System and method for implementing flexible calling plans

• US 6,201,957 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Development Innovation Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Neopoint, Inc.
• Inventors: Chung, Yeong Jee, Chung, Jong T., Son, William Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/195,567
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• 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: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system and method for providing one or more tiers of alternative rates or rate plans to wireless telephone subscribers utilizes one or more home regions, in which the subscriber can make and receive wireless calls at reduced service rates. The home regions are preferably defined within the wireless subscriber'"'"'s local calling area and can be defined as a region in proximity with the subscriber'"'"'s home, office, or other location. Additionally, a second tier of reduced rate services can be provided in another region referred to as the home-perimeter region. The home-perimeter region, in one embodiment, is a subset of the home region, and preferably covers an area somewhat equivalent to the area covered by the subscriber'"'"'s conventional land line services. As such, the subscriber can make wireless calls in or near his or her home, office, or other location at rates competitive to those offered by land line service providers.

Claims

1. A system for implementing a flexible rate plan for one or more wireless services subscribers, comprising:

a plurality of base stations in a local calling area configured to relay communications between a plurality of subscribers and a communications network, each base station having one or more locational parameters associated therewith;

a wireless handset configured to communicate with said base stations and to receive said one or more locational parameters from said base station, said wireless handset further configured to determine whether it is within a home region within said local calling area and whether it is within a home perimeter within said home region, wherein said determination is based on said locational parameters received from said base station;

a billing system configured to receive information indicating whether the handset is within said home region and whether it is within a home perimeter within said home region, and to bill the subscriber for the call at reduced rates depending on whether the subscriber is within the home region and whether the subscriber is within said home perimeter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said locational parameters include at least one of the group of a base station ID, a sector ID, or a pilot offset.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said handset comprises a receiver to receive the locational parameters and a controller to compare the received locational parameters with a stored reference to determine whether the handset is within the home region and whether it is within said home perimeter within said home region.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a docking station, said docking station including a first cradle for storing said handset and a second cradle for storing a second handset,

wherein said second handset communicates with said base station via said docking station, and wherein calls initiated by the subscriber using said second handset are billed at further reduced rates.

5. A system for implementing a flexible rate plan for a wireless communications subscriber, said system comprising the steps of:

means for determining whether said subscriber is within a home region and whether said subscriber is within a home perimeter within said home region within a local calling region;

means for notifying a central office regarding whether said subscriber is within said home region and whether said subscriber is within said home perimeter;

means for determining a rate for billing the subscriber for the call based on whether the subscriber is within the home region and whether the subscriber is within the home perimeter.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said means for determining whether a subscriber is within a home region comprises:

means for receiving locational parameters at a handset from a base station with which said handset is communicating; and

means for checking said locational parameters to determine whether the handset is within the home region and whether it is within the home perimeter.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for generating an alert indicating that the subscriber has left the home region or the home perimeter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said locational parameters comprise at least one of the group of cell site ID, base station ID, sector ID, and pilot offset.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said rate for billing the subscriber is maintained at a reduced rate where the call is at least in part conducted in the home region, and said rate for billing the subscriber is maintained at a further reduced rate where the call is at least in part conducted in the home perimeter region.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein three rates are established for the subscriber, depending on whether the subscriber is in the home perimeter region, the home region, or the local calling area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said rate for billing the subscriber in the home region is different from normal subscriber rates in the subscriber'"'"'s local calling region.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said rate for billing the subscriber in the home perimeter is different from the rate for billing the subscriber in the home region, and is different from normal subscriber rates in the subscriber'"'"'s local calling region.