Abstract:
A digital voucher system facilitates the convenient application of vouchers against products and services purchased from a merchant by a consumer. A voucher enabled device carried by the consumer stores digital vouchers in memory. When the merchant detects a voucher enabled device nearby, the merchant queries and obtains applicable vouchers for the consumer from the voucher enabled device carried by the consumer, applies the vouchers to a transaction, and communicates the resulting transaction data back to the voucher enabled device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Priority Claim 
         [0002]    This application claims the benefit of priority from European Patent Application No. 09 425 963.6, filed Feb. 16, 2009, which is incorporated by reference. 
         [0003]    2. Technical Field 
         [0004]    This disclosure relates to digital voucher processing systems. More particularly, this disclosure relates to proximity detection of voucher enabled devices and merchant system interaction with the voucher enabled devices to query for, obtain, and process digital vouchers carried by the digital voucher enabled devices. 
         [0005]    3. Related Art 
         [0006]    Vouchers in the form of paper certificates or coupons have traditionally been used to obtain discounts on goods and services. The paper voucher as a discount mechanism suffers from significant drawbacks, however. As examples, the paper vouchers, once distributed, are extremely difficult or impossible to retire, recall, modify in value, transfer to another entity, or otherwise manage. It is also difficult to create and implement effective anti-fraud control for paper vouchers, and to create, print, and physically distribute paper vouchers to a wide audience. 
         [0007]    Prior attempts to migrate paper vouchers to electronic representations also suffered from significant drawbacks. In some instances, dedicated electronic cards have been employed to carry digital vouchers. However, the electronic cards are easily lost and susceptible to use by others. Such cards also require special purpose additional hardware and communication protocols, connected with back-end systems, leading to increased system cost and complexity. 
         [0008]    A need exists for an improved digital voucher management system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    A digital voucher system facilitates the convenient application of vouchers against products and services purchased from a merchant by a consumer. A voucher enabled device carried by the consumer stores digital vouchers in memory. When the merchant detects a voucher enabled device nearby, the merchant queries and obtains applicable vouchers for the consumer from the voucher enabled device carried by the consumer, applies the vouchers to a transaction, and communicates the resulting transaction data back to the voucher enabled device. 
         [0010]    Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and advantages are included within this description, are within the scope of the invention, and are protected by the following claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The system may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the type model. In the figures, like-referenced numerals designate corresponding features throughout the different views. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows the entities that interact in a digital voucher environment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows dataflow in an exemplary digital voucher environment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows dataflow in another exemplary digital voucher environment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows dataflow in another digital voucher environment including a ticket issuer. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a merchant system for use in a digital voucher environment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a digital voucher enable device, such as a cellular phone. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows logic that a digital voucher merchant application installed on a digital voucher enabled merchant system may execute to handle digital vouchers. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows logic that a digital voucher subscriber application installed on a digital voucher enabled device may execute to handle digital vouchers. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  shows a flow diagram of digital voucher creation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows the entities that interact in a digital voucher environment  100 . The environment includes an enterprise system  102 , a digital voucher enabled mobile device  104 , and a digital voucher enabled merchant system  106 . The digital voucher enabled mobile device  102  may be a cellular phone on which is installed a digital voucher subscriber application that facilitates processing and using the digital vouchers on the consumer end of transactions. The device  102  is not limited to cell phones, but may be virtually any portable electronic device, including a pager, portable game system, personal data assistant, music player, or other portable device. The digital voucher enabled merchant device  104  may be a mobile device or countertop-mounted device on which is installed a digital voucher merchant application that facilitates processing digital vouchers on the merchant end of transactions. The merchant device  104  may also be a part of or be connected to an electronic device for calculating and recording sales transactions, such as a cash register. 
         [0022]    The enterprise system  102  may include an enterprise application that aids in the creation of digital vouchers, as well as their assignment to the digital voucher enabled mobile device  104 . The enterprise system  102  may be a desktop, handheld, or other network enabled computing device. 
         [0023]    The digital voucher enabled mobile device  104  allows a consumer to maintain a paperless inventory of vouchers and apply those vouchers to transactions in real time using contactless communication technology. The digital vouchers may include ticket restaurants, meal tickets, percentage or fixed discount coupons, fidelity card services, promotional or direct advertising content, travel vouchers or tickets, or other electronic certificates worth a certain value, percentage, or discount in purchasing goods and services. 
