Usage triggered telecommunications charging

• US 9,549,306 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Wiant, Helen N., Dey, Debdulal, Malaksamudra, Gireesh, Tasker, Richard Beaumont
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US14/512,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/64 On-line charging system [OCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An Online Charging System (“OCS”) that processes charging on a telecommunications network receives an indication of usage of a telecommunications service by a subscriber. In response to the indication, the OCS determines a configured offering for the service, where the configured offering includes a time period, and a credit and/or debit. The OCS determines if the usage of the service is a first usage within the time period, and when the usage is the first usage, applies the credit and/or debit. The OCS then determines a charge for the usage based on credit and/or debit.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to process charging on a telecommunications network, the processing comprising:

receiving an indication of usage of a telecommunications service by a subscriber;

in response to the indication, determining a configured offering for the service, the configured offering comprising the telecommunications service, a time period, and at least one of a credit or debit;

determining if the usage of the telecommunications service is a first usage of the telecommunications service by the subscriber within the time period;

when the usage is the first usage, applying the at least one of credit or debit; and

determining a charge for the usage based on the at least one of credit or debit;

wherein when the usage is not the first usage within the time period, not applying the at least one of credit or debit.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the time period is daily.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network comprises an online charging system, and the processing is implemented by the online charging system.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the charge is zero based on applying at least one of credit or debit.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications service comprises voice calling and the credit comprises a number of voice minutes.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications service comprises text messaging and the credit comprises a number of texts.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications service comprises data usage and the credit comprises a number of bytes of data.

8. A method of charging on a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of usage of a communications service by a subscriber;

in response to the indication, determining a configured offering for the service, the configured offering comprising the telecommunications service, a time period, and at least one of a credit or debit;

determining if the usage of the telecommunications service is a first usage of the telecommunications service by the subscriber within the time period;

when the usage is the first usage, applying the at least one of credit or debit; and

determining a charge for the usage based on the at least one of credit or debit;

wherein when the usage is not the first usage within the time period, not applying the at least one of credit or debit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time period is daily.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the communications network comprises an online charging system, and the processing is implemented by the online charging system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the charge is zero based on applying at least one of credit or debit.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications service comprises voice calling and the credit comprises a number of voice minutes.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications service comprises text messaging and the credit comprises a number of texts.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications service comprises data usage and the credit comprises a number of bytes of data.

15. An Online Charging System (OCS) comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing a module that causes the processor to charge for a communications service comprising;

receiving an indication of usage of the communications service by a subscriber;

in response to the indication, determining a configured offering for the service, the configured offering comprising the telecommunications service, a time period, and at least one of a credit or debit;

determining if the usage of the telecommunications service is a first usage of the telecommunications service by the subscriber within the time period;

when the usage is the first usage, applying the at least one of credit or debit; and

determining a charge for the usage based on the at least one of credit or debit;

wherein when the usage is not the first usage within the time period, not applying the at least one of credit or debit.

16. The OCS of claim 15, wherein the charge is zero based on applying at least one of credit or debit.

17. The OCS of claim 15, wherein the credit comprises at least one of a number of voice minutes, a number of texts or a number of bytes of data.