GB2433683A

GB2433683A - Call tariff database in a mobile phone

Info

Publication number: GB2433683A
Application number: GB0526461A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Austin
Original assignee: 0044 Ltd
Current assignee: 0044 Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-23
Filing date: 2005-12-23
Publication date: 2007-06-27
Also published as: GB0526461D0

Abstract

A mobile (or cellular) phone (10) adapted to enable communication over a cellular network, comprising a database (30) of call charge information, a processor (18) adapted to enable determination of the charge applicable for a call to an identified phone number, and a user interface (12) which enables a user to select and make a call to the identified phone number, and communication to the user of call charge information related to the call to the identified phone number.

Description

Improvements In Mobile Phones The invention relates to mobile (or

cellular) phones which enable communication over cellular network, and to the method of use of such phones, as well as computer software products and signals of data related thereto.

It is known that there are large number of mobile phone network providers to whom mobile phone users can subscribe in order to activate their mobile phone. In order to obtain users of their system, network providers compete with one another in order to gain larger market share. Accordingly, it is not uncommon for a user to switch networks periodically in order to take advantage of financial inducements offered by the competing network providers. In order to ensure that such a switch of network provider is not inhibited technically, it is possible for users to transfer their telephone number originally obtained for use with one network provider to another network provider.

Accordingly, the actual number used by a user is no indication of the network provider they are using.

As part of the financial inducements to take a contract with a network provider, it is also known for networks to provide a number of free, or inclusive, minutes within the contract price for use of the network. The number of inclusive minutes varies according to the contract. In some instances, it is possible for consumers only to have a defined amount of financial credit in order to make phone calls over the network and as such the length of time available for this credit will vary depending on the call being made since different call rates or tariffs are applicable to different phone numbers such as low cost land line calls, premium rates land line calls, and calls to mobile phone numbers on different networks and so on. For such "pay-as-you-go' type accounts, users are required to make an enquiry at their network provider regarding remaining credit.

Moreover, it is noted that up to 20% of inbound calls to mobile network call centres are enquiries regarding the amount of remaining credit and call costs. This can be a particular problem in that from time to time, it is not possible to make a telephone call over a network since each network only has a finite bandwidth and can carry only a finite number of telephone calls, and in any event places a burden on call centre resources due to the incoming enquiries.

Accordingly, objects of the invention are to improve the usability of mobile phones and in particular the user interface with the mobile phone in determining the nature of selected phone calls, and to reduce unnecessary traffic over a network through minimising enquiries to mobile network call centres regarding credit and call costs.

The invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate these and other problems in the prior art.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile phone adapted to enable communication over a cellular network, comprising a database of call charge (or tariff) information, a processor adapted to enable determination of the charge applicable for a call to an identified phone number, and a user interface which enables a user to select and make a call to the identified phone number, and communication to the user of call charge information related to the call to the identified phone number.

Beneficially, the mobile phone according to the present invention provides improved operability for a user and the standardised user interface enables ease of implementation of the improved functionality which can be achieved for example when a software application is installed on the mobile phone. The invention is particularly beneficial for example for a "pay-as-you-go" user who is able to determine accurately, the number of available minutes for a given call for their remaining credit.

Other inventions, aspects and features thereof are set out in the attached claims.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile phone and network according to the invention; Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are screen displays on the mobile phone which can be used to interact with a user in setting up a phone according to the present invention; Figure 7 is a flow diagram of part of the operation of a phone according to the invention from call initiation to call termination; Figures 8, 9 and 10 are screen displays for a mobile phone according to invention during part of the process of calling another mobile phone number; Figures 11, 12 and 13 are screen displays for a mobile phone according to invention during part of the process of calling a land line number; Figure 14 is a schematic flow diagram showing the process of calculating the projected call costs on call initiation; and Figure 15 is a schematic representation of the process of analysing the call cost and remaining number of inclusive minutes.

Referring to figure 1 there is shown a mobile phone 10 according to the invention comprising a user interface 12 having an array of buttons 14 and a display 16 which enable a user to operate the phone 10 for example in selecting and dialling a phone number.

Phone 10 further comprises a processor 18 capable of being programmed so as to perform desired operations. The processor 18 interacts with the user interface 12 and other functional electronics within the phone 10 including a memory 20. Memory 20 comprises for example, a user's phone book 22 being a store of one or more phone numbers and associated information such as a name or other identifier for the phone number. Memory 20 further comprises a number prefix database 24 which enables determination by processor 18 of the type of call, such as mobile or land line call, which is required for any selected phone number within the users phone book 22.

