Mobile phone with internal accounting

• US 7,245,901 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Inventors: McGregor, D. Scott, McGregor, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casca, Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/703,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 379/61, 379/58, 455/316, 455/406, 455/408, 455/407
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0156 Secure and trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements, encryption, digital signature, codes or double check mechanisms to secure billing calculation and information
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• 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: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile phone system with a mobile phone having internal accounting capabilities for real time call debiting to account for the billing parameters of a mobile phone unit that is operated in a multi zone communication network with a complex rate structure, the mobile phone unit having an internal processor with accessible internal memory for storing the accounting program and call data for each call, a clock and circuit means for activating and deactivating the phone, the accounting program including an updatable rate table and a complex billing algorithm for calculating the account status on the fly including multiple rate structure factors such as long distance calls, international calls with country independent local charges, charges for roaming per day and/or roaming per minute, and call surcharges, where the account status of the mobile phone is calculated in real time for decrementing a debit account or calculating an account charge on demand, the mobile debit phone having a signal for alerting the user of account status which is preferably a display of real time account status, the mobile phone system including a communication system for activating and programming a new phone unit over the airways and upgrading the account status in rate table in the phone unit over the airways.

Claims

1. A method for activating a mobile debit or credit limit telephone unit within a telephone system run by a system provider comprising:

storing mobile telephone identification information, mobile telephone operating codes and assignable telephone numbers in a system provider'"'"'s host processor;

having the mobile telephone or its user initiate communication with the system provider to activate said mobile telephone unit including providing said system provider with information about the identity of said mobile telephone unit and the location of its user;

inputting said identity and location information into the system provider'"'"'s host processor;

retrieving from said system provider'"'"'s host processor operating codes to activate said telephone, operating codes to establish a debit or credit limit account balance and an assignable telephone number corresponding to the user location information;

communicating said operating codes and assignable telephone number to said mobile telephone unit or its user;

inputting said operating codes and assignable telephone number into said mobile telephone unit to activate said mobile telephone unit, establish a debit or credit limit account balance within said mobile telephone unit and establish a working telephone number for said mobile telephone unit.

2. The activation method of claim 1 wherein the host processor stored operating codes and assignable telephone number are communicated to the user by a system provider operator who has access to said host processor.

3. The activation method of claim 2 wherein the user enters the operating codes into the mobile telephone unit by manually punching keys on the mobile telephone unit.

4. The activation method of claim 1 wherein the host processor stored operating codes are communicated over the airwaves directly from the host processor to the mobile telephone unit.

5. The activation method of claim 1 wherein said operating codes are communicated to said mobile telephone unit or its user in encrypted form.

6. The activation method of claim 1 wherein said mobile telephone unit identity information includes the telephone'"'"'s electronic serial number.

7. The activation method of claim 1 further comprising having the host processor use the location information provided by the user to select home SIDs for the mobile telephone unit and then communicate those home SIDs to the mobile telephone unit or its user to allow the mobile telephone unit to determine whether it is roaming.

8. A method for replenishing a mobile telephone unit debit or credit limit account within a telephone system run by a system provider comprising:

storing operating codes within a system provider'"'"'s host processor which are capable of replenishing a mobile telephone unit'"'"'s debit or credit limit account;

having the mobile debit telephone or its user initiate communication with the system provider to replenish the mobile telephone unit debit or credit limit account including providing to said system provider information identifying said mobile telephone unit and information verifying or authorizing payment of a designated amount;

inputting said identity and payment information into the system provider'"'"'s host processor;

retrieving from said system provider'"'"'s host processor operating codes applicable only to the particular mobile telephone unit identified in order to replenish that telephone'"'"'s debit or credit limit account in the designated amount;

communicating said operating codes to said mobile telephone unit or its user; and

,

inputting said operating codes into said mobile telephone unit to replenish its debit or credit limit account.

9. The account replenishment method of claim 8 wherein the host processor stored operating codes are communicated to the user by a system provider operator who has access to said host processor.

10. The account replenishment method of claim 9 wherein the user enters the operating codes into the mobile telephone unit by manually punching keys on the mobile telephone unit.

11. The account replenishment method of claim 8 wherein the host processor stored operating codes are communicated over the airwaves directly from the host processor to the mobile telephone unit.

12. The account replenishment method of claim 8 wherein said operating codes are communicated to said mobile telephone unit or its user in encrypted form.

13. The account replenishment method of claim 8 wherein said mobile telephone unit identity information includes the telephone'"'"'s electronic serial number.

