AN INTEGRATED MOBILE ACCOUNT CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for transferring credits of subscribers of a mobile network operator such as minute, short message, data, money from a sender subscriber to a recipient subscriber independently of credit type.

Background of the Invention

Mobile network operators aim to provide more service by generating different services, tariffs and campaigns day by day and thereby to increase their subscriber portfolios by reaching bigger masses in order to compete against each other in current competition environment. Therefore; numbers of services, tariffs and campaigns provided by mobile network operators increase each passing day and this obstructs managements of the said services, tariffs and campaigns. Subscribers of mobile network operators should be able to manage all of their campaigns and offers within their voice, data and short message service accounts separately. The said mobile network operators manage these accounts by means of sub-accounts. Each subscriber has a main account and a large number of subaccounts.

There are applications for transferring credits, which have the same unit among the subscribers of mobile network operators, from a subscriber's account to another subscriber's account in the state of the art. For example, an A subscriber can send right of short message transfer to a B subscriber so that s/he can use such that billing will be realized by the A subscriber. However, the B subscriber cannot use the right of 10 short message transfer received from the A subscriber in order to establish call for 3 minutes.

The International patent document no. WO2005124621, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for realizing credit transfer between different operators. In the said system, the first user initiates the transfer event by choosing the amount of value which is determined previously or will be sent. In the invention, if the networks of the first and the second users are being used in minutes or monetarily, it is stated that a desired value can be chosen among these different values.

The United States patent document no. US2008261558, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for facilitating credit transfer transaction realized over mobile network. The user sends a message comprising a short code to the system within the said system. This credit system carries out identification of the credit amount to be transferred to the second subscriber and the second subscriber by evaluating this short code received on the system.

The European patent document no. EP2613513, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for transferring credit over a mobile network. Within this system, a user owning a mobile network can transfer credit to the account of another user over mobile network. In this invention, the credit transfer authentication code can be realized by means of a message comprising the subscriber identifier receiving the transfer and the credit amount to be transferred.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize a system for transferring credits of subscribers of a mobile network operator such as minute, short message, data, money from a sender subscriber to a recipient subscriber independently of credit type. Detailed Description of the Invention

"An Integrated Mobile Account Credit Transfer System" realized to fulfil the objective of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the inventive system.

The components illustrated in the figure are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. System

2. Communication unit

3. Database

4. Unit conversion unit

5. Subscriber account management unit

6. Credit transfer control unit

A. Sender subscriber

B. Recipient subscriber

The inventive system (1) for transferring credits of subscribers of a mobile network operator such as minute, short message, data, money from a sender subscriber (A) to a recipient subscriber (B) independently of credit type comprises:

at least one communication unit (2) which enables to receive at least one instruction message wherein at least the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred from the sender subscriber (A) to the recipient subscriber (B) and the recipient subscriber (B) information are included; to send a message that provides credit amounts about different types of credits to the recipient subscriber (B) in accordance with the information in the instruction message reaching the recipient subscriber (B) by the sender subscriber (A); to receive the message that has the information about the credit type and the credit amount determined by the recipient subscriber (B) from the sender subscriber (A); and to send information message about the transfer transaction to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) as a result of the transfer transaction;

at least one database (3) wherein information such as balance, tariff and account about the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information that are determined depending the account information of the subscriber (A, B) previously by the mobile network operator are recorded;

at least one unit conversion unit (4) which converts the credit type and the credit amount that are included in the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A) into a common unit by using the transfer coefficients that match with the sender subscriber (A) information recorded in the database (3) and converts the converted common unit into a credit type that can be used by the recipient subscriber (B) and the credit amount that is associated with the said credit type by using the transfer coefficients matching with the recipient subscriber (B) information recorded in the database (3) in order that it is provided to the recipient subscriber (B) so that the recipient subscriber (B) makes a choice;

at least one subscriber account management unit (5) which deducts the credit amount of the credit type, that is included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) and desired to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B), from the account of the sender subscriber (A) after the recipient subscriber (B) makes choice between the credit types provided and the credit amounts associated with the credit types; and loads the credit amount of the credit type chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) to the account of the recipient subscriber (B); and

at least one credit transfer control unit (6) which is in communication with the communication unit (2), the database (3), the unit conversion unit (4) and the subscriber account management unit (5); receives the information

4 such as the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the recipient subscriber (B) information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A), from the communication unit (2); accesses the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) mformation recorded inside the database (3) by connecting to the database

