Patent Publication Number: US-2018039978-A1

Title: Gift-transfer system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure describes using a near-field-communication tag (NFC tag) to access a gift-transfer system for electronically transferring a digital gift. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Sometimes people choose to give money as a gift to another person, such as by giving the person cash, a check, or a gift card. But, these options can be less personal than a greeting card or other gift item. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention includes a physical gift item that is constructed to include an NFC tag. By scanning the NFC tag, a gift-transfer application can be launched, which allows a user to select a digital gift and associate the digital gift with the NFC tag. The physical gift item can be given to another user, who can also scan the NFC tag in order to retrieve the digital gift. 
     Some aspects of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention is provided here to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed-description section. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts an illustrative environment in which some aspects of the present invention may be carried out or practiced in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict exemplary greeting cards that are constructed to include NFC tags in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts another type of physical gift item in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a computing device running a gift-transfer software application in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A-5C  depict respective components of the gift-transfer software application in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  depicts some components of a gift-transfer service in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a schematic ping diagram illustrating interaction between various components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  depicts a generic computing device in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The subject matter of this disclosure is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But, the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present, or future, technologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless, and except, when the order of individual steps is explicitly claimed. 
     At a high level, this disclosure describes a system that allows a person (“gift sender”) to electronically transfer a digital gift (also sometimes referred to as an “e-gift”) to another person (“gift recipient”). A digital gift may take various forms, and some examples of digital gifts include electronic funds (e.g., deposited to an account) or a digital experience (e.g., e-card, digital video, digital audio, digital image, etc.). In order to electronically transfer the digital gift, the gift sender can access a gift-transfer software application (e.g., mobile application or web application) by using his or her mobile device to scan a near-field-communication tag (NFC tag) constructed into a physical gift item, such as a greeting card, toy, and the like. Using the gift-transfer software application, the gift sender can associate the digital gift with the NFC tag. The gift sender can then give the physical gift item to the gift recipient, and the gift recipient can access the digital gift by scanning the NFC tag with his or her own mobile device. In some instances, the gift sender may receive a notification that the gift recipient has used the digital gift. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an illustrative environment is depicted in which various aspects of this disclosure may be practiced or carried out. As can be seen,  FIG. 1  includes a physical gift item  110  that is constructed to include an NFC tag  112 , which includes a unique NFC-tag identifier. In addition,  FIG. 1  depicts a gift-sender mobile device  114 , a gift-recipient mobile device  116 , and a gift-transfer service  118  that communicates with the mobile devices  114  and  116  by way of a network  120  (e.g., PAN, WAN, LAN, MAN, and the like).  FIG. 1  also depicts a payment system  130  that helps facilitate payment for a digital gift transferred from the gift sender to the gift recipient. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, the gift-sender mobile device  114  scans the NFC tag  112  to receive both the unique NFC-tag identifier and computer-executable instructions for opening a first gift-transfer application  122 . The gift-transfer application  122  can be used to associate a digital gift with the unique NFC-tag identifier and to communicate the association to the gift-transfer service  118 . The gift-transfer service  118  stores a record of the association between the unique NFC-tag identifier and the digital gift, and the payment system  130  facilitates payment for the digital gift by an account specified using the first gift-transfer application  122 . 
     The physical gift item  110 , which includes the NFC tag  112 , can be given to a gift recipient, as illustratively depicted by an arrow  124 . The gift-recipient mobile device  116  scans the NFC tag  112  to retrieve the unique NFC-tag identifier, and a second gift-transfer application  126  may use the unique NFC-tag identifier to retrieve the digital gift from the gift-transfer service  118 . Having generally described some of the features of this disclosure, each of the components will now be described in greater detail with reference to some of the other figures. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the physical gift item  110  is illustratively depicted as a greeting card, and  FIGS. 2A and 2B  provide two additional illustrative depictions of greeting cards  210  and  230 . However, a greeting card is only one example of a physical gift item  110 . A physical gift item  110  may include a variety of other hard goods or soft goods that can be constructed to include an NFC tag. For example,  FIG. 3  depicts a toy bear  310  with an NFC tag  312  embedded therein, which operates similarly to the NFC tags  122 ,  212 , and  232 . 
