Service detail record application and system

• US 20060040642A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DBS Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DBS Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Boris, Adam, McFarland, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• 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 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A SIM card for a phone has a first memory partition on which a phone user identity and phone network access data are stored. A service usage monitoring application is stored in a memory. The service usage monitoring application (a) logs information about a service used via the phone, (b) creates a service usage record for the service activity based on the information, (c) stores the service usage record in a buffer, (d) creates a reporting message containing at least one service usage data record, (e) sends the reporting message to a remote server at a preset interval based on a triggered event, and (f) purges the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message.

Claims

1. A Subscriber Identity Module (“

SIM”

) card for a phone, comprising;

a first memory partition on which a phone user identity and phone network access data are stored;

a second memory partition on which a service usage monitoring application is stored;

wherein the service usage monitoring application;

detects and logs information about a service utilized via the phone,

creates a service usage record for the service based on the information,

stores the service usage record in a buffer,

creates a reporting message containing at least one service usage record,

sends the reporting message to a remote storage and control server at a preset interval based on a triggered event, and

purges the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message.

2. The SIM card according to claim 1, the reporting message being sent via a GSM wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, General Packet Radio Service, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched data calling protocol.

3. The SIM card according to claim 1, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, General Packet Radio Service, data calling, execution of a purchase transaction, downloading, streaming media, and picture messaging.

4. The SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the information includes a start time of the service, a destination number when a user of the phone initiates an outbound service, and a phone number and an origin number when the user receives an inbound service.

5. The SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the service usage monitoring application performs at least one of:

periodically updating a record of a length of the service during the use of the service, and logging an end time at the end of the service.

6. The SIM card according to claim 5, wherein the time is determined by referencing a clock/timer on the phone.

7. The SIM card according to claim 1, the phone being selected from the group consisting of:

a GSM cellular phone and a CDMA cellular phone.

8. The SIM card according to claim 1, wherein all unique program code necessary to implement the service usage monitoring application is stored on the SIM card.

9. The SIM card according to claim 1, the triggered event being selected from the group consisting of:

time, message size, and an accumulated service usage units count.

10. The SIM card according to claim 1, the SIM card being adapted to receive a control message from the remote storage and control server, the control message including parameters to control the service on the phone and optimize a reporting frequency of the reporting message.

11. The SIM card according to claim 10, the parameters being selected from the group consisting of:

a time frequency at which the reporting message is sent to the remote storage and control server;

a message size threshold before the reporting message is sent;

a service count limit of the service before the reporting message is sent; and

a maximum call length allowed by the SIM card.

12. The SIM card according to claim 10, the parameters including an ability to command the SIM card to do at least one of:

immediately send the reporting message, and set a transmission time of the reporting message according to a predefined event.

13. The SIM card according to claim 12, the predefined event being selected from the group consisting of:

power-up, power-down, defined error condition, phone change of state, and detection of user input.

14. The SIM card according to claim 10, wherein the control message causes one of an enabling and a disabling of modes of service, the modes of service being selected from the group consisting of:

inbound service, outbound service, Short Message Service, voice service, General Packet Radio Service, transaction service, data streaming service, and download service.

15. The SIM card according to claim 10, wherein an item, selected from the group consisting of the control message and the at least one service usage record, is transparent to a user of the phone.

16. The SIM card according to claim 10, wherein the control message causes an updating of the service usage monitoring application, by downloading new code libraries to the service usage monitoring application, and commanding the service usage monitoring application to utilize the new code libraries and purge old code libraries.

17. The SIM card according to claim 1, wherein the service usage monitoring application interrogates the phone to determine if predetermined standards are met, wherein the SIM card becomes invalid when the predetermined standards are not met by the phone.

18. The SIM card according to claim 1, wherein access between the first memory partition and the second memory partition is secure, is controlled locally, and is limited to pre-selected SIM elemental files to control access to a cellular network.

19. The SIM card according to claim 10, wherein the control message shuts off the service on the phone when a predetermined service threshold has been met by the phone.

20. The SIM card according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the reporting message and the control message are encrypted.

21. The SIM card according to claim 1, the reporting message being sent via a CDMA wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, 1xRTT, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched packet data calling protocol.

22. The SIM card according to claim 1, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, EvDO, 1xRTT, circuit-switched data, and packet data.