Memory 20 further comprises a land line database 24 and a mobile network database 28. Land line database 26 stores data related to phone numbers according to the type of land line call which will be required to that phone number for example free land line call, premium land line call, local rate land line call and so on. Mobile network database 28 stores data related to which network a phone number uses thereby enabling determination of the type of call which will be required for example from the user's network to a different network.

Tariff database 30 stores data related to the call rates applicable for a user's network using phone 10 thereby enabling calculation by processor 18 in combination with the various databases in memory 20 of the actual cost for a phone call to certain telephone numbers. The tariff database 30 is updateable periodically preferably either manually by the user selecting an update option through the user interface 12 causing processor 18 to request and download the information from application server 38, and/or automatically whereby processor 18 is programed to update tariff database 30 periodically through an enquiry to application server 38 prompted by elapsed time (such as a week) and/or a specified date determined from a calendar function operated by the processor 18.

Mobile phone 10 further comprises a clock 32 in communication with processor 18 to enable determination of the duration of phone calls for example, and processor 18 is further adapted to enable a pop up display 34 to be displayed on the graphical interface 16 of the user interface 12 thereby to display information related to calls according to the additional functionality of the invention.

Mobile phone 10 is preferably an internet enabled phone the more advanced of which are presently known as "3G' telephones with access to web services via GPRS and the like. The phone 10 can be a standard phone onto which additional software can be installed thereby to provide the functionality described herein including for example the creation of appropriate databases within an available memory 20 within the cellular mobile phone 10.

Referring to figure 1, it can be seen that mobile phone 10 communicates via the world wide web 36 and access an application server 38 which in turn communicates with a network lookup database 40.

The application server 38 is adapted to receiving incoming requests from a mobile phone 10 for determination of the appropriate network for an unidentified phone number. Application server 38 is controlled by the operator of this service and is adapted to enquire of a further database such as a third party database, which is a compilation of network information for many different phone numbers, thereby to determine the network being used by an identified phone number at that time.

Accordingly, network look up database 40 is required to be updated and maintain current network information for a large number of phone numbers and in fact this network look up database 40 is maintained by third parties for use by phone operators.

Referring to figures 2 to 6, there is shown examples of a standard user interface and the displays presented to a user of phone 10 via graphical interface 16 in order to enable correct association for one or more phone numbers stored within the users phone book 22 with the current network for that phone number.

Accordingly, a user of mobile phone 10 is able to activate the functionality according to the invention by selecting the "calcazoo' (trade mark) application, an initial screen for which is shown in the display 42 shown in figure 2. The user is able to add the appropriate information to the mobile network database 28 for mobile phone numbers stored within the users phone book 22 through selecting the "add from contacts" option shown in display 42. Having selected one or more contacts from the user's phone book 22 in an appropriate manner such as through an alpha numeric look up of the user's phone book via name and/or phone number, the user then selects the option to "check networks now" as shown in display 44 in figure 3. The mobile phone 10 enables the user to select the appropriate access point, in other words the network from which the phone number will be called which will depend on the sim card used in the phone at the time the phone number is made for example. Accordingly, assuming that the user has a 02 mobile web account, this is selected as shown in display 46 in figure 4.

Phone 10 then checks for networks as shown in display 48 in figure 5 by sending the appropriate data containing the one or more phone numbers selected from the user's phone book 22 to the application server 38 on the web 36. This can be in the form of an email or other data enquiry format as described later. The application server 38 enquires at the network lookup database 40 and determines the network for the selected one or more phone numbers. This information is relayed back to the mobile phone 10 and stored in the mobile phone network database 28. As shown in display 50 in figure 6, the network information 52 is now associated with the contact from the users phone book 22.

The information 52 is shown in display 50 can also comprise the tariff information for that network stored within the tariff database 30 for example.

The phone 10 is also adapted to ensure that the tariff database 30 is up to date and this information can again be downloaded from application server 38 periodically to ensure that the correct data is used in determining call prices for example.

In one form, the processor 18 is adapted to format data including the identified numbers for relaying to the application server 38 in a standard form such as HTTP. Similarly, application server 38 formats and transmits data to the network lookup database 40 using standard server activation model such as HTTP or SOAP (Simple Object Activation Protocol). Accordingly, data can be relayed back from network look up database 40 to activation server 38 and back to processor 18 in H1'TP format.

Key Software Coding Stages involved in the Mobile Number Network Check process: 1. Open a HTTP session (RHTFPSession).

2. Open the file (sync.txt) containing all the numbers being ported.

3. Get the next number to be ported from the file from function GetNextNumberLO.

If it returns 0 Tell the client that it is the last number to be ported by setting more=O'.

4. Construct the URL for lookup for ported number query i.e., http://lookup.

Networklookupdatabase.com/ookup?userusername&passpassword& msisdnnumb er' by function MakeUrILO.

