Mobile phone with internal accounting

A debit telephone system comprising:

• a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software,
• said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which classifies each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories, selects a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculates an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtracts this appropriate charge from said debit account;
• a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account, whereupon said operating codes are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

A debit telephone system comprising:

• a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software,
• said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories including categories for local calls, long distance calls and roaming calls, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
• a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, wherein said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account, whereupon said operating codes are then communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

A debit telephone system comprising:

• a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software,
• said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
• a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, assignable telephone numbers, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user and, at the time of activation, information identifying the user's locale, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account and, at the time of activation, ascertains an assignable telephone number which corresponds to the mobile telephone user's locale, whereupon said operating codes and assignable telephone number are communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.

A debit telephone system comprising:

• a plurality of cordless hand-held mobile telephone units, wherein each of said hand-held mobile telephone units includes a processor, memory and internal accounting software,
• said internal accounting software including a debit account with a representation of prepaid funds, a plurality of charge rates and a billing algorithm which can classify each telephone call into one of a plurality of billing categories including categories for local, long distance and roaming telephone calls, select a charge rate corresponding to that billing category, calculate an appropriate charge for that telephone call in real time by using said selected charge rate and subtract this appropriate charge from said debit account;
• a system provider having a host processor for coordination of mobile phone accounts, said host processor stores mobile telephone unit information including mobile telephone unit identification information, assignable telephone numbers, operating codes needed for mobile telephone unit activation and operating codes needed for replenishing mobile telephone unit debit accounts whereby, upon receipt of mobile telephone unit identification information from a particular mobile telephone unit or its user and, at the time of activation, information identifying the user's locale, said host processor ascertains the operating codes needed to activate that particular mobile telephone unit or to replenish its debit account and, at the time of activation, ascertains an assignable telephone number which corresponds to the mobile telephone user's locale, whereupon said operating codes and assignable telephone number are then communicated to the particular mobile phone unit or its user.