Reducing calling costs for wireless phones using multiple mobile identification numbers

• US 6,526,272 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Renger, Bernard S., Stern, Benjamin J., Farah, Jeffrey Joseph, Kapadia, Rajesh, Begeja, Lee, Bansal, Pradeep K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/324,733
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/408, 455/414, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/551, 455/552, 455/553, 455/558, 455/566, 455/186.1
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• 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 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product that reduces calling costs for a wireless phone through the use of multiple mobile identification numbers (MINs). The wireless phone is associated with multiple MINs, which are stored in a profile on the wireless phone network or within the wireless phone. A rate table is used to determine which MIN will incur the lowest calling costs. This MIN is selected for communications between the wireless phone and the wireless phone network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a wireless phone network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a current mobile identification number (MIN) from a wireless phone, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs including the current MIN; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of MINs to be used for calls with the wireless phone based on the costs of completing the calls.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting comprises:

means for accessing a network-based profile associated with the current MIN, the profile including the plurality of MINs, each having a calling cost.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for selecting further comprises:

means for computing the calling cost for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireless calling costs.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

means for transmitting an indication of the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

means for causing the wireless phone to register with the wireless phone network after transmitting the selected MIN.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

means for receiving an outbound phone call from the wireless phone; and

wherein the means for selecting further comprises means for computing the cost of completing the call for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireline calling costs.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call is a long-distance call, and wherein the means for selecting further comprises:

means for computing the cost of completing the outbound call for each of the plurality of MINs based on long-distance calling costs.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the means for selecting further comprises:

means for computing the cost of completing an inbound call to each of the plurality of MINs based on the wireline costs of forwarding the call from a predetermined wireline number.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

means for activating call forwarding of the wireline number to the selected MIN.

11. An apparatus for use in a wireless phone, the apparatus comprising:

means for sending a current mobile identification number (MIN) to a wireless phone network in a call service area, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs;

means for receiving an indication of a selected MIN from the wireless phone network; and

means for using the selected MIN for calls with the wireless phone network;

wherein the wireless phone network selects the selected MIN based on the costs of completing the calls.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving comprises:

receiving the selected MIN from the wireless phone network.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for registering with the wireless phone network using the selected MIN.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for manifesting an indication when the phone changes from one MIN to another.

15. A method for use in a wireless phone network, the method comprising:

receiving a current mobile identification number (MIN) from a wireless phone, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs including the current MIN; and

selecting one of the plurality of MINs to be used for calls with the wireless phone based on the costs of completing the calls.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selecting step comprises:

accessing a network-based profile associated with the current MIN, the profile including the plurality of MINs, each having a calling cost.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting step further comprises:

computing the calling cost for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireless calling costs.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting an indication of the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

causing the wireless phone to register with the wireless phone network after transmitting the selected MIN.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an outbound phone call from the wireless phone; and

wherein the selecting step further comprises computing the cost of completing the call for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireline calling costs.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the call is a long-distance call, and wherein the selecting step further comprises:

computing the cost of completing the outbound call for each of the plurality of MINs based on long-distance calling costs.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting step further comprises:

computing the cost of completing an inbound call to each of the plurality of MINs based on the wireline costs of forwarding the call from a predetermined wireline number.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

activating call forwarding of the wireline number to the selected MIN.

25. A method for use in a wireless phone, the method comprising:

sending a current mobile identification number (MIN) to a wireless phone network in a call service area, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs;

receiving an indication of a selected MIN from the wireless phone network; and

using the selected MIN for calls with the wireless phone network;

wherein the wireless phone network selects the selected MIN based on the costs of completing the calls.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving the selected MIN from the wireless phone network.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

registering with the wireless phone network using the selected MIN.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

manifesting an indication when the phone changes from one MIN to another.

29. A computer program product for use in a wireless phone network, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive a current mobile identification number (MIN) from a wireless phone, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs including the current MIN; and

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select one of the plurality of MINs to be used for calls with the wireless phone based on the costs of completing the calls.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the second computer readable program code means comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to access a network-based profile associated with the current MIN, the profile including the plurality of MINs, each having a calling cost.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the second computer readable program code means further comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compute the calling cost for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireless calling costs.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit an indication of the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to cause the wireless phone to register with the wireless phone network after transmitting the selected MIN.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to transmit the selected MIN to the wireless phone.

35. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive an outbound phone call from the wireless phone; and

wherein the second computer readable program code means further comprises computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compute the cost of completing the call for each of the plurality of MINs based on wireline calling costs.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the call is a long-distance call, and wherein the second computer readable program code means further comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compute the cost of completing the outbound call for each of the plurality of MINs based on long-distance calling costs.

37. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the second computer readable program code means further comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compute the cost of completing an inbound call to each of the plurality of MINs based on the wireline costs of forwarding the call from a predetermined wireline number.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing the computer to activate call forwarding of the wireline number to the selected MIN.

39. A computer program product for use in a wireless phone, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing a computer to send a current mobile identification number (MIN) to a wireless phone network in a call service area, the wireless phone associated with a plurality of MINs;

second computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive an indication of a selected MIN from the wireless phone network; and

third computer readable program code means for causing a computer to use the selected MIN for calls with the wireless phone network;

wherein the wireless phone network selects the selected MIN based on the costs of completing the calls.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the second computer readable program code means comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive the selected MIN from the wireless phone network.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to register with the wireless phone network using the selected MIN.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to manifest an indication when the phone changes from one MIN to another.