IP Library Granted Patent US 7,957,720
Granted Patent B2
US 7,957,720 · App. 11/862,659 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Systems and methods for providing multiple simultaneous calls from the same prepaid account

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,957,720
App. No.
11/862,659
Granted
Jun 7, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Prepaid services include associating a plurality of users with a prepaid services account. The account is configured to track a prepaid balance associated with the account as well as to allow at least a subset of the plurality of users associated with the account to draw down the prepaid balance at least generally at the same time. Drawing down the prepaid balance includes allocating a portion of the prepaid balance to each respective user, monitoring a provision of service, and repeating, selectively, the allocating and monitoring.

Claims (49)

1. A method implemented by at least one non-transitory device, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of users with a prepaid services account;

tracking a prepaid balance associated with the prepaid services account;

deriving a total burn rate, of the prepaid services account, based on summing a burn rate, associated with a rate at which at least each user, of a subset of the plurality of users, draws down the prepaid balance;

determining whether to recharge the prepaid services account based on the prepaid balance, the total burn rate of the prepaid services account, and a maximum recharge time for the prepaid services account;

allocating a portion of the prepaid balance to the at least a subset of the plurality of users based on the determination;

recalculating the burn rate based on a change in the at least a subset of the plurality of users; and

providing a service to the at least a subset of the plurality of users based on the allocation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recharging the prepaid balance while providing of services.

3. The method of claim 1 , where determining whether to recharge the prepaid services account further comprises:

dividing the prepaid balance by the total burn rate to obtain a result; and

comparing the result to the maximum recharge time.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the allocating occurs asynchronously with respect to particular users of the at least a subset of the plurality of users.

5. The method of claim 1 , where providing the service further comprises:

calculating a service increment for each of the at least a subset of the plurality of users, where the service increment is based on a burn rate associated with each user of the at least a subset of the plurality of users and the prepaid balance.

6. A system, comprising:

a memory to store a prepaid balance associated with an account; and

at least one call processing server, associated with a group of callers, to:

derive a total burn rate of the account based on a rate at which the group of callers draws down the prepaid balance;

determine whether to recharge the account based on the prepaid balance, the total burn rate of the account, and a maximum recharge time for the account;

allocate a portion of the prepaid balance to the group of callers based on the determination;

provide a service to the group of callers based on the allocation; and

calculate a service increment, for each caller of the group of callers, where the service increment is based on a burn rate associated with each caller of the group of callers and the prepaid balance.

7. The system of claim 6 , where the at least one call processing server is further to:

recharge the prepaid balance while providing service to at least one caller of the group of callers.

8. The system of claim 6 , where when the at least one call processing server is to determine whether to recharge the account, the at least one call processing server further is to:

divide the prepaid balance by the total burn rate to obtain a result; and

compare the result to the maximum recharge time.

9. The system of claim 6 , where when deriving the total burn rate, the at least one call processing server is further to:

sum a burn rate associated with each caller of the group of callers.

10. The system of claim 9 , where the at least one call processing server is further to:

recalculate the burn rate based on a change in the group of callers.

11. The system of claim 6 , where when allocating the portion of the prepaid balance, the at least one call processing server is further to:

asynchronously allocate the portion of the prepaid balance to the group of callers.

12. A non-transitory device implemented method, comprising:

maintaining an account having a prepaid balance, where the account is to track a usage of prepaid telecommunication services;

associating a plurality of originating callers with the account;

monitoring telecommunication service concurrently provided to at least a subset of the plurality of originating callers;

dividing the telecommunication service into one or more periods of time;

repeatedly allocating a portion of the prepaid balance to each originating caller of the at least a subset of originating callers for each period of time;

calculating a total burn rate, of the account, by summing a burn rate associated with each originating caller of the at least a subset of the plurality of originating callers;

dividing the prepaid balance by the total burn rate to obtain a result;

comparing the result to a maximum recharge time for the account;

determining whether to recharge the account based on the comparison, and

recalculating the burn rate, for each originating caller of the at least a subset of the plurality of originating callers, based on a change in the at least a subset of the plurality of originating callers.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

recharging the prepaid balance contemporaneously with the allocating.

14. The method of claim 12 , where the allocating occurs asynchronously with respect to particular originating callers of the at least a subset of the plurality of originating callers.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2009
From: VERIZON BUSINESS NETWORK SERVICES INC.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 023250/0710 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2007
From: MUMFORD, GREGORY L.; ABEL, JON E.; FITZGERALD, DAVID A.; GUNASEKAR, RADHIKA; APPLEBY, ANNA M.; LESLEIN, JOHN M.
To: VERIZON BUSINESS NETWORK SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 019890/0280 →