Credit based telephony service facilitation

• US 6,298,056 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITXC IP Holdings SARL (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ITXC INCORPORATED (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pendse, Ajit B.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/574,961
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/352, 370/353, 370/356, 705/14, 705/40, 379/67.1, 379/91.01, 379/93.01, 379/111, 379/112, 379/113, 379/114, 379/133, 379/140
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/146 using digital cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Advertisement consumption activities of a user are monitored. The user is credited with telephony service credits in accordance with observed advertisement consumption activities. In turn, telephony service for the user is facilitated. The facilitation is based at least in part on the amount of telephony service credits credited to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting said user with telephony service credits in accordance with observed advertisement consumption activities; and

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on said telephony service credits credited to said user, said facilitating further comprising informing the user of the amount of telephony service credits available by causing a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be rendered.

2. A method comprising:

monitoring advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting said user with telephony service credits in accordance with observed advertisement consumption activities;

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on said telephony service credits credited to said user, said facilitating further comprising informing the user of the amount of telephony service credits available and dynamically updating the user in real time on the amount of telephony service credits available.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said dynamic updating comprises causing a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be refreshed.

4. A method comprising:

monitoring advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting said user with telephony service credits in accordance with observed advertisement consumption activities; and

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on said telephony service credits credited to said user, wherein said facilitation further comprises determining whether the user is a pay subscriber when the user exhausted his telephony service credits.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting the user with telephony service credits in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities; and

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credits credited to said user, said facilitating further comprising informing the user of the amount of telephony service credits available by causing a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be rendered for the user.

6. A method comprising:

receiving a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting the user with telephony service credits in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities; and

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credits credited to said user, said facilitating further comprising informing the user of the amount of telephony service credits available and dynamically updating the user in real time on the amount of telephony service credits available.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said dynamic updating comprises causing a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be refreshed.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user;

crediting the user with telephony service credits in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities; and

facilitating telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credits credited to said user, wherein said facilitation further comprises determining whether the user is a pay subscriber when the user exhausted his telephony service credits.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to receive a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user, to credit the user with telephony service credit in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities, as well as to facilitate telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credit credited to said user wherein said programming instructions are designed to cause a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be rendered to inform the user of the amount of telephony service credits available; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to receive a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user, to credit the user with telephony service credit in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities, as well as to facilitate telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credit credited to said user, wherein said programming instructions are designed to inform the user of the amount of telephony service credits available, and dynamically update the user in real time on the amount of telephony service credits available; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said programming instructions are designed to cause a meter-like icon depicting the amount of telephony service credits available to be refreshed.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to receive a report on advertisement consumption activities of a user, to credit the user with telephony service credit in accordance with the reported advertisement consumption activities, as well as to facilitate telephony service for said user based at least in part on the telephony service credit credited to said user, wherein said programming instructions are further designed to determine whether the user is a pay subscriber when the user exhausted his telephony service credits; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.