Prepaid/postpaid automatic change of payment option

• US 6,785,534 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommWorks Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Ung, Dara
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/832,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/426.1, 455/422.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/433, 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455/517, 455/500, 379/144.01, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.09, 379/114.15, 379/114.16, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/114.29, 379/115.01, 379/127.01, 379/127.03, 379/127.05
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/56 On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay

Abstract

A prepaid/postpaid reconfiguration logic module in a service control point (SCP) of a wireless network allows a subscriber to a prepaid wireless service to change payment options between prepaid and postpaid without requiring assistance from a customer care representative. Standard wireless intelligent network (WIN) messaging is used to change from a previously selected prepaid or postpaid payment option, allowing the new option to be applied to their wireless phone account before or after any or all usages (i.e., as frequently as on a call-by-call basis). Preferably, a subscriber is given the opportunity to change the prepaid/postpaid payment option not only before but also after each usage of the relevant mobile device. Changes between prepaid and postpaid payment options substantially immediately affect a real time change in the payment mode of the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time, comprising:

provisioning at least one trigger in a wireless subscriber'"'"'s profile file relating to a prepaid mode for said wireless device;

removing said at least one trigger from said wireless subscriber'"'"'s profile file in response to keyed input from said wireless device, said removing switches said subscriber'"'"'s profile file between said prepaid mode and a postpaid mode; and

adding said at least one trigger to said wireless subscriber'"'"'s profile file in response to keyed input from said wireless device, said adding switches said subscriber'"'"'s profile file between said prepaid mode and said postpaid mode.

2. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 1, wherein said keyed input from said wireless device comprises:

a feature code followed by a SEND signal.

3. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a subscriber'"'"'s profile in a home location register (HLR).

4. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 1, wherein said at least one trigger comprises:

a WIN Origination Trigger having type “

All Calls”

.

5. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 4, wherein said at least one trigger further comprises:

a WIN advanced termination trigger.

6. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 4, wherein said at least one trigger further comprises:

a WIN call answer trigger.

7. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 4, wherein said at least one trigger further comprises:

a WIN call disconnection trigger.

8. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 1, wherein:

said method utilizes only wireless intelligent network (WIN) messaging.

9. The method of allowing a wireless device to change its prepayment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 1, wherein:

said provisioning and said removing steps may each be performed on a call-by-call basis by said wireless device.

10. Apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time, comprising:

means for provisioning at least one trigger in a profile file relating to a prepaid mode for said wireless device; and

means for removing said at least one trigger upon initiation by a user of said wireless device from said profile file in response to keyed input from said wireless device, whereby removing said at least one trigger switches between a prepaid mode and a postpaid; and

means for adding said at least one trigger upon initiation by said user of said wireless device to said profile file in response to keyed input from said wireless device, whereby adding said at least one trigger switches between said prepaid mode and said postpaid mode.

11. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 10, wherein:

said means for provisioning is activated in response to a feature code initiated by said wireless device.

12. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for storing a subscriber'"'"'s profile in a home location register (HLR).

13. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 12, wherein:

communications between said wireless device and said means for provisioning consists of wireless intelligent network (WIN) messaging.

14. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepayment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 12, wherein:

said means for provisioning and said means for removing may each be activated on a call-by-call basis by said wireless device.

15. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 10, wherein:

said means for provisioning said at least one trigger provisions a WIN origination trigger having type “

All Calls”

.

16. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 15, wherein:

said means for provisioning said at least one trigger further provisions a WIN advanced termination trigger.

17. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 15, wherein:

said means for provisioning said at least one trigger further provisions a WIN call answer trigger.

18. The apparatus for allowing a wireless device to change its prepaid payment mode substantially in real-time according to claim 15, wherein:

said means for provisioning said at least one trigger further provisions a WIN call disconnection trigger.