System, method, and process for handling wireless service and wireless device transaction and information requests

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10530937-B2
Application number	US-201815968046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2018
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A process for handling wireless service and wireless device transaction and information requests includes storing in a database wireless service information responses, wireless service transaction responses, wireless device information responses, and wireless device transaction responses. The process including receiving and analyzing a keyword, obtaining a response, based at least on the keyword, and transmitting the response.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for handling wireless service and wireless device transaction and information requests, the system comprising:
a database configured to store wireless service information responses, wireless service transaction responses, wireless device information responses, and wireless device transaction responses;
at least one processor configured to receive a communication over a network from a wireless device, the communication including a keyword input by a user of the wireless device and sent by the user from the wireless device to the at least one processor, the keyword associated with at least one of the following: a wireless service information request, a wireless service transaction request, a wireless device information request, and a wireless device transaction request;
the at least one processor further configured to analyze the keyword input by the user of the wireless device and sent by the user from the wireless device to the at least one processor in the communication from the wireless device and determine a response to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request;
the at least one processor further configured to obtain from the database the response, based at least on the keyword, to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request; and
the at least one processor further configured to transmit a communication over a network to the wireless device for output from the wireless device, the communication includes the response to the wireless device, the response being associated to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request,
wherein the output comprises at least one of the following: displaying the response on a display of the wireless device and generating an audio message on a speaker of the wireless device that comprises the response; and
wherein the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request comprise the following:
a request for a transaction that ports a phone number of the wireless device from one wireless service provider to another wireless service provider;
a request for a transaction that activates a new phone number for the wireless device;
a request for a transaction to transfer from one wireless service provider to another wireless service provider;
a request for a transaction that reactivates wireless service for a wireless device;
a request for a transaction to purchase a wireless service plan;
a request for information and instructions on how to install a SIM card into the wireless device;
a request for instructions on how to transfer a mobile number to another wireless device;
a request for information that provides instructions on how to access a loyalty rewards program; and
a request for a transaction for an automatic payment wireless service plan.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor and a second processor;
wherein the first processor is configured to analyze the keyword in the communication from the wireless device and determine if the response should be handled by the first processor or handled by the second processor; and
wherein either the first processor or the second processor obtain from the database, based on the analysis of the first processor, the response, based at least on the keyword, to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the database further configured to store current wireless carrier information for a plurality of wireless devices;
the at least one processor further configured to analyze the communication from the wireless device and determine a phone number associated with the wireless device; and
the at least one processor further configured to query the database based on the phone number associated with the wireless device to determine a wireless carrier of the wireless device.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
the at least one processor further configured to analyze the keyword in the communication from the wireless device and the determined wireless carrier to determine a response to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request;
the at least one processor further configured to obtain from the database a response, based at least on the keyword and the determined wireless carrier, to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request; and
the at least one processor further configured to transmit a communication to the wireless device that includes the response to the wireless device, the response being associated to the wireless service information request, the wireless service transaction request, the wireless device information request, or the wireless device transaction request.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the communication from the wireless device comprises a text message addressed to a short code; and
wherein the communication to the wireless device comprises a text message.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the wireless device comprises a wireless phone;
wherein the communication from the wireless device comprises a text message addressed to a short code; and
wherein the communication to the wireless device comprises a text message.

7. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the wireless device comprises a smart speaker that includes at least a processor, a speaker, a microphone, and a transceiver;
wherein the processor is configured to implement voice recognition functionality; and
wherein a communication from the smart speaker comprises the keyword captured by the voice recognition functionality.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is implemented by a Mobile Virtual Network Operator; and wherein the wireless devices connect to one of a plurality of Mobile Network Operator networks.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium executed by at least one processor to perform a process for handling wireless service and wireless device transaction and information requests, the process comprising:
storing in a database wireless service information responses, wireless service transaction responses, wireless device information responses, and wireless device transaction responses;
receiving with at least one processor a communication over a network from a wireless device, the communication including a keyword input by a user of the wireless device and sent by the user from the wireless device to the at least one processor, the keyword associated with at least one of the following: a wireless service information request, a wireless service transaction request, a wireless device information request, and a wireless device transaction request;
analyzing with the at least one processor the keyword input by the user of the wireless device and sent by the user from the wireless device to the at least one processor in the communication from the wireless device to determine whether the keyword matches a predefined keyword, and determining based on the keyword matc

Assignees

• Tracfone Wireless Inc

Inventors

• Zimmerman James
• Ramon Ricky
• Ritter Stephen

Classifications

• H04M17/02

  Coin-freed or check-freed systems {, e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths} · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04M15/715 Primary

  Activating new subscriber or card · CPC title

• H04M17/204

  on-line recharging, e.g. cashless · CPC title

• H04W4/14

  Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] · CPC title