Apparatus and methods for providing usage information in wireless communications systems
First Claim
1. A terminal for communicating with a wireless communications system, the terminal comprising:
- means for receiving current cumulative usage information from the wireless communications system;
means for receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated to the terminal;
means, responsive to said means for receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated, for extrapolating current cumulative usage; and
means, responsive to said means for receiving current cumulative usage information and to said means for extrapolating current cumulative usage, for indicating current cumulative usage for a subscriber to a user.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Usage information, such as minutes remaining in a prepaid or monthly block or other unit of allocated services, is provided to a terminal by a wireless communications system, e.g., a system operative to communicate with terminals via terrestrial base stations and/or satellites. The system maintains a subscriber information database including current cumulative usage information for subscribers. The system automatically communicates current cumulative usage information for a subscriber in the subscriber information database to a terminal. The current cumulative usage information may be communicated in a variety of ways. For example, current cumulative usage information may be communicated to the terminal at registration of the terminal. Current cumulative usage information may also be communicated during or at the end of a call. A plurality of usage indications may be communicated to a terminal, a respective one of which is associated with a respective type of usage, such as voice call usage, data call usage, home area usage, roaming usage and the like. The terminal receives current cumulative usage information from the wireless communications system, and indicates current cumulative usage for a subscriber to a user based on the received current cumulative usage information. Different usages may be indicated in different forms, such as by different visual or auditory indicia. Related operating methods for wireless communications system and terminals are also described.
251 Citations
65 Claims
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1. A terminal for communicating with a wireless communications system, the terminal comprising:
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means for receiving current cumulative usage information from the wireless communications system;
means for receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated to the terminal;
means, responsive to said means for receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated, for extrapolating current cumulative usage; and
means, responsive to said means for receiving current cumulative usage information and to said means for extrapolating current cumulative usage, for indicating current cumulative usage for a subscriber to a user. - 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
means for determining a difference between an extrapolated usage and a current cumulative usage information received from a wireless communications system, and means for indicating the difference to a user.
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15. A terminal according to claim 14, wherein said means for indicating the difference comprises means for indicating the difference if the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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16. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for indicating comprises means for indicating that the indicated usage is extrapolated.
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17. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for extrapolating comprises means for extrapolating a new usage value from a previous usage value based on a call duration.
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18. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for indicating comprises means for providing at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication.
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19. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for indicating comprises means, responsive to a user input, for controlling presentation of the usage indication.
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20. A terminal according to claim 19, wherein said means for controlling comprises a keypad.
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21. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising means, responsive to the received current cumulative usage information, for detecting if a usage meets a predetermined criterion.
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22. A terminal according to claim 21, wherein said means for detecting comprises means for detecting whether the usage exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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23. A terminal according to claim 21, wherein said means for indicating comprises means, responsive to said means for detecting, for indicating that the usage has met a predetermined criterion.
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24. A terminal according to claim 21, further comprising means for receiving the predetermined criterion from the wireless communications system.
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25. A terminal according to claim 24, wherein said means for receiving the predetermined criterion comprises means for receiving a measure of a unit of allocated services.
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26. A terminal according to claim 24, wherein said means for receiving the predetermined criterion comprises means for receiving the predetermined criterion as part of an over-the-air-interface activation teleservice (OATS) procedure.
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27. A terminal according to claim 24, further comprising means for receiving an indication of a cost associated with meeting the predetermined criterion, and wherein said means for indicating indicates the cost associated with meeting the predetermined criterion.
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28. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for indicating comprises means for providing at least one of a visual indication and an auditory indication to a user at the terminal.
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29. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein said means for indicating comprises means for communicating usage information to an external device connected to the terminal.
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30. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
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means for receiving usage charge rate information; and
means for indicating usage charge rate to a user.
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31. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing current cumulative usage information.
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32. A terminal according to claim 31, wherein said means for storing comprises means for storing current cumulative usage information on a smart card.
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33. In a terminal for communicating with a wireless communications system, a method of monitoring usage comprising the steps of:
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receiving current cumulative usage information from the wireless communications system;
indicating current cumulative usage for a subscriber to a user based on the received current cumulative usage information;
receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated to the terminal;
extrapolating usage, responsive to receiving an indication that current cumulative usage information will not be communicated, and indicating extrapolated usage to a user. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
determining a difference between an extrapolated usage and cumulative usage information received from the wireless communications system, and indicating the difference to a user.
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47. A method according to claim 46, wherein said step of indicating the difference comprises the step of indicating the difference if the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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48. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of indicating that the indicated usage is extrapolated.
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49. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of extrapolating comprises the step of extrapolating a new usage value from a previous usage value based on a call duration.
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50. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of providing at least one of visual indication and an audible indication.
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51. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of controlling presentation of the usage indication responsive to a user input at the terminal.
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52. A method according to claim 51, wherein said step of controlling comprises a accepting a user input at a keypad.
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53. A method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of detecting if a usage meets a predetermined criterion.
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54. A method according to claim 53, wherein said step of detecting comprises the step of detecting whether the usage exceeds a predetermined threshold.
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55. A method according to claim 53, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of indicating that the usage has met a predetermined criterion.
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56. A method according to claim 53, further comprising step of receiving the predetermined criterion from the wireless communications system.
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57. A method according to claim 56, wherein said step of receiving the predetermined criterion comprises the step of receiving a measure of a unit of allocated services.
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58. A method according to claim 56, wherein said step of receiving the predetermined criterion comprises the step of receiving the predetermined criterion as part of an over-the-air-interface activation teleservice (OATS) procedure.
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59. A method according to claim 56, further comprising the step of receiving an indication of a cost associated with meeting the predetermined criterion, and wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of indicating the cost associated with meeting the predetermined criterion.
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60. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of providing at least one of a visual indication and an auditory indication to a user at the terminal.
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61. A method according to claim 33, wherein said step of indicating comprises the step of communicating usage information to an external device connected to the terminal.
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62. A method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:
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receiving usage charge rate information; and
indicating usage charge rate to a user.
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63. A method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of storing current cumulative usage information.
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64. A method according to claim 63, wherein said step of storing comprises the step of storing current cumulative usage information on a smart card.
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65. A method according to claim 63, further comprising the step of communicating stored current cumulative usage information to the wireless communications system.
Specification