Prepaying usage time for another communication device

• US 8,472,598 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mock, Von A., Hayes, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/686,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.17, 379/114.18, 379/114.2, 379/114.16, 455405-408
• US Class Current: 379/114.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/785 Reserving amount on the account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/887 limit per user or user related number
• 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 17/20 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 2215/014 Limit per user or user related number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7295 Reserve amount, e.g. according to estimated costs for a typical communication duration or according to the estimated volume to be transferred
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method of prepaying for usage time for a communication device can include increasing an available balance of a prepaid account linked to a communication device of a first user by a designated amount responsive to a request from a second user (910) and allocating a portion of the available balance of the prepaid account that is attributable to the designated amount for communicating with a designated user (915). The method further can include paying charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user from the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account (925).

Claims

1. A method of prepaying for usage time for a communication device comprising:

increasing an available balance of a prepaid account linked to a communication device of a first user by a designated amount responsive to a request from a second user;

allocating a portion of the available balance of the prepaid account that is attributable to the designated amount for communicating with a designated user; and

paying charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user from the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account;

wherein paying charges further comprises paying charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user from the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account if at least one additional condition associated with the designated user is met, wherein the additional condition specifies a timing constraint which indicates that the communications may only take place between defined hours.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising paying charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and a non-designated user only from a portion of the prepaid account not allocated to communications with designated users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein paying charges further comprises decreasing the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account only for charges incurred from communications initiated either by the first user or the designated user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending available balance information for the prepaid account to at least one of the communication device of the first user or a communication device of the second user, wherein the available balance information specifies, at least in part, the allocated portion of the available balance that remains in the prepaid account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying a designated user as any user having a defined telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying a designated user as any user located within a selected geographic area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying the second user as the designated user.

8. A method of prepaying for usage time for a communication device comprising:

increasing an available balance of a prepaid account linked to a communication device of a first user by a designated amount responsive to a request from a second user;

allocating a portion of the available balance of the prepaid account that is attributable to the designated amount for communicating with a designated user; and

paying charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user from the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account; and

specifying the designated user as any user within a predetermined number of hops of a social network of the first user or the second user, wherein the designated user is within one hop of the first user or the second user when the designated user is listed in an address book of the first user or the second user, and the designated user is within two hops of the first user or the second user when the designated user is listed in an address book of a contact who is listed in the address book of the first user or the second user.

9. A processing node within a communication network comprising:

an account manager that allocates a portion of an available balance of a prepaid account linked with a communication device of a first user for communicating with a designated user; and

a data store comprising account information for the prepaid account, wherein the account information specifies the portion of the prepaid account allocated to communicating with the designated user and a portion of the prepaid account that is allocated to communicating with a non-designated user;

wherein the account manager decreases the portion of the prepaid account allocated to communicating with the designated user according to charges incurred from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user, wherein the account manager receives payments for charges resulting from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user from the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account if at least one additional condition associated with the designated user is met, wherein the additional condition specifies a timing constraint which indicates that the communications may only take place between defined hours.

10. The processing node of claim 9, wherein the account manager decreases the portion of the prepaid account that is allocated to communicating with the non-designated user according to charges incurred for communications between the communication device of the first user and the non-designated user, and does not decrement the portion of the prepaid account allocated to communicating with the designated user.

11. The processing node of claim 9, wherein the account manager decreases the portion of the prepaid account that is allocated to communicating with the designated user only according to charges incurred for communications initiated either by the first user or the designated user.

12. The processing node of claim 9, wherein the account manager allocates the portion of the prepaid account to communicating with the designated user responsive to a request from a second user.

13. The processing node of claim 12, wherein the account manager sends available balance information for the prepaid account to at least one of the mobile device of the first user or a mobile device of the second user, wherein the available balance information specifies the allocated portion of the available balance that remains in the prepaid account.

14. A communication device comprising:

a transceiver disposed within the communication device receiving an available balance of a prepaid account linked with a different communication device and a portion of the available balance that is allocated to communicating with a designated user;

a display; and

a controller operatively coupled to the transceiver and the display, wherein the controller causes the available balance and the allocated portion of the available balance of the prepaid account to be presented upon the display;

wherein the portion of the available balance allocated to communicating with the designated user is associated with an additional condition, wherein the controller causes an indication of the additional condition to be presented upon the display, wherein the additional condition specifies a timing constraint which indicates that the communications may only take place between defined hours.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the portion of the available balance allocated to communicating with the designated user is available only for communications having a specified origination point, wherein the controller causes an indication of the specified origination point to be presented upon the display with the portion of the available balance allocated to communicating with the designated user.

16. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the controller further causes profile administration information for the prepaid account associated with the different communication device to be presented upon the display.

17. A processing node within a communication network comprising:

an account manager that allocates a portion of an available balance of a prepaid account linked with a communication device of a first user for communicating with a designated user; and

a data store comprising account information for the prepaid account, wherein the account information specifies the portion of the prepaid account allocated to communicating with the designated user and a portion of the prepaid account that is allocated to communicating with a non-designated user;

wherein the account manager decreases the portion of the prepaid account allocated to communicating with the designated user according to charges incurred from communications between the communication device of the first user and the designated user, wherein the designated user as any user within a predetermined number of hops of a social network of the first user or the second user, wherein the designated user is within one hop of the first user or the second user when the designated user is listed in an address book of the first user or the second user, and the designated user is within two hops of the first user or the second user when the designated user is listed in an address book of a contact who is listed in the address book of the first user or the second user.