         [0024]    The mobile device  104  and merchant system  106  are each equipped with proximity communication interfaces to facilitate proximity communication between the mobile device  104  and merchant system  106 . The proximity communication interfaces may be, for example, near field communication (NFC) interfaces. Such interfaces support localized wireless bi-directional communication capability over a relatively short range, such as 0-10 cm, though other ranges may also be employed. The mobile device  104  and merchant system  106  may alternatively be equipped with communication interfaces that utilize Bluetooth, radio-frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDa), WiFi, or other proximity communication technologies. 
         [0025]    The proximity communication interface of the merchant system  106  may be a camera (e.g., digital camera) for capturing a barcode image or other optical machine-readable representation of data displayed on the mobile device  104 . The barcode may be a linear, 2D (such as QR code), or other type of barcode representing data associated with the digital voucher to be transferred to the merchant. The proximity communication interface of the merchant system  106  may also be any other device equipped to capture or read a barcode image displayed on a mobile device. 
         [0026]    The enterprise system  102  may be a network enabled system that communications through a communications network with the mobile device  104  and/or with the merchant system  106 . The enterprise system  102  may also communicate with the mobile device  104  through a digital voucher service provider. The enterprise system  102  may communicate with the mobile device  104  and/or merchant system  106  through an SMS message, an email, or other network communication protocols. 
         [0027]    In one example, the enterprise system  102  sends a notification message  108  to the mobile device  104  through an SMS message when digital vouchers have been created and/or assigned. Then enterprise system  102  may assign a digital voucher to the mobile device  104  by associating the digital voucher with the MSISDN of the mobile device  104 . The enterprise system  102  may include a database, list, or other set of information containing the MSISDN&#39;s of digital voucher enabled mobile devices. An SMS message is merely one example of the communication protocols the enterprise system may use to communicate with the mobile device  104 . 
         [0028]    When notified of the new digital vouchers, the mobile device  104  synchronizes  110  a user account associated with the mobile device  104  with a corresponding user account maintained by the enterprise system  102  over a communications network. The synchronization  110  may be initiated automatically upon receipt of the notification message  108  that new digital vouchers have been assigned, or may be initiated manually by the consumer using the mobile device  104  through the digital voucher subscriber application installed on the mobile device  104 . Once synchronized, the digital voucher is stored on the mobile device  104  and may be transferred to a digital voucher enabled merchant system  106  in connection with a business transaction. 
         [0029]    When the consumer enters into a transaction with an affiliated merchant (e.g., a merchant utilizing the digital voucher enabled merchant system  106 ), the mobile device  104  and merchant system  106  may open a communication channel  112  through their respective proximity communication interfaces when sufficiently proximate to each other. Sufficient proximity may depend on the proximity communication technology used. For example, for NFC sufficient proximity between the communication interfaces of the mobile device  104  and the merchant system  106  may be up to approximately 10 cm. For Bluetooth, sufficient proximity may be up to approximately 30 m. For RFID, sufficient proximity may be up to approximately 3 m. For IrDa, sufficient proximity may be up to approximately 5 m. 
         [0030]    If the proximity technology used is NFC, the consumer can hold the mobile device  104  up to, or otherwise pass the mobile device  104  in front of, the merchant system  106  in order to transfer the digital voucher to the merchant. NFC provides an efficient and secure communication channel between the mobile device  104  and the merchant system  106 . 
         [0031]    If the proximity technology used is QR code recognition, the consumer can hold the mobile device  104  displaying the selected digital voucher up to a camera, infrared scanner or other barcode capturing device. The merchant system  106  may decode the captured barcode to obtain the data associated with the digital voucher. 
         [0032]    In connection with the transfer of the digital voucher to the merchant system, the merchant system  106  may transmit merchant data and transaction data (such as the purchase price) to the mobile device  104 . The merchant system  106  may receive the digital voucher and consumer data transmitted from the mobile device  104 . The merchant device  104  applies the digital voucher to the transaction data to generate updated transaction data. For example, if the digital voucher transmitted by the mobile device  104  is a 10% off discount coupon, the merchant system  106  may reduce the purchase price by 10%. 
