This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly to apparatus and method for monitoring and displaying time usage data for a cellular mobile communication device during a billing period. More particularly, this disclosure is related to monitoring, displaying capturing time usage data for a cellular mobile communication device for respective business and personal contacts.
This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly method for monitoring and displaying call time usage data for “bill by the hour” professionals who use their cellular mobile communication device for business and personal use.
Mobile cellular phone technology is one of the fastest growing sectors of today's global economy, and it is expected that the use of cell phones will continue to grow dramatically in the future. Mobile professionals are becoming more reliant on their wireless communication devices to conduct business as well as conduct personal contact with others on a regular basis. For those professionals who are on a bill-by-the-hour, i.e. attorneys, independent contractors, engineers, etc., it is becoming more and more difficult and expensive to separate and track billable business related calls from other non-billable calls on a standard wireless phone bill which results in a loss of revenue and time.
It would be beneficial for mobile professionals to have a client call management software system that enabled their wireless mobile device to capture billable call events for easy billing management. Furthermore, this client call management software system can store and display the daily call activity as well as download the call activity to a PC for data synchronization, file management, printing via PC, application installation from a PC, and other utility functions allowing it to integrate effectively with PC and server-based data and billing software. The usefulness of a client call management software system would clearly offer numerous advantages for mobile professionals and their staff when billing, planning, managing and reviewing their wireless device client activity and phone charges.
The time monitoring system, as described herein below, was developed to satisfy the needs of the subscriber as discussed above.
A wireless communication device comprising: a transmitter/receiver capable of transmitting and receiving a plurality of data signals; a microprocessor connected to the transmitter/receiver and configured to detect and display a call event on the screen of the device during and after a call event and provide monitoring information indicative of the call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to provide current information indicative of a call event on the wireless communication device associated with a plurality of predetermined types of device events and instruct the display to continuously display the call event information of at least one type of device event of the plurality of predetermined types of device events.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to instruct the display to display the call event information at a time when no device event is detected.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive instructions from an operator of the wireless communication device to selectively remove call event information of a device event from the display and provide instructions to the display to selectively removing call event information of a device event from the display with a “hide” or “view” option.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine a call event on the wireless communication device associated with one or multiple call events are occurring at the same time, to alert to the operator that one or more call events is occurring, an indicator will be activated that can be detected by the operator which can switch from one call event to another without loss of any call events or related information.
The method wherein the alert is at least one of an audio alert, a visual alert, voice alert and or a display screen within a display screen showing one or more call events simultaneously.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to continuously capture call event duration of time for each single and or multiple call event of the detected call event during the occurrence of the detected call event and to provide a visual display to the operator on the wireless communication device display the call duration from start to finish of the call event, on the wireless communication device which communicates and synchronizes information wired or wirelessly between a computer and or server for updating, displaying and storage purposes.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to provide a visual display of the call event information such as, but not limited to, call events billable time and denomination to the operator of the wireless communication device for a new or existing client and or personal call event.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured by the operator to define the billing parameters and or values to be displayed and or hidden on the display which are directly related to the call event duration.
The wireless communication device wherein the plurality of predetermined types of call events that include at least one of: call event including an call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The wireless communication device wherein a call event includes an capturing and displaying information in at least one of predefined fields: call parameters, client name, client number, case number, file number, call start time, call time end, call time total, billable rate, rounding of billable time indicator, multiple call indicator, new call indicator, personal call indicator, business call indicator, “is this call billable” display screen, total call event time, per client call event time, client call reminder, personal call reminder, client call notes, personal call notes and operator customizable fields.
The wireless communication device wherein the microprocessor is configured to detect and monitor call events for least one second of recorded time to an undefined period of time to provide call event information indicative of the call event of the wireless communication device which can be stored with in the wireless communication devices memory.
The wireless communication device, wherein an operator participating in a call event is prompted by a visual or audio alert if the new or existing incoming or outgoing call event is billable or non-billable to the operator and should be recorded to be defined at a later date.
A method of monitoring usage of a wireless communication device comprising the steps of: detecting and display a call event on the screen of the device during and after a call event and provide monitoring information indicative of the call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The method further comprising the steps of: to provide current information indicative of a call event on the wireless communication device associated with a plurality of predetermined types of device events and instruct the display to continuously display the call event information of at least one type of device event of the plurality of predetermined types of device events.
The method wherein the call event information is displayed at a time when a device event is not detected.
The method further comprising the step of: configured to receive instructions from an operator of the wireless communication device to selectively remove call event information of a device event from the display and provide instructions to the display to selectively removing call event information of a device event from the display with a “hide” or “view” option.
The method further comprising the steps of: to determine a call event on the wireless communication device associated with one or multiple call events are occurring at the same time, to alert to the operator that one or more call events is occurring, an indicator will be activated that can be detected by the operator which can switch from one call event to another without loss of any call events or related information.
