SYSTEMS, METHODS AND PROCESSOR-READABLE MEDIA FOR CONVERTING COINS TO ELECTRONIC FUNDS DEPOSITED WITH AN ACCOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH A USER AT A POINT OF SALE

• US 20120290416A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inicia IP Holdings, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Inicia IP Holdings, LLC.
• Inventors: Luevane, James, Ortiz, Luis M.
• Application Number:
  US13/116,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0009 Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

Methods, systems and processor-readable media for converting coins at a point-of-sale into electronic funds. Cash can be accepted from a payer for payment of a transaction at a point-of-sale together with identifying information for a virtual coin purse associated with the payer. An amount due for payment and an amount due as change for a settlement of the transaction at the point-of-sale can be reconciled. The virtual coin purse associated with the payer can be credited in a form of electronic funds for change due in lieu of coins with respect to the transaction. The amount due as change, an amount due as bills, and an amount due as the coins can be categorized. Bills can be provided to the payer and the amount due as coins are then directed as electronic funds to the virtual coin purse.

Claims

1. A method for converting coins at a point-of-sale into electronic funds, said method comprising:

accepting cash from a payer for payment of a transaction at a point-of-sale together with identifying information for a virtual coin purse associated with said payer;

reconciling an amount due for payment and an amount due as change for a settlement of said transaction at said point-of-sale; and

crediting said virtual coin purse associated with said payer in a form of electronic funds for change due in lieu of coins with respect to said transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein reconciling said amount due for payment and said amount due as change for said settlement of said transaction, further comprises:

categorizing said amount due as change, an amount due as bills, and an amount due as said coins.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing said hills to said payer.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising directing said amount due as coins as electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing said bills to said payer; and

directing said amount due as coins as said electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring said virtual coin purse as an account stored in a server.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising managing said server by a third-party provider.

8. A system for converting coins at a point-of-sale into electronic funds, said system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

accepting cash from a payer for payment of a transaction at a point-of-sale together with identifying information for a virtual coin purse associated with said payer;

reconciling an amount due for payment and an amount due as change for a settlement of said transaction at said point-of-sale; and

crediting said virtual coin purse associated with said payer in a form of electronic funds for change due in lieu of coins with respect to said transaction.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said instructions for reconciling said amount due for payment and said amount due as change for said settlement of said transaction, are further configured for:

categorizing said amount due as change, an amount due as bills, and an amount due as said coins.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for providing said bills to said payer.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for directing said amount due as coins as electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for:

providing said bills to said payer; and

directing said amount due as coins as said electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said virtual coin purse comprises an account stored in a server.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said instructions are further configured for managing said server by a third-party provider.

15. A processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to perform a process to convert coins at a point-of-sale into electronic funds, said code comprising of code to:

accept cash from a payer for payment of a transaction at a point-of-sa e together with identifying information for a virtual coin purse associated with said payer;

reconcile an amount due for payment and an amount due as change for a settlement of said transaction at said point-of-sale; and

credit said virtual coin purse associated with said payer in a form of electronic funds for change due in lieu of coins with respect to said transaction.

16. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said code comprising of code to reconcile said amount due for payment and said amount due as change for said settlement of said transaction, further comprises of code to:

automatically categorize said amount due as change, an amount due as bills, and an amount due as said coins.

17. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said code further comprises of code to provide said bills to said payer.

18. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said code further comprises of code to direct said amount due as coins as electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

19. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said code further comprises of code to:

provide said bills to said payer; and

direct said amount due as coins as said electronic funds to said virtual coin purse.

20. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said code further comprises of code to configure said virtual coin purse as an account stored in a server.