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Title:
MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/055938
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A mobile telecommunication system (10) which includes a mobile telecommunication user (12) having a negative account balance and a call sponsor (14) for sponsoring a call initiated by the mobile telecommunication user (12) having a negative account balance, wherein when the mobile subscriber (12) having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation (16) to the call sponsor (14), the call sponsor (14) upon receiving the call initiation (16) exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

Inventors:
KAMPONDENI SAMUEL DOUGLAS (MW)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2016/052938
Publication Date:
April 06, 2017
Filing Date:
May 19, 2016
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
KAMPONDENI SAMUEL DOUGLAS (MW)
International Classes:
G06Q20/16; G06Q20/14; G06Q20/32
Domestic Patent References:
WO2008029218A22008-03-13
Foreign References:
EP2670174A22013-12-04
CN101741579A2010-06-16
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Claims:
Claims

1 . A mobile telecommunication system which includes:- a mobile telecommunication user having a negative account balance; and a call sponsor for sponsoring a call initiated by the mobile telecommunication user having a negative account balance;

wherein when the mobile subscriber having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation to the call sponsor, the call sponsor upon receiving the call initiation exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

2. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile subscriber having a negative account balance and the call sponsor share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator.

3. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the call sponsor have access to a database of a predefined group of mobile telecommunication subscribers it is willing to sponsor a call for.

4. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the call sponsor have access to information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers.

5. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the call initiation is in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor.

6. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the call sponsor exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on its mobile device.

7. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the call sponsor select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on its mobile device.

8. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the selection of a mobile pad key is associated with the selected predetermined duration of the sponsored call.

9. A mobile telecommunication system which includes:

a first and a second mobile telecommunication subscriber, both subscribers having a negative account balance; and

a call sponsor for sponsoring a call between the first and the second mobile telecommunication subscribers,

wherein when the first mobile telecommunication subscriber having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation to the call sponsor for sponsoring a call between the first mobile telecommunication subscriber and the second mobile telecommunication subscriber, the call sponsor upon receiving the call initiation exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

10. A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the mobile telecommunication subscribers having a negative account balance and the call sponsor share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator.

1 1 . A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the call sponsor have access to a predefined group of mobile telecommunication subscribers it is willing to sponsor a call for.

A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 1 1 wherein information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers are stored on a database accessible by the call sponsor via his mobile device.

A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of claims 9 to 12 wherein the call initiation is in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor.

A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in any one or more of claims 9 to 13 wherein the call sponsor exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on its mobile device.

A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the call sponsor select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device.

A mobile telecommunication system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the selection of a mobile pad key is associated with the selected predetermined duration of the sponsored call.

17. A mobile telecommunication system, according to the invention, substantially as hereinbefore described or exemplified.

18. A mobile telecommunication system, as specifically described with reference to or as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.

19. A mobile telecommunication system, including any new or inventive integer or combination of integers, substantially as herein described.

Description:
MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a mobile telecommunication system, more particularly to a mobile telecommunication system for allowing a mobile subscriber having insufficient network airtime and / or account balance to make a call to another mobile subscriber.

Background of the invention

The Applicant is aware of conventional telecommunication collect call systems wherein a mobile subscriber having a negative account balance or insufficient prepaid network airtime, can send an invitation to another mobile subscriber for sponsoring a call made by the subscriber having a negative account balance. Call systems such as '"please call me", '"reverse call" and so called '"group discount programs'" are well known in the art. One of the problems associated with the abovementioned sponsored call systems is that the sponsor of the call is not in a position to determine before authorisation of the sponsored call, the duration and the subsequent cost of the said sponsored call. The applicant having considered the above, proposes the invention described hereunder.

For the purpose of this invention the term "negative account balance" shall be interpreted so as to include insufficient network airtime.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile telecommunication system which includes:- a mobile telecommunication user having a negative account balance; and a call sponsor for sponsoring a call initiated by the mobile telecommunication user having a negative account balance;

wherein when the mobile subscriber having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation to the call sponsor, the call sponsor upon receiving the call initiation exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

The mobile subscriber having a negative account balance and the call sponsor may share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator.