23. A method of reporting service usage information for a user of a wireless device, comprising:

detecting and logging information about a service utilized via the wireless device;

creating a service usage record for the service based on the information;

storing the service usage record in a buffer;

creating a reporting message containing at least one service usage record;

sending the reporting message to a remote storage and control server at an interval based on a triggered event; and

purging the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message, wherein

the logged information, the service usage record, the buffer, and the reporting message are stored in a memory of wireless device.

24. The method according to claim 23, the reporting message being sent via a GSM wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, General Packet Radio Service, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched data calling protocol.

25. The method according to claim 23, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, General Packet Radio Service, data calling, execution of a purchase transaction, downloading, streaming media, and picture messaging.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the information includes a start time of the service, a destination number when a user of the wireless device initiates an outbound service, and a phone number and an origin number when the user receives an inbound service.

27. The method according to claim 23, further including performing at least one of:

periodically updating a record of a length of the service during the use of the service, and logging an end time at the end of the service.

28. The method according to claim 23, the time being determined by referencing a clock/timer on the wireless device.

29. The method according to claim 23, the wireless device being a phone selected from the group consisting of:

a GSM cellular phone and a CDMA cellular phone.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein all unique program code necessary to implement the method is stored in the memory of the wireless device.

31. The method according to claim 23, the triggered event being selected from the group consisting of:

time, message size, and an accumulated service usage units count.

32. The method according to claim 23, further including receiving a control message from the remote storage and control server, the control message including parameters to control the service on the wireless device and optimize a reporting frequency of the reporting message.

33. The method according to claim 32, the parameters being selected from the group consisting of:

a time frequency at which the reporting message is sent to the remote storage and control server;

a message size threshold before the reporting message is sent;

a service count limit of the service before the reporting message is sent; and

a maximum length for a service usage session allowed by the wireless device.

34. The method according to claim 32, the parameters including an ability to command the wireless device to do at least one of:

immediately send the reporting message, and set a transmission time of the reporting message according to a predefined event.

35. The method according to claim 34, the predefined event being selected from the group consisting of:

power-up, power-down, defined error condition, wireless device change of state, and detection of user input.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein the control message causes one of an enabling and a disabling, of modes of service, the modes of service being selected from the group consisting of:

inbound service, outbound service, Short Message Service, voice service, General Packet Radio Service, transaction service, data streaming service, and download service.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein an item, selected from the group consisting of the control message and the at least one service usage record, is transparent to a user of the phone.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein the control message causes an updating of the service usage monitoring application, by downloading new code libraries to the service usage monitoring application, and commanding the service usage monitoring application to utilize the new code libraries and purge old code libraries.

39. The method according to claim 30, wherein the memory includes a first memory partition on which the unique code is stored, and a second memory partition, and access between the first memory partition and the second memory partition is secure, is controlled locally, and is limited to pre-selected elemental files to control access to a cellular network.

40. The method according to claim 32, wherein the control message shuts off the service on the wireless device when a predetermined service threshold has been met by the wireless device.

41. The method according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the reporting message and the control message are encrypted.

42. The method according to claim 23, the reporting message being sent via a CDMA wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, 1xRTT, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched packet data calling protocol.

43. The method according to claim 23, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, EvDO, 1xRTT, circuit-switched data, and packet data.

44. A processor-readable medium having encoded thereon a processor-readable program code which when executed causes a processor to implement a method comprising:

detecting and logging information about a service utilized via a wireless device;

creating a service usage record for the service based on the information;

storing the service usage record in a buffer;

creating a reporting message containing at least one service usage record;

sending the reporting message to a remote storage and control server at an interval based on a triggered event; and

purging the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message, wherein

the logged information, the service usage record, the buffer, and the reporting message are stored in a memory of the wireless device.

45. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the reporting message being sent via a wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, General Packet Radio Service, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched data calling protocol.

46. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, General Packet Radio Service, data calling, execution of a purchase transaction, downloading, streaming media, and picture messaging.

47. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, wherein the information includes a start time of a service, a destination number when the wireless device user initiates an outbound service, and a phone number and an origin number when the user receives an inbound service.

48. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the method further including performing at least one of:

periodically updating a record of a length of the service during the use of the service, and logging an end time at the end of the service.

49. The processor-readable medium according to claim 48, the time being determined by referencing a clock/timer on the wireless device.

50. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the wireless device being a phone selected from the group consisting of:

a GSM cellular phone and a CDMA cellular phone.

51. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, wherein all unique program code necessary to implement the method is stored in a memory of the wireless device.

52. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the triggered event being selected from the group consisting of:

time, message size, and an accumulated service usage units count.

53. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the method further including receiving a control message from the remote storage and control server, the control message including parameters to control the service on the wireless device and optimize a reporting frequency of the reporting message.

54. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, the parameters being selected from the group consisting of:

a time frequency at which the reporting message is sent to the remote storage and control server;

a message size threshold before the reporting message is sent;

a service count limit of the service before the reporting message is sent; and

a maximum call length allowed by the wireless device.

55. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, the parameters including an ability to command the wireless device to do at least one of:

immediately send the reporting message, and set a transmission time of the reporting message according to a predefined event.

56. The processor-readable medium according to claim 55, the predefined event being selected from the group consisting of:

power-up, power-down, defined error condition, wireless device of state, and detection of user input.

57. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, wherein the control message causes one of an enabling and a disabling, of modes of service, the modes of service being selected from the group consisting of:

inbound service, outbound service, Short Message Service, voice service, General Packet Radio Service, transaction service, data streaming service, and download service.

58. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, wherein an item, selected from the group consisting of the control message and the at least one service usage record, is transparent to a user of the phone.

59. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, wherein the control message causes an updating of the service usage monitoring application, by downloading new code libraries to the service usage monitoring application, and commanding the service usage monitoring application to utilize the new code libraries and purge old code libraries.

60. The processor-readable medium according to claim 51, wherein the memory includes a first memory partition on which the unique code is stored, and a second memory partition, and access between the first memory partition and the second memory partition is secure, is controlled locally, and is limited to pre-selected elemental files to control access to a cellular network.

61. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, wherein the control message shuts off the service on the wireless device when a predetermined service threshold has been met by the wireless device.

62. The processor-readable medium according to claim 53, wherein at least one of the reporting message and the control message are encrypted.

63. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the reporting message being sent via a CDMA wireless communications protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Short Message Service, 1xRTT, User Datagram Protocol, and a circuit-switched packet data calling protocol.

64. The processor-readable medium according to claim 44, the service being selected from the group consisting of:

voice calling, messaging, EvDO, 1xRTT, circuit-switched data, and packet data.

65. A Subscriber Identity Module (“

SIM”

) card for a communications device, comprising;

a first memory partition on which a user identity and network access data are stored;

a second memory partition on which a service usage monitoring application is stored, wherein access between the first memory partition and the second memory partition is limited to SIM elemental files to control access to a network;

wherein the service usage monitoring application;

detects and logs information about a service utilized via the communications device,

creates a service usage record for the service based on the information,

stores the service usage record in a buffer,

creates a reporting message containing at least one service usage record,

sends the reporting message to a remote storage and control server at a preset interval based on a triggered event, and

purges the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message.

66. The SIM card according to claim 65, the network being selected from the group consisting of:

Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol;

GSM;

DECT;

TDMA; and

CDMA.

67. A device to communicate via a network, comprising:

a memory on which a user identity, network access data, and a service usage monitoring application is stored;

wherein the service usage monitoring application;

detects and logs information about a service utilized via the device,

creates a service usage record for the service based on the information,

stores the service usage record in a buffer,

creates a reporting message containing at least one service usage record,

sends the reporting message to a remote storage and control server at a preset interval based on a triggered event, and

purges the at least one service usage record from the buffer upon successful transmission of the reporting message.

68. The device according to claim 67, the device being a phone selected from the group consisting of:

a GSM cellular phone and a CDMA cellular phone.

69. The device according to claim 67, the device being adapted to receive a control message from the remote storage and control server, the control message including parameters to control the service on the device and optimize a reporting frequency of the reporting message.

70. The device according to claim 69, the parameters being selected from the group consisting of:

a time frequency at which the reporting message is sent to the remote storage and control server;

a message size threshold before the reporting message is sent;

a service count limit of the service before the reporting message is sent; and

a maximum call length allowed by the device.

71. The device according to claim 69, the parameters including an ability to command the device to do at least one of:

immediately send the reporting message, and set a transmission time of the reporting message according to a predefined event.

72. The device according to claim 71, the predefined event being selected from the group consisting of:

power-up, power-down, defined error condition, device change of state, and detection of user input.

73. The device according to claim 69, wherein the control message causes one of an enabling and a disabling of modes of service, the modes of service being selected from the group consisting of:

inbound service, outbound service, Short Message Service, voice service, General Packet Radio Service, transaction service, data streaming service, and download service.