Prepaid short message services revenue capture
First Claim
1. A method of providing prepaid message services, comprising:
- receiving a text message from a mobile device associated with a prepaid account for text messages;
initiating a pre-delivery debit query to a prepaid server to determine if said prepaid account is sufficient to deliver said text message;
initiating delivery of said text message when said prepaid account indicates adequate funds to deliver said text message;
subsequently initiating an additional debit query during said initiated delivery of said text message; and
dropping said text message when said prepaid account indicates inadequate funds to cover an additional service fee identified after said pre-delivery debit query.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prepaid messaging solution that utilizes a pre-delivery debit query to tariff a short message, coupled with an additional debit query performed once necessary billing information has been acquired. A short message is tariffed prior to message delivery via a pre-delivery debit query to a prepaid server. During message delivery, the prepaid server is queried a second time, following the HLR query performed by the Short Message Service Center (SMSC). This subsequent debit query bills a subscriber for any additional service fees discovered throughout message delivery, e.g., international/roaming fees, etc. If either the pre-delivery debit query or the subsequent debit query indicates that a subscriber has insufficient account balance to deliver a short message, the message is prevented from being delivered. If a message is dropped due to lack of account balance, any funds debited throughout the attempted message delivery may be credited back to the subscriber'"'"'s prepaid account.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of providing prepaid message services, comprising:
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receiving a text message from a mobile device associated with a prepaid account for text messages; initiating a pre-delivery debit query to a prepaid server to determine if said prepaid account is sufficient to deliver said text message; initiating delivery of said text message when said prepaid account indicates adequate funds to deliver said text message; subsequently initiating an additional debit query during said initiated delivery of said text message; and dropping said text message when said prepaid account indicates inadequate funds to cover an additional service fee identified after said pre-delivery debit query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A short message service center (SMSC) comprising one or more computing devices, the SMSC being configured to:
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receive a text message from a mobile device associated with a prepaid account for text messages; initiate a pre-delivery debit query to a prepaid server to determine if said prepaid account is sufficient to deliver said text message; initiate delivery of dropping said text message when said prepaid account indicates does not have adequate funds to deliver said text message; subsequently initiate an additional debit query to the prepaid server during said initiated delivery of said text message; and drop said text message when said prepaid account indicates inadequate funds to cover an additional service fee is identified after said pre-delivery debit query. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification