Peak time indicator

• US 7,003,279 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nickum, Larry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/375,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/550.1, 455/432.1, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/407, 455/408, 455/556.2, 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 379/132
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1421 Indication of expected costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method and apparatus allow use condition determination in a wireless device. A wireless interface is coupled to a processor configured to input subscriber rate plan parameters associated with a service provider. Rate plan parameters include data associated with peak time charges. Rate plan parameters are compared with current parameters to determine if peak time charges are in effect. An indication that the peak time charges are in effect is then generated.

Claims

1. A method for determining use conditions in a wireless device, the method comprising:

inputting on the wireless device rate plan parameters associated with a subscriber to a wireless service provider for the wireless device, the rate plan parameters including data associated with one or more peak time charges,

comparing the inputted rate plan parameters with present temporal parameters,

determining, on the wireless device, if the one or more peak time charges are in effect based on the comparison, and

generating an indication on the wireless device that the one or more peak time charges are in effect based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless plan parameters include at least two graduations of peak time charges, and the indication is different for each of the at least two graduations of peak time charges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an indication includes generating a visual indication;

and

wherein the step of generating a visual indication further includes generating one or more of;

a LED display, a lamp display, a textual display, and an icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an indication includes generating an audible indication;

and

wherein the step of generating an audible indication further includes generating one or more of;

a tone, a beep, a special ring, and a voice message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an indication includes generating a tactile indication;

and

wherein the step of generating a tactile indication further includes generating a vibration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inputting rate plan parameters includes inputting the rate plan parameters from one or more of:

an air interface, a removable memory card, a pre-programmed memory, a hardware interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate plan parameters include billing charges associated with one or more of:

date, time, and day of week, and wherein the present temporal parameters include one or more of;

date, time, and day of week.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the one or mare peak time charges are in effect includes a visual indication, the visual indication comprising a clock face, a representation of the present time, and an overlay showing peak time periods.

9. An apparatus for determining use conditions in a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless interface on the wireless device; and

a processor on the wireless device being coupled to the wireless interface, the processor configured to;

input rate plan parameters associated with a subscriber to a wireless service provider for the wireless device, the rate plan parameters including data associated with one or more peak time charges,

compare on the wireless device the inputted rate plan parameters with current temporal parameters,

determine on the wireless device if the one or more peak time charges are in effect based on the comparison, and

generate on the wireless device an indication that the one or more peak time charges are in effect based on the determination.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising one or more of:

a display element, a sound generating element, a vibration generating element, and wherein the processor, in generating an indication, is further configured to generate one or more of;

a visual indication on the display element, an audible indication on the sound generating element, and a tactile indication on the vibration generating element.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display element includes one or more of:

an LED, a lamp, CRT, a LCD display, an LED display, and plasma display.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the visual indication includes one or more of:

a blinking indication, a textual indication, and an icon indication.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sound generating element includes one or more of:

a speaker, and a piezoelectric element.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the audible indication further includes generating, on the sound generating element, one or more of:

a tone, a beep, a special ring, and a voice message.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the vibration generating element includes one or more of:

a speaker, and a piezoelectric element.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tactile indication further includes generating, on the vibration generating element a vibration.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further including one or more of:

a memory, a removable memory card, a pro-programmed memory, and wherein the processor, in inputting rate plan parameters, is further configured to input the rate plan parameters from one or more of;

the memory, the removable memory card, and the preprogrammed memory, and is further configured to input to input the rate plan parameters from one or more of;

an air interface and a hardware interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rate plan parameters include billing charges associated with one or more of:

date, time, and day of week, and wherein the present parameters include one or more of;

date, time, and day of week.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor includes one of:

a wireless telephone, a Personal Digital Assistant, a Personal Computer, and a laptop computer.

20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wireless interface includes a PCMCIA wireless device, a wireless telephone, a wireless LAN interface, and an integrated wireless interface.

21. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rate plan parameters include at least two graduations of peak time charges, and the indication generated is different for each of the at least two graduations of peak time charges.

22. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the indication that the one or wore peak time charges includes a visual indication, the visual indication comprising a clock face, a representation of the present time, and an overlay showing peak time periods.