WALLET-BASED ALERTS IN A SHARED SERVICE MODEL ENVIRONMENT

A method includes utilizing a digital wallet on a mobile device to transact for provision of a shared service from a service provider wherein the digital wallet is provided by a wallet provider and receiving at the mobile device via a communication between the digital wallet and the wallet provider an alert comprised of information indicative of a status of the provision of the shared service, wherein the alert activates the digital wallet to inform an operator of the mobile device of this pending alert when the mobile device is activated

FIELD

The present application generally relates to wallet based applications. In particular, the present application relates to an apparatus and methods for enabling wallet based consumption activities in a shared service environment.

BACKGROUND

A shared services model is a generally commercial model present in a variety of environments. In accordance with such a model, a merchant may offer access to a shared service or piece of equipment to a consumer. Typically, the environments in which such models are employed involve unattended equipment. For example, a laundry service may allow consumers to utilize washing and drying machines located in a commonly accessible location in exchange for payment.

In this example, it is common for consumers to leave the premises for the duration of a wash or dry cycle. In such instances, when a consumer fails to return so as to be present at the end of a cycle, equipment may sit idle. This situation results in longer wait times for consumers wishing to use the idle equipment as well as a loss in revenue for the merchant. Unfortunately, because the merchant often times has no information as to the identity and location of patrons/consumers, there is no way for the merchant to communicate with consumers to address such inefficiencies. Even if a merchant was able to communicate with consumers of the services, the merchant has no way of enforcing time allocation as part of a shared service agreement. Additionally, while privacy of a consumer may be provided in a service model in which the merchant has no information as to the identity of the consumer, ensuring privacy while also enriching the merchant's ability to address such inefficiencies through contacting consumers is a challenge at best.

What is needed is a system and method for using same to provide event notification to consumers of shared services that enriches a merchant's ability to address inefficiencies related to use of shared services, optionally including enforcing time allocation service agreement terms, while maintaining confidentiality of such consumers.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method comprises utilizing a digital wallet on a mobile device to transact for provision of a shared service from a service provider wherein the digital wallet is provided by a wallet provider and receiving at the mobile device via a communication between the digital wallet and the wallet provider an alert comprised of information indicative of a status of the provision of the shared service.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method comprises transacting with a digital wallet on a mobile device to provide a shared service wherein the digital wallet is provided by a wallet provider and communicating to the wallet provider an alert comprised of information indicative of a status of the provision of the shared service.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method comprises transacting with a digital wallet on a mobile device to provide a shared service wherein the digital wallet is provided by a wallet provider, enabling provision of the shared service and communicating to the mobile device via a wallet provider an alert comprised of information indicative of a status of the provision of the shared service.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a method comprises receiving at a shared service provider a shared service provision request from a mobile device, the request including information that facilitates identifying a digital wallet disposed on the mobile device and a shared service device identifier, wherein the information that facilitates identifying the digital wallet is encrypted so that the shared service provider cannot determine the identity of the digital wallet, the request including data indicative of a provider of the digital wallet, processing the request to determine a contact channel for transacting for the provision of the shared service with the digital wallet via the provider of the digital wallet, transacting with the digital wallet by communicating the information in the shared service provision request via the determined digital wallet provider contact channel and receiving an authorization to provision the requested shared service, determining at least one of an alert time relative to receiving the authorization and an alert time relative to an indication from the shared service device that the provisioned shared service has commenced and alerting the mobile device at the determined alert time by sending an alert message to the wallet provider, wherein the alert message facilitates the wallet provider accessing a notification feature of the disposed digital wallet through which a portion of the alert message is provided to a user of the mobile device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIG. 1, there is illustrated an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of a wallet-based event notification system100for shared services environments. As illustrated, a merchant102is in electronic contact with one or more devices104. The devices104may be configured to allow for consumer access on a shared basis, such as a time allocated basis per service usage. Communication between the devices104and the merchant102may be wired or wireless and may, for example, involve Wi-Fi or Internet communication.

There is further illustrated at least one wallet provider106in communication with each merchant102. Wallet provider106may configure a digital wallet108for use on a consumer's mobile device110. As used herein, a “digital wallet” refers to an application executing on an electronic device that allows an individual to make electronic commerce transactions including, for example, purchasing items on-line with a computer or using a smartphone to purchase something at a store wherein an individual's bank account or credit or debit card, for example may be linked to the digital wallet.

