×

Prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network

  • US 9,084,104 B2
  • Filed: 08/29/2006
  • Issued: 07/14/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method comprising:

  • receiving, at a server, a message associated with an activation request for an Internet data service;

    obtaining, from a database, information pertaining to a prepaid account balance associated with a mobile station;

    determining whether the prepaid account balance associated with the mobile station is sufficient for the Internet data service;

    in response to the prepaid account balance being sufficient for the Internet data service, sending an Internet access inquiry to a content server;

    receiving, from the content server, an Internet access response;

    monitoring the volume of data transferred between the content server and the mobile station during the Internet data service;

    updating the prepaid account balance associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the volume of data transferred between the content server and the mobile station during the Internet data service, wherein the prepaid account balance is updated in response to a request for release of the data service, wherein the request for release is received from a gateway support node (GGSN), wherein the mobile station is associated with a Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number or an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number that is correlated to an Internet Protocol (IP) address, wherein the IP address is included in packets sent from the content server to the mobile station, and wherein at least one of the packets are received by the mobile station; and

    sending a request to the content server to discontinue the Internet data service prior to the prepaid account balance reaching zero.

View all claims
  • 4 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×