     In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, the physical gift item  110  is constructed to include the NFC tag  112 , and as previously explained, the NFC tag  112  is encoded to include a unique NFC-tag identifier. In  FIG. 2A , the greeting card  210  includes an NFC tag  212  with memory  214 , such as a microchip. For example, the NFC tag  212  may be affixed (e.g., adhered, bonded, etc.) to at least one of the panels of the greeting card  210 . The memory  214  stores data, and the magnified view  216  illustrates some illustrative stored data. The magnified view  216  includes a first set of stored data  218  that includes a unique NFC-tag identifier that uniquely identifies the NFC tag  212 . In addition, the magnified view  216  depicts a second set of stored data  220  that includes computer-executable instructions for opening a gift-transfer application, such as the gift-transfer applications  122  and  126  depicted in  FIG. 1 . In one aspect of the present disclosure, the second set of stored data  220  includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device (e.g., mobile device), open the gift-transfer application. For example, if the gift-transfer application is a mobile application, the computer-executable instructions might trigger an operating system of the computing device to launch or start the gift-transfer application that has been downloaded to the mobile device, as suggested by the text “Launch App” in  FIG. 2A . Or, if the gift-transfer application is a mobile application that has not yet been downloaded to the computing device, the computer-executable instructions might trigger the operating system to open a “store” at which the mobile application can be downloaded. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , the greeting card  230  also includes an NFC tag  232  with memory  234 . Similar to the memory  214  in  FIG. 2A , the memory  234  in  FIG. 2B  also stores a first set of stored data  238  that includes a unique NFC-tag identifier that uniquely identifies the NFC tag  232 . In addition, the magnified view  236  depicts a second set of stored data  240  that includes computer-executable instructions for opening a gift-transfer application, such as the gift-transfer applications  122  and  126  depicted in  FIG. 1 . In one aspect of the present disclosure, the second set of stored data  240  includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device (e.g., mobile device), open the gift-transfer application. For example, if the gift-transfer application is a web application, the computer-executable instructions might trigger a browser of the computing device to request a webpage, as suggested by the text “URI” in  FIG. 2B . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exemplary mobile device  410  is depicted that is running a gift-transfer application  412 , which may be opened in response to the mobile device  410  scanning an NFC tag (e.g.,  112 ,  212 ,  232 ) constructed into a physical gift item. The mobile device  410  may be a variety of different types of computing devices that can scan, and receive a transmission of data from an NFC tag. Examples of mobile devices include a cellphone or “smart” phone, a tablet computing device, a “smart” watch or other wearable computing device, a laptop, and the like. These examples of mobile devices are provided as context for one environment in which aspects of the disclosure might be practiced or carried out, and the examples are not meant to provide an exhaustive list. Rather, it is understood that aspects of this technology could be practiced or carried out with various other types of computing devices that could scan, and receive a transmission of data from, an NFC tag. 
     The mobile device  410  includes an NFC chip  414  configured to receive a transmission of data from an NFC tag (e.g., tags  112 ,  212 , and  232 ). In addition, the mobile device  410  includes the gift-transfer application  412 , which includes a software application programmed to perform various functions described in this application. As described in other parts of this disclosure, data that is transmitted from the NFC tag to the mobile device includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the mobile device  410 , cause the mobile device  410  to launch, open, or start the gift-transfer application  412 . 
     The gift-transfer application  412  may be a mobile application or a web application. The gift-transfer application  412  includes various programmed components that are useful to perform operations of the gift-transfer application  412  that facilitate transfer of a digital gift or e-gift. For example,  FIG. 4  depicts that the gift-transfer application  412  includes a tag-status-query module  416 , a digital-gift-input module  418 , and a financial-account-selection module  420 . This disclosure may describe the gift-transfer application  412  as having “a copy” or “copies,” which refers to a distinct copy of the gift-transfer application being downloaded to each mobile device. Each copy of the gift-transfer application may have the same components, and these components may be used in different manners depending on whether the gift-transfer application is being used to send a digital gift or to receive a digital gift. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5A-5C  the tag-status-query module  416 , the digital-gift-input module  418 , and the financial-account-selection module  420  are depicted with additional details. The tag-status-query module  416  is configured to communicate with the gift-transfer service  118  (see e.g.,  FIGS. 1 and 6 ) to determine whether a digital gift has been associated with a unique NFC-tag identifier. For example, the tag-status-query module  416  receives the unique NFC-tag identifier that is transmitted from the NFC tag constructed into the physical gift item. In addition, the tag-status-query module  416  generates or produces a tag-query communication  422  (e.g., interprocess communication) that includes the unique NFC-tag identifier and that is transmitted to the gift-transfer service  118 . In this sense, the tag-status-query module  416  may generate an electronic communication that did not previously exist, or modify a pre-existing communication, by generating or modifying underlying code  424  that makes up the communication  422 . 
