Systems, methods, and mobile devices for providing a user interface to facilitate access to prepaid wireless account information

• US 9,485,339 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Corbin, Sean, King, Simon, O'Leary, Jeremiah, Lockwood, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIUSANO, ANDREW TSUTOMU
• Application Number:
  US12/783,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,358 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• 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 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8137 Message, e.g. alphanumeric text, SMS, MMS, EMS or www-based messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile device includes, in response to receiving a swipe gesture via a user interface of the mobile device, displaying a balance of a prepaid wireless service account on a display of the mobile device. The balance may be displayed in a currency such as monetary currency or a proprietary currency such as minutes or credits provided by a wireless service provider. The method may also include displaying an expiration time to identity a time remaining until the balance expires. The method may also include generating a balance request including a request for the balance of the prepaid wireless service account from a prepaid billing system in response to receiving the swipe gesture, transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system, and receiving the balance in response to the balance request.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor of a mobile communication device, that a first swipe gesture was made, in a first direction, by way of a capacitive touch sensor of the mobile communication device, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is integrated into a portion of a display of the mobile communication device such that the portion of the display is provided a touchscreen interface;

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction,

launching, by the processor, a prepaid application stored at the mobile communication device,

retrieving, by the processor using the prepaid application, from a prepaid billing system, a balance associated with a prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device and an expiration time indicating a time remaining until the balance expires, and

displaying, by the processor, on the display, the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device;

determining, by the processor, that a second swipe gesture was made, in the first direction, by way of the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to determining that the second swipe gesture was made in the first direction, displaying, by the processor, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires;

determining, by the processor, that a third swipe gesture was made, in a second direction opposite the first direction, by way of the capacitive touch sensor; and

in response to determining that the third swipe gesture was made in the second direction, removing, by the processor, the balance and the expiration time displayed on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account comprises a currency amount in dollars.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account comprises a currency amount in a proprietary currency, the proprietary currency comprising one of a monetary currency or a number of minutes associated with the prepaid wireless service account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the second swipe gesture is made by way of the capacitive touch sensor during a threshold time period, and wherein displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires comprises displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires if the second swipe gesture is made during the threshold time period.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving as input a custom time period, and wherein the threshold time period is set to the custom time period.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving, from a server, a custom time period, and wherein the threshold time period is set to the custom time period.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction and prior to displaying the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account, generating, using the prepaid application, a balance request to request, from the prepaid billing system, the balance and the expiration time;

transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system; and

receiving, from the prepaid billing system, a response to the balance request, the response comprising the balance and the expiration time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

generating the balance request comprises generating an unstructured supplementary service data code request to request the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account;

transmitting the balance request comprises transmitting the unstructured supplementary service data code request to the prepaid billing system by way of an unstructured supplementary service data gateway; and

receiving the response comprises receiving an unstructured supplementary service data response.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that a first swipe gesture was made, in a first direction, by way of a capacitive touch sensor of the mobile communication device, wherein the capacitive touch sensor is integrated into a portion of a display of the mobile communication device such that the portion of the display is provided a touchscreen interface;

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction,

launching a prepaid application stored at the mobile communication device,

retrieving, from a prepaid billing system, a balance associated with a prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device and an expiration time indicating a time remaining until the balance expires, and

displaying, on the display, the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device;

determining that a second swipe gesture was made, in the first direction, by way of the capacitive touch sensor;

in response to determining that the second swipe gesture was made in the first direction, displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires;

determining that a third swipe gesture was made, in a second direction opposite the first direction, by way of the capacitive touch sensor; and

in response to determining that the third swipe gesture was made in the second direction, removing the balance and the expiration time displayed on the display.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction and prior to displaying the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account, generating, using the prepaid application, a balance request to request, from the prepaid billing system, the balance and the expiration time;

transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system; and

receiving, from the prepaid billing system, a response to the balance request, the response comprising the balance and the expiration time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein:

generating the balance request comprises generating an unstructured supplementary service data code request to request the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account;

transmitting the balance request comprises transmitting the unstructured supplementary service data code request to the prepaid billing system by way of an unstructured supplementary service data gateway; and

receiving the response comprises receiving an unstructured supplementary service data response.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the second swipe gesture is made by way of the capacitive touch sensor during a threshold time period, wherein displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires comprises displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires if the second swipe gesture is made during the threshold time period.

13. A mobile communication device comprising:

a display;

a capacitive touch sensor integrated into a portion of the display of the mobile communication device such that the portion of the display is provided a touchscreen interface;

a processor; and

a memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

determining that a first swipe gesture was made, in a first direction, via the capacitive touch sensor,

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction,

launching a prepaid application stored at the mobile communication device,

retrieving, using the prepaid application, from a prepaid billing system, a balance associated with a prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device and an expiration time indicating a time remaining until the balance expires, and

displaying, on the display, the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account of the mobile communication device,

determining that a second swipe gesture was made, in the first direction, via the capacitive touch sensor,

in response to determining that the second swipe gesture was made in the first direction, displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires;

determining that a third swipe gesture was made, in a second direction opposite the first direction, via the capacitive touch sensor, and

in response to determining that the third swipe gesture was made in the second direction, removing the balance and the expiration time displayed on the display.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the second swipe gesture is made by way of the capacitive touch sensor during a threshold time period, wherein displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires comprises displaying, on the display, the expiration time indicating the time remaining until the balance expires if the second swipe gesture is made during the threshold time period.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise

in response to determining that the first swipe gesture was made in the first direction and prior to displaying the balance associated with the prepaid wireless service account, generating, using the prepaid application, a balance request to request, from the prepaid billing system, the balance of the prepaid wireless service account;

transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system; and

receiving, from the prepaid billing system, a response to the balance request, the response comprising the balance and the expiration time.