SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING GIFT TRANSFERS VIA A SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20120150740A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Moneyhoney LLC
• Original Assignee: Moneyhoney LLC
• Inventors: ISAACSON, Thomas M., DURHAM, Ryan Connell
• Application Number:
  US13/234,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling gift interactions via social media. For example, a user can post to a social networking site in a particular way to establish a gift transfer to a recipient based on a policy, such that when the recipient makes a purchase using their pre-existing payment account, the gift (an amount of money) is transferred or applied to the recipient payment account. A particular structure or feature of a social network post can trigger the creation of the policy, with metadata or information parsed from the social network post providing additional details of the policy. In this way, a user can set up a gift transfer without interacting with a gift portal, application, or website. The recipient does not need to use any special code, separate physical gift cards, or printable coupons to redeem or use the gift.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a social media message from a giver having an associated giver payment account that existed prior to the social media message, wherein data associated with the social media message is used to identify a recipient having an associated recipient payment account that existed prior to the social media message and a policy;

determining a gift amount based on the data; and

monitoring transactions using the recipient payment account according to the policy, wherein when a qualifying transaction occurs, at least a portion of the gift amount is applied to the recipient payment account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the social media message is a tweet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data is a hashtag.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the gift amount is determined based on a parameter associated with the hashtag.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the gift amount is implied from the hashtag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient generates the data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the recipient payment account and the giver payment account is determined based on a social media profile at a social networking service hosting the social media message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the giver and the recipient are connected on a social networking service hosting the social media message.

9. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

identifying a social media message from a giver having an associated giver payment account that existed prior to the social media message, wherein data associated with the social media message is used to identify a recipient having an associated recipient payment account that existed prior to the social media message and a policy;

determining a gift amount based on the data; and

monitoring transactions using the recipient payment account according to the policy, wherein when a qualifying transaction occurs, at least a portion of the gift amount is applied to the recipient payment account.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the social media message is a tweet.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the data is a hashtag.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the gift amount is determined based on a parameter associated with the hashtag.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the gift amount is implied from the hashtag.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the recipient generates the data.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the recipient payment account and the giver payment account is determined based on a social media profile at a social networking service hosting the social media message.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the giver and the recipient are connected on a social networking service hosting the social media message.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving at a social networking service a request to establish a standard for receiving a gift amount, the request being from a recipient having a recipient payment account registered with the social networking service;

if the standard is valid, establishing the standard; and

monitoring posts to the social networking service from users other than the recipient, such that when one of the posts matches the standard, a policy is established such that at least a portion of a gift amount is transferred from a giver payment account associated with a giver creating the one of the posts to the recipient payment account when the recipient makes a qualifying purchase using the recipient payment account.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the social media message is a tweet.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the established standard is a hashtag.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the gift amount is determined based on a parameter associated with the hashtag.