Secured pre-payment for portable communication unit
US10594873B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 26, 2019 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 26, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W4/24
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a method of payment for service of a portable communication unit, a customer prepays a dealer for said service, the dealer forwards transaction order information about the pre-payment to a prepaid management center (PMC); and the PMC provides a bank the transaction order information. The bank, upon receipt of the transaction order information from the PMC, determines whether there are sufficient funds in the dealer account to cover the transaction. If there is insufficient cash on hand, the dealer is notified and is provided an opportunity to replenish the account so that the transaction may proceed. If there are adequate funds in the dealer account, the bank automatically transfers the amount of the purchase transaction in the SPS account, less the dealer's fee for the purchase. After funds are transferred from the dealer account, the PMC is notified of the transfer, at which time the PMC generates codes and issues the codes to the dealer. The dealer transfers the codes to the user and the user enters the codes into the unit. On a regular basis the bank electronically transfers funds from the SPS account into accounts held by parties entitled to receive the funds.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.