Mobile Interface Swipe Gesture for Prepaid Balance Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Prepaid wireless customers often face unexpected charges due to unawareness of their account balance and expiration times, as existing systems lack user-friendly interfaces to access and manage their prepaid account information efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A method for a mobile device to display a prepaid wireless service account balance and expiration time via a capacitive touch sensor or touchscreen interface, allowing users to access this information with swipe gestures and update it in real-time, using USSD codes to communicate with the prepaid billing system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If prepaid customers purchase credit in advance without real-time balance monitoring, then they can access wireless service without contractual obligation, but they face unexpected charges due to unawareness of account balance and expiration times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccount balance informationVSAvoiduser interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system proactively displays balance and expiration time information before the customer encounters any issue. By showing this information in advance through the mobile device interface, customers are informed beforehand about their account status, preventing unexpected charges rather than reacting after the problem occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device automatically retrieves and displays account balance and expiration time information without requiring customers to contact customer service or check physical statements. The system serves itself by providing real-time updates through the device's interface, empowering customers to monitor their own account status conveniently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If traditional billing systems are used without real-time updates, then system complexity is reduced, but customers cannot access current balance information efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation access speedVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements real-time feedback by continuously updating the mobile device display with current balance and expiration time information. When the customer swipes or interacts with the interface, the system retrieves and displays updated account status, creating a responsive feedback loop that keeps information current without requiring complex centralized real-time processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the customer and the billing system. Instead of requiring direct complex interactions with the billing system, the device mediates by caching and displaying information locally, providing fast access to balance and expiration data while the billing system maintains its traditional architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If balance information is displayed continuously, then customer awareness is improved, but device screen real estate and user attention are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebalance awarenessVSAvoiddisplay area

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The interface dynamically adapts to user needs by allowing swipe gestures to toggle between different information states. The balance and expiration time information appears on-demand when the user swipes, rather than occupying fixed screen space continuously. This dynamic behavior provides information when needed while preserving display area for other functions during normal use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9485339B2Systems, methods, and mobile devices for providing a user interface to facilitate access to prepaid wireless account information

Publication Date: 2016.11.01 AT&T MOBILITY II LLC

AI summary

A method for operating a mobile device includes, in response to receiving a swipe gesture via a user interface of the mobile device, displaying a balance of a prepaid wireless service account on a display of the mobile device. The balance may be displayed in a currency such as monetary currency or a proprietary currency such as minutes or credits provided by a wireless service provider. The method may also include displaying an expiration time to identity a time remaining until the balance expires. The method may also include generating a balance request including a request for the balance of the prepaid wireless service account from a prepaid billing system in response to receiving the swipe gesture, transmitting the balance request to the prepaid billing system, and receiving the balance in response to the balance request.