Airtime card for the sale and activation of wireless services for a wireless device

• US 10,531,261 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Salihi, Dana
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US14/976,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20160182713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/206 by sending a message, e.g. SMS, MMS or EMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/207 using signaling, e.g. USSD, UUS or DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/301 Code input or reading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/307 Code type, e.g. alphanumeric code, bar code
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An airtime card and associated methods of using the airtime card for the sale and/or authorization of wireless services is disclosed. The methods and airtime card include the use of an airtime card with a near field communication tag with a unique identifier code used to improve a user'"'"'s experience and ease of authorization/provisioning of services for the wireless device. In some aspects, the unique identifier may be protected by a security code programmed at the point-of-sale of the airtime card. The services to be purchased and authorized may include at least one of the following: out of the box activation, device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, data, and/or SMS enrollments or data content.

Claims

1. A system for authorization of prepaid wireless services, the system comprising:

an airtime card including a near field communication tag, the near field communication tag including a unique identifier corresponding to a prepaid wireless service, wherein said unique identifier is configured to be transmitted, using a near field communication reader of a wireless device, to a processor of the wireless device;

a wireless service backend system configured to receive at least a portion of said transmitted unique identifier in an authorization message transmitted to the wireless service backend system from the wireless device for the authorization of the wireless service corresponding to the unique identifier stored in the near field communication tag of the airtime card; and

the wireless service backend system further configured to search a database for the transmitted unique identifier to confirm that the unique identifier is authentic and the wireless service backend system further configured to authorize the wireless service based on the confirmation that the unique identifier is authentic,

wherein the wireless service backend system is configured to monitor the usage of the prepaid wireless service by the wireless device;

wherein the wireless service backend system is configured to limit the usage of wireless service by the wireless device once the prepaid wireless service has been expended;

wherein a point-of-sale is configured to communicate with the near field communication tag of the airtime card, the point-of-sale is configured to program the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in response to a payment transaction, and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system; and

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive the unique identifier from the point-of-sale in response to the payment transaction and the wireless service backend system is further configured to record the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in the database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the point-of-sale is further configured to receive a selection of wireless service type and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system;

wherein the wireless device is configured to execute an activation application with a processor of the wireless device, the activation application executed by the wireless device reads the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card, and the activation application executed by the wireless device transmits the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system in an authorization message;

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive the wireless device information, that is included in the authorization message, from the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device information comprises at least one of the following;

International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM), or an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICCID); and

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to search the database for the transmitted unique identifier to determine that the unique identifier is not approved and the wireless service backend system is further configured to stop authorization of the wireless service based on the determination that the unique identifier is not approved;

wherein the near field communication tag is a radio frequency identification chip that include ISO/IEC 14443 protocols;

wherein the unique identifier is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased;

wherein the unique identifier recorded in the database is verified by the wireless service backend system when the prepaid wireless service is redeemed;

wherein the wireless backend system is implemented by a mobile virtual network operator; and

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive wireless device information, that is included in the authorization message, from the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device information comprises at least one of the following;

International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM), or an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICCID);

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time,

wherein the near field communication tag is a radio frequency identification chip that include ISO/IEC 14443 protocols;

wherein the unique identifier is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased; and

wherein the unique identifier recorded in the database is verified by the wireless service backend system when the prepaid wireless service is redeemed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale is further configured to receive a selection of wireless service type and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to execute an activation application with a processor of the wireless device, the activation application executed by the wireless device reads the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card, and the activation application executed by the wireless device transmits the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system in an authorization message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the point-of-sale is further configured to receive a selection of wireless service type and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system; and

the wireless device is configured to execute an activation application with a processor of the wireless device, the activation application executed by the wireless device reads the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card, and the activation application executed by the wireless device transmits the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system in an authorization message.

8. A method of authorizing wireless services for a wireless device, the method comprising:

providing an airtime card for the authorizing of a prepaid wireless service, the airtime card including a near field communication tag, the near field communication tag including a unique identifier corresponding to the prepaid wireless service associated with the airtime card;

configuring the unique identifier to be received by a near field communication reader of the wireless device;

communicating with the near field communication tag of the airtime card with a point-of-sale;

programming the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in response to a payment transaction with the point-of-sale;

transmitting the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to a wireless service backend system with the point-of-sale;

transmitting the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the near field communication reader of the wireless device;

transmitting the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card from the wireless device to the wireless service backend system in an authorization message;

receiving the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in the wireless service backend system from the wireless device, the wireless service backend system configured to receive at least a portion of said transmitted unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in the authorization message transmitted to the wireless service backend system from the wireless device for the authorization of the wireless service corresponding to the unique identifier stored in the near field communication tag of the airtime card;

searching with the wireless service backend system a database for the transmitted unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to confirm that the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card is authentic and authorizing with the wireless service backend system the wireless service based on the confirmation that the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card is authentic;

monitoring with the wireless service backend system the usage of the prepaid wireless service by the wireless device; and

limiting with the wireless service backend system the usage of wireless service by the wireless device once the prepaid wireless service has been expended,

wherein the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

executing an activation application with a processor of the wireless device;

reading the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in response to the activation application executed by the wireless device; and

transmitting the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system in an authorization message in response to the activation application executed by the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

searching with the wireless service backend system the database for the transmitted unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to determine that the unique identifier is not approved and stopping authorization of the wireless service with the wireless service backend system based on the determination that the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card is not approved,

wherein the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card is configured to form part of the authorization message that is sent to the wireless service backend system for the authorizing of the wireless service.

11. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising:

authorizing the wireless service on the wireless device by the wireless service backend system upon receipt of the authorization message in the wireless service backend system.

12. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising:

receiving with the wireless service backend system the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card from the point-of-sale in response to a payment transaction; and

recording, in the database of the wireless service backend system, the unique identifier corresponding to the authorized service at a time of purchase of the airtime card.

13. The method of claim 8,

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive wireless device information, that is included in the authorization message, from the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device information comprises at least one of the following;

International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM), or an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICCID); and

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time.

14. The method of claim 8,

wherein the near field communication tag is a radio frequency identification chip that include ISO/IEC 14443 protocols;

wherein the unique identifier is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased; and

wherein the unique identifier recorded in the database is verified by the wireless service backend system when the prepaid wireless service is redeemed.

15. The method of claim 8,

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive wireless device information, that is included in the authorization message, from the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device information comprises at least one of the following;

International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM), or an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICCID);

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time,

wherein the near field communication tag is a radio frequency identification chip that include ISO/IEC 14443 protocols;

wherein the unique identifier is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased; and

wherein the unique identifier recorded in the database is verified by the wireless service backend system when the prepaid wireless service is redeemed.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection of wireless service type at the point-of-sale; and

transmitting the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system by the point-of-sale.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the wireless backend system is implemented by a mobile virtual network operator; and

the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the point-of-sale is further configured to receive a selection of wireless service type and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless device is configured to execute an activation application with a processor of the wireless device, the activation application executed by the wireless device reads the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card, and the activation application executed by the wireless device transmits the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system in an authorization message.

20. A system for authorization of prepaid wireless services, the system comprising:

an airtime card including a near field communication tag, the near field communication tag including a unique identifier corresponding to a prepaid wireless service, wherein said unique identifier is configured to be transmitted, using a near field communication reader of a wireless device, to a processor of the wireless device;

a wireless service backend system configured to receive at least a portion of said unique identifier in an authorization message transmitted to the wireless service backend system from the wireless device for the authorization of the wireless service corresponding to the unique identifier stored in the near field communication tag of the airtime card; and

the wireless service backend system further configured to search a database for the unique identifier to confirm that the unique identifier is authentic and the wireless service backend system further configured to authorize the wireless service based on the confirmation that the unique identifier is authentic,

wherein the wireless service backend system is configured to monitor the usage of the prepaid wireless service by the wireless device;

wherein the wireless service backend system is configured to limit the usage of wireless service by the wireless device once the prepaid wireless service has been expended;

wherein a point-of-sale is configured to communicate with the near field communication tag of the airtime card, the point-of-sale is configured to program the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in response to a payment transaction, and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system;

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive the unique identifier from the point-of-sale in response to the payment transaction and the wireless service backend system is further configured to record the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card in the database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased;

wherein the point-of-sale is further configured to receive a selection of wireless service type and the point-of-sale is configured to transmit the selection of wireless service type and the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card to the wireless service backend system;

wherein the wireless device is configured to execute an activation application with a processor of the wireless device, the activation application executed by the wireless device reads the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card, and the activation application executed by the wireless device transmits the unique identifier of the near field communication tag of the airtime card and wireless device information to the wireless backend system;

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to receive the wireless device information, that is included in the authorization message, from the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device information comprises at least one of the following;

International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a serial number for a subscriber identity module (SIM), or an Integrated Circuit Card Identification (ICCID);

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time;

wherein the wireless service backend system is further configured to search the database for the unique identifier to determine that the unique identifier is not approved and the wireless service backend system is further configured to stop authorization of the wireless service based on the determination that the unique identifier is not approved;

wherein the near field communication tag is a radio frequency identification chip that include ISO/IEC 14443 protocols;

wherein the unique identifier is recorded in a database of the wireless service backend system when the airtime card is purchased;

wherein the unique identifier recorded in the database is verified by the wireless service backend system when the prepaid wireless service is redeemed;

wherein the wireless backend system is implemented by a mobile virtual network operator; and

wherein the prepaid wireless services include one or more of;

wireless data, text messaging, and wireless talk time.