Real-Time Virtual Gift Card Purchase System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual gift card systems often take several minutes to hours to deliver virtual gift cards due to back-end processing delays, leading to a noticeable time gap between purchase and availability for use.
Innovation Solution
A computer system that processes virtual gift card purchases in real-time or near real-time by identifying and utilizing the appropriate gift card merchant API capable of processing the specified type of virtual gift card, facilitating immediate availability for use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional back-end processing methods are used to purchase virtual gift cards, then the system can process various types of gift cards through multiple merchants, but the delivery time becomes noticeable (several minutes to hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing gift card purchases through available APIs before the user actually requests the gift card. When a user requests a gift card, the system checks if it has already been pre-processed and can be delivered immediately, thus eliminating the noticeable delay while maintaining support for multiple gift card types through the pre-established API connections
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer (the server system with multiple API integrations) that mediates between the user and the various gift card merchant systems. This intermediary can selectively utilize different APIs to process purchases in real-time or near real-time, reducing delivery time while maintaining compatibility with multiple gift card types through the mediation capability
2Loss of time
If real-time processing is implemented for virtual gift card purchases, then delivery time is reduced to immediate or near immediate, but the system complexity increases due to multiple API integrations
Solution Approach 1:
The server system is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple gift card merchant APIs through a single unified interface. This universal system can selectively utilize different APIs based on the gift card type requested, achieving real-time processing without requiring separate complex systems for each merchant, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining real-time capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of API selection dynamically based on the gift card type and availability. By implementing flexible parameter changes in the API selection process, the system can adapt to different gift card merchants and achieve real-time processing without hardcoding complex logic for each merchant, thereby managing system complexity while enabling immediate delivery
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for allowing purchase of virtual gift cards includes receiving a communication indicating a gift card type and specifying a value amount. Responsive to the communication, a purchase of a virtual gift card of that type and storing that value amount is processed. This processing includes processing a payment for the specified value amount. Further, a gift card merchant application programming interface (API) capable of processing a purchase of a virtual gift card of the indicated gift card type is identified from amongst a set of such APIs. That API is used to initiate purchase of the virtual gift card. After the purchase is processed, an indication of the purchased virtual gift card is sent to a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device uses the indication to configure itself to allow transactions using the purchased virtual gift card to be initiated. Fraud detection may also be performed.