Time balance based prepaid subscriber database and reporting

• US 6,907,116 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: He, Peter, Ung, Dara
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Application Number:
  US09/911,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.19, 379/114.2, 379/114.21, 379/114.16, 379/114.17, 379/114.18, 379/114.02, 379/114.06, 379/114.03, 379/114.1, 379/114.15, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/126, 379/121.04, 379/121.03, 379/121.02, 379/121.01, 379/127.04, 379/144.01, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/409
• US Class Current: 379/114.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation

Abstract

A time remaining determination module is implemented in a prepaid service to maintain and/or report subscriber account information based on accurately determined time remaining, even in light of replenishments using differing rate plans and/or dollar values. In particular, the inventive approach utilizes a reporting module which accurately accounts for and determines the total minutes remaining in a subscriber'"'"'s account by accommodating and adjusting for each potentially different rate plan associated with each recharge or replenishment. This enables the service provider not only to accurately report the account balance in terms of time remaining at any convenient time (e.g., during the call process), but also to correctly manage the subscriber account and call duration.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system, said method comprising:

firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

2. The method of maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second recording is performed before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

5. The method of maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system according to claim 1, further comprising:

reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.

3. Apparatus for maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system, comprising:

means for firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

means for secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

means for revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

4. The apparatus for maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system according to claim 3, wherein:

said means for secondly recording performs said recording before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

6. The apparatus for maintaining subscriber account balance information in a prepaid system according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.

7. A method of reporting subscriber account balance information, said method comprising:

firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

8. The method of reporting subscriber account balance information according to claim 7, wherein:

said second recording is performed before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

9. The method of reporting subscriber account balance information according to claim 7, further comprising:

reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.

10. Apparatus for reporting subscriber account balance information, comprising:

means for firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

means for secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

means for revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

11. The apparatus for reporting subscriber account balance information according to claim 10, wherein:

said means for secondly recording performs said recording before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

12. The apparatus for reporting subscriber account balance information according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.

13. A method of adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans, said method comprising:

firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

14. The method of adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans according to claim 13, wherein:

said second recording is performed before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

15. The method of adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans according to claim 13, further comprising:

reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.

16. Apparatus for adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans, comprising:

means for firstly recording a first replenishment of said subscriber account having a first rate;

means for secondly recording a second replenishment of said subscriber account having a second rate, said second rate being different than said first rate; and

means for revising a total dollar amount of said subscriber account including at least a portion of a dollar value of said first replenishment based on said first rate together with a dollar value of said second replenishment based on said second rate.

17. The apparatus for adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans according to claim 16, wherein:

said means for secondly recording performs said recording before said first replenishment becomes exhausted in said subscriber account.

18. The apparatus for adjusting a subscriber'"'"'s account for replenishments or recharges accomplished with potentially different rate plans according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for reporting a balance of said subscriber account in terms of time remaining.