High-capacity packet-switched ring network

Abstract

A system and method permit a customer obtaining communication services to modify account parameters governing terms on which that service is provided. Customer account parameters are stored in one or more databases and accessed by one or more servers. The customer, upon accessing the communication service, is provided with an opportunity to modify the account parameters via automated interactive communication with the server. The invention can applied to wireless communication services such as wireless telephone service, wireless internet access, paging, or other forms of interactive wireless communication; to telephone or other wired interactive communication; to cable services; and to any other form of interactive subscriber communications. The invention may be implemented using existing equipment, and can be optimized for the type of communication device at issue.

1 . An automated method of managing communication service accounts comprising:
 maintaining a database comprising account parameters, wherein at least one account parameter establishes rules by which a customer's user device may use at least one subscribed communication service at designated times;   receiving a customer-initiated signal requesting modification of the at least one account parameter;   modifying the at least one account parameter in response to the customer-initiated signal; and   updating the database to reflect modification of the at least one account parameter.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service is wireless telephone service, the user device is a wireless telephone, the first account parameter comprises a preset amount of service usage time during a first period, and the first account parameter is modified to decrease the preset amount of service usage time during the first period and increase a preset amount of service usage time during a second period. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service is long distance telephone service, the user device is a telephone, the first account parameter comprises a preset amount of service usage time during a first period, and the first account parameter is modified to decrease the preset amount of service usage time during the first period and increase a preset amount of service usage time during a second period. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service shares a communication medium with cable television transmission, the user device is one of a personal computer, a set top box, an interactive television, and a VoIP telephone, the first account parameter comprises a preset amount of service usage time during a first period, and the first account parameter is modified to decrease the preset amount of service usage time during the first period and increase a preset amount of service usage time during a second period. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a customer-initiated identifying signal identifying the user device;   retrieving at least one account parameter in response to the identifying signal;   issuing, in response to the identifying signal and for communication to the user device, a response signal comprising at least part of the retrieved account parameter; and   querying whether an account modification is desired.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service is wireless telephone service, the user device is a wireless telephone, and the retrieved account parameter comprises a number of calling plan minutes. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service is long distance telephone service, the user device is a telephone, and the retrieved account parameter comprises a number of calling plan minutes. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service shares a communication medium with cable television transmission and the user device is one of a personal computer, a set top box, an interactive television, and a VoIP telephone. 
   
   
       9 . An automated method of managing communication service accounts, comprising:
 maintaining a first database comprising account parameters establishing rules of use for at least two types of subscribed communication service, wherein a first account parameter establishes rules by which a first type subscribed communication service may be accessed at designated times;   maintaining a second database comprising account parameters establishing rules of use, wherein a second account parameter establishes rules by which a second type subscribed communication service may be accessed at designated times;   receiving a customer-initiated signal requesting modification of at least one of the first and second account parameters;   modifying, in response to the customer-initiated signal, the first parameter to change a preset amount of first service usage time during a first period;   modifying, in response to the customer-initiated signal, the second parameter to change a preset amount of second service usage time during a second period; and   updating at least one of the first and second databases to reflect modification of the first and second account parameters.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second databases are part of a single database. 
   
   
       11 . A system for automated interactive management of a communication service account, comprising:
 a server; and   a data storage device in communication with the server, the data storage device comprising account data that comprises parameters establishing rules of use that control the terms by which a plurality of user devices may obtain at least one subscribed communication service,   wherein the server is configured
 to update a first account parameter based on use of the communication by the plurality of user devices, 
 to receive a customer-initiated signal requesting modification of the first account parameter, 
 to query the database and determine if the first account parameter is a modifiable account parameter that may be modified in response to a customer-initiated signal, and 
 to modify the first account parameter if it is a modifiable account parameter. 
   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one subscribed communication service is wireless telephone service, the plurality of user devices comprises a group of wireless telephones, the first account parameter comprises a set of calling plan minutes from which each of the plurality of user devices may draw, and the customer-initiated signal comprises a group administrator access code.