Patent Publication Number: US-2009234747-A1

Title: System &amp; Method for Replenishing a Wireless Terminal Account

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The instant application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/177,620 filed Jun. 20, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Various prepaid and other methods of payment are available to customers of wireless telecommunication services. When a prepaid amount in a customer&#39;s account is exhausted, the customer may replenish the amount by buying a new prepaid card, or by calling a toll-free number to make a payment or by paying an invoice. It may be desirable to make such replenishment methods secure and fraud-resistant without compromising convenience for customers that reside in wide-ranging service areas. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,851 discloses a prepaid security cellular telecommunications system. U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,545 discloses an electronic payment system utilizing an intermediary account. U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,847 discloses a wireless telephone with credited airtime. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of the invention provides a method for replenishing a wireless terminal account of a customer of a telecommunication service provider. In one embodiment, the method includes transmitting via a point-of-distribution device a merchant identification, a customer mobile identification number and an amount to the telecommunication service provider. The method may also include validating the merchant identification and crediting the customer account. The method may include delivering a merchant confirmation to the point-of-distribution device and delivering a customer confirmation to the customer&#39;s wireless terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying Figures, there are shown present embodiments of the invention wherein like reference numerals are employed to designate like parts and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an embodiment of a system for replenishing a wireless terminal account according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a diagram showing an embodiment of a system for replenishing a wireless terminal account according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of method for replenishing a wireless terminal account according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is tabular representation of an embodiment of an Interactive Voice Response dialog according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for replenishing a wireless terminal account according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, it is to be understood that standard components or features that are within the purview of an artisan of ordinary skill and do not contribute to the understanding of the various embodiments of the invention are omitted from the drawings to enhance clarity. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of an embodiment of a system  20  for the replenishment of an account for a customer of a wireless telecommunication service provider (hereinafter “TSP”). The system  20  may comprise a wireless terminal  22  associated with the customer&#39;s account and a point-of-distribution device  24  (hereinafter “POD device”). The POD device  24  may be, for example, in the custody of a merchant who offers replenishment services in addition to engaging in the sale of any other services or goods. 
     For security and fraud-avoidance purposes, for example, the TSP may issue an identification number (hereinafter “merchant ID”) to each merchant who participates in the account replenishment program. The customer&#39;s wireless terminal  22  may be identified by a mobile identification number (hereinafter “customer MIN”) provided by the TSP. The POD device  24  may also have an identification number (hereinafter “POD IN”) associated with it and issued by the TSP. 
     The POD device  24  may be, for example, a wireless analog or digital handset, a battery-powered handset, a PDA, PC, one or two-way pager, point of sale (POS) device, or a cordless handset or a hard-wired telephone apparatus. It may be dedicated to replenishment purposes or it may also include the functions and capabilities of a telephone handset. Additionally, it may be operated with a credit card scanner, a cash register, etc. The POD device  24  may also be provided with a calling number ID. 
     In one embodiment, the POD device  24  may be specifically provided by the TSP and it may be restricted to dialing only, for example, one toll-free number or another number to initiate the replenishment process. All other inbound and inbound calls from the POD device  24  may be blocked with the exception of the refresh toll-free access number. Such blocking may be accomplished by known methods, such as the methods used to setup emergency services. This is accomplished by providing a switch that hotlines the POD device  24  to a specified number for all outgoing calls except emergency calls and customer care calls. 
     The POD device  24  may be configured for entering data, such as, for example, the merchant ID, the customer MIN and the replenishment amount. The POD device  24  may transmit data via hard-wired telephony, satellite, closed-loop, SMPP protocol, 802.11, WAP, I-mode, the Internet or other radio transmittal methods and devices that communicate with an accounting center  40  belonging to the TSP and including a Prepaid Platform for prepaid wireless accounts. The accounting center  40  may include a processor  26  linked to a database  28 , which includes customer and merchant account records and the respective customer MINs, merchant IDs and POD INs. The telecommunication service provider may establish a plurality of accounting centers throughout its service areas to accommodate customers residing in urban, suburban, and rural or other remote locations. 