5. Open a HTTP transaction and submit the URL to the Network Look Up Database.

6. MHFRunL(0) function will be called for the response. Here we get the response body containing the specific Network code for the number submitted. Convert this cosde to the application specific network code and write it in the file ported.txt'.

7. If more==O', Perform steps 3 to 6 again other wise release all the resources allocated and display the success message.

8. The ported.txt file contains all network codes, these numbers are then related to the application database.

Once the Mobile Network Database 28 has been populated a column in Figure 6 the processor 18 can accurately predict the cost of a telephone call made to a mobile telephone.

Referring to figure 7, there is shown a flow diagram of the review of the operation of initiating, conducting and terminating a call.

At step 54 the user initiates a mobile phone call by selecting the user interface 12, an identified phone number from the user's phone book 22 held within memory 20.

At step 56, the processor 18 determines if the telephone number is a land line phone number or a mobile telephone number using the number prefix database 24. Depending upon the result, the identified number to the call will correlate either with a land line number in land line database 26 as shown at step 58a or with a mobile network held within the mobile network database 28 as shown at stage 58b.

At step 60a, the type of land line telephone number will be determined as to whether it is a local, national, or premium rate telephone call etc. At step 60b, the processor 18 identifies the network of the mobile number dialled.

At step 62, the processor 18 queries the time with the clock 32 thereby to determine the time and hence whether or not a peak or off peak (or other time) tariff is applicable for the call.

At step 64, a pop up display (34 shown in figure 1) is generated containing appropriate information. Accordingly, processor 18 is able to determine using data held within memory 20 including the tariff based database 30, and the time, the charge rate appropriate for the outgoing call from phone 10. The cost per minute to call the dialled telephone number cannot be displayed in the pop display 34. This information is preferably displayed alongside the user's inclusive minutes balance. The data related to the inclusive minutes within the user's contract with their network provider, could be stored within memory 20 accessible by processor 18.

At step 66, the pop up display 34 is altered once the call has been answered thereby to display the duration of the call and the decreasing number of inclusive minutes remaining within the contract terms of the user of phone 10.

At step 68, the pop up display 34 is again altered when the call is terminated. The processor 18 determines the total elapsed time for the call and hence a call summary can be provided including the total cost of a call, the total number of inclusive minutes used and/or remaining.

Examples for the variation of pop up display 34 during these operational steps shown in figure 7 are shown in figures 8 to 13.

Referring to figure 8, 9 and 10, the user selects a mobile telephone number as shown in display 70 from the user's phone book 22. The pop up display 34 shown in display 72 in figure 9, indicates the number called 74, the network 76 of the called number in this case 02, the cost per minute 78 which in this case indicates the call will be free as it is to the user's own network and therefore included within the contract inclusive minutes terms. Also displayed is the user's remaining inclusive minutes total 80 which here is shown as 201 minutes. In figure 10, the display 74 carries the pop up display 34 with the call summary information and the end of the call as indicated at step 68 in figure 7.

Here, the total call cost 82 is indicated, here as free. The total call duration 84 indicates 12.5 minutes and the total number of inclusive minutes used 86 is also indicated as 12.5 minutes. Accordingly, the user's remaining inclusive balance 90 is indicated as 188.5 minutes.

Referring to figures 11, 12 and 13, the user can be seen to select a land line number in figure 11 from the user's phone book 22. In this instance, the processor 18 determines that the phone number is a land line number and which tariff is applicable using the databases described earlier which are held in memory 20, namely prefix database 24, land line database 26 and tariff database 30, in combination with the clock 32 thereby to determine the network and applicable rate at the time of the call. As shown in figure 12 in display 92, a pop up display 34 on the user display 16 provides details regarding the number called 94, the network 96 in this case a premium land line number, the cost per minute 98 in this case 35p per minute, and the remaining inclusive minutes 100 in this case are 201.

In figure 13 the display 102 carries a pop up display 34 having the summary information at the end of the call including the call cost 104 in this case 52.5p, the call duration 106 which in this case is 1.5 minutes and the inclusive minutes used 108 which in this case are 0. Accordingly, the remaining inclusive minutes 110 are displayed as being 201 minutes, since in this example premium rate landline telephone calls are not included in the user's inclusive minutes tariff and an additional charge is made to the user for the call.

Referring to figure 14, there is provided a flow diagram of the functionality of the system according to the invention phone call initiation.

The user of phone 10 selects a phone number using the user interface 12 and user's phone book 22 as indicated in a call initiation step 112. In application 114 installed on processor 18 enables generation of pop up display results 34 through a series of steps querying first a number prefix database 24 to determine the type of number, followed by looking up the selected number in the appropriate land line database 26 or mobile database 28. The processor 18 also queries the clock 32 and tariff database 30 in order to generate the pop up display 34 having the results shown in figures 9 and 12 for

example.