     The tag-status-query module  416  might be invoked by both the gift-transfer application running on the gift-sender mobile device and the gift-transfer application running on the gift-recipient mobile device. For example, by executing the tag-status-query module on the gift-sender mobile device, the gift-transfer application can confirm that no digital gift has been associated with a particular NFC tag and that the process should proceed with allowing a user to select a digital gift to be associated with the NFC tag. In addition, by executing the tag-status-query module on the gift-recipient mobile device, the gift-transfer application can determine that a digital gift has been associated with a particular NFC tag and can proceed with allowing the gift recipient to receive the digital gift. 
     The gift-transfer service  118 , which maintains a record of unique NFC-tag identifiers, can look up the unique NFC-tag identifier when the gift-transfer service  118  receives the communication  422 . The gift-transfer service  118  can then provide a responsive communication indicating to the gift-transfer application  412  whether the unique NFC-tag identifier is associated with a digital gift. Depending on whether a digital gift has been associated with the unique NFC-tag identifier, various actions can be taken using the gift-transfer application, such as progressing through a digital-gift selection process or allowing a financial account to be selected to receive a credit of the digital gift. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5B , the gift-transfer application  412  also includes the digital-gift-input module  418 , which may be invoked when a determination is made that a digital gift has not been associated with a unique NFC-tag identifier. The digital-gift-input module  418  allows a user to input a digital gift that is to be associated with the physical gift item by way of the NFC tag. For example, if the gift-transfer application  412  receives a communication from the gift-transfer service  118  indicating that a digital gift has not been associated with the unique NFC-tag identifier, then the digital-gift-input module  418  opens a graphical user interface that allows a digital gift to be selected. 
     A digital gift can be selected in various manners. For example, the digital-gift-input module  418  may provide an input field into which a user can input a monetary amount. The user may be able to type the amount using a touchscreen keyboard or other type of keyboard. In addition, the mobile device  410  may provide a speech-to-text functionality that allows the user to audibly indicate the monetary amount. In other examples, pre-determined monetary amounts may be presented with selectable buttons (e.g., radio buttons) that allow the user to simply check a box. Other strategies may also be used to allow a monetary amount to be selected or input. 
     In other examples, the digital-gift-input module  418  may provide a digital-gift online store that allows a user to select a digital gift to be associated with the NFC tag. For example, the digital-gift online store may provide various types of digital media, including videos, images, audio, and the like. In addition, the digital-gift online store may provide the ability to purchase other types of digital gifts, including credits, points, and digital currency. 
     Once a digital gift has been selected and submitted to the gift-transfer application  412  the digital-gift-input module  418  generates or produces a gift-creating communication  426  (e.g., interprocess communication) that includes the unique NFC-tag identifier and an identification of the digital gift. The communication  426  can then be transmitted to the gift-transfer service  118 , which may store a record indicating that the unique NFC-tag identifier is now associated with a digital gift. As described with respect to the communication  422 , the digital-gift-input module  418  may generate an electronic communication that did not previously exist, or modify a pre-existing communication, by generating or modifying underlying code  428  constituting the communication  426 . The communication  426  specifies both the unique NFC-tag identifier and the digital gift. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5C , the gift-transfer application  412  also includes the financial-account-selection module  420 , which functions as a client-side component of the payment system  130 . The financial-account-selection module  420  allows a gift sender to select a financial account to be debited for payment of the digital gift. In addition, the financial-account-selection module  420  allows a gift recipient to select a financial account to be credited when the digital gift includes electronic funds. For example, the gift-transfer service  118  may include its own payment gateway that facilitates payment for the virtual gift. In other examples, the payment system  130  may include a third-party payment system that separately facilitates payment for the digital gift. Examples of third-party payment systems include PayPal®, Samsung® pay, Google® wallet, Apple® pay, and the like. The financial-account-selection module  420  functions as an interface with the payment system  130  to facilitate debit or credit of funds according to the selection of the digital gift. 
     Once a financial-account identifier has been input, the financial-account-selection module  420  generates or produces a transaction-details communication  430  (e.g., interprocess communication) that includes an identification of the financial account (e.g., account number) as well as transaction details including the amount to be credited or debited. The communication  430  can then be transmitted to the payment system  130  to execute the transaction. As described with respect to the communications  422  and  426 , the financial-account-selection module  420  may generate an electronic communication that did not previously exist, or modify a pre-existing communication, by generating or modifying underlying code  432  constituting the communication  430 . 
