SYSTEM FOR MANAGING DIGITAL VOUCHERS

• US 20120303432A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: HASSON, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/470,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303432A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0652 e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

The invention concerns a method of updating, by a mobile device (106), the value of a digital voucher having an initial value, comprising: receiving, by said mobile device from a remote server (102), said digital voucher having said initial value; receiving, by a processing unit of said mobile device, at least one input parameter; calculating, by said processing unit, a new value of said digital voucher based on said at least one input parameter; and displaying said new value on a display of said mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of updating, by a mobile device (106), the value of a digital voucher having an initial value, comprising:

receiving, by said mobile device from a remote server (102), said digital voucher having said initial value;

receiving, by a processing unit (304) of said mobile device, at least one input parameter;

calculating, by said processing unit, a new value of said digital voucher based on said at least one input parameter; and

displaying said new value on a display (308) of said mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one input parameter is received from one or more of:

said remote server (102);

circuitry (604, 605) of said mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one input parameter comprises one or more of:

a current time and date value;

a stock count;

meteorological data; and

location data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting by said mobile device, during a commercial transaction involving said digital voucher, said new value of said digital voucher to point of sale equipment (112).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after calculating said new value of said digital voucher, the step of receiving by said mobile device a request from said user to freeze the value of said digital voucher until a subsequent transaction involving said digital voucher.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating said new value of said digital voucher is based on an algorithm (208) received by said mobile device in association with said digital voucher.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said step of receiving said second input data, the step of calculating, based on at least one initial parameter, said initial value of said digital voucher.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of calculating said new value of said digital voucher is triggered by at least one of:

reception of a new value of at least one of said input parameters; and

the expiry of a fixed time interval.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a communications interface (606) adapted to receive from a remote server (102) a digital voucher having an initial value;

a processing unit (304) adapted to;

receive at least one input parameter; and

calculate a new value of said digital voucher based on said at least one input parameter; and

a display (308) configured to display said new value of said digital voucher.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising circuitry adapted to supply said at least one input parameter.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein said circuitry comprises a positioning device (604) adapted to supply location data indicating a location of said mobile device, said at least one parameter comprising said location data.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising a proximity interface (302) for communicating with point of sale equipment (112) and transmitting said new value of said digital voucher to said point of sale equipment.

13. A digital voucher management system (600) comprising:

a digital voucher server (102); and

the mobile device (106) of claim 9.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one merchant equipment (601, 602, 603) in communication with said digital voucher server and adapted to provide said at least one parameter.