(3) in accordance with the information that it receives from the communication unit (2) and thereby retrieves the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the said sender subscriber (A) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the subscriber account information and the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the recipient subscriber (B) and sends all these information retrieved from the database (3) to the unit conversion unit (4) with the aim of conversion into the credit amounts associated with the said credit types in different credit types in order that the credit type and the credit amount determined by the sender subscriber (A) are converted into a common unit by the sender subscriber (A) and the said common unit can make choice depending on the recipient subscriber (B) information; creates a message comprising the information about the offer converted by the unit conversion unit (4) into at least one credit type that can be used by the recipient subscriber (B) and the credit amount associated with the said credit type, and sends this message to the communication unit (2) so as to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B); receives the credit type and amount information chosen inside the message sent to the communication unit (2) depending on the choice of the recipient subscriber (B); sends the credit type and credit amount information that are desired to be transferred and included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) with the information about the sender subscriber (A) and the credit type and credit amount information that desired to be used and received from the choice message of the recipient subscriber (B) with the information about the recipient subscriber (B), to the subscriber account management unit (5) in order that the credit amount of the credit type included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) and desired to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B) is deducted from the account of the sender subscriber (A) and the credit amount of the credit type chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) is loaded to the account of the recipient subscriber (B); prepares an information message in order that both subscribers (A, B) are informed about the fact that the transfer transaction is completed after the necessary changes are made in the accounts of the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) by the subscriber account management unit (5), and sends this message to the communication unit (2) in order that it is sent to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B).

The communication unit (2) included in the inventive system (1) is in communication with the sender subscriber (A), the recipient subscriber (B) and the credit transfer control unit (6). The communication unit (2) receives the instruction message which is sent by the sender subscriber (A) and wherein at least the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred from the sender subscriber (A) to the recipient subscriber (B) and the recipient subscriber (B) information are included, and it sends the information about this message to the credit transfer control unit (6). The communication unit (2) receives the message which comprises the information about the offer converted into at least one credit type that can be used by the recipient subscriber (B) and the credit amount that is associated with the said credit type so as to be sent by the credit transfer control unit (6) to the recipient subscriber (B), and it sends this message to the recipient subscriber (B). The communication unit (2) receives the message coming from the recipient subscriber (B) and having the information about the credit type and the credit amount determined by the recipient subscriber (B) and it sends the information about this message to the credit transfer control unit (6). The communication unit (2) receives the information messages, which are prepared by the credit transfer control unit (6) and enable to inform the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B), from the credit transfer control unit (6) after the credit transfer transaction is carried out and it sends the said message to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B). In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication unit (2) is a short message service gateway which ensures that all messagings are realized over short message channel.

The database (3) included in the inventive system (1) is in communication with the credit transfer control unit (6). Subscriber information such as balance, tariff and account information about the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) and transfer coefficient information that are previously determined depending on the account information of the subscriber (A, B) by the mobile network operator being used while carrying out conversion transaction into common unit by the unit conversion unit (4), are recorded inside the database (3). The unit conversion unit (4) included in the inventive system (1) is in communication with the credit transfer control unit (6). The unit conversion unit (4) receives the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the sender subscriber (A) retrieved from the database (3) by the credit transfer control unit (6) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the sender subscriber (A) and the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the recipient subscriber (B), from the credit transfer control unit (6) together with the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the recipient subscriber (B) information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A). The unit conversion unit (4) converts the credit type and the credit amount stated in the instruction received from the sender subscriber (A) into a common unit by using the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the common unit information of the sender subscriber (A) and the transfer coefficient information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A). Thereafter, the unit conversion unit (4) determines the offers which are converted into the credit amounts associated with the said credit types in different credit types in order that the recipient subscriber (B) can make choice by using the information of the determined common unit and the recipient subscriber (B) common unit and the transfer coefficient information. The unit conversion unit (4) sends the information about the determined offer to the credit transfer control unit (6).

The subscriber account management unit (5) included in the inventive system (1) is in communication with the credit transfer control unit (6). The subscriber account management unit (5) receives the credit type and the credit amount information that are included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) with the information about the sender subscriber (A) received from the credit transfer control unit (6) and that are desired to be transferred, and the credit type and the credit amount information that are received from the choice message of the recipient subscriber (B) with the information about the recipient subscriber (B) and that are desired to be used. Thereupon; the subscriber account management unit (5) deducts the credit amount of the credit type, that is included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) and desired to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B), from the account of the sender subscriber (A) and loads the credit amount of the credit type chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) to the account of the recipient subscriber (B). The subscriber account management unit (5) informs the credit transfer control unit (6) about the fact that the transaction is carried out after it finishes the transfer transaction carried out from the sender subscriber (A) to the recipient subscriber (B).