         [0033]    The merchant system  106  may complete the transaction based on the updated transaction data, or may transmit the updated transaction data to the electronic device or another back-end system for calculating and recording sales transactions for transaction completion. The merchant system  106  may also transmit the updated transaction data to the mobile device  104  through its proximity communication interface. The merchant system  106  and/or the mobile device  104  may transmit a digital voucher transaction summary to the enterprise system  102  or any other entity that created or issued the digital voucher. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows dataflow in an exemplary digital voucher environment  200  including an enterprise system  202 , a digital voucher service provider  204 , and a digital voucher enabled mobile device  206 . The enterprise system  202  transmits digital voucher distribution instructions  208  to the service provider  204 . The service provider  204  may be an entity that creates and/or distributes digital vouchers. The service provider  204  in turn distributes  210  the digital vouchers to the digital voucher enabled mobile device  206  in accordance with the digital voucher distribution instructions  208 . Communication between the enterprise system  202 , service provider  204 , and the mobile device  206  may be implemented through SMS message, email, or other network communication protocols. 
         [0035]    The distribution instructions  208  may include a type and quantity of digital voucher to distribute, as well as a list of consumers or mobile devices  206  assigned to receive the digital vouchers. Alternative to the distribution list of specific consumers or mobile devices, the distribution instructions may also include distribution criteria according to which the service provider  204  distributes the digital vouchers. If the digital voucher is a promotional advertisement related to athletics, the distribution instructions may identify the digital voucher for distribution to mobile devices  206  associated with consumers that have an interest in athletics. Consumer interests may be deduced based on the consumer&#39;s purchasing and/or browsing history, based on survey data, or based on information provided directly by the consumer. The digital voucher subscriber application installed on the mobile device  206  may also be configured to allow the consumer to specifically request certain types of advertising content, or other types of vouchers. In this manner, digital vouchers, such as advertising content, may be directed to consumers most likely to be interested in such promotional material on their mobile devices  206 . 
         [0036]    The service provider  204  may transmit a digital voucher distribution summary  212  that summarizes the number and type of digital vouchers sent to consumers within a certain time period. The digital voucher distribution summary  212  may also include an amount due for the service. The enterprise system may transmit a service payment  214  to the service provider based on the digital voucher distribution summary. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  shows dataflow in another exemplary digital voucher environment  300  including an enterprise system  302 , a digital voucher service provider  304 , a digital voucher enabled merchant system  306 , and a digital voucher enabled mobile device  308 . The enterprise system  302  creates and transmits digital voucher distribution instructions  310  to the service provider  304 . The service provider  304  in turn distributes  312  the digital vouchers to the digital voucher enabled mobile device  308  according to the digital voucher distribution instructions. 
         [0038]    A consumer using the mobile device  308  may then transfer the digital voucher to the digital voucher enabled merchant system  306  in connection with a transaction. For example, a consumer purchasing a good or service from a merchant using the merchant system  306  may transfer a digital 10% off coupon to the merchant using a digital voucher subscriber application installed on the mobile device  308 . The merchant system  306  applies the obtained digital voucher to the transaction to generate an updated purchase price. The merchant system  306  may transmit the updated purchase price to the mobile device  308 . The mobile device  308  and merchant system  306  may communicate using NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, IrDa, or other proximity communication protocols. The merchant system  306  may also receive the digital voucher and other data from the mobile device  308  by capturing and decoding a barcode image (such as a QR code image) displayed on the mobile device  308 . 
         [0039]    When the consumer transfers and the merchant processes the digital voucher in connection with the transaction, the digital voucher subscriber application installed on the mobile device  308 , or a digital voucher merchant application installed on the merchant system  306 , may transmit a digital voucher transfer report  314  to the service provider  304 . The transfer report  314  may include details of the transaction, including information identifying the merchant, the transaction, the digital voucher used, transaction date, and other relevant information. 
         [0040]    The service provider  304  may transmit a digital voucher distribution summary  316  that summarizes the number and type of digital vouchers sent to consumers within a certain time period. The digital voucher distribution summary  316  may also include a summary of digital voucher transfer reports  314  indicating digital vouchers actually used and transferred to merchants. The digital voucher distribution summary  316  may also include an amount due for the service. The service provider  304  may also generate and transmit to the merchant system  306  a merchant-specific voucher summary  320  summarizing the number and type of digital vouchers transferred to the merchant within a certain time period. 
