The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 13, 1998
Andreas Martschitsch, Herzogenbuchsee, CH;
Swisscom AG, Bern, CH;
Abstract
A subscriber identification SIM card for a mobile telephone comprises an advice of charge counter ACM indicating the amount corresponding to the communications carried out with the card. An EEPROM memory in the card includes a file ACMmax, indicating the maximum value of the advice of charge counter, and at least one file EF,indicating at least one telephone number free of charge. The invention compares the amount indicated by the advice of charge counter with the maximum amount of the advice of charge counter and blocks calls according to the result supplied. However, the invention does not block calls intended for one or more predetermined numbers stored on the card. It is thus possible to call, for example, an emergency number or the number of a server to reload the card, in the case of a prepayment card, even after the credit on the card has been used up.