Mobile Gift Card Digital Wallet Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gift cards, both physical and electronic, face limitations such as the need for physical presentation, risk of loss or theft, and delayed fulfillment, which hinder immediate use and security.
Innovation Solution
A computer-server-based system and method for distributing mobile gift cards, where a mobile device acts as a server-side digital wallet, allowing selection of a merchant, receiving a monetary amount, associating with a recipient's phone number, and transmitting notifications, ensuring secure and immediate use without physical credentials on the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional physical gift cards are used, then the gift card can be physically presented to merchants, but the user must carry and physically present the card, and replacement is unavailable if lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the physical gift card with a digital copy stored in a mobile device. The system generates a unique identifier and stores it in the mobile device's memory, allowing the user to access and present the gift card value electronically without needing a physical card. This digital copy eliminates the need to carry physical cards while maintaining the gift card functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical physical card system with an electronic storage and communication system. Instead of physically presenting a magnetic stripe or barcode card, the system uses mobile device memory storage and electronic communication protocols to transmit the gift card identifier to the merchant's scanning device, eliminating mechanical wear and physical loss risks.
2Ease of operation
If electronic gift cards stored in mobile device are used, then physical presentation is eliminated, but the mobile device becomes an enticing target for theft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements protective measures beforehand by storing the gift card identifier in a secure manner and requiring authentication. The system can detect when the mobile device is lost or stolen and automatically invalidate the stored gift card identifier, preventing unauthorized use. This prior cushioning approach mitigates the theft risk before it can cause harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary validation system between the mobile device and the merchant's scanning device. The merchant's device communicates with the system to validate the gift card identifier, and the system can detect suspicious patterns or unauthorized access attempts, providing an additional layer of security that doesn't require the gift card value to be directly accessible in the mobile device.
3Productivity
If electronic gift certificates are used, then fulfillment can be electronic, but fulfillment takes several days, preventing immediate use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing the gift card identifier in the mobile device immediately upon purchase. The system creates the digital gift card and stores it in the user's mobile device before the user needs to use it, eliminating any fulfillment delay. The user can access and present the gift card identifier instantly at the point of sale without waiting for electronic delivery or activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for distributing mobile gift cards is described. One embodiment, a computer-server-based method, receives a selection of a merchant with which to associate a mobile gift card, receives an indication of a monetary amount for the mobile gift card, receives an electronic payment for the monetary amount, applies the monetary amount to the mobile gift card, associates the mobile gift card with a recipient's phone number, and transmits a notification of the mobile gift card to a mobile device associated with the recipient's phone number, the computer server acting as a server-side wallet for the mobile gift card, the mobile gift card being usable, through interaction with the computer server, by the recipient for the purchase of goods from the merchant associated with the mobile gift card.