Methods, systems, and products for monitoring service usage

• US 9,357,085 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A., Alin, Jun-Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US14/752,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 339 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/32.04, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.04, 379/112.06, 379/112.07, 379/112.08, 379/114.01, 379/114.13, 379/114.17, 379/121.01, 379/121.02, 379/121.03, 379/121.04, 379/122, 379/127.01, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/418, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/67 Transmitting arrangements for sending billing related information
• 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: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8257 Unit based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 : Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 : Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 : Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

Usage information is received that describes usage of communication services by a communications device. The usage information is compared to monitoring criteria. When the monitoring criteria are satisfied, an electronic notification message is sent to the communications device before an additional charge is incurred.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, electronic usage information describing different services utilized by a communications device, the different services provided by a communications network;

generating, by the processor, a combined usage of the different services utilized by the communications device;

retrieving, by the processor, a monitoring criterion associated with the communications device, the monitoring criterion associated with a threshold at which additional charges are incurred;

comparing, by the processor, the combined usage of the different services to the monitoring criterion;

determining, by the processor, that the combined usage satisfies the monitoring criterion; and

sending, from the processor, an electronic message via the communications network to an address associated with the communications device, the electronic message alerting of the additional charges.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a text message to the address associated with the communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the combined usage in the electronic message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising including balance information in the electronic message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amount of data sent to the address associated with the communications device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the amount of data is less than the monitoring criterion.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the amount of data exceeds the monitoring criterion.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving electronic usage information describing different services in a network utilized by a group of devices associated with a shared account;

generating a combined usage of the different services utilized by the group of devices;

retrieving a monitoring criterion associated with a threshold at which additional charges are incurred;

comparing the monitoring criterion to the combined usage of the different services utilized by the group of devices;

determining that the combined usage of the different services utilized by the group of devices at least equals the monitoring criterion; and

sending an electronic message via the network to a network address associated with at least one device in the group of devices, the electronic message alerting of the additional charges incurred.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic message to each device in the group of devices.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic message to multiple devices in the group of devices.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending a text message as the electronic message.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise including the combined usage in the electronic message.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise including a balance in the electronic message.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise including data transferred in the electronic message.

15. A memory device storing code that when executed causes a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving electronic usage information describing different data services utilized by a group of devices accessing a network, the group of devices associated with a shared account;

generating a combined usage of the different data services utilized by the group of devices;

retrieving a monitoring criterion associated with a threshold at which additional charges are incurred;

comparing the monitoring criterion to the combined usage of the different data services utilized by the group of devices;

determining that the combined usage at least equals the monitoring criterion; and

sending an electronic message via the network to a network address associated with at least one device in the group of devices, the electronic message alerting of the additional charges incurred.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic message to each device in the group of devices.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic message to multiple devices in the group of devices.

18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending a text message as the electronic message.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise including the combined usage in the electronic message.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise including a balance in the electronic message.