Patent ID: 8897746

Claim:
A method for synchronizing a prepaid account balance of a mobile station user on the mobile station with a prepaid account balance and a balance expiration date stored in a prepaid server, the mobile station being configured for receiving one or more messages from the prepaid server via a message service center (MSC) indicating the prepaid account balance and the balance expiration date generated by a prepaid server via a communication link established through a wireless network system, the method comprising steps of: (a) retaining by the prepaid server a time at which a last preceding message indicating the prepaid account balance was generated and sent by the prepaid server to the MSC for delivery to the mobile station; (b) determining by the prepaid server an amount of time which has elapsed after the retained time at which the last message indicating the prepaid account balance was generated and sent by the prepaid server; and (c) generating and sending by the prepaid server, independent of a state of delivery of the last message, a new message indicating the prepaid account balance, to the MSC for delivery to the mobile station, when a predetermined time has elapsed after the last message indicating the prepaid account balance was generated and sent by the prepaid server, wherein the predetermined time is equal to or longer than a retention time of messages at the MSC, the retention time indicating a time in which the MSC will discard the messages when the messages have not been successfully delivered to the mobile station.