System and method for setting subscriber-defined usage limits on a mobile terminal

• US 6,131,024 A
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Boltz, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/948,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/404, 455/410, 455/411, 455/445, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method for allowing the owner of a Mobile Station to define usage limits based on air time usage or by a dollar amount, e.g., charging information. When the limits are exceeded, the Mobile Station will be inoperable except for emergency calls or calls to predefined numbers established by the subscriber. The accumulated usage (time/dollar amount) can be reset and the Mobile Station returned to normal operation by the subscriber using a user-defined password.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for allowing a mobile subscriber to define limits on usage for a mobile terminal associated with said mobile subscriber, said telecommunications system comprising:

a memory containing a current cumulative usage value associated with an amount of usage of said mobile terminal and a usage limit value defined by said mobile subscriber to monitor the usage of said mobile terminal, said usage limit value defining only a portion of a usage subscription plan subscribed to by said mobile subscriber; and

a mobile services center in wireless communication with said mobile terminal and connected to said memory to obtain said usage limit value and said current cumulative usage value, said mobile services center comparing said current usage value with said usage limit value and selectively denying said mobile terminal access to said telecommunications system when said current usage value exceeds said usage limit value, said mobile services center allowing said mobile terminal access to said telecommunications system in response to receiving a reset command from said mobile subscriber, said reset command setting said current cumulative usage value to zero without requiring additional value to be paid by said mobile subscriber.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said usage limit value includes a maximum amount of air time usage.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said usage limit value includes a maximum monetary amount to be charged.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising a home location register in communication with said mobile services center, said memory being located within said home location register.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 4, further comprising a visitor location register in communication with said home location register and said mobile services center, said usage limit value and said current cumulative usage value being forwarded to said visitor location register from said home location register when said mobile terminal is located within the area serviced by said visitor location area.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 4, wherein said usage limit value is set and stored by a usage application within said home location register.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising an intelligent node in communication with said mobile services center, said memory being located within said intelligent node.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said memory is located within said mobile terminal.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said memory is located within said mobile terminal.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile services center includes a usage monitoring application for comparing said usage limit value with said current cumulative usage value.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein an error message is sent to said mobile terminal by said mobile services center when said current cumulative usage value exceeds said usage limit value.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal is allowed access to said telecommunications system when said mobile terminal places a call to an emergency number.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal is allowed access to said telecommunications system when said mobile terminal places a call to a predefined number.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said reset command includes a password associated with said mobile subscriber.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said current cumulative usage value and said usage limit value are communicated to said mobile subscriber through said mobile terminal.

16. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said reset command is sent from said mobile terminal to said mobile services center in an unstructured supplementary service data message.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said usage limit value is deactivated by said mobile subscriber, said mobile services center allowing said mobile terminal access to said telecommunications system in response to said usage limit value being deactivated.

18. A method for allowing a mobile subscriber to define limits on usage for a mobile terminal associated with said mobile subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

defining, by said mobile subscriber, a usage limit value to monitor the usage of said mobile terminal, said usage limit value defining only a portion of a usage subscription plan subscribed to by said mobile subscriber;

storing said usage limit value in a memory within said telecommunications system, said memory including a current cumulative usage value associated with an amount of usage of said mobile terminal;

accessing, by a mobile services center in wireless communication with said mobile terminal, said memory to retrieve said usage limit value and said current cumulative usage value;

comparing said usage limit value and said current cumulative usage value;

selectively restricting access to said telecommunications system when said current cumulative usage value exceeds said usage limit value; and

allowing access to said telecommunications system in response to receiving a reset command from said mobile subscriber, said reset command setting said current cumulative usage value to zero without requiring additional value to be paid by said mobile subscriber.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said usage limit value includes a maximum amount of air time usage.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said usage limit value includes a maximum monetary amount to be charged.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said telecommunications system further comprises a home location register in communication with said mobile services center, said memory being located within said home location register.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications system further comprises a visitor location register in communication with said home location register and said mobile services center, and further comprising the step of:

after said step of defining, forwarding said usage limit value and said current cumulative usage value to said visitor location register from said home location register when said mobile terminal is located within the area serviced by said visitor location area.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of defining is performed by a usage application within said home location register, said usage application updating said current cumulative usage value.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said telecommunications system further comprises an intelligent node in communication with said mobile services center, said memory being located within said intelligent node.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said memory is located within said mobile terminal.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said mobile terminal has a subscriber identity module therein, said memory being located within said subscriber identity module.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of comparing is performed by a usage monitoring application within said mobile services center.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein said mobile services center sends an error message to said mobile terminal when said current cumulative usage value exceeds said usage limit value.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein said mobile terminal is allowed access to said telecommunications system when said mobile terminal places a call to an emergency number.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein said mobile terminal is allowed access to said telecommunications system when said mobile terminal places a call to a predefined number.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein said reset command includes a password associated with said mobile subscriber.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein said current cumulative usage value and said usage limit value are communicated to said mobile subscriber through said mobile terminal.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of defining is performed by said mobile subscriber entering said usage limit value on said mobile terminal, and said mobile terminal sending said usage limit value to said mobile services center, using an unstructured supplementary service data message.

34. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

after said step of defining, activating said usage limit value, and placing a call on said mobile terminal.

35. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

after said step of defining, deactivating said usage limit value, and placing a call on said mobile terminal, said mobile terminal being allowed access to said telecommunications system in response to said usage limit value being deactivated.