Granted Patent B2

US 7,457,609 · App. 11/261,342 · Granted Nov 25, 2008

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. In a communication system, a method for controlling services provided to a plurality of shared plan subscribers having a shared account, the method comprising:

establishing a shared plan defining individual restrictions for a plurality of subscribers to the shared plan, the shared plan comprising a first set of restrictions for a first subscriber to the shared plan, and a second set of restrictions for a second subscriber to the shared plan; and

selectively providing services to the shared plan subscribers based on subscriber usage data and the corresponding individual restrictions defined for the shared plan;

wherein selectively providing services to the shared plan subscribers based on the corresponding individual restrictions defined for the shared plan comprises:

monitoring service attempts relative to subscribers to the shared plan;

for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber, obtaining the first set of restrictions from a plans database, obtaining first usage data associated with the first shared plan subscriber from a usage database, and determining whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions and the first usage data; and

if the service is allowed, providing the service to the first shared plan subscriber within any limits imposed by the first set of restrictions and the first usage data; and

wherein at least one of the first set of restrictions includes a condition relative to the second subscriber to the shared plan, wherein for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber, selectively providing services further comprises obtaining second usage data associated with the second shared plan subscriber from the usage database, and determining whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions, the first usage data, and the second usage data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an announcement to the first shared plan subscriber and denying or discontinuing the service if the service is not allowed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one subscriber to the shared plan can modify the individual restrictions defined for the shared plan.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared plan individually defines available minutes restrictions and at least one of time-based restrictions, location-based restrictions, and service/content type restrictions for each subscriber to the shared plan.

5. In a communications system, a control system for controlling communications services provided to a plurality of subscribers to a shared plan, the control system comprising:

a subscriber account management system that stores a shared plan defining individual restrictions for a plurality of subscribers to the shared plan, the shared plan comprising a first set of restrictions for a first subscriber to the shared plan and a second set of restrictions for a second subscriber to the shared plan, the subscriber account management system further storing usage data for the plurality of subscribers to the shared plan; and

a rule engine operatively coupled with a network of the communications system and with the subscriber account management system, the rule engine being operative to selectively provide services to the subscribers to the shared plan based on the usage data and based on the corresponding individual restrictions defined for the shared plan;

wherein the rule engine is operative to monitor service attempts relative to subscribers to the shared plan;

wherein the rule engine is operative for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber to obtain the first set of restrictions from a plans database, to obtain first usage data associated with the first shared plan subscriber from a usage database, and to determine whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions and the first usage data;

wherein the rule engine is operative if the service is allowed to provide the service to the first shared plan subscriber within any limits imposed by the first set of restrictions and the first usage data; and

wherein at least one of the first set of restrictions includes a condition relative to the second subscriber to the shared plan, wherein for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber, the rules engine is operative to obtain second usage data associated with the second shared plan subscriber from the usage database, and to determine whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions, the first usage data, and the second usage data.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the network is operative to detect service attempts relative to subscribers to the shared plan and to notify the rule engine of the service attempts, wherein for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber, the rule engine obtains the first set of restrictions and first usage data associated with the first subscriber from the subscriber account management system and determines whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions and the first usage data, and if so, allows the network to provide the service to the first shared plan subscriber within any limits imposed by the first set of restrictions and the first usage data.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein if the service is not allowed based on the first set of restrictions and the first usage data, the rule engine causes the network to provide an announcement to the first shared plan subscriber and to deny or discontinue the service.

8. The control system of claim 6 , wherein at least one subscriber to the shared plan can modify the individual restrictions defined for the shared plan.

9. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the subscriber account management system allows at least one subscriber to the shared plan to modify the individual restrictions defined for the shared plan.

10. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the subscriber account management system updates usage data for the shared plan, further comprising a call detail records (CDR) generation system operatively coupled with the network that generates call data records for the shared account.

11. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the shared plan individually defines available minutes restrictions and at least one of time-based restrictions, location-based restrictions, and service/content type restrictions for each subscriber to the shared plan.

12. A system for controlling communications services provided to a plurality of subscribers to a shared plan, comprising:

means for storing a shared plan defining individual restrictions for a plurality of subscribers to the shared plan; and

means for selectively providing services to the subscribers to the shared plan based on the corresponding individual restrictions defined for the shared plan;

wherein the means for selectively providing services comprises:

means for monitoring service attempts relative to subscribers to the shared plan;

for service attempts associated with the first shared plan subscriber, means for obtaining a corresponding first set of restrictions from a plans database, means for obtaining first usage data associated with the first shared plan subscriber from a usage database, wherein at least one of the first set of restrictions includes a condition relative to the second subscriber to the shared plan, means for obtaining second usage data associated with a second shared plan subscriber from the usage database, and means for determining whether the service is allowed based on the first set of restrictions, the first usage data, and the second usage data; and

if the service is allowed, means for providing the service to the first shared plan subscriber within any limits imposed by the first set of restrictions and the first usage data.

Assignments (11)