The credit transfer control unit (6) included in the inventive system (1) is in communication with the communication unit (2), the database (3), the unit conversion unit (4) and the subscriber account management unit (5). The credit transfer control unit (6) receives the information such as the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the recipient subscriber (B) information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A), from the communication unit (2) and it accesses the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) information recorded inside the database (3) by connecting to the database (3) in accordance with the information that it receives from the communication unit (2) and thereby retrieves the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the said sender subscriber (A) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the subscriber account information of the sender subscriber (A) and the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the recipient subscriber (B). The credit transfer control unit (6) sends all these information retrieved from the database (3) to the unit conversion unit (4) with the aim of conversion into the credit amounts associated with the said credit types in different credit types in order that the credit type and the credit amount determined by the sender subscriber (A) are converted into a common unit by the sender subscriber (A) and the said common unit can make choice depending on the recipient subscriber (B) information. After receiving the information about the offer converted by the unit conversion unit (4) into at least one credit type that can be used by the recipient subscriber (B) and the credit amount associated with the said credit type, the credit transfer control unit (6) creates an offer message so as to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B) by using these information and sends this message to the communication unit (2) so as to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B). After receiving the credit type and amount information chosen inside the message sent to the communication unit (2) depending on the choice of the recipient subscriber (B) from the communication unit (2), the credit transfer control unit (6) gets in contact with the subscriber account management unit (5) and it sends the credit type and credit amount information that are desired to be transferred and included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) with the information about the sender subscriber (A) and the credit type and credit amount information that are desired to be used and received from the choice message of the recipient subscriber (B) with the information about the recipient subscriber (B), to the subscriber account management unit (5) in order that the credit amount of the credit type included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) and desired to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B) is deducted from the account of the sender subscriber (A) and the credit amount of the credit type chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) is loaded to the account of the recipient subscriber (B). After being informed about the fact that the transfer transaction is carried out by the subscriber account management unit (5), the credit transfer control unit (6) prepares an information message in order that both subscribers (A, B) are informed about the fact that the transfer transaction is carried out and sends this message to the communication unit (2) in order that it is sent to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B).

With the inventive system (1), the sender subscriber (A) who wants to make a credit transfer such as minute, short message to a recipient subscriber (B) sends a message wherein at least the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the recipient subscriber (B) information are included to the communication unit (2). In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the sender subscriber (A) sends the credit transfer instruction message to the communication unit (2) over short message channel. The communication unit (2) sends the information inside the message received from the sender subscriber (A) to the credit transfer control unit (6) by connecting to the credit transfer control unit (6). The credit transfer control unit (6) receives the information coming from the communication unit (2) and accesses the information of the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B) recorded inside the database (3) by connecting to the database (3) in accordance with the said information. The credit transfer control unit (6) retrieves the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the said sender subscriber (A) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the sender subscriber (A) and the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the recipient subscriber (B) from the database (3). Then, the credit transfer control unit (6) connects to the unit conversion unit (4) and sends the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the sender subscriber (A) retrieved from the database (3) by the credit transfer control unit (6) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the sender subscriber (A) and the common unit information associated with the tariff information of the recipient subscriber (B) and the transfer coefficient information associated with the account information of the recipient subscriber (B), to the unit conversion unit (4) together with the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the recipient subscriber (B) information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A). The unit conversion unit (4) converts the credit type and the credit amount stated in the instruction received from the sender subscriber (A) into a common unit by using the credit type, the credit amount desired to be transferred and the common unit information of the sender subscriber (A) and the transfer coefficient information inside the instruction message received from the sender subscriber (A). Thereafter, the unit conversion unit (4) determines the offers which are converted into the credit amounts associated with the said credit types in different credit types in order that the recipient subscriber (B) can make choice by using the information of the determined common unit and the recipient subscriber (B) common unit and the transfer coefficient information. The unit conversion unit (4) sends the information about the determined offer to the credit transfer control unit (6). The credit transfer control unit (6) creates an offer message for the recipient subscriber (B) in accordance with the information received from the unit conversion unit (4) and sends this created message to the communication unit (2) so as to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B). And the communication unit (2) sends the said message reaching it from the credit transfer control unit (6) to the recipient subscriber (B). After the credit type and the credit amount associated with this credit type are chosen by the recipient subscriber (B), the recipient subscriber (B) sends a message comprising the said information to the communication unit (2). And communication unit (2) sends the information of credit type and credit amount desired to be used by the recipient subscriber (B) inside the message received from the by the recipient subscriber (B), to the credit transfer control unit (6). Thereupon, the credit transfer control unit (6) gets in contact with the subscriber account management unit (5) and sends the credit type and credit amount information that are desired to be transferred and included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) with the information about the sender subscriber (A) and the credit type and credit amount information that are desired to be used and received from the choice message of the recipient subscriber (B) with the information about the recipient subscriber (B), to the subscriber account management unit (5). Thereupon, the subscriber account management unit (5) deducts the credit amount of the credit type included in the instruction message of the sender subscriber (A) and desired to be sent to the recipient subscriber (B) from the account of the sender subscriber (A) and loads the credit amount of the credit type chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) to the account of the recipient subscriber (B). After finishing the transfer transaction carried out from the sender subscriber (A) to the recipient subscriber (B), the subscriber account management unit (5) informs the credit transfer control unit (6) about the fact that the transaction is carried out. After the credit transfer control unit (6) is informed about the fact that the transaction is carried out by the subscriber account management unit (5), it prepares an information message in order that both subscribers (A, B) are informed about the fact that the transfer transaction is carried out and sends this message to the communication unit (2) in order that it is sent to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B). And the communication unit (2) sends the information message reaching it from the credit transfer control unit (6), to the sender subscriber (A) and the recipient subscriber (B).

