Transfer of cellular services from a postpaid subscriber to a prepaid subscriber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022014631-A1
Application number	US-202016924922-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2020
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system for transferring access to cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account are disclosed. A central postpaid system receives a request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account. The cellular services are transferred to a central prepaid system for the prepaid subscriber account. The amount of the transferred cellular services is deducted from the postpaid subscriber account stored in the central postpaid system. A monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account is credited to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred amount of cellular services.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method for transferring access to cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at a central postpaid system a request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account; transferring the cellular services to a central prepaid system for the prepaid subscriber account; deducting the amount of the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account stored in the central postpaid system; and, crediting a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred amount of cellular services.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the central postpaid system and the central prepaid system are part of a telecommunications network.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a request for acceptance of the cellular services to be transferred to the prepaid subscriber account to the central prepaid system.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving an acceptance message or a decline message in response to the request for acceptance of the cellular services.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a confirmation message the cellular services have been transferred.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the confirmation message is sent to the central postpaid system.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the confirmation message is sent to the central prepaid system.

10 . A processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium storing processor-issuable instructions configured to cause a processor to:
receive at a central postpaid system a request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account; transfer the cellular services to a central prepaid system for the prepaid subscriber account; deduct the amount of the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account stored in the central postpaid system; and, credit a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred amount of cellular services.

11 . The processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium of claim 10 , wherein cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes.

12 . The processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium of claim 10 , wherein the request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service.

13 . A system for transferring access to cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account, the system comprising:
a network; and a central postpaid system in communication with the network, wherein the central postpaid system has a central postpaid server configured to:
receive a request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account;
transfer the cellular services to a central prepaid system for the prepaid subscriber account via the network;
deduct the amount of the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account stored in the central postpaid system; and,
credit a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred amount of cellular services.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the network is a telecommunications network.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the central postpaid server is further configured to:
send a request for acceptance of the cellular services to be transferred to the prepaid subscriber account to the central prepaid system.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the central postpaid server is further configured to:
receive an acceptance message or a decline message in response to the request for acceptance of the cellular services.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the central postpaid server is further configured to:
send a confirmation message that the cellular services have been transferred.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the confirmation message is sent to the central postpaid server.

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Cataniag Arnold

Classifications

• H04M15/882

  for continuing the call beyond the limit using an alternative, e.g. alternative account · CPC title

• H04M15/78

  Redistributing amount between accounts · CPC title

• H04M15/772

  per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay · CPC title

• H04M15/735 Primary

  Re-crediting user · CPC title

• H04M15/781

  dynamically · CPC title