Mobile phone with internal accounting
DCFirst Claim
1. In a debit phone system with a system provider having a host processor that maintains accounts for use of mobile phone units and stores mobile telephone unit identification information, a mobile phone unit with internal accounting for use in a phone network wherein the mobile phone unit is a unitary hand-held device that internally calculates call charges and decrements call charges from a debit account, the mobile phone unit comprising:
- communication means in the mobile phone unit for wireless communication in the phone network;
internal processing means in the mobile phone unit including a processor, a clock and memory for processing calls and call charges;
program means retained in the memory of the mobile phone unit including rate data and a complex billing algorithm with a multiple factor accounting protocol for classifying calls according to the basic categories of local calls, long distance calls, international calls and roaming calls, applying a call rate according to category, and calculating call charges as calls are made, the program means further including internal accounting means for generating an internal debit account in the phone unit, wherein the phone unit has means for communicating with the system provider and adding an authorized amount to the debit account;
wherein the mobile phone unit internally calculates call charges and decrements the calculated call charges from the amount in the debit account in the mobile phone unit as calls are made and wherein, to add amounts to the debit account, the mobile phone unit further includes phone unit identification information to be transmitted for verification by the system provider using the host processor, which host processor also verifies that a phone use account amount addable to the debit account of the identified phone unit has been prepaid; and
locking means for preventing calls from the phone unit when the amount in the debit account is exhausted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile phone system with a mobile phone having internal accounting capabilities for real time call debiting to account for the billing parameters of a mobile phone unit that is operated in a multi zone communication network with a complex rate structure, the mobile phone unit having an internal processor with accessible internal memory for storing the accounting program and call data for each call, a clock and circuit means for activating and deactivating the phone, the accounting program including an updatable rate table and a complex billing algorithm for calculating the account status on the fly including multiple rate structure factors such as long distance calls, international calls with country independent local charges, charges for roaming per day and/or roaming per minute, and call surcharges, where the account status of the mobile phone is calculated in real time for decrementing a debit account or calculating an account charge on demand, the mobile debit phone having a signal for alerting the user of account status which is preferably a display of real time account status, the mobile phone system including a communication system for activating and programming a new phone unit over the airways and upgrading the account status and rate table in the phone unit over the airways.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. In a debit phone system with a system provider having a host processor that maintains accounts for use of mobile phone units and stores mobile telephone unit identification information, a mobile phone unit with internal accounting for use in a phone network wherein the mobile phone unit is a unitary hand-held device that internally calculates call charges and decrements call charges from a debit account, the mobile phone unit comprising:
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communication means in the mobile phone unit for wireless communication in the phone network;
internal processing means in the mobile phone unit including a processor, a clock and memory for processing calls and call charges;
program means retained in the memory of the mobile phone unit including rate data and a complex billing algorithm with a multiple factor accounting protocol for classifying calls according to the basic categories of local calls, long distance calls, international calls and roaming calls, applying a call rate according to category, and calculating call charges as calls are made, the program means further including internal accounting means for generating an internal debit account in the phone unit, wherein the phone unit has means for communicating with the system provider and adding an authorized amount to the debit account;
wherein the mobile phone unit internally calculates call charges and decrements the calculated call charges from the amount in the debit account in the mobile phone unit as calls are made and wherein, to add amounts to the debit account, the mobile phone unit further includes phone unit identification information to be transmitted for verification by the system provider using the host processor, which host processor also verifies that a phone use account amount addable to the debit account of the identified phone unit has been prepaid; and
locking means for preventing calls from the phone unit when the amount in the debit account is exhausted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A debit telephone system comprising:
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a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software, said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which classifies each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories, selects a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculates an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtracts this appropriate charge from said debit account;
a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A debit telephone system comprising:
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a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software, said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories including categories for local calls, long distance calls and roaming calls, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account, whereupon said operating codes are then communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A debit telephone system comprising:
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a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software, said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, assignable telephone numbers, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user and, at the time of activation, information identifying the user'"'"'s locale, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account and, at the time of activation, ascertains an assignable telephone number which corresponds to the mobile telephone user'"'"'s locale, whereupon said operating codes and assignable telephone number are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.
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46. A debit telephone system comprising:
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a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software, said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories including categories for local, long distance and roaming telephone calls, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, assignable telephone numbers, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user and, at the time of activation, information identifying the user'"'"'s locale, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account and, at the time of activation, ascertains an assignable telephone number which corresponds to the mobile telephone user'"'"'s locale, whereupon said operating codes and assignable telephone number are then communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.
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Specification