Mobile phone distribution system

• US 20030100290A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Original Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Inventors: McGregor, Gregory M., McGregor, Donald Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• 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 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• 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: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A mobile telephone programming and accounting system that includes an integrated hardware system interlinking a telephone unit, a telephone interlink receiver, and a central processing unit connected to the interlink receiver. The hardware system also preferably includes a receipt printer and a credit card reader. The telephone unit is preferably equipped with an internal real time clock and calendar circuit and memory store to record the time and date of calls for reporting to the central processing unit to enable tracking and detailed accounting of calls. The interlink receiver in the improved design includes a gang platform for programming multiple phone units, which may be phone units of different manufacturers, and provides for automatic programming of the multiple units and, in the retail distribution setting, programming the operating parameters and assignment of the phone unit to a service provider with encryption keys to reduce service churning.

Claims

1. A mobile phone programming and tracking system comprising:

an information processing unit; and

an interface unit configured to receive a mobile phone unit and facilitate transfer of information between the information processing unit and the mobile phone unit, the interface unit further including instructions configured to program operations of the mobile phone unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface unit includes an interlink receiver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions include instructions configured to encrypt the mobile phone unit with an anti-churn code.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein when the mobile phone unit is received by the interface unit, the instructions are invoked to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on number of calls made.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein when the mobile phone unit is received by the interface unit, the instructions are invoked to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on area code numbers of calls being made.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein when the mobile phone unit is received by the interface unit, the instructions are invoked to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on a preset date and/or time.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein when the mobile phone unit is received by the interface unit, the instructions are invoked to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a predetermined credit amount is reached.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface unit further includes instructions configured to calculate charges for calls made from the mobile phone unit based on information retrieved from the mobile phone unit.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein when the mobile phone unit is received by the interface unit, the instructions are invoked to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a preset amount of charges is exceeded.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions are modifiable.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a customer activation system connected to the information processing unit via a communication link, the customer activation system including customer information that is to be used by the instructions to program operations of the mobile phone unit.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a central information processor connected to the information processing unit via a communication link;

wherein the central information processor periodically polls the information processing unit to retrieve information transferred from the mobile phone unit to the information processing unit and/or information generated by the interface unit and stored on the information processing unit.

13. A mobile phone programming and tracking system comprising:

a gang platform having a plurality of interface units, each interface unit configured to receive a selected type of mobile phone unit and including instructions to program operations of the selected type of mobile phone unit; and

an information processing unit configured to control the gang platform to program a plurality of selected types of mobile phone units on automated basis at substantially the same time.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of interface units include a plurality of interlink receivers.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein one or more of the interface units each further includes instructions configured to encrypt its corresponding selected type of mobile phone unit with an anti-chum code.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on number of calls made.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on area code numbers of calls being made.

18. The system of claim 13 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on a preset date and/or time.

19. The system of claim 13 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a predetermined credit amount is reached.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein one or more of the interface units each further includes instructions configured to calculate charges for calls made from its corresponding mobile phone unit based on information retrieved from the mobile phone unit.

21. The system of claim 13 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a preset amount of charges is exceeded.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the instructions are modifiable.

23. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a customer activation system connected to the information processing unit via a communication link, the customer activation system including customer information that is to be used by the gang platform to program operations of the plurality of selected types of mobile phone units.

24. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a central information processor connected to the information processing unit via a communication link;

wherein the central information processor periodically polls the information processing unit to retrieve information transferred from the plurality of selected types of mobile phone units to the information processing unit and/or information generated by the gang platform and stored on the information processing unit.

25. A mobile phone programming and tracking system comprising:

a central gang platform having a plurality of interface units, each interface unit configured to receive a selected type of mobile phone unit and including instructions to program operations of the selected type of mobile phone unit; and

a central information processor configured to control the central gang platform to program a plurality of selected types of mobile phone units on automated basis at substantially the same time.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the plurality of interface units include a plurality of interlink receivers.

27. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

a service center system including;

a local gang platform having a plurality of interface units, each interface unit configured to receive a selected type of mobile phone unit and including instructions to program operations of the selected type of mobile phone unit; and

a local information processing unit configured to control the local gang platform to program one or more of the plurality of selected types of mobile phone units on automated basis at substantially the same time.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein one or more of the interface units each further includes instructions configured to encrypt its corresponding selected type of mobile phone unit with an anti-chum code.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit within the local gang platform, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on number of calls made.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit within the local gang platform, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on area code numbers of calls being made.

31. The system of claim 27 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit within the local gang platform, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit based on a preset date and/or time.

32. The system of claim 27 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit within the local gang platform, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a predetermined credit amount is expended.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein one or more of the interface units of the local gang platform each further includes instructions configured to calculate charges for calls made from its corresponding mobile phone unit based on information retrieved from the mobile phone unit.

34. The system of claim 27 when a mobile phone unit is received by its corresponding interface unit within the local gang platform, the corresponding interface unit invokes the instructions associated therewith to program operations of the mobile phone unit including limiting use of the mobile phone unit when a preset amount of charges is exceeded.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions are modifiable.

36. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

a customer activation system connected to the central information processor via a communication link, the customer activation system including customer information that is to be used by the central gang platform to program operations of the plurality of selected types of mobile phone units.

37. The system of claim 27 wherein the central information processor periodically polls the local information processing unit to retrieve information transferred from the plurality of selected types of mobile phone units to the local information processing unit and/or information generated by the local gang platform and stored on the local information processing unit.