Referring to figure 15, there is shown a schematic diagram of the way in which the system according to the invention generates a summary result in a pop display 34 following a call. Accordingly, a call termination the call duration 116 is calculated using application 114 installed on processor 18 by querying the tariff database 30 followed by querying the clock 32 at the call termination step 118 thereby to enable display of the summary information in pop up display 34 for example shown in figures lOandl3.

Preferably processor 18 is configured to identify whether appropriate (that is accurate or recently acquired) tariff information is stored against a user selected phone number.

For example, in the circumstances that a user selects a phone number from user phone phone book 22 for which no data is stored in database 26 or 28, (or this data was previously acquired in a predetermined length of time (such as three months) ago) then the processor 18 is preferably adapted to enable one or more of the following functionality. Preferably processor 18 displays call charge information to the user in a recognisable format altering the user to the fact that the call charge information is not necessarily accurate, For example, call charge information can be displayed in red.

Preferably processor 18 can be configured to automatically look up information related to the call charge for the relevant phone number after the phone call is made. For example, where the charge rate has not been checked for the predetermined period of time and/or the network for a mobile phone number is not known, then processor 18 automatically operates the look up procedures described above for example in relation to the network look up database 40 in order to acquire the new information. In alternative forms, the user can be prompted as to whether or not to conduct the look up procedure in the circumstances of the potentially inaccurate call charge information.

Preferably, processor 18 is adapted (automatically or on instructions from a user) additionally to recalculate call charge information once the new information is acquired.

Hence, for example, in the circumstances that a phone call is made to a mobile phone number for which a first network is assumed to apply on the basis of the nature of the phone number, but for which it is subsequently determined that a different network applies, then the number of inclusive minutes stored in memory 20 and/or the call charge which had been displayed to the user for the call can be corrected so that the appropriate information is both displayed to the user and stored on memory 20.

Claims

Claims 1. A mobile (or cellular) phone adapted to enable communication

over a cellular network, comprising a database of call charge (or tariff) information, a processor adapted to enable determination of the charge applicable for a call to an identified phone number, and a user interface which enables a user to select and make a call to the identified phone number, and communication to the user of call charge information related to the call to the identified phone number.

2. A mobile phone according to claim 1 further comprising a phone memory number adapted to store a plurality of phone numbers and associated information such as a name.

3. A mobile phone according to claim 2 further comprising a data memory for storing data related to a phone number stored in the phone book which data enables determination of applicable call charge information stored in the call charge database.

4. A mobile phone according to claim 3 adapted to communicate with a remote database thereby to determine data, such as communications network information, related to a phone number, and to store the data in the data memory.

5. A mobile phone according to any preceding claim wherein the user interface comprises a display enabling graphical representation of call charge information for the user.

6. A mobile phone according to claim 5 wherein the graphical representation comprises textual information regarding call charges, for example financial cost for a period of time.

7. A mobile phone according to any preceding claim adapted to enable a user to select to call a phone number, to determine the charge for the call to the selected phone number, based on one or more of the known network of the selected phone number, whether the selected phone number is a land line and if so to determine the type of rate which is applicable such as local, long distance, international, etc., to determine the appropriate band, such as high or low peak tariff band, based for example on the time of the call, and/or the relative charge rate for calling the selected phone number from the mobile phone users network.

8. A mobile phone according to any preceding claim adapted to provide a standard user interface for a user which enables the user to select an identified phone number and to instruct the phone to obtain remotely, information related to call charges applicable to the selected phone number.

9. A mobile phone according to claim 8 wherein the processor is adapted to communicate the selected phone number remotely, preferably via an email, to receive call charge information related to call charges which would be applicable to the identified phone number, and to store this information in a memory.

10. A mobile phone according to claim 9 comprising a mobile network database for storage of the information related to the call charges applicable to the selected telephone number, and wherein preferably the information is the network applicable for the identified telephone number.

11. A mobile phone according to any preceding claim wherein the processor is adapted to determine if reliable call charge information is stored in relation to a phone number the user wishes to call and preferably is adapted to enable one or more of the following functions: automatic checking of accurate call tariff information by checking a remote database for the accurate information, prompting the user to enable remote checking of accurate call information, and/or subsequent to the call and a check of accurate call charge information for a call, adjusting the call charge information displayed and/or stored in relation to the phone number called with previously stored inaccurate call charge information.

12. A computer software product comprising stored instructional data which when loaded into a mobile phone effects the operability and/or functionality of any preceding claim.

13. A signal transferable over a communications network, comprising instructional data which when loaded into a mobile phone effects the operability and/or functionality of any preceding claim.