good standing includes the step of sending an approval message to the serving MSC if the time elapsed for a previous call completed by the radiotelephone is less than the amount of prepaid time for the billing account.

13. The method of claim 11, further including the step of

g) sending a cancellation message to the serving MSC if the billing account information indicates the billing account is not in good standing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of sending a cancellation message to the serving MSC if the billing account information indicates the billing account is not in good standing includes the step of sending a cancellation message to the serving MSC if the time elapsed for a previous call completed by the radiotelephone is more than the amount of prepaid time for the billing account.

15. In a wireless radio network having a voice channel for transmitting voice information and a control channel for transmitting control information that manages access to and use of the voice channel, a method for transmitting data related to a specific application from a radiotelephone to a central monitoring station over the control channel, comprising:

a) transmitting a control message from the radiotelephone over the control channel, the control message comprising a mobile identification number (MIN) uniquely identifying the radiotelephone and a sequence of digits specifying a remote feature control request that invokes the forwarding of the sequence of digits by a serving mobile switching center (MSC) upon detecting the remote feature control request, billing account information associated with the radiotelephone identified by the MIN, and data related to a specific application;

b) receiving the control message at a serving mobile switching center (MSC);

c) decoding the control message and detecting the MIN and the remote feature control request;

d) forwarding the remote feature control request, the billing account information, and the data related to a specific application to a central monitoring station (CMS) associated with the MIN upon detecting the remote feature control request;

e) analyzing the billing account information associated with the MIN; and

f) sending a data related to a specific application to an application specific CMS if the billing account information indicates the billing account is not in good standing.

16. The method of claim 15, including the further step of blocking the data related to a specific application from being sent to the application specific CMS if the billing account information indicates the billing account is not in good standing.

17. In a cellular mobile radio network having a voice channel for transmitting voice information and a control channel for transmitting control information that manages access to and use of the voice channel, a method of allocating a voice channel to a cellular mobile radiotelephone, comprising:

a) transmitting a call origination message from the radiotelephone over the control channel, the call origination message comprising;

i) a mobile identification number (MIN) identifying the radiotelephone;

ii) a count in a dialed digits field of the call origination message, the count indicating time elapsed for a previous call by the radiotelephone;

b) receiving the call origination message at the MSC;

c) forwarding the contents of the dialed digits field, comprising the count, to a central monitoring station (CMS) associated with the MIN;

d) comparing the count with a prepaid time associated with the MIN at the CMS; and

e) sending an approval message from the CMS to the serving MSC if the prepaid time is greater than the count.