Method and system for charging for a service based on time spent at a facility

• US 8,090,383 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radix Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Radix Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Emigh, Aaron T., Roskind, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/061,498
• Time in Patent Office: 2,511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 455/428, 455406-408
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

In some embodiments, techniques for location-based services may comprise receiving a first report associated with a mobile phone and with entering a facility, receiving a second report associated with the mobile phone and with exiting the facility, and determining an amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility based at least in part on data including information relating to a first time associated with the first report and a second time associated with the second report, wherein the amount of time is to be used in calculating a charge on an invoice to a client associated with the facility for a service performed by personnel associated with the mobile phone.

Claims

1. A method for location-based services, comprising:

at a microprocessor, receiving a first report at a first time from at least one of location sensing hardware in a mobile phone and location receiving hardware in the mobile phone, wherein the first report is associated with a first location and the mobile phone;

receiving a second report at a second time, wherein the second report is associated with a second location and the mobile phone;

determining that the first location corresponds to a facility, wherein the facility is one of a plurality of facilities about which information relating to said facilities are maintained;

determining that the first report is associated with entering the facility;

updating state information associated with the facility, wherein the modified state information includes an indication of presence of personnel associated with the mobile phone at the facility;

determining that the second report is associated with exiting the facility;

storing a data record including first data that includes a first identifier for the facility, second data that includes a second identifier for at least one of the mobile phone and the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and third data that includes information relating to the first time and the second time; and

executing programmatic instructions to determine an amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility based at least in part on the third data of the stored data record, wherein the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility is to be used in calculating a charge on an invoice to a client, wherein the facility is associated with the client, wherein the charge to the client relates to a service performed by the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and wherein the charge to the client is calculated based at least in part on multiplying the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility by a rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location sensing hardware in the mobile phone includes a GPS receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first report is associated with entering the facility includes determining that the first location is associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is not associated with the facility.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second report is associated with exiting the facility includes determining that the second location is not associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is associated with the facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time is an hourly rate.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing the invoice.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the invoice is electronic.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the invoice is printed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is associated with a region defined by a plurality of corner points.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is a building.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is a campus.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility includes subtracting the first time from the second time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the facility is a room.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that at least one of the first time and the second time matches a time specification.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes the first time and the second time.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes a duration of time.

17. A system for location-based services, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a first report at a first time from at least one of location sensing hardware in a mobile phone and location receiving hardware in the mobile phone, wherein the first report is associated with a first location and the mobile phone;

receive a second report at a second time, wherein the second report is associated with a second location and the mobile phone;

determine that the first location corresponds to a facility, wherein the facility is one of a plurality of facilities about which information relating to said facilities are maintained;

determine that the first report is associated with entering the facility;

update state information associated with the facility, wherein the modified state information includes an indication of presence of personnel associated with the mobile phone at the facility;

determine that the second report is associated with exiting the facility;

store a data record including first data that includes a first identifier for the facility, second data that includes a second identifier for at least one of the mobile phone and the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and third data that includes information relating to the first time and the second time; and

execute programmatic instructions to determine an amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility based at least in part on the third data of the stored data record, wherein the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility is to be used in calculating a charge on an invoice to a client, wherein the facility is associated with the client, wherein the charge to the client relates to a service performed by the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and wherein the charge to the client is calculated based at least in part on multiplying the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility by a rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides instructions to the processor.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising preparing the invoice.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the invoice is electronic.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the invoice is printed.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the facility is associated with a region defined by a plurality of corner points.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the facility is a building.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the location sensing hardware in the mobile phone includes a GPS receiver.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein determining that the first report is associated with entering the facility includes determining that the first location is associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is not associated with the facility.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein determining that the second report is associated with exiting the facility includes determining that the second location is not associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is associated with the facility.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time is an hourly rate.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the facility is a campus.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility includes subtracting the first time from the second time.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the facility is a room.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that at least one of the first time and the second time matches a time specification.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes the first time and the second time.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes a duration of time.

33. A computer program product for location-based services, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

at a microprocessor, receiving a first report at a first time from at least one of location sensing hardware in a mobile phone and location receiving hardware in the mobile phone, wherein the first report is associated with a first location and the mobile phone;

receiving a second report at a second time, wherein the second report is associated with a second location and the mobile phone;

determining that the first location corresponds to a facility, wherein the facility is one of a plurality of facilities about which information relating to said facilities are maintained;

determining that the first report is associated with entering the facility;

updating state information associated with the facility, wherein the modified state information includes an indication of presence of personnel associated with the mobile phone at the facility;

determining that the second report is associated with exiting the facility;

storing a data record including first data that includes a first identifier for the facility, second data that includes a second identifier for at least one of the mobile phone and the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and third data that includes information relating to the first time and the second time; and

executing programmatic instructions to determine an amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility based at least in part on the third data of the stored data record, wherein the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility is to be used in calculating a charge on an invoice to a client, wherein the facility is associated with the client, wherein the charge to the client relates to a service performed by the personnel associated with the mobile phone, and wherein the charge to the client is calculated based at least in part on multiplying the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility by a rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the computer program product further comprises computer instructions for preparing the invoice.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the invoice is electronic.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the invoice is printed.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the facility is a building.

38. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the location sensing hardware in the mobile phone includes a GPS receiver.

39. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein determining that the first report is associated with entering the facility includes determining that the first location is associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is not associated with the facility.

40. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein determining that the second report is associated with exiting the facility includes determining that the second location is not associated with the facility and determining that a previous location is associated with the facility.

41. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the rate for the personnel associated with the mobile phone over a predetermined period of time is an hourly rate.

42. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the facility is associated with a region defined by a plurality of corner points.

43. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the facility is a campus.

44. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein determining the amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility includes subtracting the first time from the second time.

45. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the facility is a room.

46. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising computer instructions for determining that at least one of the first time and the second time matches a time specification.

47. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes the first time and the second time.

48. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the information relating to the first time and the second time includes a duration of time.