Patent AU-2008203860-B2 (AU)
Title: Multiple channel automated refill system
Inventor: MASTRANTUONO DOMENICO
IPC: G06Q30/00
Filed: 2008-08-13
Granted: 2012-12-13
Abstract: An automatic refill system for pre-paid accounts provides enhanced funding flexibility for customers and additional revenue streams for a telecommunication service provider. The automatic refill system solves the technical challenges 5 involved with implementing a scheduled refill channel co-existing with a triggered refill channel for funding a pre-paid account. The scheduled channel regularly refills the pre-paid account. The telecommunication service provider also coordinates funding through a triggered refill channel that refills the pre-paid account when specific conditions are met, such as account balance falling below a threshold. 12/08/08,117429 - claims.doc, E CD) S? E C') E a) .2 0) 0 0) _D U)) Coo 'I CN1L 1-1 K] Iu cco -6 1< -I C) C ULJ C)CDL C C) O) C:)( 04 Z C : "0 cli ~ 0) _ Co 0 E :0 co Ucu C.,Ci 0~ _0 n CD U) 0 (DC Cn C - co 00 (N) 0N 'r Billing System jj2 Memory Device Scheduled Refill Channel 1 j Processor 30 Triggered Refill Channel jj4 Configuration Communication 306 Information Interface Network Figure 3 Start Create customer account 411 Ir Populate customer account with customer account 40-4 data Store customer account Figure 4 Receive request for a new customer account 5a2 Pre-paid Pre-paid or post-paid Post-Daid customer account? Create a pre-paid configuration [ Create a post-paid configuration EIQ record associated with customer record associated with customer account account Prepare data fields for pre-paid Prepare data fields for post-paid configuration record configuration record Create a customer account identifier linked with the configuration record Figure 5 Rciecustomer accoutietfe 602 Retrieve configuration record linkedwihcsoe 7utme 5ccut m r Pplte autoaticreficanelfieds Pplate customer biling addresfed L Polteserce planinfotinfieds ~ Poate rice paninforaifields 618 Figure 6 Receive request to populate automatic refill channel fields Triggered Only < opulate triggered refill fields Scheduled Only or scheduled refill fields? Triggered and Scheduled Populate refill amount field Populate refill amount field Populate refill amount field Populate triggered refill 716 Populate scheduled amount field Populate triggered refill - condition field 4 [amount field Populate payment method Populate payment method I ield I Populate scheduled 71 field f ___[ condition field j Populate post-paid account Populate payment method Populate post-paid account ZM identifier field [field identifier field Populate post-paid account Iidentifier field Figure 7 Start Receive request to initiate service Determine customer account identifier Query configuration record linked E to customer account identifier Extract service plan information 8 from configuration record No Service requested Ys in service plan? Deny service requested ~~~ Authorize service requested Transmit message indicating 4 Begin monitoring service requested denial of requested service End Receive request to end service 20 requested 822 End monitoring service requested Determine cost of service usage To Figure 9 Figure 8 From Figure 8 Query configuration record linked to customer 902 account identifier Extract balance of customer account from 904 configuration record Subtract cost of service usage from balance Extract type of automatic channel refill method 908 from configuration record No Is customer account configured Yes for triggered reill channel? Transmit message indicating no triggered Proceed to triggered refill channel refill channel is configured End 9 Figure 9 a en a a E m L=L6 bO3 -,o- E - cu 00 a cm a :0;C o - cc0~ -. a Zre a 1! Start Scheduled refill channel No available? Y es Start scheduled refill channel Yes Has scheduldrfl End channel executed? No Figure 11 0u 0 )o ci)co cin -0) coi 0 cm. 43 - uu 0 cu I(D CoC 0 cu] l00 E Eu E in 0_ I cco C Start Extract payment method from 1302 \> configuration record INo s payment method field for a Yes Extract alternative account identifier from 1306 Extract post-paid account identifier from 1 configuration record configuration record customer accun No s alternative or post-paid account identifier active? Yes Apply an automatic refil payment to the 1312 customer account No utomatic refill paymen successful? -- !-<Yes Apply adjustment to post-paid account 11 or alternative account No Application of adjustment successful? Yes Transmit message indicating successful refill of customer account errm roll "back of accounts 1322En Determine error code for error message Transmit error message indicating automatic 12 refill not successful Figure 13