Real-Time Billing Information Delivery for Prepaid Communication Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subscribers using pre-paid billing for communication services face difficulties in managing and estimating their account balance, especially during calls, due to complex charging schemes and lack of real-time information on billing rates, making it challenging to avoid disconnections from insufficient credit.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that establish a data connection in a telecommunication network to provide real-time billing information, including account balance and billing rates, to communication devices before and during calls, allowing subscribers to monitor their usage and make informed decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-paid billing is implemented to provide budgeting control and prevent large bills, then subscribers can manage their communication expenses better, but subscribers cannot precisely observe or estimate their account balance and billing rates in real-time during communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the communication device receives real-time billing information from the network, including account balance and billing rates, and displays this information to the subscriber during communications. This allows subscribers to continuously monitor their credit status and make informed decisions about their usage patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary billing information delivery mechanism that bridges the gap between the billing system and the subscriber. The system uses data connections to deliver billing information through intermediate components that process and present the information in a usable format, enabling real-time awareness without requiring direct subscriber access to billing systems.
2Productivity
If complex charging schemes are used to provide differentiated billing rates for different times and services, then network providers can optimize revenue and service management, but subscribers cannot easily understand or estimate the cost of communications in advance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides real-time feedback to subscribers about the specific billing rates that apply to their current communication, including peak and off-peak rates. This allows subscribers to understand the cost implications of their usage patterns and make informed decisions about when and how to communicate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent delivers billing rate information to subscribers before they initiate communications, enabling them to estimate costs in advance. The system provides preliminary billing information that allows subscribers to plan their communications based on their budget constraints and the expected costs of different communication types.
3Device complexity
If billing information is provided only through traditional methods (IVR calls, SMS messages, Internet applications), then network providers can maintain simple system architecture, but subscribers experience inconvenience and delays in obtaining billing information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables communication devices to serve multiple functions by integrating both circuit-switched communication capabilities and data connection capabilities. The device can simultaneously maintain voice or data calls while receiving billing information through the data connection, eliminating the need for separate IVR calls or SMS messages to check account balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the billing information delivery function with the existing communication device infrastructure. By using the device's data connection capabilities to deliver billing information, the system combines multiple functions (communication and information delivery) into a single integrated platform, reducing the need for separate billing inquiry mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, in a billing system, of supplying information to a communication device, comprising, in response to receiving a request, over a first network, to authorize a communication with the communication device: obtaining information relevant to the communication; and providing the obtained information to the communication device via a second network.