Patent Application
20080096524
The present invention exists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, and steps of the method, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting same. In
The mobile telecommunications network 10 includes one or more mobile switching centers (MSC) 20 for routing calls to and from the mobile terminals 14a-14n via one or more base stations 16, only one of which is shown for simplicity. The MSC 20 also routes text messages to and from the mobile terminals 14a-14n and provides the users with other mobile telecommunications services as is known in the art.
An Application Server 30, such as a computer or server or the like, runs programmed logic to provide a method of providing a multi-member Service Plan as described in further detail below. A User Interface 32 is provided to enable subscribers to access functions or features provided by the Service Provider as related to the Service Plan in a manner described in further detail below.
A subscriber database 40 is connected to the Application Server 30 and MSC 20 for storing subscription information for the group.
A computer 50 can be connected to the User Interface 32 via the Internet 52 for accessing the functions or features provided by the Service Provider as related to the Service Plan in a manner described in further detail below
Referring now to
A member 12a subscribes to the multi-member Service Plan at 102. One or more members 12a-12n are designated as privileged members having privileges as defined below. This information is stored in the subscriber database 40. A privileged subscriber 12a, such as for example a mother, is responsible for paying for the multi-member Service Plan subscription once each billing cycle, such as for example once a month, and is billed for such accordingly. While a monthly billing cycle is used in the example provided herein, it should be appreciated that other periods of time may be used for the billing cycle.
The Service Plan provides a pre-defined allotment of resources, referred to as the total resource allotment, to the group 12a-12n once each billing cycle. The total resource allotment can include a number of minutes of call time, for example 1000 minutes, during which calls can be made and/or received over the mobile telecommunications network 10.
The total resource allotment can include several resource categories each applicable to a different service resource, another category being for example sending and/or receiving a predefined number of text messages, such as for example 100 text messages.
The total resource allotment is shared by the group members 12a-12n via resource allowances. A resource allowance is given to each group member once each billing cycle. The resource allowances are defined for each group member at 104 such that the sum of all the resource allowances for the billing cycle equals the total resource allotment for the billing cycle. The resource allowances can be the same for each group member, such as 4 group members each having 250 minutes of call time for each billing cycle. Alternatively, different resource allowances can be given to different group members. Further, some group members may not receive a resource allowance for every category. For example, in a group including a father, mother and two children, the 100 text messages may be split only between the children, if so desired.
Referring now to
The Application Server 30 checks with the subscriber database 40 at 1042 to determine if the privileged member has authorization to define the resource allowances, that is to say if the member is a privileged member. If it is determined that the member is a privileged member at 1043 the privileged member is allowed to define the resource allowances for each member at 1044. The resource allowances can be stored in the subscriber database 40, or other node in the network 10, and communicated to the Application Server 30 as needed or stored at the Application Server itself. If it is determined that the member is not a privileged member at 1043, the member cannot define the resource allowances as shown at 1045.
Referring again to
The resource usage warning threshold equals a percentage of less than 100 percent of a member's resource allowance. In the example provided herein, a threshold of 90 percent of the member's resource allowance is used, however it should be appreciated that other threshold percentages can be used. The resource usage warning threshold can be set by the Service Provider. Alternatively, each member can set his or her own usage warning threshold to any percentage, up to 100 percent, of the member's resource allowance using the User Interface 32 described above.
Further, a resource usage warning threshold can be set for each resource allowance category a member receives. For example, a warning threshold can be set for a son's call time minutes and for his text messages sent/received.
The method 100 also includes monitoring each member's resource usages at 108. This can be done by the Application Server 30 or by another node in the network 10, such as the members' MSC 20 and communicated to the Application Server.
The method 100 also includes determining that a member has reached his or her warning threshold for a particular resource at 110 and providing a warning to the member at 112. The warning can be a message sent to the member, such as a text message or a voice mail message, among others, stating that the member is approaching using all of his or her resource allowance for the billing cycle. For example, when the son or daughter uses 225 call time minutes of his or her 250 call time minutes allowance, in the example provided above with a 90% threshold, his or her warning threshold for call time minutes is met and a warning message is sent informing him or her accordingly. The warning can provide the person receiving it with the amount of the resource he or she has left if so desired.
Referring now to
One example in which this can be accomplished, which should not be considered limiting, is shown in further detail in
Referring again to
One example in which this can be accomplished, which should not be considered limiting, is shown in further detail in
The member indicates at 4042 the type and the amount of the resource he or she wants to purchase, such as for example 60 call time minutes. The member also indicates how he or she would like to pay for the resource allotment at 4043. The payment can be deducted from a prepaid account balance setup by the privileged member or paid for directly by the member such as via a credit card or the like. The resource allotment is then added to the member's available resources at 4044 for use.
The method 100 can also include determining if a member has used all of his or her resource allotment for any particular resource category at 406. The member's resource allotment can include the member's resource allowance plus any allotment of that resource obtained from another member, or from the Service Provider, as described above. If a member has used all of his or her resource allotment, the method can include denying that member the further use of that resource for the rest of the billing cycle at 408. The member can be allowed to make Emergency 911 calls regardless of call time minutes available if so desired.
When it is determined that a member has used all of his or her resource allotment at 406, the member can be offered the opportunity to receive a resource allotment from another member as described at 402 above or the opportunity to purchase a resource allotment from the service provider as described at 404 above if so desired.
The method 100 can include continuing to monitor the members' resource usages as described at 108 and following the applicable steps subsequent thereto as described above.
The above description merely provides a disclosure of particular embodiments of the invention and is not intended for the purposes of limiting the same thereto. As such, the invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiments. Rather, it is recognized that one skilled in the art could conceive alternative embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention.
