Boston Communications Group, Inc.

Nortel Networks Corporation

Xius Holding Corp.

Luther Rudisill

Thomas Erskine

Kenneth Sonberg

A system and method performs real-time subscriber management and accounting for a wireless device by detecting predetermined events within the wireless device and communicating information pertaining to such events from the wireless device to a real-time subscriber management platform in association with each communication session. The information received by the real-time subscriber management platform is used to control the behavior of the wireless device and/or to update accounting information pertaining to the subscriber.

Subscriber management and accounting using event detection in a wireless device

A system for controlling wireless phone usage enables a supervisor to establish user profiles for supervised users of wireless phones across a range of parameters which are stored in a user profile database. Such parameters may include one or more locations at which use of the wireless phone is restricted or permitted. In addition, restrictions on phone use may be provided based upon total phone usage within a specified control period, time periods, dates or days of the week during which phone use is restricted or permitted. One or more lists including numbers that are always-accessible may be provided and one or more lists including numbers that are never-accessible may also be provided. In the event a call does not satisfy predefined criteria, the call is blocked. Predetermined messages may be played to the called or calling party as applicable when a call is blocked. Boolean combinations of restrictions and permissive use criteria for the wireless phone may be specified to provide for flexibility when establishing use criteria for the wireless phone.

Method and system for providing supervisory control over wireless phone usage

System and method for enabling the purchase of products and services using a prepaid account associated with a wireless communications device are described. In a preferred embodiment, when a subscriber desires to pay for a transaction using a prepaid wireless communications services (&ldquo;PWCS&rdquo;) account associated with a wireless communications device, a telephone number of the device and the transaction amount are entered using a keypad of a card reader. The information is routed through a financial institution to a financial clearing house network based on the telephone number. The data is then routed through a financial interface of a wireless communications network to a service control point (&ldquo;SCP&rdquo;) containing the subscriber record associated with the telephone number. At the SCP, a determination is made whether there are sufficient funds in the subscriber's prepaid account to cover the amount of the transaction. If so, the transaction is allowed and the subscriber's account is debited in the amount of the purchase. Otherwise, the transaction is denied and the merchant is notified. In one aspect, before the PWCS account is debited, a short message service center (&ldquo;SMSC&rdquo;) connected to the SCP generates a message to the wireless communications device to obtain authorization of the transaction. An additional level of security may be provided by requiring the subscriber to enter a PIN number prior to allowing him or her to authorize or reject the transaction.

Growing community of inventors

Parker, TX, United States of America

Luther Rudisill