Wireless Access Point Having Metering Capability and Metering Display
AssigneeTracFone Wireless, Inc.
InventorSatish Ramprasad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure provides a system and method for metering on a prepaid wireless access point the amount of data transferred between a wireless device and the Internet and inhibiting further data transmission when the amount of prepaid data available reaches or drops below a pre-determined threshold. Specifically, the wireless access point includes a metering client to track one of data usage or an amount of prepaid data available. When the metering client indicates that the amount of data available has dropped below a pre-determined threshold, the wireless access point inhibits further data transmission.
Claims20
A wireless access point comprising:
- a tracking system implemented in the wireless access point, the tracking system operating in conjunction with a metering client, the metering client configured to track at least prepaid data usage and determine an amount of prepaid data available;
- at least one transceiver configured to transfer data between the wireless access point and a mobile network;
- the at least one transceiver further configured to connect to at least one wireless device and to transfer data to and from the at least one wireless device;
- a computer readable medium configured to store the tracking system;
- a processor configured to execute the tracking system;
- a display implemented in the wireless access point, the display configured to display information from one of the computer readable medium, the processor, and the tracking system;
- the tracking system is further configured to receive the amount of prepaid data available and an amount of data a user uses from the metering client;
- and
- the display implemented in the wireless access point is further configured to display the remaining amount of data available from the metering client.
A wireless access point, comprising:
- means for tracking comprising a tracking system implemented in a processor of the wireless access point, the means for tracking operating in conjunction with a metering system that tracks at least prepaid data usage and an amount of prepaid data available;
- means for transferring data between the wireless access point and a mobile network;
- means for connecting to at least one wireless device and to transfer data to and from the at least one wireless device;
- means for implementing the tracking system in the processor;
- means for tracking at least the prepaid data usage and the amount of prepaid data available;
- means for displaying implemented in a display of the wireless access point, the means for displaying displays information from one of a means for storing and the means for tracking;
- and
- the means for displaying implemented in the wireless access point further receives information from the means for tracking at least one of the prepaid data usage or the amount of prepaid data available and displays at least one of data usage or the amount of prepaid data available on the display.
A method of metering data usage on a wireless access point comprising:
- allocating a certain amount of prepaid data to a wireless access point based on an amount of prepaid data purchased by a user;
- implementing a metering client and a tracking system implemented in the wireless access point;
- displaying the amount of prepaid data remaining for use on a display of the wireless access point;
- monitoring an amount of data used by the wireless access point with the tracking system implemented by a processor and the metering system;
- providing the display with a new amount of data available with the processor implementing the tracking system for use by the wireless access point;
- displaying on the display of the wireless access point the new amount of data available;
- and
- inhibiting data transfer between wireless devices and the wireless access point if the amount of prepaid data available reaches or drops below a pre-determined threshold with at least one of the following:
- the metering client and the tracking system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.