Virtual Currency Subscriptions Apparatuses, Methods and Systems

• US 20140214653A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PlaySpan, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, Mark, Shafie, Afshin, Bayer, Lex N.
• Application Number:
  US14/037,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking

Abstract

The DYNAMIC PAYMENT OPTIMIZATION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“DPO”) transform requests for on-demand and flexible monetization and related services via DPO components into currency transfers, purchase receipt notifications, social networking communications and transaction analytics reports. In some embodiments, the DPO obtains a user product purchase request for a user engaged in an online experience at a point of sale device. The DPO parses the user product purchase request, and thereby identifies at least one attribute of at least one of: the user; the online experience; and the point of sale device. The DPO customizes one or more properties of a user interface for initiating a purchase transaction related to the user product purchase request, according to the identified at least one attribute of the user, the online experience or the point of sale device; and providing the customized user interface.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A virtual currency subscription management processor-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining a request to enroll a user in a subscription plan and a payment source type indication, wherein the subscription plan allows a virtual currency as payment for both an initial subscription period and a subsequent subscription period;

determining an initial virtual currency subscription amount and a virtual currency conversion rate, the conversion rate associated with the payment source type indication;

modifying the initial virtual currency subscription amount based on the virtual currency conversion rate to determine a recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

debiting a virtual currency account balance associated with the user in the amount of the recurring virtual currency subscription amount; and

storing a record of the subscription including an indication of a subscription renewal period.

50. The method of claim 49, additionally comprising:

instantiating a recurring subscription event trigger based on the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

51. The method of claim 49, additionally comprising:

receiving an indication that the subscription renewal period has expired.

52. The method of claim 51, additionally comprising:

debiting the virtual currency account balance in the amount of the virtual currency subscription amount as payment for a second subscription period.

53. The method of claim 51, additionally comprising:

determining that the virtual currency conversion rate associated with the payment source type indication has changed since the last subscription payment;

modifying the recurring virtual currency subscription amount using the changed virtual currency conversion rate; and

debiting the virtual currency account balance in the amount of the modified recurring virtual currency subscription amount for a second subscription period.

54. The method of claim 51, additionally comprising:

determining that the virtual currency account balance associated with the user has insufficient funds to pay the recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

retrieving a plurality of payment source types each associated with a different virtual currency conversion rate; and

displaying an amount of a payment source type required to purchase sufficient virtual currency to cover the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

55. The method of claim 54, additionally comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected payment source type;

debiting an account associated with the payment source type and the user by at least the amount required to purchase sufficient virtual currency to cover the recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

crediting a virtual currency account balance associated with the user by the amount of virtual currency purchased using the payment source type; and

debiting a virtual currency account balance associated with the user in the amount of the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the subscription plan is a recurring fee amount paid for access to a game.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the initial subscription period and a subsequent subscription period are of different durations.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the recurring virtual currency subscription amount is different for the initial subscription period.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein after each successful subscription period payment, an in-game account associated with a player of a game is credited with an amount of a virtual good.

60. The method of claim 49, wherein the payment source type indication corresponds to one of:

a user'"'"'s bank account;

a virtual currency;

a credit account;

a real currency;

a prepaid account; and

a virtual good.

61. A virtual currency subscription management processor-implemented apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory, and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to;

obtain a request to enroll a user in a subscription plan and a payment source type indication, wherein the subscription plan allows a virtual currency as payment for both an initial subscription period and a subsequent subscription period;

determine an initial virtual currency subscription amount and a virtual currency conversion rate, the conversion rate associated with the payment source type indication;

modify the initial virtual currency subscription amount based on the virtual currency conversion rate to determine a recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

debit a virtual currency account balance associated with the user in the amount of the recurring virtual currency subscription amount; and

store a record of the subscription including an indication of a subscription renewal period.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, additionally comprising instructions to:

instantiate a recurring subscription event trigger based on the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, additionally comprising instructions to:

receive an indication that the subscription renewal period has expired.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, additionally comprising instructions to:

debit the virtual currency account balance in the amount of the virtual currency subscription amount as payment for a second subscription period.

65. The apparatus of claim 63, additionally comprising instructions to:

determine that the virtual currency conversion rate associated with the payment source type indication has changed since the last subscription payment;

modify the recurring virtual currency subscription amount using the changed virtual currency conversion rate; and

debit the virtual currency account balance in the amount of the modified recurring virtual currency subscription amount for a second subscription period.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, additionally comprising instructions to:

determine that the virtual currency account balance associated with the user has insufficient funds to pay the recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

retrieve a plurality of payment source types each associated with a different virtual currency conversion rate; and

display an amount of a payment source type required to purchase sufficient virtual currency to cover the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, additionally comprising instructions to:

receive an indication of a selected payment source type;

debit an account associated with the payment source type and the user by at least the amount required to purchase sufficient virtual currency to cover the recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

credit a virtual currency account balance associated with the user by the amount of virtual currency purchased using the payment source type; and

debit a virtual currency account balance associated with the user in the amount of the recurring virtual currency subscription amount.

68. A virtual currency subscription management processor-implemented system, comprising:

means to obtain a request to enroll a user in a subscription plan and a payment source type indication, wherein the subscription plan allows a virtual currency as payment for both an initial subscription period and a subsequent subscription period;

means to determine an initial virtual currency subscription amount and a virtual currency conversion rate, the conversion rate associated with the payment source type indication;

means to modify the initial virtual currency subscription amount based on the virtual currency conversion rate to determine a recurring virtual currency subscription amount;

means to debit a virtual currency account balance associated with the user in the amount of the recurring virtual currency subscription amount; and

means to store a record of the subscription including an indication of a subscription renewal period.