         [0041]    Based on the digital voucher distribution summary  316 , the enterprise system may transmit a service payment  318  to the service provider  304  based on its distribution services. The enterprise system  302  may also refund  322  the merchant the value of the discounts provided in response to the digital voucher. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  shows dataflow in another exemplary digital voucher environment  400  including a ticket issuer  402 . The environment  400  also includes an enterprise system  404 , a digital voucher enabled mobile device  406 , a digital voucher service provider  408 , and a digital voucher enabled merchant system  410 . 
         [0043]    The ticket issuer  402  may be an entity that issues digital vouchers in the form of, for example, ticket restaurants (luncheon voucher, meal tickets, etc.), transportation tickets, theatre tickets, or other ticket types for distribution to the mobile devices  406  of consumers and/or of the employees of one or more companies. The enterprise system  404  may receive from the ticket issuer  402 , or may create based on information received from the ticket issuer  402 , ticket distribution instructions  412 . 
         [0044]    The enterprise system  404  may transmit the ticket distribution instructions  412  to the service provider  408 . The service provider  408  issues  414  the digital tickets to the enterprise system  404  based on the ticket distribution instructions  412 . The enterprise system  404  distributes  416  the digital tickets to the employee/consumer&#39;s mobile device  406 . 
         [0045]    Using a digital voucher subscriber application installed on the mobile device  406 , the employee/consumer can transfer the digital tickets to the merchant system  410  as part of a business transaction. If the digital ticket is a ticket restaurant, the employee/consumer may transfer the ticket restaurant to a food merchant in connection with the purchase of a meal. Upon receipt of the ticket restaurant from the employee/consumer&#39;s mobile device  406 , the merchant system  410  applies the ticket restaurant to the cost of the meal and updates the meal&#39;s cost based on the value of the ticket restaurant. The employee/consumer&#39;s mobile device  406  and the merchant system  410  are equipped with proximity communication interfaces for the convenient, quick, and secure transfer of digital tickets to the merchant at the merchant&#39;s locale. 
         [0046]    When the consumer/employee transfers and the merchant processes the digital ticket in connection with the transaction, the digital voucher subscriber application on the mobile device  406 , or a digital voucher merchant application installed on the merchant system  410 , may transmit a digital voucher transfer report  418  to the service provider  408 . The transfer report  418  may include details of the transaction, including information identifying the merchant, the transaction, the digital ticket used, transaction date, and other relevant information. 
         [0047]    The service provider  408  may transmit to the ticket issuer  402  and/or enterprise system  404  a digital voucher distribution summary  420  that summarizes the number and type of digital vouchers sent to consumers within a certain time period. The digital voucher distribution summary  420  may also include a summary of digital voucher transfer reports  418  indicating digital tickets actually used and transferred to merchants. The digital voucher distribution summary  420  may also include an amount due for the service. The service provider  408  may also generate and transmit to the merchant system  410  a merchant-specific voucher summary  422  summarizing the number and type of digital tickets transferred to the merchant within a certain time period. 
         [0048]    Based on the digital voucher distribution summary  420 , the ticket issuer  402  may transmit a service payment  424  to the service provider  304  based on its distribution services. The enterprise system  404  may pay  426  the ticket issuer  402  for the value of the tickets issued. The ticket issuer  402  may also refund  428  the merchant the value of the discounts provided in response to the digital voucher. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  shows a merchant system  500  for use in a digital voucher environment. The merchant system  500  includes a processor  502  and a memory  504 . The merchant system  500  includes a proximity communication interface  506  for communicating with a nearby digital voucher enabled device  508 , such as a cellular phone. The merchant system  500  may also include a communication interface  510 , such as a network enabled communication interface, for communicating with a digital voucher service provider  512 . 
         [0050]    The memory  504  holds a digital voucher merchant application  514  that assists in obtaining and processing digital vouchers received from a proximate digital voucher enabled device  508  in connection with a business transaction. The merchant application  514  includes digital voucher acquisition logic  516  and transaction processing logic  518 . 
         [0051]    The voucher acquisition logic  516  may assist the merchant system  500  in determining that a digital voucher enabled device  508  is proximate to the proximity communication interface  506  and obtaining the digital voucher from the digital voucher enabled device  508  through the interface  506 . The memory may hold the obtained digital voucher  520 . The digital voucher  520  may include voucher data, such as the voucher type (e.g., whether the voucher is a percentage discount coupon, a ticket restaurant, a promotional advertisement, etc.), a voucher amount, an expiration data, a voucher ID number, a voucher name, a voucher quantity, a voucher service provider (e.g., which service provider distributed or issued the voucher) or other information relevant to processing the digital voucher  520 . If the digital voucher  520  is obtained by capturing a barcode image displayed on the mobile device, the voucher acquisition logic may include logic that decodes the barcode image. 
