Prepaid DSL Internet Service Switch and Activation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Occasional users of high-speed broadband Internet services and other computer-based services face challenges with long-term contracts and unpredictable costs, leading to discontinuation of services despite existing equipment, while providers seek to prevent service theft and manage billing effectively.
Innovation Solution
A prepaid service model is introduced, where a prepaid DSL Internet service card or disk is purchased, activated at the point of sale, and used to establish a temporary Internet connection on a personal computer, with a prepaid Internet switch or software managing the access time, ensuring secure, predictable, and cost-effective service usage without long-term contracts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long-term service contract is established for broadband Internet service, then service stability and provider revenue are improved, but customer flexibility and accessibility for occasional users deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service contract into prepaid units or cards that can be purchased independently without long-term commitments. Each prepaid unit represents a discrete segment of service access that can be activated and used independently, allowing customers to purchase only the service duration or data amount they need, thus maintaining service stability through paid commitments while improving customer flexibility through optional, non-binding purchases.
Solution Approach 2:
The service model transitions from static long-term contracts to dynamic prepaid arrangements where service parameters (duration, data allowance, access rights) can be adjusted based on customer needs. Customers can purchase different prepaid units with varying characteristics and activate them as needed, creating a dynamic system that adapts to changing customer requirements while ensuring provider revenue through prepayment.
2Productivity
If monthly billing is implemented for Internet service, then provider revenue management is improved, but customer cost predictability and budget management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements prepayment through prepaid cards or units where customers purchase service credits before using the service. This preliminary financial action ensures provider revenue is secured in advance, eliminating billing administration needs. For customers, it transforms unpredictable monthly bills into predictable per-unit costs, allowing better budget management as they know exactly what each prepaid unit costs and how much service it provides.
Solution Approach 2:
The prepaid system enables self-service billing where customers automatically manage their own spending by purchasing prepaid units and tracking their remaining balance. No provider billing administration is needed - the system self-regulates through prepayment mechanisms, reducing administrative overhead for providers while giving customers direct control over their service spending and budget management.
3Ease of operation
If service activation requires personal identification and contracts, then provider billing administration is improved, but customer privacy and anonymity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the billing and identification functions from the service activation process by using prepaid cards that contain embedded service credentials. The personally identifiable information and billing administration are taken out from the customer-provider interaction, replaced by anonymous card-based authentication. Customers can activate service using only the prepaid card without providing personal identification, maintaining privacy while enabling provider revenue collection through the card system.
4Loss of information
If prepaid service units are purchased and activated, then customer anonymity and privacy are improved, but service provider control and theft prevention deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The prepaid card system uses a nested structure where multiple layers of security and control are embedded within the single card. The card contains embedded credentials, activation codes, and service identifiers that work together in nested layers. This nested design maintains customer anonymity at the outer layer while providing multiple embedded control mechanisms that prevent theft and ensure provider control at inner layers, allowing service activation without personal identification while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
A prepaid computer service operating on a personal computer and a networked computer is activated at a point of sale. The service includes broadband Internet access such as DSL. The service running on the personal computer includes a switch for discontinuing the service upon expiration of the prepaid service. The switch may be a comprised in a circuit interconnected between a DSL modem and a personal computer. A DSL service provider provides Internet access service and a service manager manages the prepaid service. The switch has a timer having a value loaded by the service manager, and the timer is used to determine the expiration of service. The prepaid service alternately includes a software based switch which may be used to regulated prepaid internet service or other software based services such as prepaid Internet based games, thin-client software services or entertainment.


