Digital exchange and mobile wallet for digital currency

• US 8,768,834 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Zacarias, Arturo M., Bhattacharya, Ashmit, Bower, Bruce, Grove, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/623,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0227 Frequent usage incentive value reconciliation between diverse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Techniques are provided for managing a digital wallet on behalf of a user. A user causes one or more value-ascertainable items (such as gift cards) to be reflected in the user'"'"'s digital wallet. Once a value-ascertainable item is reflected in the digital wallet, the user may access the digital wallet and use the value-ascertainable item to make a purchase from a merchant that is capable of redeeming the value-ascertainable item. Alternatively, an exchange service that maintains the digital wallet allows the user to exchange the value-ascertainable item for another value-ascertainable item, whether of the same type item or a different type of item. The exchanged-for item may be used to make a purchase from a merchant that is capable of redeeming the exchanged-for item.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing, in a digital wallet of a first user, item identification data that identifies a first value-ascertainable item issued by a first merchant, owned by the first user;

receiving, over a network, exchange data that indicates a second value-ascertainable item issued by a second merchant different from the first merchant, to be exchanged for the first value-ascertainable item;

in response to receiving the exchange data, removing, from the digital wallet the item identification data, first item data that identifies the first value-ascertainable item and saving item identification data that identifies the second value-ascertainable item;

determining a current location of a device of the first user;

identifying a location of a store, of a merchant, that is associated with the second value ascertainable item within a certain distance of the current location;

causing information about the second value-ascertainable item to be displayed to the first user;

wherein the first merchant is incapable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item and the second merchant is incapable of redeeming the first value-ascertainable item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of storing the identification data is performed by an exchange service;

the exchange service purchased the second value-ascertainable item from a second user that is different than the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the first value-ascertainable item or the second value-ascertainable item is a closed-loop stored-value instrument and the other of the first value-ascertainable item or the second value-ascertainable item is a number of points from a reward or loyalty points program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an offer value for the first value-ascertainable item;

sending the offer value for the first value-ascertainable item;

receiving acceptance data that indicates that the first user accepted the offer value;

in response to receiving the acceptance data, storing value data that associates a value with the first user;

sending account identification data that identifies an account of a merchant that is capable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the first value-ascertainable item is a closed-loop stored-value instrument;

the method further comprising sending, over a second network, one or more requests to determine a balance of the closed-loop stored-value instrument;

determining the offer value comprises determining the offer value based on the balance obtained in response to sending the one or more requests.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to sending the offer value:

determining a market value of the first value-ascertainable item;

wherein determining the offer value comprises determining the offer value based on the market value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying the merchant, determining whether the digital wallet includes any value-ascertainable item issued by the merchant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the merchant comprises:

accessing the digital wallet to identify one or more merchants that issued one or more value-ascertainable items that are reflected in the digital wallet of the first user, and

identifying the location of the store based on identification of the merchant.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein prior to receiving the exchange data the second value-ascertainable item is not owned by the first user, and is presented to the first user by an exchange service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value-ascertainable item is owned by the first user prior to receiving any information about the first value-ascertainable item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the first item data, purchasing the first value-ascertainable item from a second user that is different than the first user, wherein receiving the first item data comprises receiving purchase data that indicates that the first user desires to purchase the first value-ascertainable item from an exchange service that performed the purchasing step.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

updating the item identification data to include the second item data is performed while the first user is in a store of a merchant that is capable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, sending, over the network, account identification data that includes (a) an account identifier of the second value-ascertainable item or (b) a bar code that is scannable by a bar code reader and that reflects the account identifier of the second value-ascertainable item.

14. One or more non-transitory media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

storing, in a digital wallet of a first user, item identification data that identifies a first value-ascertainable item issued by a first merchant, owned by the first user;

receiving, over a network, exchange data that indicates a second value-ascertainable item issued by a second merchant different from the first merchant, to be exchanged for the first value-ascertainable item;

in response to receiving the exchange data, removing, from the digital wallet the item identification data, first item data that identifies the first value-ascertainable item and saving item identification data that identifies the second value-ascertainable item;

determining a current location of a device of the first user;

identifying a location of a store, of a merchant, that is associated with the second value ascertainable item within a certain distance of the current location;

causing information about the second value-ascertainable item to be displayed to the first user;

wherein the first merchant is incapable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item and the second merchant is incapable of redeeming the first value-ascertainable item.

15. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein:

storing the identification data is performed by an exchange service;

the exchange service purchased the second value-ascertainable item from a second user that is different than the first user.

16. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the one of the first value-ascertainable item or the second value-ascertainable item is a closed-loop stored-value instrument and the other of the first value-ascertainable item or the second value-ascertainable item is a number of points from a reward or loyalty points program.

17. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

determining an offer value for the first value-ascertainable item;

sending the offer value for the first value-ascertainable item;

receiving acceptance data that indicates that the first user accepted the offer value;

in response to receiving the acceptance data, storing value data that associates a value with the first user;

sending account identification data that identifies an account of a merchant that is capable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item.

18. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 17, wherein:

the first value-ascertainable item is a closed-loop stored-value instrument;

the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause sending, over a second network, one or more requests to determine a balance of the closed-loop stored-value instrument;

determining the offer value comprises determining the offer value based on the balance obtained in response to sending the one or more requests.

19. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to sending the offer value:

determining a market value of the first value-ascertainable item;

wherein determining the offer value comprises determining the offer value based on the market value.

20. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

in response to identifying the merchant, determining whether any value-ascertainable item in the plurality of value-ascertainable items was issued by the merchant;

determining that a value-ascertainable item in the plurality of value-ascertainable items was issued by the merchant;

wherein the particular value-ascertainable item is the value-ascertainable item.

21. The one or more storage media of claim 20, wherein prior to receiving the exchange data the second value-ascertainable item is not owned by the first user, and is presented to the first user by an exchange service.

22. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the first value-ascertainable item is owned by the first user prior to receiving any information about the first value-ascertainable item.

23. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to receiving the first item data, purchasing the first value-ascertainable item from a second user that is different than the first user, wherein receiving the first item data comprises receiving purchase data that indicates that the first user desires to purchase the first value-ascertainable item from an exchange service that performed the purchasing step.

24. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein:

updating the item identification data to include the second item data is performed while the first user is in a store of a merchant that is capable of redeeming the second value-ascertainable item.

25. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, sending, over the network, account identification data that includes (a) an account identifier of the second value-ascertainable item or (b) a bar code that is scannable by a bar code reader and that reflects the account identifier of the second value-ascertainable item.