         [0052]    The voucher acquisition logic  516  may also obtain, and the memory hold, customer data  522  from the digital voucher enabled device  508 . The customer data  522  may include information identifying the customer and/or the customer&#39;s mobile device  508 , such as the MSISDN or the customer&#39;s name. 
         [0053]    The memory  504  may also hold merchant data  524  and initial transaction data  526 . The merchant data  524  may include information identifying the merchant, such as the merchant&#39;s name. The initial transaction data  526  may include information identifying the particular business transaction entered into between the merchant and a customer using the digital voucher enabled device  508 . The information identifying the business transaction may include, for example, the type of good or service being purchased and the price. The voucher acquisition logic  516  may transmit the merchant data  524  and transaction data  526  to the digital voucher enabled device  508  through the proximity communication interface  506 . 
         [0054]    The transaction processing logic  518  may assist the merchant system  500  in applying the digital voucher  520  to a business transaction, and in particular, to the initial transaction data  526  to generate updated transaction data  528 . The updated transaction data  528  may be, for example, and new purchase price updated based on the digital voucher  520 . If the digital voucher  520  is a percentage for fixed discount coupon, the transaction processing logic  518  may reduce the purchase price by the percentage or fixed discount amount. If the digital voucher  520  is a ticket restaurant valued at, for example,          5, the transaction processing logic  518  may reduce the meal purchase by the value of the ticket restaurant. If the digital voucher  520  is a fidelity card, the transaction processing logic  518  may update the fidelity card based on the business transaction (such as by adding to rewards points associated with the fidelity account). The transaction processing logic  518  transmit the updated transaction data  528  to the digital voucher enabled device  508  through the proximity communication interface  506 . The digital voucher merchant application  514  may automatically acquire and process the digital voucher  520 , or may include a user interface  530  through which a manager or other merchant personnel initiate digital voucher acquisition and/or processing. 
         [0055]    The merchant system  500  may communicate with the service provider  512  through the communication interface  510 . The digital voucher merchant application  514  may transmit a digital voucher transaction report summarizing the transaction and identifying the digital voucher used by the digital voucher enabled device  508 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  shows a digital voucher enable device  600 , such as a cellular phone. The digital voucher enabled device  600  includes a proximity communication interface  602 , a processor  604 , and a memory  606 . The digital voucher enabled device  600  also includes a display  608 . 
         [0057]    The memory  606  may hold a digital voucher subscriber application  610  that aids a consumer using the device  600  in managing digital vouchers  612  stored on the memory and transferring them to merchants as part of a business transaction. The digital vouchers  612  may be organized in a voucher database  614  stored on the memory  606 . The subscriber application  610  may include digital voucher management logic  616 , proximate merchant identification logic  618 , and digital voucher transfer logic  620 . 
         [0058]    The digital voucher management logic  616  aids the device  600  in receiving and managing new digital vouchers. The device  600  may receive an SMS message, email, or other type of communication from service provider or enterprise system indicating that new digital vouchers have been assigned to the device  600 . 
         [0059]    The digital voucher management logic  616  may synchronize a user account  622  stored on the memory  606  with a corresponding user account maintained by the service provider or enterprise system. The digital voucher management logic  616  may initiate synchronization immediately upon being notified of the new digital vouchers, or may prompt the device&#39;s  600  user to initiate synchronization through the display  608 . Synchronization may include transferring to the mobile device  600  any new digital vouchers assigned to the device  600  by the service provider or enterprise system. 