As a result of configuring and supplying a digital wallet108to a consumer for execution on a mobile device110, the wallet provider106may have access to personal information describing the consumer including, but not limited to, contact information, financial information, security information, location information and the like. As a result, the wallet provider106may communicate with consumers via a network using identification information known to the wallet provider106. For example, the wallet provider may text or email a consumer on his mobile device110upon which the digital wallet108has been installed.

As described, a merchant102may receive payment for use of a device104by a consumer via a digital wallet108. As a result of such a payment transaction, the merchant may receive limited information identifying the transaction. For example, a merchant may receive a unique transaction identifier, or “id”, that uniquely defines the transaction. In exemplary embodiments, this transaction id is insufficient to enable the merchant102to independently contact the consumer via a mobile device110. However, as described above, the wallet provider106has access to information, both static and dynamic, related to the digital wallet108operated by the consumer. As described more fully below, a merchant102may, as the result of information sensed or derived from the devices104, communicate with the wallet provider106to indirectly exchange information such as, for example, an alert, with a mobile device110or, conversely, to query information related to a state of the mobile device110.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the system100may be employed to provide an alert to a consumer when a consumed service is completed or nearing completion. With reference toFIG. 2, there is illustrated a method for providing such an alert in accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. First, at step200, a consumer operating a mobile device on which a digital wallet has been installed purchases time on a device104. For example, a consumer may enter a laundry facility and may proceed to purchase a single wash cycle on a designated washing machine using the digital wallet108installed and operating on the mobile device of the consumer. In some embodiments, the mere act of purchasing time on a particular device may provide the merchant102with information indicative of the particular machine or service associated with the purchase. For example, a consumer may wirelessly utilize a digital wallet108on a mobile device110to complete a transaction at the site of a specific device104and, for example, start a wash cycle. In yet another embodiment, a consumer may scan an identifier unique to a particular device such as, for example, a QR code, and may use the scanned identifier to complete a transaction using the digital wallet108. In yet another embodiment, a sensor on the device104, such as a bluetooth communication channel, near-field communication sensor, optical port, imaging device and the like, may sense the presence of a mobile device110and may interact with the digital wallet108executing thereupon to complete a transaction.

In yet another embodiment, the digital wallet108may communicate with at least one of the merchant102and a device104to determine transaction information about the prospective purchase including, but not limited to, device identifier, a price of the service, a merchant identifier, etc. Once received, the digital wallet108may send this information to the wallet provider106. The wallet provider106may then approve the transaction and issue a secure token, which is then transmitted to the digital wallet108. Upon receipt by the digital wallet108, the token may be transmitted from the digital wallet to the merchant102to complete the payment process. The merchant102may provide the token to the wallet provider106at a later time to receive payment. Alternatively, the token may be transmitted to the merchant102directly from the wallet provider106. A confirmation of such transmission may be received by the wallet108from the wallet provider106, from the merchant (e.g., through a WiFi, cellular or similar network connection), or from the device104.

Regardless of the method by which the transaction takes place, communication between consumer and the merchant102is limited such that information describing the consumer is restricted to select information that may ensure confidentiality of the consumer, such as non-personal information. For example, the merchant102may not be provided with information sufficient to allow the merchant102to independently send a message to the consumer or to directly query the consumer. However, as described more fully below, the merchant102may send alerts to a mobile device110by communicating with the wallet provider106. This capability may be enabled by an association established via the digital wallet108and the wallet provider106with the merchant102and/or the device104through, for example, purchase of a shared service as described herein.

Once the purchase of a service is complete, the service commences, at step202, to be provided. At step204, the status of the service provision is monitored by the merchant and an alert is generated based, at least in part, upon the monitored status. As noted above, the provision of numerous services may be for a predetermined period of time known to both the consumer and the merchant102. For example, when a consumer using a digital wallet108purchases a wash cycle on a washing machine device104, it may be determined that the cycle will end in approximately forty-five minutes. As a result, both the merchant102and the consumer are informed at the commencement of the cycle that action to vacate the rented washing device104may need to be taken forty-five minutes in the future.

