System and methods for managing the utilization of a communications device
A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the allocation of electronic wallets that are associated with one or more devices and various controls that enable at least two entities to manage how the device is utilized for various activities and to pay for goods and services. Each device is associated with at least two electronic wallets, a user wallet and an administrator wallet. The administrator can establish rules that designate how and when the device can be used and which wallet will be used to pay for goods and services desired by the user, but in the event the user wallet is depleted or low on funds, the administrator wallet can serve as a backup funding source for specified types of goods and/or services. Additional wallets can also be associated with the device to authorize and pay for goods and services, under the control of the administrator wallet, such as a promotional wallet that could be designated for use with the device before a primary or administrative wallet was used, or a dynamic wallet that could be associated for use with multiple different devices as well as other wallets, but acts in conjunction with the user and administrator wallets. Additional rules can be established to perform many other functions, such as manage the movement of value between wallets and from other sources to the wallets.
1. A system for managing in real-time a telecommunication device used by a user, comprising:
an administrator wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by an administrator, and being associated with at least the telecommunication device; and a function manager for managing a plurality of different functions to be performed by the telecommunication device, the function manager having a global rule that specifies whether a function is permitted, the function manager having a local rule that specifies whether a charge of units of value associated with the function will be paid by the user or by the administrator wallet.
2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the local rule specifies that the administrator wallet is to pay for the function if the user cannot pay for the function.
3. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, wherein the local rule specifies that even if the administrator wallet is to pay for the function, if the administrator wallet lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the function, then the user wallet is to pay for the function if the user wallet contains sufficient units of value.
4. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, wherein the user wallet or the administrator wallet are associated with a charge card, and wherein the charge card is to pay for the function if either the user wallet or the administrator wallet lack sufficient units of value.
5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the units of value are credits representing services or applications.
6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the local rule specifies that charges associated with sending or receiving content between the telecommunication device and the administrator or another device authorized by the administrator are to be paid by the administrator wallet.
7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the local rule specifies a list of names or numbers corresponding to other communication devices or persons, and wherein the local rule specifies that charges associated with sending or receiving content between the telecommunication device and the other communication devices or persons on the list are to be paid by the user.
8. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a promotional wallet for storing units of value and being associated with the telecommunication device, wherein the global rule specifies one or more promotional functions that can be paid by the promotional wallet, and wherein the local rule specifies that if sufficient units of value are stored in the promotional wallet, then charges associated with the promotional functions are to be paid by the promotional wallet.
9. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, wherein if the units of value stored in the administrator wallet or the user wallet equal or pass a predetermined level, the administrator and/or the user is alerted.
10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the function manager is accessible by the administrator through a website that enables the administrator to choose the function and to choose a first global rule and/or a first local rule.
11. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a transfer function for enabling units of value to be transferred between the administrator wallet, the user and/or a third party.
12. The system as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, wherein the transfer function automatically makes the transfer of a predetermined number of units of value to the user wallet from the administrator wallet on a periodic schedule or when the units of value stored in the user wallet or the administrator wallet equal or pass a predetermined level.
13. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, and further comprising a gift function for enabling a third party to make a deposit of units of value to either the user wallet or the administrator wallet and to communicate with the user and/or the administrator regarding the deposit.
14. A system for funding in real-time a telecommunication device used by a user, comprising:
a dynamic wallet for electronically storing units of value, the dynamic wallet being accessible by a financier and being represented by a unique identifier; and a function manager for managing a plurality of functions to be performed by the telecommunication device, the function manager having a global rule that specifies whether a function is permitted and a local rule that applies if the function is permitted by the global rule and that specifies whether a number of units of value associated with the function will be paid by the user or by the dynamic wallet.
15. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a funding function accessible by the financier that enables the financier to associate the dynamic wallet with the telecommunication device and to establish or change the local rule.
16. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising an administrator wallet for electronically storing units of value and being associated with the telecommunication device, the administrator wallet being accessible by an administrator and operative to control the function manager, the local rule further specifying whether the number of units of value associated with the function will be charged to the user, the dynamic wallet or the administrator wallet.
17. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising an administrator wallet for electronically storing units of value and being associated with the telecommunication device, the administrator wallet being accessible by an administrator and operative to control the function manager, and further comprising a funding function accessible by the financier that enables the financier to associate the dynamic wallet with the telecommunication device and to establish or change the local rule.
18. A system for managing in real-time a telecommunication device used by a user, comprising a function manager for managing a plurality of functions to be performed by the telecommunication device, the function manager including:
a global rule that specifies whether a function is permitted; and
a local rule that applies if the function is permitted by the global rule and that specifies whether a number of units of value associated with the function will be paid by the user or a promotional wallet, wherein the promotional wallet electronically stores units of value and is associated with the telecommunication device, and wherein if the function is a promotional function, the promotional wallet pays the number of units of value for the promotional function until a predetermined limit has been met.
19. The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising a user wallet for electronically storing units of value, being accessible by the user, and being associated with the telecommunication device, the local rule further specifying that the user wallet is to pay the number of units of value for the promotional function once the predetermined limit has been met.
20. The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising an administrator wallet for electronically storing units of value and being associated with the telecommunication device, the administrator wallet being accessible by an administrator and operative to control the function manager, and wherein the global rule specifies whether the promotional function is permitted by the administrator.