Wireless mobile router network with billing reconciliation

• US 8,817,763 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Moeller, Douglas S, Pashby, Ronald W
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari, Sayed T
• Application Number:
  US13/431,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/409, 379/114.01, 379/114, 379/3, 379/114.04, 379/114.1, 379/114.14, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/126
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A mobile router network, comprises: a plurality of wireless mobile routers, each comprising a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a predetermined cellular carrier. Each mobile router is operable to upload data and to download data via the cellular network. Each mobile router is monitors the uploaded and downloaded data to generate statistical usage. The network further comprises a server coupleable to the plurality of wireless mobile routers via the cellular network. The server is operable to access billing data from the predetermined carrier for each of the mobile routers. Each of the mobile routers automatically operates to upload the statistical data to the server. The server operates to compare the statistical data for each mobile router to corresponding billing data for each mobile router to determine if there is a billing discrepancy.

Claims

1. A network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless mobile routers, each of said mobile routers comprising a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a predetermined cellular carrier, each said mobile router is operable to upload data and to download data via said cellular network, each said mobile router is operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate statistical data in quantifiable units of a type that the corresponding cellular carrier utilizes to bill for usage of said carrier'"'"'s cellular network;

at least one server coupleable to said plurality of mobile routers via said cellular network, said at least one server is operable to access billing data from said predetermined carrier for each of said mobile routers;

each of said mobile routers automatically operates to upload said statistical data to said at least one server; and

said server operates to compare said statistical data for each said mobile router to corresponding billing data to determine if there is a billing discrepancy.

2. A network in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said server operates to determine if said billing discrepancy exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. A network in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

said server is operable to automatically generate a discrepancy report to said carrier.

4. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said mobile router uploads said statistical data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule.

5. A network in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said mobile router uploads said statistical data to said server via said cellular network.

6. A network in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

said mobile router is operable such that if, during an upload of said statistical data to said server, said upload is interrupted, said mobile router retains said statistical data, and said mobile router uploads said statistical data during a subsequent time that said mobile router has a communications link to said server.

7. A network in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said server comprises a stored predetermined discrepancy limit.

8. A network in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

said server operating to determine if said billing discrepancies for any of said mobile routers exceeds said predetermined limit.

9. A network in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

said server is operable to store said billing discrepancies for each said mobile router.

10. A network in accordance with claim 9, comprising:

said server is operable to generate a report based on said billing discrepancies.

11. A network in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

said server automatically provides said report to said carrier.

12. A network in accordance with claim 9, comprising:

said server is operable to sort said billing discrepancies by the amount of discrepancy.

13. A network in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said server is operable to generate a report based on said billing discrepancies.

14. A network in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

said server automatically provides said report to said carrier.

15. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said billing data is for a predetermined billing period.

16. A network in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

said server comprises a stored predetermined discrepancy limit.

17. A network in accordance with claim 16, comprising:

said server operates to determine if said billing discrepancies for said billing period for each said mobile router exceeds said predetermined limit.

18. A network in accordance with claim 17, comprising:

said server is operable to store said billing discrepancies for each said mobile router.

19. A network in accordance with claim 18, comprising:

said server is operable to generate a report for said billing period based on said billing discrepancies.

20. A network in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

said server automatically provides said report to said carrier.

21. A network in accordance with claim 18, comprising:

said server is operable to sort said billing discrepancies by the amount of discrepancy.

22. A network in accordance with claim 21, comprising:

said server is operable to generate a report based on said billing discrepancies.

23. A network in accordance with claim 22, comprising:

said server automatically provides said report to said carrier.