In yet other embodiments, the time required to complete a purchased service may be dynamically determined and updated. For example, several minutes may pass between the purchase of a service and the commencement of the service. In the present example, it may take several minutes to load a washing machine device104before commencing a forty-five minute wash cycle. In such instances, the merchant102, perhaps with input from a sensor on the device104, may not begin timing the forty-five minute period until the cycle commences. In yet other embodiments, the service itself may be for a time period that is not easily determinable until provision of the service is underway. For example, a typical dry cycle may take no more than 90 minutes but it may require less time. In such instances, a sensor in a drying device104may sense the humidity in the device104and may periodically communicate information to the merchant from which may be determined an estimated time until completion of the service.

Whether based, at least in part, on a static or dynamic time estimation, the merchant may generate alerts for delivery to a mobile device110to inform the associated consumer that the service is nearly completed. As described above, the merchant102does not possess information sufficient to allow the merchant to communicate directly with the mobile device110. In one embodiment, the merchant102may communicate with the wallet provider106using information gleaned from the transaction such as, for example, a transaction id. In other embodiments, the merchant may communicate with the wallet provider106using information derived from a token communicated to the merchant102as described above.

Regardless of the method by which the merchant102identifies the current consumer-device service transaction to the wallet provider106, the wallet provider106may proceed to communicate with the consumer's mobile device110. Such communication may be via the associated installed digital wallet108, via email, via text message, or other communication methods. In some embodiments, the merchant102may send a request for the wallet provider106to inform the consumer via an alert that the service for which the consumer transacted is nearing completion. In such a scenario, the wallet provider106receives the request from the merchant102and uses information contained in the request, such as a transaction id or a unique token identifier attribute, to determine the identity of the digital wallet108operating on a mobile device110via which the transaction was completed.

Once identified, the wallet provider106may communicate with the consumer via the mobile device and/or the digital wallet108in accordance with the nature of communication received by the wallet provider106from the merchant102. In the event that the merchant102has requested that an alert be sent to the consumer, the wallet provider106may message the consumer such as by sending a text message or an email to mobile device110upon which the digital wallet108having an identified wallet id is resident. In some embodiments, the communication from the wallet provider106to the mobile device110may occur when the mobile device110is in an unpowered state. In such an instance, the digital wallet108may operate to inform the consumer operator of the mobile device110of all pending alerts upon powering up the mobile device110. Likewise the alert may activate the digital wallet to inform the consumer operator of this pending alert when the mobile device is activated, such as from a sleep mode. This may occur when there is a temporal delay after the time of the alert of a long enough duration that the mobile device enters a sleep mode, and the client device is activated out of sleep mode upon informing the consumer operator.

In other embodiments, a merchant102may query the wallet provider106for additional information. Such information may be used in the formulation of an alert or, in some instances, to determine that an alert is not necessary. For example, it may have been predetermined to send a consumer an alert five minutes prior to the completion of a service for which the consumer transacted. Prior to sending a request to the wallet provider106to send an alert to the appropriate digital wallet108, the merchant102may query the wallet provider106to return location information for the mobile device110on which the digital wallet108is resident. The wallet provider106may proceed to query the mobile device110, such as via communication with the digital wallet108disposed thereupon, to receive location information, such as in the form of latitude and longitude coordinates. The wallet provider106may then respond to the merchant102with the received location information. In some embodiments, the merchant may include location information for the device104at issue and the wallet provider106may determine and reply with a delta location indicative of a linear difference in distance between the two locations. In this way, the mobile device's absolute location is not revealed to the merchant102.

Regardless of the format of the location information received by the merchant102, such information may be utilized to determine if an alert is to be sent to a transacting consumer. For example, if the merchant102determines that the transacted service will terminate in 10 minutes and the mobile device110comprising the digital wallet108with which the transaction was completed is twenty feet from the device104, the merchant may decide to not send an alert as it is probable that the consumer is prepared to complete his use of the device104at the time of service termination. Conversely, if the merchant102determines that the transacted service will terminate in 10 minutes and the mobile device110comprising the digital wallet108with which the transaction was completed is fifteen miles from the device104, the merchant may choose to send an alert.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, alerts may include information indicative of tiered pricing. For example, a merchant102may send an alert to a consumer via a digital wallet108informing the consumer that the predetermined usage of the transacted device104is coming to an end and every additional ten minutes that transpires prior to the consumer relinquishing use of the device104will result in an additional charge. In some instances, the penalty may be based, at least in part, upon an attribute of the consumer. For example, if the merchant recognizes that a wallet identifier for a transaction is a frequent customer, the additional charge may be reduced. Further instances of a user exceeding his time allocation for a service may result in charges for each unit of extended time increasing; thereby charging more for extended time to a repeat offender than a casual or first time offender.

