Voucher code redemption via SMS

• US 8,612,356 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutchinson, Martin, Singleton, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCINTYRE, CHARLES AARON
• Application Number:
  US13/295,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A voucher verification system is based on SMS message-based processing of voucher verifications by a central verification authority. Merchants may establish an account with the system and then register mobile communication devices and those of employees by sending an SMS-based registration request to the system. Once registered, the merchant and employees may verify the status of vouchers by sending SMS-base verification requests to the system. Verifications of voucher status are returned to the merchant mobile device via SMS messaging.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for verifying merchant issued vouchers, comprising:

receiving, at a computer, a registration request short message service (“

SMS”

) message from a mobile communication device, wherein the registration request SMS message comprises a merchant account identifier and a security code;

verifying, by the computer, that the merchant account identifier in the registration request SMS message matches a merchant account identifier stored in a merchant index and that the security code in the registration request SMS message matches a security code assigned to the merchant account identifier, and determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with a merchant account;

registering, by the computer, the mobile communication device by linking a mobile communication device number of the mobile communication device with the merchant account in response to determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with the merchant account;

generating, by the computer, a registration confirmation SMS message indicating that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account;

communicating, by the computer, the registration confirmation SMS message to the mobile communication device;

receiving, by the computer, a voucher verification request SMS message from the mobile communication device, the voucher verification request SMS message comprising a voucher identifier for a voucher associated with the merchant account;

determining, by the computer, that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account;

identifying, by the computer, a voucher status of the voucher associated with the voucher identifier;

generating, by the computer, a voucher verification SMS message including the voucher status; and

communicating, by the computer, the voucher verification SMS message to the mobile communication device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing, by the computer, a voucher record in a voucher index prior to receiving the voucher verification request SMS message, wherein the voucher record comprises the unique voucher identifier for the voucher.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the voucher record further comprises a limit on a number of times the voucher can be redeemed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the voucher record further comprises an expiration date for the voucher.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the voucher status is valid or invalid, and wherein the voucher status is based on at least one of the previous number of times the voucher has been redeemed and whether the voucher has expired.

6. The computer-program product code of claim 1, further comprising updating the voucher status in the voucher record after a status of the voucher is identified as valid.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer processor cause the computer to execute the steps of;

receiving a registration request short message service (“

SMS”

) message from a mobile communication device, wherein the registration request SMS message comprises a merchant identifier and a security code;

verifying that the merchant account identifier in the registration request SMS message matches a merchant account identifier stored in a merchant index and that the security code in the registration request SMS message matches a security code assigned to the merchant account identifier, and determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with a merchant account;

registering the mobile communication device by linking a mobile communication device number of the mobile communication device with the merchant account in response to determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with the merchant account;

receiving a voucher verification request SMS message from the mobile communication device, the voucher verification request SMS message comprising a voucher identifier for a voucher associated with the merchant account;

determining that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account;

identifying a voucher status of the voucher associated with the voucher identifier;

generating a voucher verification SMS message including the voucher status; and

communicating the voucher verification SMS message to the mobile communication device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising computer-readable program instructions that when executed by the computer processor cause the computer to execute the steps of:

generating a registration confirmation SMS message indicating that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account; and

communicating the registration confirmation SMS message to the mobile communication device.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising computer-executable program instructions that when executed by the computer processor cause the computer to execute the step of storing a voucher record in a voucher index prior to receiving the voucher verification request SMS message, wherein the voucher record comprises the unique voucher identifier for the voucher.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the voucher record further comprises a limit on a number of times the voucher can be redeemed.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the voucher record further comprises an expiration date for the voucher.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the voucher status is valid or invalid, and wherein the voucher status is based on at least one of the previous number of times the voucher has been redeemed and whether the voucher has expired.

13. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising computer-executable program instructions that when executed by the computer processor cause the computer to execute the step of updating the voucher status in the voucher record after a status of the voucher is identified as valid.

14. A system to verify merchant issued vouchers, the system comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device and that cause the system to execute the steps of;

receiving a registration request short message service (“

SMS”

) message from a mobile communication device, wherein the registration request SMS message comprises a merchant account identifier and a security code;

verifying that the merchant account identifier in the registration request SMS message matches a merchant account identifier stored in a merchant index and that the security code in the registration request SMS message matches a security code assigned to the merchant account identifier, thereby determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with a merchant account;

registering the mobile communication device by linking a mobile communication device number of the mobile communication device with the merchant account in response to determining that the merchant account identifier and security code are associated with the merchant account;

receiving a voucher verification request SMS message from a the mobile communication device, the voucher verification request SMS message comprising a voucher identifier for a voucher associated with the merchant account;

determining that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account;

identifying a voucher status of the voucher associated with the voucher identifier;

generating a voucher verification SMS message including the voucher status; and

communicating the voucher verification SMS message to the mobile communication device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further executes application code instructions that cause the system to execute the steps of:

generating a registration confirmation SMS message indicating that the mobile communication device is registered with the merchant account; and

communicating the registration confirmation SMS message to the mobile communication device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further executes application code instructions that cause the system to execute the step of storing a voucher record in a voucher index prior to receiving the voucher verification request SMS message, wherein the voucher record comprises the unique voucher identifier for the voucher.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the voucher record further comprises a limit on a number of times the voucher can be redeemed.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the voucher record further comprises an expiration date for the voucher.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the voucher status is valid or invalid, and wherein the voucher status is based on at least one of the previous number of times the voucher has been redeemed and whether the voucher has expired.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further executes application code instructions that cause the system to execute the step of updating the voucher status in the voucher record after a status of the voucher is identified as valid.