Prepaid wireless telephone account regeneration in a wireless access protocol system

Abstract

A service control point transmits a recharge request message or advice of charge to a mobile client resident in a wireless communications device. The message is first received by a wireless telephony application server that then forwards the message to a wireless access protocol gateway. The wireless access protocol gateway then sends the request to the mobile client. The user of the mobile client responds with an affirmative or negative answer to the request to recharge the prepaid telephone airtime account. The service control point then either recharges the account as instructed or lets the account expire, depending on the response from the user.

1 . A method for recharging a prepaid telephone airtime account, the method comprising: 
 with a network element, initiating a recharge request to a mobile client advising of a low balance in a prepaid telephone airtime account;    with the mobile client, sending a reply message indicating a response to the recharge request; and    with the network element, processing the prepaid telephone airtime account in response to the reply message.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reply message indicates a desire to recharge the prepaid telephone airtime account.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the network element processes the prepaid telephone airtime account by adding a value to the prepaid telephone airtime account.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the value added to the prepaid telephone airtime account includes a currency value.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the value added to the prepaid telephone airtime account includes an airtime value.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the value added is a predetermined value.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the value added is a value set dynamically by a subscriber operating the mobile client.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reply message indicates a desire to let the prepaid telephone airtime account expire.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the network element processes the prepaid telephone airtime account by letting the prepaid telephone airtime account expire, and, if a user is in mid-call, transmitting a warning to the mobile client indicating end of balance.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, if the user's prepaid balance becomes completely depleted, transmitting a message to a mobile switching center to terminate the call.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a wireless telephone.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, with the network element, transmitting an acknowledgement back to the mobile client in response to the reply message.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising informing the mobile client of an anticipated charge.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising pushing an advertisement to the mobile client.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network element comprises a service control point.  
   
   
       17 . A system for recharging a prepaid telephone airtime account, the system comprising: 
 a mobile client; and    a network element operative to initiate a recharge request to the mobile client advising of a low balance in a prepaid telephone airtime account;    wherein the network element is further operative to process the prepaid telephone airtime account in response to a reply message sent from the mobile client indicating a response to the recharge request.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a wireless telephone.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the network element comprises a service control point.  
   
   
       21 . A method comprising: 
 with a service control point, analyzing a telephone number to determine an anticipated charge for a telephone call;    with the service control point, informing a mobile client of the anticipated charge;    with the mobile client, responding to the service control point with a reply message indicating a response to the anticipated charge; and    with the service control point, processing a prepaid telephone airtime account in response to the reply message.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a wireless telephone.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the mobile client is resident in a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the reply message indicates a desire to let the prepaid telephone airtime account expire.