Account holder notification for an infracting mobile station or mobile directory number (MDN)

• US 8,577,331 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Schroeder, Derek Andrew, Narayanasamy, Raj, Bharathula, Madhu, Gaddam, Venkat, Weinstein, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/488,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20120238239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/405
• 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 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A mobile communication network offers notification to an account holder upon occurrence of an infraction of a subscriber selected restriction by operation of one of the mobile stations under the subscriber'"'"'s account. In the examples, the subscriber can select a directory number/station under the account, a desired one of a number of available restriction options and one or more parameters of the selected restriction. When the mobile communication network detects an infraction, caused by operation of the mobile station through the network, a system or processor obtains a destination address designated for an account holder, for the subscriber'"'"'s account, such as the directory number for one of the subscriber'"'"'s stations selected as that of the account holder. The system sends a notification of the infraction intended for the account holder, using the destination address, for example, as a text message sent through the network to the account holder'"'"'s mobile station.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

detecting an infraction of an account holder selected restriction on usage of a mobile station associated with the account holder on a mobile communication network, caused by an attempt to establish a communication between the mobile station and another mobile station through the mobile communication network;

responsive to detecting the infraction, determining whether the other mobile station with which the communication is attempted to be established is included in a list of allowable mobile stations with which the mobile station is allowed to communicate when an infraction of a restriction is detected; and

allowing the establishing of the communication causing the detected infraction of the restriction on the usage of the mobile station only upon determining that the other mobile station is included in the list of allowable mobile stations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, responsive to detecting the infraction, an attempt to establish communication between the mobile station and any mobile station which is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations is blocked.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations associated with the account holder associated with the mobile station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations selected by the account holder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile station associated with the account holder is one of a plurality of mobile stations associated with the account holder; and

the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations with which any of the plurality of mobile station associated with the account holder is allowed to communicate when an infraction of a restriction is detected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction on usage of the mobile station is one of:

a voice call usage maximum limit, a message communication maximum limit, a data communication maximum limit, and a time of day or day of the week restriction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication between the mobile station and another mobile station through the mobile communication network is one of a voice call that is originated at the mobile station, a voice call that is terminated at the mobile station, a messaging service message that is originated at the mobile station, and a messaging service message that is terminated at the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to determining that the other mobile station is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations:

determining contact information of the account holder, the contact information being different from that of the mobile station; and

transmitting a notification to the account holder using the contact information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, responsive to determining that the other mobile station is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations, transmitting a notification to the mobile station.

10. A mobile communication network comprising:

a traffic network providing mobile communications services to mobile stations of account holders; and

a usage data aggregator coupled to the traffic network configured to;

detect an infraction of an account holder selected restriction on usage of a mobile station associated with the account holder on the traffic network, caused by an attempt to establish a communication between the mobile station and another mobile station through the traffic network;

responsive to detecting the infraction, determine whether the other mobile station with which the communication is attempted to be established is included in a list of allowable mobile stations with which the mobile station is allowed to communicate when an infraction of a restriction is detected; and

allow the establishing of the communication causing the detected infraction of the restriction on the usage of the mobile station only upon determining that the other mobile station is included in the list of allowable mobile stations.

11. The mobile communication network of claim 10, wherein, responsive to detecting the infraction, the usage data aggregator is further configured to block an attempt to establish communication between the mobile station and any mobile station which is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations.

12. The mobile communication network of claim 10, wherein the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations associated with the account holder associated with the mobile station.

13. The mobile communication network of claim 12, wherein the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations selected by the account holder.

14. The mobile communication network of claim 10, wherein:

the mobile station associated with the account holder is one of a plurality of mobile stations associated with the account holder; and

the list of allowable mobile stations is a list of mobile stations with which any of the plurality of mobile station associated with the account holder is allowed to communicate when an infraction of a restriction is detected.

15. The mobile communication network of claim 10, wherein the restriction on usage of the mobile station is one of:

a voice call usage maximum limit, a message communication maximum limit, a data communication maximum limit, and a time of day or day of the week restriction.

16. The mobile communication network of claim 10, wherein the communication between the mobile station and another mobile station through the mobile communication network is one of a voice call that is originated at the mobile station, a voice call that is terminated at the mobile station, a messaging service message that is originated at the mobile station, and a messaging service message that is terminated at the mobile station.

17. The mobile communication network of claim 10, further comprising customer communications system configured to:

receive an infraction notification request message from the usage data aggregator responsive to determining that the other mobile station is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations;

determine contact information of the account holder, the contact information being different from that of the mobile station; and

transmit a notification to the account holder using the contact information.

18. The mobile communication network of claim 17, wherein the customer communications system, responsive to determining that the other mobile station is not included in the list of allowable mobile stations, is further configured to transmit a notification to the mobile station.