Apparatus, method, and article of manufacture used to invoice for services consumed in a communications network

• US 6,868,267 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Briggs, Robert D., Baker, Kent D., Sprigg, Stephen A., Kenagy, Jason, Phillips, Marc S., Lombardi, Gina
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/716,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/422, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414, 379/91.01, 379/100.04, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/144.05, 705/40, 705/418
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and article of manufacture that provides an efficient way to invoice the users of a communication system (100) for the system resources consumed. Invoicing is based upon flexible criteria that can be adapted depending upon the charges a resource provider charges. For example, a user may incur a one-time charge for downloading a desired application program, or the user may be charged a download fee plus a recurring monthly fee for having continual access to the program and any updates to the program. A fee might also be charged for each time the application is used. These fees are recorded as debits and transferred to an invoicing location where an invoice reflecting the debits is constructed. For example, the debits may comprise fees for wireless service access, Internet service access, downloaded application programs, data, multimedia services, or other fees.

Claims

1. A system for invoicing users of mobile wireless mobile devices comprising:

a wireless network;

a wireless mobile device connected to the wireless network and configured to receive software over the wireless network;

a resource center connected to the wireless network and configured to provide the software to the wireless mobile device over the wireless network; and

a billing server connected to the wireless network and configured to receive a debit corresponding to execution of the software on the wireless mobile device wherein the billing server is configured to generate an invoice for the wireless mobile device;

wherein the software has a plurality of contributing parties wherein the billing server determines corresponding separate amounts for distribution to each of the contributing parties.

2. A system for invoicing users of mobile wireless mobile devices comprising:

a wireless network;

a wireless mobile device connected to the wireless network and configured to receive software over the wireless network;

a resource center connected to the wireless network and configured to provide the software to the wireless mobile device over the wireless network;

a billing server connected to the wireless network and configured to receive a debit corresponding to execution of the software on the wireless mobile device wherein the billing server is configured to generate an invoice for the wireless mobile device; and

a second wireless mobile device connected to the wireless network and configured to receive software over the wireless network wherein the loading of the software on the second wireless does not have a separate debit apart from the debit received at the billing server.

3. A wireless mobile device capable of downloading and executing software comprising:

an application program interface to interact with downloaded application software;

a processor for executing the downloaded application software; and

memory for storing the downloaded application software;

wherein the application program interface is operable to store a debit in the memory in response to the detection of interaction between the wireless mobile device and the downloaded application software;

wherein the debit is used to generate an invoice for the wireless mobile device;

wherein the debit includes data identifying a contributing party and a software fee associated with the interaction; and

wherein the debit further includes a second software fee associated with the interaction of the downloaded application software with a second wireless mobile device.