Mobile router configured for billing reconcilliation

• US 8,817,764 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:
  US13/431,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202453A1
• 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: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/725 by the operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A mobile router comprises: a wide area network wireless interface operable to access a cellular network; first apparatus operable to upload data and to download data via the interface to the cellular network; second apparatus operable to monitor the uploaded data and the downloaded data and to generate data corresponding to predetermined quantifiable units corresponding to the uploaded data and the downloaded data; and the first apparatus and second apparatus cooperatively operate to automatically upload the usage data to a server for generation of usage discrepancy reports.

Claims

1. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface operable to access a cellular network;

a communications agent operable to upload data and to download data to said cellular network via said interface;

a processor operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate data corresponding to predetermined quantifiable units corresponding to said uploaded data and said downloaded data;

said communications agent and said processor cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to a server for generation of usage discrepancy reports;

said communications agent and said processor cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said communications agent uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

2. A mobile router in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said communications agent and said processor are cooperatively operable such that if, during said upload of said statistical usage to said server, said upload is interrupted, said usage data is uploaded at a subsequent time.

3. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a predetermined cellular service provider;

a local area network wireless interface for wireless connection to a mobile device;

a communications agent operable to upload data from said mobile device and to download data to said mobile device via said cellular network;

a processor operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate corresponding usage data;

said processor and said communications agent cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to a server for use in generating usage discrepancy reports;

said communications agent and said processor cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said communications agent uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

4. A mobile router in accordance with claim 3, wherein:

said communication agent and said processor cooperatively operate such that if said upload of said usage data is interrupted, said communication agent and said processor cooperatively operate to upload said usage data at a subsequent time.

5. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a cellular service provider to upload data and to download data via said cellular network;

a communications agent;

a processor operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate corresponding usage data representative of the quantity of uploaded data and downloaded data;

said processor is automatically operable to upload said usage data to a server for comparison with billing data obtained from said service provider to generate usage discrepancy reports;

said communications agent and said processor cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said communications agent uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

6. A mobile router in accordance with claim 5, comprising:

said processor uploads said usage data at predetermined times.

7. A mobile router in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

if said upload of said usage data is interrupted, said processor uploads said usage data at a later predetermined time.

8. A mobile router in accordance with claim 5, comprising:

a memory,

said processor is operable to store said usage data in said memory.

9. A mobile router in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

said processor uploads said usage data at predetermined times.

10. A mobile router in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

if said upload of said usage data is interrupted, said processor uploads said usage data at a later predetermined time.

11. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface operable to access a cellular network, usage of said cellular network billed based upon data usage;

first apparatus operable to upload data and to download data via said interface to said cellular network;

second apparatus operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate data corresponding to predetermined quantifiable units corresponding to said uploaded data and said downloaded data;

said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to a server for generation of usage discrepancy reports;

said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said first apparatus uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

12. A mobile router in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

said first apparatus and said second apparatus are cooperatively operable such that if, during said upload of said usage data to said server, said upload is interrupted, said usage data is uploaded at a subsequent time.

13. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a predetermined cellular service provider;

a local area network wireless interface for wireless connection to a mobile device;

first apparatus operable to upload data from said mobile device and to download data to said mobile device via said cellular network;

second apparatus operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate corresponding usage data;

said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to a server for use in generating usage discrepancy reports;

said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate to automatically upload said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said first apparatus uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

14. A mobile router in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate such that if said upload of said usage data is interrupted, said first apparatus and said second apparatus cooperatively operate to upload said usage data at a subsequent time.

15. A mobile router, comprising:

a wide area network wireless interface to access a cellular network provided by a cellular service provider to upload data and to download data via said cellular network;

apparatus operable to monitor said uploaded data and said downloaded data and to generate corresponding usage data representative of the quantity of uploaded data and downloaded data; and

said apparatus is automatically operable to upload said usage data to a server for comparison with billing data obtained from said service provider to generate usage discrepancy reports;

said apparatus automatically uploads said usage data to said server in accordance with a predetermined schedule; and

said apparatus uploads said usage data to said server via said cellular network.

16. A mobile router in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

said apparatus uploads said usage data at predetermined times.

17. A mobile router in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

if said upload of said usage data is interrupted, said apparatus uploads said usage data at a later predetermined time.