Patent ID: 9049590
Filing Date: 2015-06-02
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a communication system to facilitate communications for a rating group having a plurality of users, the method comprising: in a communication control server, determining a first quota for the rating group to grant communication usage on a per-user basis within the rating group and transferring a message indicating the first quota for delivery to a communication network element; in the communication network element, receiving the message and responsively granting the communication usage to the users in the rating group based on the first quota; in a user communication device, receiving a user input indicating a user priority and responsively transferring a user instruction indicating the user priority for delivery to the communication network element; in the communication network element, receiving the user instruction and responsively transferring a user request indicating the user priority for delivery to the communication control server; in the communication control server, receiving and processing the user request to determine a second quota for the rating group based on the user priority to grant subsequent communication usage on the per-user basis within the rating group and transferring a user answer indicating the second quota for delivery to the communication network element; in the communication network element, receiving the user answer and granting the subsequent communication usage to the users in the rating group based on the second quota.