In-Session Subscription Management and Credit Notifications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing subscription management systems often disrupt user experiences by requiring users to manually manage or extend their service subscriptions, especially when credit limits are reached during ongoing sessions, leading to inconvenient service interruptions.

Innovation Solution

A subscription management service that allows users to extend or customize their subscriptions in-band or out-of-band without degrading their service experience, enabling them to temporarily side-step payment limits or recharge accounts during active sessions through notifications and user interface options.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If pre-paid plans or usage limits are implemented to manage subscriptions, then users can better control their spending, but users cannot consciously extend or sidestep payment limits during ongoing sessions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubscription flexibilityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static pre-paid plans to dynamic subscription management where users can actively extend or sidestep payment limits during ongoing sessions. The subscription parameters become adjustable and responsive to user actions in real-time, allowing flexibility while maintaining spending control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Users are empowered to manage their own subscriptions by initiating extension or limit-sidestepping actions without requiring manual intervention from service providers. The system provides self-service mechanisms for users to control their own spending and subscription status.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If credit expiration notifications are played during calls to inform users of expiring credit, then users are alerted to their credit status, but the call is disconnected and service is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredit status communicationVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring credit status and preparing extension options before credit expiration occurs. Users are notified of expiring credit with the option to extend during the session, rather than being disconnected after expiration. This preliminary monitoring and notification approach maintains service continuity while ensuring users are informed of their credit status.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9646293B2In session charging notifications and recharging accounts

Publication Date: 2017.05.09 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Various embodiments provide a subscription management service, which can be in-band or out-of-band, which allows users to extend their subscription or temporarily side-step payment limits on a subscription without disrupting the user's experience. The various embodiments can be operable in all on-demand services including, but not limited to, video services, voice services, video/voice services, text services, Web services, and the like.