Method and system to implement telephone billing to incentivize shared mobile phone usage

• US 8,452,258 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Movirtu Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Waller, Nigel
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US12/142,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20090318113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4144, 455406-408, 455418-420, 705/14, 705/34, 705/40
• 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 15/10 Metering calls from calling party , i.e. A-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/54 for revenue sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for implementing account billing which incentivizes shared mobile phone usage. The owner of a phone, or other device capable of making phone calls, would receive a credit to their phone account balance, from the telephone service provider, when they share their phone with another user and allow that user to make a phone call or other transaction by logging into their account using the shared phone, making the phone call or other mobile transaction and then returning the phone.

Claims

1. A method for incentivizing shared mobile phone usage on a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

allowing usage of a second mobile phone account with a mobile phone that is associated with a first mobile phone account, wherein the mobile phone directly accesses a telecommunications network;

compensating the first mobile phone account for allowing usage of the second mobile phone account with the mobile phone, wherein compensating the first mobile phone account comprises providing the first mobile phone account with a monetary credit, physical gift, reward points, or free minutes of phone usage, and

sending a message to the first mobile phone account confirming compensation, wherein the message comprises a SMS text message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile phone comprises a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that allows the mobile phone to be registered and authenticated on the telecommunications network as being associated with the first mobile phone account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is defined in a rate plan associated with the first mobile phone account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account increases based on the number of other accounts accessed with the phone during a predefined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is based on duration of usage of the second mobile phone account with the mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is based on a percentage of a transaction cost that is charged to the second mobile phone account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein usage of the second mobile phone account comprises receiving or initiating a phone call, accessing voicemail, accessing a list of missed calls, sending or receiving an SMS, sending an email, or sending a MMS.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein usage of the second mobile phone account comprises receiving or initiating a phone call, accessing voicemail, accessing a list of missed calls, sending or receiving an SMS, sending an email, sending a MMS, or browsing the internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein usage of the second mobile phone account comprises receiving or initiating a phone call, accessing voicemail, accessing a list of missed calls, sending or receiving an SMS, sending an email, sending a MMS, browsing the internet, making a financial transaction, or transferring money to a third party.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the second mobile phone account, wherein authenticating the second mobile phone account comprises verifying that the second mobile phone account comprises a post-paid account with up to date payments, pre-paid account, or share-paid account.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile phone account is associated with a first service provider and the second mobile phone account is associated with the first service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein compensating the first mobile phone account comprises a first service provider interfacing with a second service provider, wherein the first mobile phone account is associated with the first service provider and the second mobile phone account is associated with the second service provider.

13. A method for incentivizing shared mobile phone usage on a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a mobile phone associated with a first mobile phone account to allow usage of a second mobile phone account with the mobile phone;

authenticating the second mobile phone account, wherein authenticating the second mobile phone account comprises verifying that the second mobile phone account comprises a post-paid account with up to date payments, pre-paid account, or share-paid account;

allowing usage of a second mobile phone account with the mobile phone, wherein usage of the second mobile phone account comprises receiving or initiating a phone call, accessing voicemail, accessing a list of missed calls, sending or receiving an SMS, sending an email, sending a MMS, or browsing the internet, and wherein usage occurs directly between the mobile phone and a telecommunications network; and

compensating the first mobile phone account for allowing usage of the second mobile phone account with the mobile phone, wherein compensating the first mobile phone account comprises providing the first mobile phone account with a monetary credit, physical gift, reward points, or free minutes of phone usage.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending a message to the first account confirming the compensation, wherein the message comprises a SMS text message.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is defined in a rate plan associated with the first account.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account increases based on the number of other accounts accessed with the phone during a predefined period of time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is based on duration of usage of the second mobile phone account with the mobile phone.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the compensation applied to the first mobile phone account is based on a percentage of a transaction cost that is charged to the second mobile phone account.