         [0060]    The digital voucher  612  may be transferred as a string of bytes representing voucher data, or parameters. An image associated with the digital voucher  612  may also accompany the transfer. The digital voucher  612  may be downloaded by the mobile device using an HTTP structure or sent to the mobile device as a binary SMS using the UDH port. For example, if the digital voucher  612  includes an image, the meta data associated with the digital voucher  612  may be downloaded using an HTTP structure. If the digital voucher  612  is string of data with no image, the digital voucher  612  may be downloaded using an HTTP structure or sent to the mobile device  600  by SMS, the SMS body including a string of values corresponding to the digital voucher  612 . Table 1 below shows an example of digital voucher parameters for a digital voucher  612  that includes an image. Table 2 below shows an example of digital voucher parameters for a digital voucher  612  that does not include an image. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Voucher quantity 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher name 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher type 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher amount 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher service provider 
               
               
                   
                 Reference of body image included into 
               
               
                   
                 the body (starting and ending byte). The 
               
               
                   
                 response body may include a string of 
               
               
                   
                 bytes for the image. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Voucher quantity 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher identification number 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher amount 
               
               
                   
                 Voucher service provider 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0061]    Synchronization may also include removing used or expired digital vouchers from the device  600 . The digital voucher management logic  616  may include logic operable to flag any used or expired digital voucher for deletion. 
         [0062]    The proximate merchant identification logic  618  aids the device  600  in detecting whether a digital voucher enabled merchant system is proximate to the proximity communication interface  602 . The proximity communication interface  602  may be configured for NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, IrDa, or other proximity communication protocols. 
         [0063]    When sufficiently proximate to a corresponding proximity communication interface of a merchant system, the device  600  may receive merchant data and transaction data associated with a business transaction. The merchant data may include information identifying the merchant. The transaction data may include information identifying the type and quantity of good or service being purchased, as well as the purchase price. 
         [0064]    The digital voucher transfer logic  620  aids the device  600  in transmitting a digital voucher  612  to the merchant in connection with the business transaction. The digital voucher transfer logic  620  may automatically select a digital voucher to be transferred to the merchant, or may provide a user interface through the display  608  through which the user selects the digital voucher to be used. The digital voucher transfer logic  620  may display to the user all digital vouchers  612  held on the memory, or may tailor which vouchers to display to the user based on, for example, the merchant the user is transacting business with. For example, some digital vouchers  612  may only apply to specific merchants. Other digital vouchers  612  may only apply to a specific type of good or service. A digital voucher  612  held on the memory  606  may be a coupon for a free soft drink with the purchase of a sandwich from a particular food merchant. If the transaction data received from the merchant system indicates that a sandwich is not being purchased and thus that the digital voucher cannot be used, the digital voucher transfer logic  620  may hide that particular digital voucher from display in order to present the user with the most relevant digital voucher options. 
         [0065]    When a digital voucher  612  is selected, the digital voucher transfer logic  618  transmits the digital voucher  612  to the merchant system through the proximity communication interface  602 . The digital voucher  612  may include voucher data such as expiration date, value of the digital voucher, applicable merchants or good or services, or other information that may assist the merchant system in processing the digital voucher  612 . When a digital voucher  612  is selected, the digital voucher transfer logic  620  may also display a barcode image representing the voucher data, as well as any other pertinent data (e.g., consumer data) to be captured by the proximity communication interface of the merchant system. 
         [0066]    The digital voucher transfer logic  620  may also transmit consumer data  624  held on the memory to the merchant system through the proximity communication interface  602 . The consumer data may include information identifying the consumer or the consumer&#39;s device  600 , such as a proper name, a user name, the MSISDN of the device  600 , or other identifying information. 
         [0067]      FIG. 7  shows logic that a digital voucher merchant application installed on a digital voucher enabled merchant system may execute to handle digital vouchers. Digital voucher acquisition logic of the merchant application obtains initial transaction data associated with a customer ( 702 ). The initial transaction data may be a purchase price of the goods or services being purchased by the consumer. The initial transaction data may also include information identifying the type and quantity of goods or services being purchased. The voucher acquisition logic may store the initial transaction data on a memory of the merchant system. 
         [0068]    The voucher acquisition logic may prompt merchant personnel to enter the initial transaction data, such as the purchase price, in order to obtain the initial transaction data. The merchant system may also be connected, directly or through a network, to a cash register or other electronic device for calculating and recording sales transactions. Through that connection, the voucher acquisition logic may obtain the initial transaction data from the electronic transaction device. 
         [0069]    The voucher acquisition logic determines whether a digital voucher enabled mobile device, such as a cellular device, associated with the transacting consumer is proximate to a proximity communication interface of the merchant system ( 704 ). If the proximity communication interface is an NFC device, the NFC device of the merchant system will detect an NFC device on a digital voucher enabled mobile device when the respective NFC devices are within approximately 10 cm from each other. The voucher acquisition logic may query the proximity communication interface to determine if a digital voucher enabled mobile device is proximate to the merchant system. 