     The POD device  24  may communicate with the accounting center  40  via an Interactive Voice Response module  30  (hereinafter “IVR module”) over a Local or Wide Area Network. In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the POD device  24  may communicate with the accounting center  40  via the processor  26  over a Local or Wide Area Network. Communicated data may be encrypted using, for example, encryption schemes that are approved by the National Security Agency (NSA). 
     The merchant may dial a number via either a wired or preferably a wireless connection and communicate with the accounting center  40  through the IVR module  30 . In one exemplary embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2 , the IVR module  30  prompts the merchant to enter the merchant ID at step  35 . The merchant ID is compared by the processor  26  against a table of merchant IDs and corresponding POD INs for validation at step  42 . The POD IN may either be transmitted automatically at the initiation of the call from the corresponding POD device  24 , or may be entered manually by the merchant during the IVR dialog. If the merchant&#39;s ID cannot be validated, the merchant may, for example, be asked to re-enter the merchant ID or disconnect at step  44 . 
     Once the merchant ID is validated, the IVR module  30  prompts the merchant to enter the customer&#39;s MIN at step  46 . The IVR module  30  may repeat the customer&#39;s MIN for confirmation at step  45 . If the MN was not entered correctly, the customer is asked to re-enter the MIN at step  50 . If the MIN is entered correctly, the MIN is compared against a table of active customer MINs in the database  28  at step  48 . If the customer&#39;s MIN cannot be validated, the merchant may be asked to re-enter the MIN or disconnect at step  50 . After the customer&#39;s MIN is validated, the IVR module  30  prompts the merchant to enter the amount of replenishment at step  52 . The IVR module  30  may also prompt the merchant to verify the amount at step  54  and to re-enter the amount at step  56  or to disconnect at step  58 . 
     The IVR module  30  may also prompt the merchant to enter the POD IN, and then validate the POD IN against the merchant ID in a corresponding table in the database  28 . Alternatively, the calling number ID of the POD device  24  may be validated by comparing it in a table in the database  28 . An example of the query/answer dialog is illustrated in tabular form in  FIG. 3 . After all the information is entered, the merchant may be instructed to disconnect and wait for a confirmation. 
     The IVR module  30  may record the information received from the merchant. The information received is processed by the processor  26  to validate the merchant ID and/or the calling number ID and to update the customer&#39;s account records in the database  28 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the operation of the system. The customer visits the merchant and buys a replenishment amount for the customer&#39;s wireless terminal. The customer also gives its MIN to the merchant at step  60 . The merchant uses its POD device  24  to call the account center  40  of the TSP at step  62 . The merchant then inputs the relevant data, such as the merchant ID, the POD IN, the customer MIN and the replenishment amount at steps collectively designated as  64 . Such inputting may be carried out, for example, interactively through the IVR module  30 . The IVR module  30  communicates with the accounting center  40  to validate the identifications and update the customer&#39;s account at steps generally designated  66 . The merchant may then be instructed to terminate the call at step  68 . The accounting center generates confirming messages at step  70 . A confirming message may be delivered to the merchant at step  72 , and to the customer at step  74 . 
     The confirming message to the merchant may be delivered through, for example, a short message service (hereinafter “SMS”) message, which may be delivered without requiring the POD device  24  to be in active mode or within range. Additionally, the SMS messages may remain on the POD device  24  until manually deleted by the merchant or overwritten by subsequent messages. The number of messages that may be stored on the POD device  24  depends on the manufacturer of the device and the features setup. 
     The confirming message to the customer&#39;s wireless terminal  22  may also be in the form of an SMS text message if the customer&#39;s terminal  22  supports such messaging. The confirming message may also be delivered as a toll-free call to the customer&#39;s wireless terminal  22 . Furthermore, the conforming message to the customer may be delivered directly to the customer as a receipt from the merchant. 
     The merchant may also keep an electronic or paper record of the communication and provide the customer with a receipt of the transaction. 
     Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations of the details, materials and arrangement of parts may be made within the principle and scope of the invention without departing from the spirit invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.