Topping up a subscriber's account for a multimedia service on a communications network while the service is being provided

Abstract

A subscriber of a communications network is enabled to top-up an account for a multimedia service provided on the communications network while the service is being provided. Real-time prepaid charging may be applied to a multimedia service being provided to a subscriber of a communications network. Both a count and a time period may be determined from an account balance, and the number of information units exchanged during the service and the duration of the service may be compared against the count and time period, respectively. Further processing may be defined to be performed if either and / or both thresholds are reached. A subscriber of a communications network may be notified of a threshold amount of service being reached while the service is being provided using the same session as is being used to provide the service (in-band) or using a different session (out-of-band). Further, a subscriber may be notified of a threshold being reached using a Short Message Service (SMS) by sending an SMS message to the subscriber. A subscriber of a communications network may be enabled to top-up a service account while the service is being provided using the same session as is being used to provide the service (in-band) or using a different session (out-of-band). To notify the client that a threshold for a service has been reached and / or to enable the client to top-up, either in-band or out-of-band sessions may be used based on any of a number of factors, including a characteristic of the session in progress implementing the service, the capabilities of the user terminal, the capabilities of the application and application server providing the service, or any combination thereof. A session for providing a multimedia service may be implemented using a multimedia control protocol capable of controlling (e.g., initiating, maintaining and terminating) a session that includes the exchange of multimedia content, including audio, video, data or any combination thereof. For example, such protocol may be the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Service content transmitted from a server to a subscriber on the subscriber's user terminal may be buffered (e.g., cached) in a buffer while the subscriber is provided the opportunity to top-up the account. While the subscriber is being enabled to top-up a prepaid account for a service, a different billing method, for example, postpaid charging, may be applied for the service until the subscriber tops-up or until the opportunity to top-up has elapsed.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(a) to commonly-owned U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60 / 295,453, entitled Media Insensitive, Real Time, Low Balance Threshold Notification and Processing Mechanism (aka the "TOP UP, POP UP"), filed Jun. 1, 2001, under attorney docket No. W00561 / 70002, U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60 / 344,538, entitled Implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a Packet-Switched Service Using a Node Interfacing a Mobile Communications Network to a Packet Data Network, filed on Oct. 19, 2001 under attorney docket no. W00561 / 70006, and U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60 / 357,940, entitled Implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a Packet-Switched Service Using a Node Interfacing a Mobile Communications Network to a Packet Data Network, filed on Feb. 18, 2002 under attorney docket no. W00561 / 70007, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.[0002] Commonly...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

A problem with existing communications networks, including MCNs, is that a subscriber does not have the ability to add value to an account for a multimedia service while the service is being provided so that the duration that the services is provided is extended.

Another problem with communications networks is that communications networks that are capable of enabling a subscriber to top-up an account for a voice service while the voice service is being provided are typically limited to the following technique: playing a voice prompt (e.g., a VRU), possibly putting the non-calling or non-billed party on hold, and allowing the calling or billed party to use DTMF tones to enter a new top-up account number or enter a credit card charge for the top-up amount.

Another problem with communications networks is that, although some communications networks are capable of notifying a subscriber that a threshold amount of a voice service has been reached during provisioning of the voice service and enabling a subscriber to top-up an account for the voice service during the provisioning such capabilities are not available for multimedia services.

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