The call sponsor may have access to a predefined group of telecommunication subscribers for whom it is willing to sponsor a call for. Information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers may be stored on a database which may be accessible by the call sponsor via his mobile device. The call initiation may be in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor. The call sponsor may exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The call sponsor may select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The selection of a mobile pad key may be associated with the selected predetermined duration of the sponsored call. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile telecommunication system which includes:

a first and a second mobile telecommunication subscriber, both subscribers having a negative account balance; and a call sponsor for sponsoring a call between the first and the second mobile telecommunication subscribers,

wherein when the first mobile telecommunication subscriber having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation to the call sponsor for sponsoring a call between the first mobile telecommunication subscriber and the second mobile telecommunication subscriber, the call sponsor upon receiving the call initiation exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

The mobile telecommunication subscribers having a negative account balance and the call sponsor may share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator. The call sponsor may have access to a predefined group of mobile telecommunication subscribers for whom it is willing to sponsor a call for. Information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers may be stored on a database which may be accessible by the call sponsor via his mobile device.

The call initiation may be in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor. The call sponsor may exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device.

The call sponsor may select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The selection of a mobile pad key may be associated with the selected predetermined duration of the sponsored call.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 depicts a block diagram of a first embodiment of the system in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 depicts a block diagram of a second embodiment of the system in accordance with the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein numeral 10 denotes a mobile telecommunication system in accordance with the invention. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the mobile telecommunication system 10 which includes a mobile telecommunication user having a negative account balance 12, and a call sponsor 14 for sponsoring a call initiated by the mobile telecommunication user 12 to the call sponsor 14 wherein when the mobile subscriber 12 transmits a call initiation 16 to the call sponsor 14, the call sponsor 14 upon receiving the call initiation 16 exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

The mobile subscriber having a negative account balance 12 and the call sponsor 14 will preferably share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator.

The call sponsor 14 can have access to a predefined group of telecommunication subscribers for whom it is willing to sponsor a call for. Information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers will typically be stored on a database which can be accessible by the call sponsor 14 via his mobile device.

The call initiation can be in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor 14 and the call sponsor 14 will exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The call sponsor can also select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The selection of a mobile pad key will typically be associated with the selected predetermined duration of the sponsored call.

According to a second embodiment of the invention there is provided a mobile telecommunication system 1 10 which includes a first 1 12 and a second 1 14 mobile telecommunication subscriber, both subscribers 1 12 and 1 14 having a negative account balance and a call sponsor 1 16 for sponsoring a call between the first and the second mobile telecommunication subscribers 1 12 and 1 14, wherein when the first mobile telecommunication subscriber having a negative account balance transmits a call initiation 1 18 to the call sponsor 1 16 for sponsoring a call initiated by the first mobile telecommunication subscriber 1 12 to the second mobile telecommunication subscriber 1 14, the call sponsor 1 16 upon receiving the call initiation exercises a discretion as to the allowance as well as to the subsequent duration and / or cost associated with the sponsored call.

The mobile telecommunication subscribers 1 12 and 1 14 will preferably share the same telecommunication network and / or network operator.

The call sponsor 1 16 can have access to a predefined group of mobile telecommunication subscribers for whom it is willing to sponsor a call for. Information selected from any one or more of the group consisting of the name, surname and contact number of the said mobile telecommunication subscribers can be stored on an accessible database by the call sponsor 1 16 via his mobile device.

The call initiation will typically be in the form of a message displayed on the mobile device of the call sponsor 1 16. The call sponsor 1 16 can exercise its discretion as to the allowance of the call to be sponsored by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device.

The call sponsor can also select the predetermined duration of the sponsored call by pressing a predefined key and / or keys on his mobile device. The selection of a mobile pad key will be associated with the selected predetermined duration and / or cost of the sponsored call.

It is to be appreciated that in the second embodiment of the invention, the subscriber 1 16 can allow intercommunication between any number of subscribers having insufficient network airtime.

It shall further be understood that the examples are provided for illustrating the invention further, and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention, and are not to be interpreted as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the said invention.