Methods, systems and program products for supporting prepaid service within a communication network

A method of accessing a prepaid communication service, said method comprising:

• a prepaid client transmitting a resource request for prepaid resources to a prepaid server;
• the prepaid client receiving a resource response from the prepaid server specifying a first quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• the prepaid client counting an amount of prepaid resources consumed in a prepaid packet data session;
• in response to determining that the resource usage threshold has been reached, the prepaid client transmitting a notification to the prepaid server indicating that the threshold of prepaid resources has been reached;
• and
• the prepaid client preventing consumption of additional prepaid resources by said prepaid packet data session until any resource response is received specifying a second quota of prepaid resources for said prepaid packet data session.

A prepaid server for controlling access to a prepaid communication service, said prepaid server comprising:

• means, responsive to receipt of a resource request for prepaid resources from a prepaid client, for transmitting a resource response specifying a quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• means for receiving a notification from the prepaid client indicating that the resource usage threshold of prepaid resources has been reached in a prepaid packet data session;
• and
• means, responsive to said notification, for performing an accounting update reflecting a portion of said prepaid account balance that has been consumed.

A prepaid client for accessing a prepaid communication service, said prepaid client comprising:

• means for transmitting a resource request for prepaid resources to a prepaid server;
• means for receiving a resource response from the prepaid server specifying a first quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• means for counting an amount of prepaid resources consumed in a prepaid packet data session;
• means, responsive to determining that the resource usage threshold has been reached, for transmitting a notification to the prepaid server indicating that the resource usage threshold of prepaid resources has been reached;
• and
• means for preventing consumption of additional prepaid resources by said prepaid packet data session until any resource response is received specifying a second quota of prepaid resources for said prepaid packet data session.

A program product for controlling access to a prepaid communication service, said program product comprising a data processing system usable medium having a prepaid server encoded therein, said prepaid server including:

• means, responsive to receipt of a resource request for prepaid resources from a prepaid client, for transmitting a resource response specifying a quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• means for receiving a notification from the prepaid client indicating that the threshold of prepaid resources has been reached in a prepaid packet data session;
• and
• means, responsive to said notification, for performing an accounting update reflecting a portion of said prepaid account balance that has been consumed.

A program product for accessing a prepaid communication service, said program product comprising a data processing system usable medium having a prepaid client encoded therein, said prepaid client comprising:

• means for transmitting a resource request for prepaid resources to a prepaid server;
• means for receiving a resource response from the prepaid server specifying a first quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client is required to provide notification;
• means for counting an amount of prepaid resources consumed in a prepaid packet data session;
• means, responsive to determining that the resource usage threshold of prepaid services has been reached, for transmitting a notification to the prepaid server indicating that the threshold of prepaid resources has been reached;
• and
• means for preventing consumption of additional prepaid resources by said prepaid packet data session until any resource response is received specifying a second quota of prepaid resources for said prepaid packet data session.

An Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (HAAA) server for a wireless access network, comprising:

• means for authenticating subscribers of the wireless access network;
• means for authorizing service utilization;
• means for accounting for service utilization;
• and
• a prepaid server controlling access to a prepaid communication service, said prepaid server including:
• means, responsive to receipt of a resource request for prepaid resources from a prepaid client, for transmitting a resource response specifying a quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• means for receiving a notification from the prepaid client indicating that the resource usage threshold of prepaid resources has been reached in a prepaid packet data session;
• and
• means, responsive to said notification, for performing an accounting update reflecting a portion of said prepaid account balance that has been consumed.

A Packet Data-Serving Node (PDSN) of a wireless access network, comprising:

• means for routing data packets;
• and
• a prepaid client including:
• means for transmitting a resource request for prepaid resources to a prepaid server;
• means for receiving a resource response from the prepaid server specifying a first quota of prepaid resources no greater than a prepaid account balance of a prepaid service subscriber and a resource usage threshold at which the prepaid client provides notification;
• means for counting an amount of prepaid resources consumed in a prepaid packet data session;
• means, responsive to determining that the resource usage threshold has been reached, for transmitting a notification to the prepaid server indicating that the resource usage threshold of prepaid resources has been reached;
• and
• means for preventing consumption of additional prepaid resources by said prepaid packet data session until any resource response is received specifying a second quota of prepaid resources for said prepaid packet data session.