The method wherein the alert is at least one of an audio alert, a visual alert, voice alert and or a display screen within a display screen showing one or more call events simultaneously.
The method wherein the microprocessor is configured to continuously capture call event duration of time for each single and or multiple call event of the detected call event during the occurrence of the detected call event and to provide a visual display to the operator on the wireless communication device display the call duration from start to finish of the call event, on the wireless communication device which communicates and synchronizes information wired or wirelessly between a computer and or server for updating, displaying and storage purposes.
The method wherein the microprocessor is configured to provide a visual display of the call event information such as, but not limited to, call events billable time and denomination to the operator of the wireless communication device for a new or existing client and or personal call event.
The method wherein the microprocessor is configured by the operator to define the billing parameters and or values to be displayed and or hidden on the display which are directly related to the call events duration.
The method wherein the plurality of predetermined types of call events that include at least one of: a call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The method wherein a call event includes an capturing and displaying information in at least one of predefined fields: call parameters, client name, client number, case number, file number, call start time, call time end, call time total, billable rate, rounding of billable time indicator, multiple call indicator, new call indicator, personal call indicator, business call indicator, “is this call billable” display screen, total call event time, per client call event time, client call reminder, personal call reminder, client call notes, personal call notes and operator customizable fields.
The method wherein the microprocessor is configured to detect and monitor call events for least one second of recorded time to an undefined period of time to provide call event information indicative of the call event of the wireless communication device which can be stored with in the wireless communication devices memory.
The method wherein an operator participating in a call event is prompted by a visual or audio alert if the new or existing incoming or outgoing call event is billable or non-billable to the operator and should be recorded to be defined at a later date.
A computer readable medium containing a program capable of causing a computer to perform a method of monitoring usage of a wireless communication device comprising the steps of: to detect and display a call event on the screen of the device during an after a call event and provide monitoring information indicative of the call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The computer readable medium, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: to provide current information indicative of a call event on the wireless communication device associated with a plurality of predetermined types of device events and instruct the display to continuously display the call event information of at least one type of device event of the plurality of predetermined types of device events.
The computer readable medium wherein the call event information is displayed at a time when a device event is not detected.
The computer readable medium, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: selectively remove call event information of a device event from the display and provide instructions to the display to selectively removing call event information of a device event from the display with a “hide” or “view” option.
The computer readable medium wherein the method further comprises the steps of: configured to determine a call event on the wireless communication device associated with one or multiple call events are occurring at the same time, to alert to the operator that one or more call events is occurring, an indicator will be activated that can be detected by the operator which can switch from one call event to another without loss of any call events or related information.
The computer readable medium, wherein the alert is at least one of an audio alert, a visual alert, voice alert and or a display screen within a display screen showing one or more call events simultaneously.
The computer readable medium of claim, wherein the method further configured to continuously capture call event duration of time for each single and or multiple call event of the detected call event during the occurrence of the detected call event and to provide a visual display to the operator on the wireless communication device display the call duration from start to finish of the call event, on the wireless communication device which communicates and synchronizes information wired or wirelessly between a computer and or server for updating, displaying and storage purposes.
The computer readable medium, configured to provide a visual display of the call event information such as, but not limited to, call events billable time and denomination to the operator of the wireless communication device for a new or existing client and or personal call event.
The computer readable medium, wherein the method comprises the steps configured by the operator to define the billing parameters and or values to be displayed and or hidden on the display which are directly related to the call events duration.
The computer readable medium wherein the plurality of predetermined types of call events that include at least one of: call event including a call time length relating to a billable or non-billable timed call event of an existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device, or incoming or outgoing call event that is a new call event that is not from a existing person or persons in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device that will be captured for entry in the wireless communication devices address book or database stored internally or externally of the wireless communication device for modification at some future date.
The computer readable medium wherein a call event includes an capturing and displaying information in at least one of predefined fields: call parameters, client name, client number, case number, file number, call start time, call time end, call time total, billable rate, rounding of billable time indicator, multiple call indicator, new call indicator, personal call indicator, business call indicator, “is this call billable” display screen, total call event time, per client call event time, client call reminder, personal call reminder, client call notes, personal call notes and operator customizable fields.
The computer readable medium wherein the method further is configured to detect and monitor call events for least one second of recorded time to an undefined period of time to provide call event information indicative of the call event of the wireless communication device which can be stored with in the wireless communication devices memory.
The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein an operator participating in a call event is prompted by a visual or audio alert if the new or existing incoming or outgoing call event is billable or non-billable to the operator and should be recorded to be defined at a later date.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Referring now to
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional application 60/485,128 “Airtime for Professionals” filed on Jul. 8, 2003, this application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60485128 | Jul 2003 | US |