In an exemplary embodiment wherein the information included in the form of table hereinafter inside the database (3) of the invention are recorded, it is described that the unit conversion unit (4) detects the conversion of common unit from the information of credit type and amount received from the sender subscriber (A) and the amount of credit depending on the credit type and the credit type for the recipient subscriber (B) from the common unit for an exemplary embodiment wherein a sender who is included in Premium segment of 12 years wants to transfer 10 minutes to a recipient subscriber (B) who is included in new subscriber segment of 2 years.

In the said exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least a statement of "10 minutes to the recipient subscriber (B)" is included in the message reaching the communication unit (2) from the sender subscriber (A). The credit transfer control unit (6) makes sense of this statement such that sending 10 minutes to the recipient subscriber (B) in the type of minute credit. The credit transfer control unit (6) then connects to the database (3) and determines 20 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is minute), 2 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the sender subscriber (A) from the subscriber age (which is 12) of the sender subscriber (A), 2 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the sender subscriber (A) from the Premium segment of the sender subscriber (A), 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the recipient subscriber (B) from the subscriber age (which is 2) of the recipient subscriber (B) and 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the recipient subscriber (B) from the segment of the recipient subscriber (B) who is a new subscriber and it sends these determined information to the unit conversion unit (4). The unit conversion unit (4) obtains the common unit value of 800 by multiplying 10 which is the credit amount desired to be transferred, 20 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is minute), 2 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the sender subscriber (A) and 2 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the sender subscriber (A) with one another. In order to calculate the credit amounts of 800 -which is the common unit value- corresponding to the minute, short message, data and money credits for the recipient subscriber (B); the unit conversion unit (4) then obtains 40 minutes by dividing 800 which is the common value into 20 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is minute), 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the recipient subscriber (B) and 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the recipient subscriber (B) respectively; 80 short messages by dividing it into 10 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is short message), 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the recipient subscriber (B) and 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the recipient subscriber (B); 1600 MB by dividing into 0,5 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is data), 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the recipient subscriber (B) and 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the recipient subscriber (B); 10 TL credit amounts by dividing it into 80 which is the common unit value of the credit type (which is money), 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the subscriber age of the recipient subscriber (B) and 1 which is the transfer coefficient determined according to the segment of the recipient subscriber (B) and it sends the information about this to the credit transfer control unit (6) preferably in the form of "minutes=10; short message^O; data= 1600MB; money=10TL". And the credit transfer control unit (6) creates an offer message comprising the said information in order that the recipient subscriber (B) can make a choice among these offers and ensures that the said message is sent from the communication unit (2) to the recipient subscriber (B). After the message including the information that 80 short messages are chosen by the recipient subscriber (B) reaches the communication unit (2), the credit transfer control unit (6) receives the information that the recipient subscriber (B) has chosen 80 short messages from the communication unit (2) and connects to the subscriber account management unit (5). The credit transfer control unit (6) sends the information that the sender subscriber (A) has sent 10 minutes to the subscriber account management unit (5) and the information that the recipient subscriber (B) wants to receive 80 short messages corresponding to the sender subscriber (A) transfer, to the subscriber account management unit (5). Thereupon, subscriber account management unit (5) finishes the credit transfer transaction by deducting 10 minutes from the account of the sender subscriber (A) and adding 80 short messages to the account of the recipient subscriber (B) and it informs the credit transfer control unit (6) that the transfer transaction is completed.