Further, because the merchant has access to the status of all devices104in an establishment, the merchant may assess a larger penalty when all devices are in use than when there is sufficient excess capacity to meet the needs of other consumers. In one embodiment, a consumer may respond to an alert by sending a message from the digital wallet110to the wallet provider106for delivery to the merchant102. Such a message may consist of a preapproval to charge the digital wallet108for an additional fee to preemptively extend the time of device usage.

With reference toFIG. 3, there is illustrated a method according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. At step302, a consumer downloads and configures a digital wallet application108onto a mobile device110and enrolls in a merchant notification service. At step304, the consumer initiates a service purchase from an unattended device104with connection to a merchant102. Then, at step306, the merchant102submits the transaction to the wallet provider106. At step308, the wallet provider verification system receives the request from the merchant and initiates a system check to derive connection and profile semantics [Please provide further detail]. At step310, the derived connection and profile semantics are received at a wallet provider authentication system as well as input from the wallet provider system for wallet user/attributes [Please provide further detail].

Next, at step312, the wallet provider authentication system generates a full authorization AAV [Please define] in a seamless or near seamless fashion for the transaction with a high confidence score and returns the result to the merchant102. Then, at step314, the merchant102submits the transaction to an issuer for authorization [Are the issuer and wallet provider not the same?]. Next, at step316, the issuer approves the transaction and sends authorization confirmation to the merchant. Then, at step318, the customer commences to consume the service. At step320, the merchant may monitor the service product from a remote location. If, at step322, it is determined that the consumer has vacated the service slot post at the end of the cycle, the process proceeds to step324whereat the merchant completes the process.

Conversely, if, at step322, the consumer has not vacated the service slot post at the end of the cycle, the merchant may send a customer attribute query to the wallet provider. At step328, the wallet provider system accesses the attributes of the customer and sends a notification to the customer upon service completion. Next, at step332, if it is determined that there are no additional users in a service reservation list, processing continues to step334whereat the merchant completes the process. Conversely, if, at step332, it is determined that there are additional users in a service reservation list, then, at step336, a determination is made if the customer is within a predefined area and, if he is, a notification is sent to the next customer on the reservation list.

In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, a shared service provider of a shared service, such as a merchant102, may receive a provision request from a mobile device110wherein the request includes information that facilitates identifying a digital wallet108disposed on the mobile device110and a shared service device identifier.

In some instances, the information that facilitates identifying the digital wallet to the merchant may be encrypted so that the merchant102cannot determine the identity of the digital wallet108. The request may further include data indicative of a provider of the digital wallet such as a wallet provider identifier. The request may then be processed to determine a contact channel for transacting for the provision of the shared service with the digital wallet via the provider of the digital wallet. In some instances, this contact channel may be either a wired or wireless mode of communication; the contact channel may be enabled, at least in part, by the wallet provider identifier.

Next, the merchant102may transact with the digital wallet108by communicating the information in the shared service provision request via the determined digital wallet provider contact channel and receiving an authorization to provision the requested shared service. The merchant may then determine at least one of an alert time relative to receiving the authorization and an alert time relative to an indication from the shared service device that the provisioned shared service has commenced and may then alert the mobile device110at the determined alert time by sending an alert message to the wallet provider, wherein the alert message facilitates the wallet provider106accessing a notification feature of the disposed digital wallet108through which a portion of the alert message is provided to a user of the mobile device110.

The programmed methods and/or instructions described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software, program codes, and/or instructions on a processor or processors. “Processor” used herein is synonymous with the plural “processors” and the two terms may be used interchangeably unless context clearly indicates otherwise. The processor may be part of a server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. A processor may be any kind of computational or processing device capable of executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions and the like. The processor may be or include a signal processor, digital processor, embedded processor, microprocessor or any variant such as a co-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-processor, communication co-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectly facilitate execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon. In addition, the processor may enable execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitate simultaneous operations of the application. By way of implementation, methods, program codes, program instructions and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread. The thread may spawn other threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code. The processor may include memory that stores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access a storage medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions as described herein and elsewhere. The storage medium associated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being executed by the computing or processing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and the like.

While the methods and systems described herein have been disclosed in connection with certain preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon may become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the methods and systems described herein is not to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood in the broadest sense allowable by law.