Mobile Donation Processing via Text and Email Confirmation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current text message donation systems face delays of up to 90 days in fund transfer, lack flexibility in donation amounts, high processing costs, and limited donor protection, making them inefficient for urgent charitable and political campaigns.

Innovation Solution

A donation processing system that allows users to initiate donations via text messages, with a response message confirming the amount, and subsequent confirmation, enabling faster fund transfer and integration with email-based backend systems for reduced costs and enhanced donor management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional text message donation systems are used, then donations can be made easily via mobile devices, but fund transfer delays up to 90 days occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of donationVSAvoidfund transfer time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the donation process into distinct phases: initiation via text message, confirmation via email, and rapid fund transfer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling immediate acknowledgment and faster processing while maintaining ease of use through the simple text message initiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by sending immediate confirmation emails and pre-processing donation information upon receiving the text message. This preliminary processing enables rapid fund transfer once confirmation is received, reducing the overall delay from the traditional 90-day waiting period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If fixed amount donations via text message are used, then processing is simplified, but flexibility in donation amounts is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoiddonation amount flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an email confirmation as an intermediary step between the text message initiation and final donation processing. This intermediary allows the system to receive simple text messages for initiation while using the email channel to confirm and finalize variable donation amounts, thus maintaining both simplicity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the donation amount based on donor input during the email confirmation phase. While the text message initiation remains simple, the subsequent email interaction allows donors to specify custom amounts, making the overall system dynamic and flexible rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If traditional mobile donation processing is used, then donations can be facilitated through cellular networks, but high processing costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedonation facilitationVSAvoidprocessing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple communication channels (text message and email) into a unified donation processing system. By combining the simplicity of text message initiation with the efficiency of email confirmation, the system achieves cost-effective processing while maintaining ease of operation through the mobile-friendly text message entry point.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service donation processing where the automated email confirmation and processing reduce the need for manual intervention. This automation lowers processing costs while maintaining ease of use for donors, as the system handles confirmation and processing automatically after the initial text message.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If text message donations are processed through traditional systems, then mobile giving is enabled, but donor protection is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobile giving capabilityVSAvoiddonor protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements immediate feedback through email confirmation that provides donors with verification of their donation details before final processing. This feedback mechanism enhances donor protection by allowing them to review and confirm the correct amount and recipient, adding a layer of reliability while maintaining the ease of mobile giving initiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20230401559A1Method for processing multimodal mobile donations via text message and email communication

Publication Date: 2023.12.14 SWOOP IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A donation processing system receives a text message from a donor indicating that they would like to make a donation to a non-profit organization. In response to the text message, a response message indicating the particulars of the donation including the donation amount and the non-profit organization is sent to the user. The donor reviews the information and, if the information is correct, a confirmation message is sent from the donor in response to the response message. The confirmation message confirms the donation. The donation is then made to the non-profit organization in response to the confirmation message.