Wireless service card having machine readable codes and device and process for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10887472-B2
Application number	US-202016867078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2020
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

A process for authorizing wireless service includes providing a generally rectangular flat form factor card having a first surface and opposing second surface. The process further includes providing a machine-readable activation code arranged on the first surface, wherein the machine-readable activation code is configured to authorize the wireless service when provided to a system associated with a wireless service provider, receiving the machine-readable activation code in a server, the machine-readable activation code being captured by a wireless device, and provisioning the wireless service to the wireless device from a wireless network when the machine-readable activation code is provided to the system associated with the wireless network.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for authorizing wireless service for a wireless device, the process comprising:
providing an application executable on a wireless device, the application configured to control the wireless device to capture a machine-readable wireless service activation code using a camera associated with the wireless device, and the machine-readable wireless service activation code is configured to authorize the wireless service when provided to a wireless service provider system, the machine-readable wireless service activation code configured to represent a prepaid amount of wireless service;
transmitting in response to the application the machine-readable wireless service activation code along with wireless device identification information from the wireless device over a network to the wireless service provider system;
receiving the machine-readable wireless service activation code along with wireless device identification information in the wireless service provider system, the machine-readable wireless service activation code being captured by the camera of the wireless device;
provisioning the prepaid amount of wireless service to the wireless device identified by the wireless device identification information from a wireless network when the machine-readable wireless service activation code along with wireless device identification information is provided to the wireless service provider system associated with the wireless network;
monitoring and determining an amount of the prepaid amount of wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system and used by the wireless device with an accounting device; and
controlling a use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system and used by the wireless device with the accounting device based on the amount of the prepaid amount of wireless service used by the wireless device,
wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code comprises at least one of the following: a bar code, a QR code, a Data Matrix (DM) code, or a Universal Product Code (UPC).

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code comprises the QR code, wherein the QR code is arranged on a card with a scratch off panel arranged thereover.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the machine-readable wireless service activation code from the wireless device over the wireless network to the wireless service provider system.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the wireless service includes at least one of the following: wireless data, text messaging, or wireless talk time.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the accounting device comprises an internal accounting device implemented by the wireless device, the process further comprising:
monitoring a use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system used by the wireless device with the internal accounting device implemented by the wireless device; and
controlling the use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system used by the wireless device in response to the internal accounting device implemented by the wireless device.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the accounting device comprises a wireless provider backend system, the process further comprising:
monitoring a use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system used by the wireless device with the wireless provider backend system; and
controlling the use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider system used by the wireless device with the wireless provider backend system.

7. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a graphical user interface on a display of the wireless device in response to execution of the application, the graphical user interface comprising an input to receive an alpha numeric wireless service activation code from a user; and
generating the graphical user interface on a display of the wireless device in response to execution of the application, the graphical user interface comprising an input to initiate capturing the machine-readable wireless service activation code in response to a user's initiation.

8. A wireless device configured for initiating authorization of wireless service comprising:
a camera configured to capture a machine-readable wireless service activation code, wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code is configured to authorize a wireless service when provided to a wireless service provider system associated with a wireless service provider, the machine-readable wireless service activation code configured to represent a prepaid amount of wireless service;
a processor further configured to store the machine-readable wireless service activation code captured by the camera in a memory, and the memory further configured to store wireless device identification information;
a transceiver configured to transmit the machine-readable wireless service activation code from the memory along with the wireless device identification information over a network to the wireless service provider system; and
the transceiver further configured to provide the prepaid amount of wireless service from a wireless network when the machine-readable wireless service activation code along with the wireless device identification information is provided to the wireless service provider system associated with the wireless network,
wherein the processor is further configured to execute an application, the application being executable by the processor and configured to capture the machine-readable wireless service activation code using the camera and further configured to send the machine-readable wireless service activation code along with the wireless device identification information from the wireless device over the wireless network to the wireless service provider system;
wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code is configured to authorize the wireless service when provided to the wireless service provider system associated with a wireless service provider and the machine-readable wireless service activation code represents a prepaid amount of wireless service;
wherein the camera is further configured to capture the machine-readable wireless service activation code; and
wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code comprises at least one of the following: a bar code, a QR code, a Data Matrix (DM) code, or a Universal Product Code (UPC).

9. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the wireless service provider system is configured to monitor and determine an amount of the prepaid amount of wireless service provided by the wireless service provider and used by the wireless device.

10. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the wireless service provider system is further configured to control a use of the wireless service provided by the wireless service provider used by the wireless device based on an amount of the prepaid amount of wireless service used by the wireless device.

11. The wireless device of claim 8 ,
wherein the machine-readable wireless service activation code comprises the QR code; and
wherein the QR code is arranged on a card with a scratch off panel arranged thereover.

12. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to send the machine-readable wireless service activation code over the wireless network to the wireless service provider system.

13. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the wireless service includes at least one of the following: wireless data, t

Assignees

• Tracfone Wireless Inc

Inventors

• Vagelos Theodore

Classifications

• H04M17/02

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

• H04M15/48

  Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption · CPC title

• H04M17/026

  Constructional features · CPC title

• H04M17/106

  using commercial credit or debit cards · CPC title

• H04M17/023

  Circuit arrangements · CPC title