         [0070]    If no digital voucher enabled mobile device associated with the transacting customer is proximate to the proximity communication interface of the merchant system, the transaction is completed without applying any digital voucher to the transaction ( 706 ). If the voucher acquisition logic determines that a digital voucher enabled mobile device is proximate to the proximity communication interface of the merchant system, the voucher acquisition logic may transmit merchant data and the initial transaction data to the digital voucher enabled mobile device through the proximity communication interface ( 708 ). 
         [0071]    The voucher acquisition logic receives a digital voucher from the digital voucher enable mobile device through the proximity communication interface ( 710 ). The digital voucher may include voucher data identifying the type, quantity, and/or amount of the digital voucher, an expiration data, a voucher ID number, a voucher service provider, or other relevant information. If the digital voucher was acquired by capturing a barcode image displayed on the mobile device, the voucher acquisition logic may decode the captured barcode image to obtain the digital voucher data. 
         [0072]    Voucher processing logic of the merchant application applies the digital voucher to the initial transaction data to generate updated transaction data ( 712 ). The voucher processing logic may determine a value of the digital voucher based on the voucher data and reduce or otherwise modify the initial transaction data by the determined value. If the digital voucher is a 10% off coupon, the voucher processing logic reduces the purchase price by 10%. If the digital voucher is a          10 off coupon, the application subtracts          10 from the purchase price. If the digital voucher is a ticket restaurant valued at          5, the voucher processing logic reduces the meal cost by          5. 
         [0073]    If the digital voucher is a fidelity card that earns the customer points on purchases made from the merchant, the voucher processing logic may updated the consumers&#39; points total based on the purchase price. In the fidelity card example, the updated transaction data may include a report indicating the consumers&#39; total fidelity points after the transaction. In other examples, the updated transaction data may include an updated purchase price. 
         [0074]    The voucher processing logic may initiate transaction completion based on the updated transaction data ( 714 ). The voucher processing logic may transmit the updated transaction data to the merchant&#39;s electronic transaction device (such as the cash register) in order to charge the customer the updated transaction amount. The voucher processing logic may display the updated transaction data to merchant personnel to allow the merchant personnel to modify the purchase amount shown on the electronic transaction device and charge the correct the updated amount to the consumer. The voucher processing logic may transmit the updated transaction data to the digital voucher enabled mobile device through the proximity communication interface ( 716 ). 
         [0075]    The voucher processing logic may transmit a digital voucher transaction summary to a digital voucher service provider ( 718 ). The digital voucher transaction summary may include a summary of the transaction in which the digital voucher was used. The summary may include information identifying the digital voucher used, the type and/or quantity of good or service purchased, the consumer, the consumer&#39;s mobile device, the merchant, the transaction date, or other information relevant to the transaction. 
         [0076]      FIG. 8  shows logic that a digital voucher subscriber application installed on a digital voucher enabled device may execute to handle digital vouchers. Digital voucher management logic of the subscriber application receives notification of new digital vouchers and manages the digital vouchers in a local voucher database ( 802 ). The voucher management logic may receive an SMS message, email, or other communication indicating that new digital vouchers have been assigned to the mobile device. 
         [0077]    The voucher management logic synchronizes a user account stored on the mobile device with a remote user account maintained by the entity directing voucher distribution, such as an enterprise system or a digital voucher service provider ( 804 ). The new digital vouchers may be organized and managed with any existing digital vouchers stored on the mobile device. With the digital vouchers transferred to and stored on the mobile device, the consumer is able to transfer the digital vouchers to nearby merchants in paperless, real time, and secure digital voucher transfers. 
         [0078]    The subscriber application detects whether a digital voucher enabled merchant system is proximate to a proximity communication interface of the mobile device ( 806 ). If the proximity communication interface is an NFC device, the NFC device of the mobile device will detect an NFC device on a digital voucher enabled merchant system when the respective NFC devices are within approximately 10 cm from each other. The subscriber application may query the proximity communication interface to determine if a digital voucher enabled merchant system is proximate to the mobile device. 
