System and method for setting subscriber-defined usage limits on a mobile terminal

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for limiting the usage of mobile telephones, and specifically to providing user-defined limits on mobile telephone usage based on increments of time or money.

#2. Background and Objects of the Present Invention

#The disclosed inventions will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show important sample embodiments of the invention and which are incorporated in the specification hereof by reference, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional terrestrially-based wireless telecommunications system;

#FIG. 2 is a flow chart outlining steps in a sample embodiment of the user-defined usage limits system and method of the present invention; and

#The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to the presently preferred exemplary embodiment. However, it should be understood that this class of embodiments provides only a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily delimit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others.

#With reference now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, steps in a sample embodiment of the present invention are illustrated in which a mobile subscriber is allowed to define usage limits based on either air time usage or charging information to control the amount of charges incurred on the subscribers MS. The implementation of the steps in the sample embodiment of the present invention will be discussed with reference to FIG. 3 of the drawings.

#Initially, the subscriber informs the network operator either prior to activation or after activation of service that the subscriber would like to limit usage of the MS 300 (step 200), typically by purchasing this feature from the operator. At any time thereafter, the subscriber can define the usage limits based on the amount of air time or charging information (step 205). If the subscriber would like to limit usage based on air time, the subscriber selects a maximum amount of air time that the subscriber is willing to pay for, e.g., ten hours a month. If, however, the subscriber would like to limit usage based on charging information, the subscriber selects a maximum amount to be billed, e.g., forty dollars a month. This usage limit information is preferably stored in the HLR 350 serving the subscriber (step 210), and will be forwarded to a VLR 340 when the MS 300 enters the Location Area (LA) 360 for which the VLR 340 is responsible (step 215).