Exchange service for wireless communication pricing accessible by wallet applications

Abstract

A system and method may provide an exchange service for providing the price of wireless minutes to wallet applications and other client applications. The system may obtain pricing information for the wireless minutes and provide the pricing information to a wallet application. The pricing information may be provided through a rate server that subscribed to receive the pricing information. The rate server typically also provides exchange rates for currencies for use at wallet applications that are communicably coupled to the rate server. By providing the pricing information to wallet applications, wireless service providers may variably price their wireless services. End users may be able to obtain real-time prices of the wireless services and purchase such services directly using payment accounts associated with a wallet application. For example, a Bitcoin wallet may be used to obtain real-time prices of the wireless services and purchase such services using Bitcoins.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of providing price information for wireless communication units, the method being implemented in a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions that, when executed by the one or more physical processors, cause the computer system to perform the method, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by the computer system, from a pricing provider, price information for a wireless communication unit that represents an increment of usage of a wireless service;   identifying, by the computer system, a rate server that is subscribed to receive the price information;   causing, by the computer system, the price information for the wireless communication unit to be transmitted to a wallet application of a client device via the rate server;   causing, by the computer system, at least a portion of the price information to be displayed on the client device;   receiving, by the computer system, a payment related to a purchase of one or more wireless communication units, the payment originating from the wallet application for facilitating payment through at least one payment processor;   identifying, by the computer system, a subscriber account related to the payment; and   causing, by the computer system, the subscriber account to be updated based on the one or more wireless communication units.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication units comprises a unit of time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication units comprises a unit of data download or upload. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the price information comprises a price of the wireless communication unit denominated in a first currency, the method further comprising:
 identifying, by the computer system, a second currency used by the rate server;   determining, by the computer system, whether the first currency is the same as the second currency; and   converting, by the computer system, the price of the wireless communication unit from the first currency to the second currency responsive to a determination that the first currency is different from the second currency.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein converting the price of the wireless communication unit comprises converting the price from the first currency to Bitcoin currency. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the payment is made using Bitcoin currency. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein converting the price of the wireless communication unit comprises converting the price from the first currency to a fiat currency. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the payment is made using the fiat currency. 
     
     
         9 . A system of providing price information for wireless communication units, the system comprising:
 a computer system comprising one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to:
 obtain, from a pricing provider, price information for a wireless communication unit that represents an increment of usage of a wireless service; 
 identify a rate server that is subscribed to receive the price information; 
 cause the price information for the wireless communication unit to be transmitted to a wallet application of a client device via the rate server; 
 cause at least a portion of the price information to be displayed on the client device; 
 receive a payment related to a purchase of one or more wireless communication units, the payment originating from the wallet application for facilitating payment through at least one payment processor; 
 identify a subscriber account related to the payment; and 
 cause the subscriber account to be updated based on the one or more wireless communication units. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication units comprises a unit of time. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication units comprises a unit of data download or upload. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the price information comprises a price of the wireless communication unit denominated in a first currency, and wherein the computer system is further programmed to:
 identify a second currency used by the rate server;   determine whether the first currency is the same as the second currency; and   convert the price of the wireless communication unit from the first currency to the second currency responsive to a determination that the first currency is different from the second currency.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein to convert the price of the wireless communication unit, the computer system is further programmed to convert the price from the first currency to Bitcoin currency. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the payment is made using Bitcoin currency. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein to convert the price of the wireless communication unit, the computer system is programmed to convert the price from the first currency to a fiat currency. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the payment is made using the fiat currency.