         [0079]    If a digital voucher enabled merchant system is proximate to the mobile device, the subscriber application receives merchant data and the initial transaction data through the proximity communication interface ( 808 ). Based on the merchant data and initial transaction data, the subscriber application may search the voucher database for a matching digital voucher ( 810 ). The consumer may prompt the consumer through a display to select a digital voucher. The subscriber application may be operable to automatically match the merchant and initial transaction data with a digital voucher. If no matching digital voucher is found by the subscriber application or selected by the consumer, the application transmits a no-voucher response to the merchant through the proximity communication interface, or merely sends no data at all to the merchant ( 812 ). 
         [0080]    If a matching digital voucher is found by the subscriber application or selected by the user, the subscriber application transmits the digital voucher to the merchant through the proximity communication interface ( 814 ). The subscriber application may also transmit consumer data to the merchant through the proximity communication interface. 
         [0081]    On the merchant side, the merchant applies the digital voucher to the initial transaction data to generate updated transaction data. The subscriber application may receive the updated transaction data through the proximity communication interface ( 816 ). The subscriber application may present a digital voucher transaction summary on a user interface of the mobile device ( 818 ). The digital voucher transaction summary may include the initial and updated transaction data, an amount saved, the digital voucher used, the type and quantity of goods or services purchased, or other information relevant to the transaction. The subscriber application may also transmit the digital voucher transaction summary to a digital voucher service provider, enterprise system, or other entity that directs the issuance and distribution of digital vouchers. 
         [0082]      FIG. 9  shows a flow diagram of digital voucher creation by an enterprise application. An enterprise manager accesses the enterprise application for digital voucher creation and management ( 902 ). The manager may interact with the enterprise application through a user interface provided by the application. The enterprise application may run on a desktop, handheld, or other computing device. 
         [0083]    The manager enters voucher details ( 904 ), including expiration date, distribution group, distribution quantity, or other voucher information. The distribution quantity may indicate how many of each voucher should be distributed to the members of the distribution group. The distribution group identifies the consumers to which the vouchers will be assigned an ultimately distributed. The distribution group may identify a set or subset of employees of a company to receive digital vouchers. If the digital vouchers are to be assigned to employees of a company, the voucher details may also include a company name. The voucher details may also include the MSISDN, or a list of MSISDN&#39;s, of the mobile device(s) to receive the assigned digital vouchers. 
         [0084]    The manager selects the digital vouchers to be sent ( 906 ). The enterprise application may provide the manager with a list of digital vouchers organized by voucher type (such as “promotional”, “ticket”, and “voucher”). The enterprise application may also indicate for each listed digital voucher the voucher&#39;s value, as well as whether the voucher applies to any specific goods, services, and/or merchants. 
         [0085]    After the vouchers to be distributed are identified, the enterprise application dispatches the digital vouchers to the designated recipients at the managers instructions ( 908 ). The enterprise application may provide, for example, a “send vouchers” bottom that the manager clicks or presses to dispatch the vouchers. Dispatching the digital vouchers may include transmitting instructions (such as voucher type, distribution group) to a voucher service provider for the distribution of the digital vouchers to the designated recipients. The enterprise application may also transmit a notification through an SMS message, email, or other communication to the designated recipients that the new digital vouchers have been assigned. 
         [0086]    Exemplary aspects, features, and components of the system are described above. However, the system may be implemented in many different ways. For example, although some features are shown stored in computer-readable memories (e.g., as logic implemented as computer-executable instructions or as data structures in memory), all or part of the system and its logic and data structures may be stored on, distributed across, or read from other machine-readable media. The media may include hard disks, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or other media. The logic and data structures may be transmitted in a tangible signal, such as a signal received from a network or received over multiple packets communicated across the network. 
         [0087]    The system may be implemented with additional, different, or fewer components. As one example, a processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a DSP, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), discrete logic, or a combination of other types of circuits or logic. As another example, memories may be DRAM, SRAM, Flash or any other type of memory. The processing capability of the system may be distributed among multiple components, such as among multiple processors and memories, optionally including multiple distributed processing systems. Parameters, databases, and other data structures may be separately stored and managed, may be incorporated into a single memory or database, may be logically and physically organized in many different ways, and may implemented with different types of data structures such as linked lists, hash tables, or implicit storage mechanisms. Logic, such as programs or circuitry, may be combined or split among multiple programs, distributed across several memories and processors, and may be implemented in a library, such as a shared library (e.g., a dynamic link library (DLL)). The DLL, for example, may store code that prepares intermediate mappings or implements a search on the mappings. As another example, the DLL may itself provide all or some of the functionality of the system, tool, or both. 
         [0088]    While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.