Method of accounting prepaid online internet service credit values
A method of accounting for online Internet usage credit includes establishing an account identifier in a database for a selected user. A number of credit value block records are associated in the database with the account identifier. Each credit value block has a stored credit value amount, and at least a second stored property indicator. In response to a measured amount of consumption of services by the user, at least one of the credit value blocks is debited by a debit amount based on the measured amount and the second stored property indicator. The stored property indicator may be a rate multiplier, or other factor indicating a different cost mode of online service, connection or usage.
1. A method of accounting for online Internet usage credit comprising:
establishing an account identifier in a database for a selected user;
associating a first credit value block record in a database with the account identifier in response to a first purchase transaction by a user;
in response to a second purchase transaction by a user, associating a second credit value block record in a database with the account identifier;
generating an aggregate value total for the first and second value block; and
wherein at least one of the credit value blocks is associated with a stored property indicator selected from a group comprising rate multipliers, bandwidth factors, toll-free usage indicators, expiration dates, priorities, rounding factors and purchase dates.
2. The method of claim 1 including the user consuming online services after associating the first record, and before associating the second block record.
3. The method of claim 1 including transmitting to the user the aggregate value total.
4. The method of claim 1 including providing a first and second rate value for each block, and generating a time-remaining value for each of the rates based on the units remaining for each block and the rate values for each block.
5. The method of claim 1 including providing a rate multiplier for each block, such that consumption of online service time is limited based on a function of the credit value and rate multiplier.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the blocks have different rate multipliers.
7. The method of claim 5 including, in response to a measured amount of consumption of services by the user, debiting at least one of the credit value blocks by a debit amount based on the measured amount and the rate multiplier.
8. The method of claim 5 including fully depleting a first credit value block if the debit amount exceeds the stored credit value amount of the first credit value block, and debiting a second credit value block by the difference between the stored credit value amount of the first credit value block and the debit amount.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second stored property indicator for a credit value block is established at a time of purchase by the user, and including depleting the credit value block at a selected rate associated with the second stored property indicator.
10. A method of accounting for online Internet usage credit comprising:
establishing an account identifier in a database for a selected user;
associating a plurality of credit value block records in the database with the account identifier;
each credit value block having a stored credit value amount, and having at least a second stored property indicator selected from a group comprising rate multipliers, bandwidth factors, toll-free usage indicators, expiration dates, priorities, rounding factors and purchase dates; and
in response to a measured amount of consumption of services by the user, debiting at least one of the credit value blocks by a debit amount based on the measured amount second stored property indicator.