Method and apparatus for location-sensitive, subsidized cell phone billing

• US 7,668,765 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Decarta (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koopman, Philip J. Jr., Hendrey, Geoffrey R., Tanaka, Hirohisa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THEIN, MARIA TERESA T
• Application Number:
  US09/898,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,155 Days
• Field of Search: 705/32, 705/20, 705/14, 705/1, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/456
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home

Abstract

A method and system for determining a billing rate of a telecommunications connection is disclosed. The method and system may be used in a location aware telecommunications system that can determine the location of a telecommunications unit (TU) being used within the system. The geographic location of a mobile unit (MU) is determined, and compared to a list a predetermined subsidized zones. When the MU initiates or receives a call from within a subsidized zone, and the MU is otherwise responsible for paying a predetermined billing rate associated with the call, the predetermined rate is subsidized for at least the portion of the call made while the MU is located within the subsidized zone.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a billing rate of a mobile telecommunications connection associated with a mobile telecommunications unit (MU), comprising the steps of:

determining whether a location of the MU is inside or outside a predetermined subsidized zone associated with a commercial establishment;

responsive solely to a determination that the location of the MU is inside the subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a first predetermined billing rate; and

responsive solely to a determination that the MU is outside the predetermined subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a second predetermined billing rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined billing rate is less than the second predetermined billing rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is defined by latitude and longitude.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is defined by Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) numbers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein information corresponding to the predetermined subsidized zone is stored in a database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone information comprises a time period, and wherein the billing rate is reduced when the telecommunications connection occurred at least in part during the time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is defined by a geographical point and a radius.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the commercial establishment pays the first predetermined billing rate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is one of a plurality of predetermined subsidized zones, each associated with a proximity to a different commercial establishment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the billing rate is reduced by a first amount when the location of the MU is within a first predetermined subsidized zone, and the billing rate is reduced by a second amount when the location of the MU is within a second predetermined subsidized zone.

12. A system for adjusting a billing rate of a mobile telecommunications connection associated with a mobile telecommunications unit (MU), comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the operations of;

determining whether a location of the MU is inside or outside a predetermined subsidized zone associated with a commercial establishment;

responsive solely to a determination that the location of the MU is inside the predetermined subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a first predetermined billing rate; and

responsive to a determination that the MU is outside the predetermined subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a second predetermined billing rate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first predetermined billing rate is less than the second predetermined billing rate.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the location is defined by latitude and longitude.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the location is determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS).

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the location is defined by Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) numbers.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein information corresponding to the predetermined subsidized zone is stored in a database.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone information comprises a time period, and wherein the billing rate is reduced when the telecommunications connection occurred at least in part during the time period.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is defined by a geographical point and a radius.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the commercial establishment pays the first predetermined billing rate.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is one of a plurality of predetermined subsidized zones, each associated with a proximity to a different commercial establishment.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the billing rate is reduced by a first amount when the location of the MU is within a first predetermined subsidized zone, and the billing rate is reduced by a second amount when the location of the MU is within a second predetermined subsidized zone.

23. A computer program product for adjusting a billing rate of a mobile telecommunications connection associated with a mobile telecommunications unit (MU) comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code for performing the operations of:

determining whether a location of the MU is inside or outside a predetermined subsidized zone associated with a commercial establishment;

responsive solely to a determination that the location of the MU is inside the predetermined subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a first predetermined billing rate; and

responsive solely to a determination that the MU is outside the predetermined subsidized zone, adjusting the billing rate for the telecommunications connection to a second predetermined billing rate.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the first predetermined billing rate is less than the second predetermined billing rate.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the location is defined by latitude and longitude.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the location is determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS).

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the location is defined by Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) numbers.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein information corresponding to the predetermined subsidized zone is stored in a database.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone information comprises a time period, wherein the billing rate is reduced when the telecommunications connection occurred at least in part during the time period.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is defined by a geographical point and a radius.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the commercial establishment pays the first predetermined billing rate.

32. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the predetermined subsidized zone is one of a plurality of predetermined subsidized zones, each associated with a proximity to a different commercial establishment.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the billing rate is reduced by a first amount when the location of the MU is within a first predetermined subsidized zone, and the billing rate is reduced by a second amount when the location of the MU is within a second predetermined subsidized zone.