METHOD, SYSTEM AND ARTICLE FOR DONATIONS ON MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20090276345A1
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bryan G. Hughes
• Original Assignee: Bryan G. Hughes
• Inventors: Hughes, Bryan G.
• Application Number:
  US12/159,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276345A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitate the making of donations on a mobile communication device. A plurality of non-profit icons is displayed on the mobile communication device. Information about the non-profits possibly including its logo and donation icons may be displayed in some embodiments. After selecting a non-profit icon, a user can make a donation of an indicated kind and amount to the non-profit represented by the icon. After pledging a monetary donation, a communications provider may collect the donation on the communication provider'"'"'s bill and gives the donation to the indicated non-profit. Potential donors may be offered the option to make non-monetary donations, such as their time.

Claims

1. A method of making donations, comprising:

displaying a plurality of user-selectable non-profit icons on a mobile communication device to a potential donor, the non-profit icons representing respective non-profit entities;

receiving an indication of a user selected non-profit icon selected from the plurality of displayed non-profit icons;

displaying one or more possible donation icons representing donations to the indicated non-profit;

receiving an indication of a user selected donation icon selected from the one or more possible donations; and

sending an indication of the user selected donation icon and user selected non-profit icon to a donation server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the indicated donation represented by the user selected donation icon; and

providing at least a portion of the donation given to the indicated non-profit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein displaying one or more possible donation icons includes displaying one or more donation icons representing monetary amounts.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein receiving the indicated donation occurs with the payment of a mobile communication device user'"'"'s bill for communication services for the mobile communication device.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein receiving the indicated donation involves charging the donation to the communication device user'"'"'s credit card.

6. The method according to claim 3 wherein receiving the indicated donation involves creating an electronic draft from a checking account.

7. The method according to claim 3 wherein receiving the indicated donation involves creating an electronic draft from a saving account.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

displaying an indicator indicative of a portion of the donation actually provided to the non-profit along with the one or more possible donation icons.

9. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

displaying a user-selectable icon, selection of which makes donation a recurring donation.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the non-profit is a charity.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the indication of the indicated non-profit, displaying to the mobile communication device user information about the indicated non-profit.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the logo of the indicated non-profit while the user is selecting a non-profit icon from the plurality of non-profit icons.

13. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

providing an indication that a monetary donation will be matched.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one or more icons indicative of respective non-monetary donations.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the non-monetary donations is volunteer time.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the non-monetary donations is an in-kind donation.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the mobile communication device user of the ability to make a donation using the mobile communication device after a triggering event.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the triggering event is at least partially based on information known about the potential donor.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of non-profit icons to display from the donation server.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

receiving the one or more possible donation icons from the donation server.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying of the plurality of non-profit icons includes displaying the non-profit icons categorized into groups of related non-profits.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an image related to the non-profit when the user is selecting a non-profit.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein sending an indication of the donation includes sending an SMS message.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein sending an indication of the donation includes sending a signal over WAP.

25. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving the indicated donation occurs offline.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a thank you message to the donor for the donation.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein providing the thank you message to the donor is performed at some predetermined time after the donation.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving an indication of the donation, confirming the user selected donation icon before sending the user selected donation icon and user selected non-profit icon to the donation server.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the donor a receipt for the donation.

30. A mobile computing device for making donations, comprising:

a memory;

a first module, when executed in memory, capable of displaying a plurality of user selectable non-profit icons on a mobile communication device to a communication device user, the non-profit icons representing respective non-profit entities;

a second module, when executed in memory, capable of receiving an indication of a user selected non-profit icon from the plurality of displayed non-profit icons;

a third module, when executed in memory, capable of displaying one or more possible donation icons representing donations to the indicated non-profit;

a fourth module, when executed in memory, capable of receiving an indication of a user selected donation icon selected from the one or more possible donations; and

a fifth module, when executed in memory, capable of sending an indication of the user selected donation icon and user selected non-profit icon to a donation server.

31. The computing device of claim 30 wherein displaying one or more possible donation icons includes displaying one or more donation icons representing monetary amounts.

32. The computing device of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying an indicator indicative of a portion of the donation actually provided to the non-profit along with one or more possible donation icons.

33. The computing device of claim 30, further comprising:

a sixth module, when executed in memory, capable of after receiving the indication of the indicated non-profit, displaying on the mobile communication device user information about the indicated non-profit.

34. A computer-readable medium whose contents allow a mobile handheld device to provide a donation to one of a plurality of non-profits by:

displaying a plurality of user selectable non-profit icons on a mobile communication device to a communication device user, the non-profit icons representing respective non-profit entities;

receiving an indication of a user selected non-profit icon selected from the plurality of displayed non-profits;

displaying one or more possible donation icons representing donations to the indicated non-profit;

receiving an indication of a user selected donation icon selected from the one or more possible donations; and

sending an indication of the user selected donation icon and user selected non-profit icon to a donation server.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34 wherein displaying one or more possible donation icons includes displaying one or more donation icons representing monetary amounts.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further by:

displaying an indicator indicative of a portion of the donation actually provided to the non-profit along with the one or more possible donation icons.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further by:

providing an indication that a monetary donation will be matched.

38. A mobile computing device for making donations, comprising:

a memory;

means for displaying a plurality of user selectable non-profit icons to a communication device user, the non-profit icons representing respective non-profit entities;

means for receiving an indication of a user selected non-profit icon from the plurality of displayed non-profit icons;

means for displaying one of more possible donation icons representing donations to the indicated non-profit;

means for receiving an indication of a user selected donation icon selected from the one or more possible donations; and

means for sending an indication of the user selected donation icon and user selected non-profit icon to a donation server.