14. A telephone system comprising:

a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software,

said internal accounting software including a representation of allowed calls, a counter which counts the number of calls placed and/or received, and a comparator which compares the number of calls placed and/or received to the representation of allowed calls;

a system provider having one or more host processors for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, and operating codes needed for setting the representation of allowed calls or resetting the number of calls placed and/or received, whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to set the representation of allowed calls and/or reset the number of calls placed and/or received, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

15. The telephone system of claim 14 wherein calls are prevented from being placed and/or received when the number of calls placed and/or received exceeds the representation of allowed calls.

16. A telephone system comprising:

a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, a timer, memory and internal accounting software,

said internal accounting software including a representation of an allowed cumulative time, a counter which counts the cumulative amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, and a comparator which compares the representation of the allowed cumulative time to the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received;

a system provider having one or more host processors for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, and operating codes needed for setting the representation of an allowed cumulative time and/or resetting the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to set the representation of the allowed cumulative time and/or to reset the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

17. The telephone system of claim 16 wherein calls are prevented from being placed and/or received when the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received exceeds the representation of allowed cumulative time.

18. A telephone system comprising:

a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal software;

wherein said internal software includes an account with a representation of prepaid funds or available credit, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which classifies each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories, selects a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculates an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and applies this appropriate charge to said account;

said internal software also stores call data relating to calls made; and

,

a system provider having one or more host processors for coordination of mobile phone information and verification of prepayment, wherein said host processor has memory to receive and store call data from each mobile telephone unit, whereupon said call data is periodically communicated over the airways from the mobile telephone unit to the host processor and stored in the host processor.

19. The telephone system of claim 18 wherein the mobile telephone unit encrypts the call data prior to communicating it over the airways and the host processor decrypts the call data received from the mobile telephone unit.

20. A computer readable medium encoded with software for a telephone system comprising:

internal accounting software for a cordless hand-held mobile telephone unit, wherein said internal accounting software includes a representation of allowed calls, a counter which counts the number of calls placed and/or received, and a comparator which compares the number of calls placed and/or received to the representation of allowed calls;

software for one or more system provider host processors, wherein said host processor software stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, and operating codes needed for setting the representation of allowed calls or resetting the number of calls placed and/or received, whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to set the representation of allowed calls and/or reset the number of calls placed and/or received, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein calls are prevented from being placed and/or received when the number of calls placed and/or received exceeds the representation of allowed calls.

22. A computer readable medium encoded with software for a telephone system comprising:

internal accounting software for a cordless hand-held mobile telephone unit, wherein said internal accounting software includes a representation of an allowed cumulative time, a counter which counts the cumulative amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, and a comparator which compares the representation of the allowed cumulative time to the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received;

software for one or more system provider host processors, wherein said host processor software stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, and operating codes needed for setting the representation of allowed cumulative time or resetting the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to set the representation of allowed cumulative time and/or reset the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein calls are prevented from being placed and/or received when the amount of time spent for calls placed and/or received exceeds the representation of allowed cumulative time.

24. A method for replenishing a mobile telephone unit prepaid account within a prepaid mobile telephone system run by a system provider comprising the steps of:

having the mobile telephone unit or its user initiate communication with said system provider to replenish the prepaid account in the mobile telephone unit by providing to said system provider information identifying the mobile telephone unit and information confirming prepayment of a designated amount;

having the host processor verify the information identifying the mobile telephone unit and the information confirming prepayment of the designated amount;

retrieving from the host processor operating codes applicable only to the particular mobile telephone unit identified in order to replenish the prepaid account in that mobile telephone unit in the designated amount;

communicating the operating codes to the mobile telephone unit or its user; and

,

inputting the operating codes into the mobile telephone unit to replenish the prepaid account in the mobile telephone unit.

25. A method of replenishing a mobile telephone unit prepaid account within a prepaid mobile telephone system run by a system provider comprising the steps of:

having the mobile telephone unit or its user initiate communication with the system provider to replenish the prepaid account in the mobile telephone unit by providing to said system provider information identifying the mobile telephone unit and information authorizing prepayment of a designated amount using a credit card account;

having the host processor verify the information identifying the mobile telephone unit and obtain prepayment of the designated amount using the credit card account;

retrieving from the host processor operating codes applicable only to the particular mobile telephone unit identified in order to replenish the prepaid account in that mobile telephone unit in the designated amount;

communicating the operating codes to the mobile telephone unit or its user; and

,

inputting the operating codes into the mobile telephone unit to replenish the prepaid account in the mobile telephone unit.