Satellite and cellular usage characteristics determination

• US 7,103,346 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Voight, Kenneth J., True, Sandra L., Sheen, Baoling S., Overend, Kevin J., Benco, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/818,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 379/119, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.28, 455/552.11, 455/553.1, 455/3.02, 455/422, 455/12.1, 725/142, 725/134, 725/151, 725/58, 725/86
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18595 Arrangements for adapting broadband applications to satellite systems
• 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 15/32 Charging, billing or metering arrangements for satellites or concentrators which connect one or more exchange lines with a group of local lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A network component of an apparatus in one example determines one or more usage characteristics of a mobile communication device for a cellular communications network and one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for a satellite communications network.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first billing component of a cellular communications network that determines;

one or more usage characteristics of a mobile communication device for the cellular communications network; and

one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for a satellite communications network;

wherein the first billing component is communicatively coupled with a second billing component of the satellite communications network;

wherein the first billing component obtains usage data from the second billing component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first billing component prepares for an account of the mobile communication device one bill for:

one or more of the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the cellular communications network; and

one or more of the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the satellite communications network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first billing component employs the usage data to determine one or more of the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the satellite communications network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first billing component exchanges one or more messages with the second billing component of the satellite communications network to obtain the usage data from the second billing component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first billing component obtains the usage data from the second billing component through the mobile communication device;

wherein the first billing component employs the usage data to determine one or more of the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the satellite communications network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first billing component and the mobile communication device comprise a same component.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is operable on the cellular communications network and the satellite communications network.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the mobile communication device operates on the cellular communications network at a first time and operates on the satellite communications network at a second time.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the mobile communication device simultaneously operates on the cellular communications network and the satellite communications network.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more usage characteristics comprise:

one or more call durations;

one or more call costs; and

/or

one or more total usage time.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second billing component sends the usage data to the first billing component on a pre-set schedule.

12. A method, comprising the steps of:

providing a cellular service to a mobile communication device through a cellular communications network, wherein the cellular communications network comprises a first billing component;

providing a satellite service to the mobile communication device through a satellite communications network, wherein the satellite communications network comprises a second billing component;

obtaining, by the first billing component, usage data for the satellite service from the second billing component;

providing for an account of the mobile communication device one bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on the usage data for the satellite service.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

preparing the bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of preparing the bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device comprises the step of:

determining one or more satellite usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the satellite service from the usage data for the satellite service.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of preparing the bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device comprises the step of:

determining one of more cellular usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the cellular service.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of obtaining, by the first billing component, usage data for the satellite service from the second billing component comprises the step of:

receiving, from the second billing component on a pre-set schedule, one or more messages that comprise the usage data for the satellite service.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of obtaining, by the first billing component, usage data for the satellite service from the second billing component comprises the step of:

obtaining the usage data from the second billing component through the mobile communication device.

18. An article, comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media; and

means in the one or more media for providing a cellular service to a mobile communication device through a cellular communications network, wherein the cellular communications network comprises a first billing component;

means in the one or more media for providing a satellite service to the mobile communication device through a satellite communications network, wherein the satellite communications network comprises a second billing component;

means in the one or more media for obtaining, by the first component, usage data for the satellite service from the second billing component;

means in the one or more media for providing for an account of the mobile communication device one bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on the usage data for the satellite service.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for preparing the bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the means in the one or more media for preparing the bill for both the satellite service to the mobile communication device and the cellular service to the mobile communication device based on the one or more usage characteristics of the mobile communication device comprises:

means in the one or more media for determining the one or more satellite usage characteristics of the mobile communication device for the satellite service based on the usage data from the satellite communications network.