Prepay Account Management for Wireless Device Billing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication devices face resource constraints, limiting their ability to effectively utilize advanced computing and display capabilities for notifications, and existing SMS methods do not leverage these advancements, resulting in inefficient communication and user experience.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for managing prepay accounts on wireless and non-wireless devices, including a client device with a transceiver and a billing manager that establishes primary and secondary accounts for periodic fees and prepaid services, allowing for efficient billing and service management, and enabling advanced communication methods such as BREW-directed SMS for enhanced user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional SMS methods are used for communication, then device resource consumption is minimized, but communication efficiency and user experience are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoiddevice resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the billing and service management into primary accounts (for basic services) and secondary accounts (for premium services). This allows the system to selectively enable advanced communication features based on available resources and user preferences, improving communication efficiency without always consuming maximum device resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the use of advanced communication capabilities based on real-time conditions including account balance, device state, and user preferences. The billing manager can enable or disable premium services dynamically, allowing the system to optimize communication efficiency when resources permit while conserving resources when they are constrained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If advanced computing and display capabilities are utilized for notifications, then user experience is enhanced, but device resource constraints are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser experienceVSAvoidresource constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different notification experiences based on the specific service type and user preferences. Premium services can utilize advanced display capabilities and computing resources when secondary account funds are available, while basic services use simpler, more resource-efficient methods. This allows enhanced user experience in specific contexts without consistently exceeding device resource constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The billing manager system provides multi-functionality by handling both basic SMS notifications and advanced premium service notifications through a unified account management framework. The system can operate in multiple modes depending on resource availability, providing a universal solution that adapts to different device capabilities and service requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple services and applications are installed on the device, then service versatility is improved, but device memory and processing capabilities are overwhelmed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice versatilityVSAvoiddevice memory and processing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex billing and service management logic from the device into a separate billing manager component that operates with minimal resource consumption. The primary and secondary account system allows the device to access multiple services without installing heavy application software for each service, reducing memory and processing requirements while maintaining service versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a nested structure where the billing manager contains both primary account management (basic services) and secondary account management (premium services). This nested account system allows layered service access where basic services form the foundation and premium services are nested within, enabling service versatility without requiring the device to handle all services at the same resource level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS9143622B2Prepay accounts for applications, services and content for communication devices

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A system and method for managing a billing account including a client device, a transceiver, logic configured to establish at least one primary account wherein the at least one primary account represents periodic fees that are charged to the billing account on a periodic basis; and logic configured to establish at least one secondary account wherein the at least one secondary account represents an amount of prepaid service that is available for the billing account.