Method and system for automatic calling unit replenishment

• US 7,796,972 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Jiddou, Nada S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/130,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.09, 379/114.16, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/130, 379/131, 379/144.01, 455405-408, 455410-411, 455/550.1, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• 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 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for automatically replenishing vehicle calling units is disclosed herein. The method includes selecting, in response to a user input, a call unit rate plan including parameters designating automatic replenishment of calling units for loading into a telematics unit. A calling plan configuration signal is transmitted to the telematics unit, where the calling plan configuration signal is indicative of the selected call unit rate plan parameters. The telematics unit is configured with the selected call unit rate plan parameters. A current cycle of the rate plan is monitored, via the telematics unit, for its expiration; and the telematics unit determines whether an additional cycle is available in a plan duration upon expiration of the current cycle. If the additional cycle is available, the telematics unit automatically replenishes the calling units to a number of calling units available per cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.

Claims

1. A method for automatically replenishing vehicle calling units, comprising:

selecting, in response to a user input, a call unit rate plan including parameters designating automatic replenishment of calling units for loading into a telematics unit;

transmitting a calling plan configuration signal to the telematics unit, the calling plan configuration signal being indicative of the selected call unit rate plan parameters;

configuring the telematics unit with the selected call unit rate plan parameters;

monitoring, via the telematics unit, a current cycle of the rate plan for its expiration;

determining, via the telematics unit, whether an additional cycle is available in a plan duration upon expiration of the current cycle; and

if the additional cycle is available, automatically replenishing, via the telematics unit, the calling units to a number of calling units available per cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the call unit rate plan parameters include the plan duration, a number of cycles per the plan duration, and the number of calling units per cycle.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein configuring the telematics unit with the selected call unit rate plan parameters includes:

setting a plan expiration date based on the selected plan duration;

setting a cycle expiration date for each cycle of the plan duration; and

setting the number of calling units for a first cycle.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising decrementing the number of calling units available for the current cycle as the calling units are used during the current cycle.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein automatically replenishing is accomplished at an expiration of each cycle throughout the plan duration.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising automatically rolling over unused calling units of the current cycle into a next cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a call center selects the call unit rate plan in response to the user input, and wherein the call center transmits the calling plan configuration signal to the telematics unit.

8. A computer usable medium including a program for automatically replenishing vehicle calling units, comprising:

computer program code for selecting, in response to a user input, a call unit rate plan including parameters designating automatic replenishment of calling units for loading into a telematics unit;

computer program code for transmitting a calling plan configuration signal to the telematics unit, the calling plan configuration signal being indicative of the selected call unit rate plan parameters;

computer program code for configuring the telematics unit with the selected call unit rate plan parameters;

computer program code for monitoring a current cycle of the rate plan for its expiration;

computer program code for determining whether an additional cycle is available in a plan duration upon expiration of the current cycle; and

computer program code for automatically replenishing the calling units to a number of calling units available per cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle if the additional cycle is available.

9. The computer usable medium as defined in claim 8 wherein the call unit rate plan parameters include the plan duration, a number of cycles per the plan duration, and the number of calling units per cycle, and wherein the computer program code for configuring the telematics unit with the selected call unit rate plan parameters includes:

computer program code for setting a plan expiration date based on the selected plan duration;

computer program code for setting a cycle expiration date for each cycle of the plan duration; and

computer program code for setting the number of calling units for a first cycle.

10. The computer usable medium as defined in claim 8, further comprising computer program code for decrementing the number of calling units available for the current cycle as the calling units are used during the current cycle.

11. The computer usable medium as defined in claim 8, further comprising computer program code for automatically rolling over unused calling units of the current cycle into a next cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.

12. A system for automatically replenishing vehicle calling units, comprising:

a call center configured to select, in response to a user input, a call unit rate plan including parameters designating automatic replenishment of calling units; and

a telematics unit configured to i) receive, from the call center, a calling plan configuration signal that is indicative of the selected call unit rate plan parameters, ii) configure itself with the selected call unit rate plan parameters, iii) monitor a current cycle for its expiration, iv) determine whether an additional cycle is available in a plan duration upon expiration of the current cycle, and v) if the additional cycle is available, automatically replenish the calling units to a number of calling units available per cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the call unit rate plan parameters include the plan duration, a number of cycles per the plan duration, and the number of calling units per cycle, and wherein the telematics unit is further configured to:

set a plan expiration date based on the selected plan duration;

set a cycle expiration date for each cycle of the plan duration; and

set the number of calling units for a first cycle.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the telematics unit is further configured to decrement the number of calling units available for the current cycle as the calling units are used during the current cycle.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the telematics unit is further configured to automatically roll over unused calling units of the current cycle into a next cycle upon the expiration of the current cycle.