External Identifier Association for Mobile Credit Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pre-paid mobile phone users face financial loss when they lose their SIM, as their credit assessments associated with unregistered mobile phone numbers become inaccessible, and existing solutions require registration processes that may not be feasible or convenient for all customers.
Innovation Solution
A system that associates financially valuable information with an external identifier, such as a social media account, allowing for the transfer of this information between unregistered mobile phone numbers through an application program that directs third-party service providers to update the information, ensuring continuity of credits or rewards even if the SIM is lost or replaced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pre-paid customers rely on mobile phone numbers for identification in value added services, then service delivery is simplified, but financially valuable information is lost when the SIM is lost or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external identifier (such as an email address or social media account) as an intermediary between the mobile phone number and the financially valuable information. This intermediary serves as a stable reference point that persists across SIM changes, allowing the system to maintain association with the correct customer even when the mobile phone number changes due to SIM loss or damage.
2Reliability
If pre-paid customers register their personal details with the MNO, then financially valuable information can be protected, but registration convenience is reduced and not all customers can access registration mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables customers to use existing external identifiers (email addresses, social media accounts) that they already possess and manage themselves, eliminating the need for separate registration processes with the MNO. The system automatically detects and associates these external identifiers with the customer's mobile phone number, allowing customers to protect their financially valuable information using tools they already have without requiring MNO infrastructure or registration procedures.
3Ease of operation
If financially valuable information is associated with unregistered mobile phone numbers, then customer convenience is maximized, but information security and transferability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary association of external identifiers with mobile phone numbers before SIM loss or damage occurs. By establishing this link in advance while the customer still has access to their active SIM, the system ensures that when the SIM is lost or damaged, the externally stored association remains intact and can be used to restore access to financially valuable information on a replacement SIM.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of associating and transferring financially valuable information recorded against an unregistered mobile phone number with an external identifier comprising the external identifier; an application program; at least one originating communications device having an unregistered mobile phone number assigned thereto; and at least one replacement communications device having a separate mobile phone number assigned thereto, the application program automatically obtains the external identifier and operates to direct at least one third party who holds financially valuable information recorded against at least one of the unregistered mobile phone numbers allocated to the at least one originating communications device to associate such financially valuable information with the external identifier; and where the application program directs the at least one third party to transfer the financially valuable information associated with the unregistered mobile phone number to the separate mobile phone number.