Systems and methods for electronic geocaching

• US 10,685,345 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hunt, Patrick James
• Primary Examiner(s): Netzloff, Eric R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Dipen M
• Application Number:
  US13/948,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,520 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A method and system for transferring electronic units of value to a mobile device using a computer device coupled to a database are provided. The method includes establishing a transfer account associated with the mobile device, initiating, by the mobile device, a transfer of an identifier encoded in a geo.Chip to the mobile device, receiving, by the mobile device, the identifier and a geolocation of the mobile device, transmitting the received identifier and geolocation for verification of the identifier using the geolocation, and receiving, by the mobile device, an indication of the units of value associated with the geo.Chip location.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for transferring electronic units of value to a mobile electronic geocaching device, the method comprising:

establishing a transfer account associated with the mobile electronic geocaching device;

activating a display application of the mobile electronic geocaching device to display instructions for locating a geo.Chip separate from the mobile electronic geocaching device;

positioning the mobile electronic geocaching device within a predefined distance from the geo.Chip based on the displayed instructions;

interrogating, after the step of positioning, the geo.Chip by the mobile electronic geocaching device;

transferring, upon initiation of the step of interrogating, an identifier encoded in the geo.Chip from the geo.Chip directly to the mobile electronic geocaching device when the mobile electronic geocaching device is within the predefined distance from the geo.Chip, the identifier uniquely identifying the geo.Chip;

receiving the transferred identifier and a geolocation of the mobile electronic geocaching device at the time of interrogation;

verifying that the received geolocation matches a location of the geo.Chip associated with the transferred identifier;

associating units of value with the geo.Chip location; and

receiving, by the mobile electronic geocaching device, an indication of the units of value associated with the geo.Chip location, based on the step of verifying, other than during a purchase transaction.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating comprises receiving, at the mobile electronic geocaching device, at least one of a push notification of the geo.Chip location, a response to a request for a geo.Chip location, and a graphical display of the geo.Chip location with respect to a current location of the mobile electronic geocaching device.

3. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the step of interrogating comprises using a wireless signal.

4. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating comprises using an indication displayed on the mobile electronic geocaching device to follow a path to the geo.Chip location.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the identifier comprises using at least one of a bump technology and a near-field communications (NFC).

6. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the units of value comprise a coupon for a discount at a merchant and wherein receiving, by the mobile electronic geocaching device, an indication of the units of value associated with the geo.Chip location comprises:

receiving a first electronic coupon for a first merchant; and

trading the electronic coupon for a second electronic coupon for a second merchant that is accessible via a second consumer mobile device using a communication link between the mobile electronic geocaching device and the second consumer mobile device.

7. A computer-based method for transferring electronic units of value to a mobile electronic geocaching device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a geo.Server, user information through an electronic communications network;

establishing an account for the user associated with the user information;

activating a display application of the mobile electronic geocaching device to display instructions, viewable by the user, for locating a first geo.Chip separate from the mobile electronic geocaching device;

interrogating, by the mobile electronic geocaching device, the geo.Chip when the mobile electronic geocaching device is within a predefined distance from the first geo.Chip;

transferring, upon initiation of the step of interrogating, an identifier encoded in the first geo.Chip from the first geo.Chip directly to the mobile electronic geocaching device, the identifier uniquely identifying the first geo.Chip;

receiving, by the geo.Server from the mobile electronic geocaching device, the transferred identifier and a geolocation of the mobile electronic geocaching device at the time of interrogating;

determining, by the geo.Server, that the transferred identifier is associated with an active offer;

verifying that the received geolocation matches a location of the geo.Chip at the time of interrogating; and

when the identifier is associated with an active offer and the received geolocation matches a location of the first geo.Chip, crediting the account with a value associated with the identifier.

8. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the value associated with the identifier to the mobile electronic geocaching device.

9. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a geo.Chip location to the mobile electronic geocaching device at the time of interrogating.

10. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a second geo.Chip location in a series of geo.Chip locations to the mobile electronic geocaching device.

11. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request for a geo.Chip location from the mobile electronic geocaching device, the request including an indication of a type of offer sought and a radius of search;

matching the type of offer sought with active offers within the radius of search; and

transmitting the matched active offers to the mobile electronic geocaching device.

12. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising receiving indication of a payment authorization for a financial transaction contemporaneous with crediting the account with a value associated with the identifier.

13. A system for transferring electronic units of value to a mobile electronic geocaching device, said system comprising:

an electronic communication network;

a mobile electronic geocaching device communicatively couplable to said network said mobile electronic geocaching device configured to determine its location in geographic coordinates;

a plurality of electronic geocaching semiconductor chips separate from the mobile electronic geocaching device, each electronic geocaching semiconductor chip comprising an identifier unique to an associated one of said plurality of electronic geocaching semiconductor chips, each of said plurality of electronic geocaching semiconductor chips being configured to be interrogated by said mobile electronic geocaching device, whereby said mobile electronic geocaching device is configured to determine the unique identifier of the interrogated one of said plurality of electronic geocaching semiconductor chips; and

a geo.Server communicatively couplable to said electronic communication network, said geo.Server comprising a processor communicatively coupled to a memory device;

said geo.Server programmed to;

receive a request for respective locations of electronic geocaching semiconductor chips positioned proximate a selected location;

transmit to a third party server the respective locations for a fee paid from the third party to the location provider;

receive, from the mobile electronic geocaching device, the respective unique identifier from an interrogated one of said plurality of semiconductor chips and the geographic coordinates determined by said mobile electronic geocaching device at a time of the interrogation;

determine a value associated with the interrogated semiconductor chip; and

credit an amount of the value to an account associated with said mobile electronic geocaching device upon verification, by the geo.Server, that the geographic coordinates determined by the mobile electronic geocaching device match a location of the interrogated semiconductor chip.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the units of value comprise at least one of currency or currency equivalent, a discount offer from a merchant, goods, and services.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile electronic geocaching device is configured to receive the geographic coordinates of one of the plurality of semiconductor chips in at least one of a push notification based on a proximity of said mobile electronic geocaching device to any of the plurality of semiconductor chips, a message in response to a request for a semiconductor chip location, and a message in response to a challenge question.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said geo.Server is programmed to determine a value associated with the interrogated semiconductor chip using a database stored in the memory device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of semiconductor chips are each positioned in a predetermined location selectable by a merchant.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of semiconductor chips are positioned in predetermined locations along a route to be traversed by the mobile electronic geocaching device.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising a web server programmed to host a geopass website or web page, the web server communicatively couplable to said geo.Server.