Group Billing Component for Wireless Device Fee Waivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication rate plans often incur usage fees for calls made to users on different network providers, limiting the flexibility and marketability of benefits such as unlimited minutes, especially when family and friends are on different networks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that determine whether a source and destination wireless device belong to the same group by comparing their identifiers with a group list, allowing for free communication within the group without incurring usage fees, using a group billing component within the wireless communication network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional network-based billing is used, then network provider control and billing simplicity are maintained, but flexibility and marketability of benefits are reduced when family and friends are on different networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the billing system into two distinct components: a group management component that handles group formation and member registration, and a group billing component that performs identifier comparison and fee determination. This segmentation allows the system to add flexibility through group-based billing while maintaining relative simplicity by separating management functions from billing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a group identifier as an intermediary element that bridges different network providers. Instead of directly comparing device identifiers across networks, the system uses group identifiers as a mediator to determine whether devices belong to the same group, enabling cross-network benefits while simplifying the comparison process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If unlimited minutes are provided to in-network subscribers, then network provider benefits are enhanced, but marketability is reduced when family and friends are on different wireless network providers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making billing treatment dependent on group membership rather than network affiliation. The system selectively applies fee waivers only to communications between group members, while maintaining standard billing for non-group communications. This allows the service provider to extend benefits to multiple networks while preserving revenue from non-group usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the billing parameter from network-based identification to group-based identification. By comparing group identifiers instead of network identifiers, the system enables flexible benefit allocation that can extend unlimited minutes across multiple network providers while maintaining control over which specific communications receive preferential treatment.
3Ease of operation
If device identifiers are compared across different network providers, then flexibility and user needs are better met, but system complexity and identification challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the group identification functionality from the complex device identifier comparison process. By separating group identifier comparison from full device identifier comparison, the system reduces complexity while maintaining flexibility. The group billing component only needs to compare group identifiers rather than analyzing complete device identifiers across different network formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring group members to register their device identifiers with the group management component before group-based billing can take effect. This pre-registration process simplifies subsequent billing operations, as the system only needs to verify group membership through identifier comparison rather than establishing new relationships during billing cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A group billing component may be adapted to determine whether a source wireless device and a destination wireless device may be members of a group. The group billing component may receive a group identifier, a destination device identifier, and a source device identifier from the source wireless upon initiating communication with the destination wireless device. The group billing component may compare the destination device identifier with a group list that may be indexed by the group identifier. Based on the comparison, the group billing component may determine whether to output a usage fee to a subscriber of the source wireless device. The usage fee may be output if at least one element in the group list does not match the destination device identifier.