     The gift-transfer application  412  may include other components as well that allow additional information to be input and communicated to the gift-transfer system. For example, the gift sender may wish to add a security measure to the gift transfer. As such, the gift-transfer application  412  may provide a security-input component that allows the input of a phone number, security answer, or other information that the gift sender may require before the digital gift can be transferred to the gift-recipient mobile device or account. In addition, the gift-transfer application  412  may allow the gift sender to further customize the gift exchange by adding a customized message, image, song, video, and the like. This additional information can be communicated by the gift-transfer application  412  to the gift-transfer service  118  to be stored in association with the unique NFC-tag identifier, such as by using communications similar to communications  422  and  426 . 
     Having described some of the features of the gift-transfer application, reference is now made to  FIG. 6  to describe the gift-transfer service  118 . As previously mentioned, the gift-transfer service  118  stores information associated with each of the unique NFC-tag identifiers and exchanges information with the gift-transfer application in order to help facilitate transfer of the digital gift. As such, the gift-transfer service includes one or more server computing devices  132  coupled to one or more data-storage devices  134 . Although only a single object is drawn to illustratively depict the server  132  and the storage device  134 , the server  132  may include a plurality of servers and the storage device  134  may include a plurality of storage devices. 
     Among other things, the one or more server computing devices  132  function to receive communications from the various copies of the gift-transfer application, to update the information associated with each of the unique NFC-tag identifiers, and to provide information back to the gift-transfer applications. As such, the gift-transfer service  118  maintains a searchable data-store  136  that stores information in association with each unique NFC-tag identifier. Exemplary information that might be maintained in the searchable data-store  136  is illustrated in the magnified view  138 . For example, the information that is stored in association with each unique NFC-tag identifier might include an indication of whether a digital gift has been associated with the unique identifier, a monetary value of the digital gift, a link to the digital gift (if appropriate), security information associated with the digital gift, customized messaging to be presented with the digital gift, payment information, payment-transaction details, and the like. 
     As previously described, the gift-transfer service  118  may receive a tag-query interprocess communication (e.g., element  422  in  FIG. 5A ) from the gift-transfer application  412 , the tag-query interprocess communication including a unique NFC-tag identifier. The server  132  includes a tag-identifier lookup module  140  configured to receive a search query related to a unique NFC-tag identifier and search the data store  136  for data linked to the unique NFC-tag identifier. As such, the server  132  may look up the unique NFC-tag identifier in the searchable data-store  136  to determine whether a digital gift has been associated with the unique NFC-tag identifier. The server  132  may then generate or produce a responsive communication or message that indicates whether the unique NFC-tag identifier is associated with a digital gift and that is sent as a reply to the gift-transfer application that sent the query. 
     The gift-transfer service  118  may receive the tag-query communication in the context of a gift sender initially scanning the NFC tag or in the context of a gift recipient scanning the NFC tag after receiving the physical gift item. If the unique NFC-tag identifier has not been associated with a digital gift, then the communication generated by the server  132  may indicate such, in which case the gift-transfer application may proceed through the series of steps that allows a digital gift to be associated with the unique NFC-tag identifier using the gift-sender mobile device. 
     If the unique NFC-tag identifier has been associated with a digital gift, then the communication (e.g., gift-notification interprocess communication  142 ) generated by the server  132  may also include at least some of the additional information stored in association with the unique NFC-tag identifier. For example, the communication may also indicate the amount of the digital gift, a copy of the digital gift, a link to the digital gift, and any customization details. Or, if the unique NFC-tag identifier is associated with security information, then the communication may request that certain information be verified before the digital gift is transmitted or is allowed to be credited. When generating the gift-notification interprocess communication  142 , the tag-identification lookup module  140  may generate an electronic communication that did not previously exist, or modify a pre-existing communication, by generating or modifying underlying code  144  constituting the communication  142 . 
     Having described components depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , a ping diagram is provided in  FIG. 7  to step through some of the operations that might be executed by the physical gift item  110  (including the NFC tag  112 ), the gift-sender mobile device  114  (including a first copy of the gift-transfer application  122 ), the gift-transfer service  118 , the payment system  130 , and the gift-recipient mobile device  116  (including the second copy of the gift-transfer application  126 ). When describing  FIG. 7 , reference may also be made to  FIGS. 1-6 . 
     At step  710 , the NFC tag  112  transmits a unique NFC-tag identifier  712   a  and computer-executable instructions  712   b  to the gift-sender mobile device  114 , the computer-executable instructions  712   b  for opening a gift-transfer application on the gift-sender mobile device  114 . The gift-sender mobile device  114  opens the first copy of the gift-transfer application  122 . As previously described, if the gift-sender mobile device  114  does not includes a copy of the gift-transfer application, then the instructions  712   b  may direct the gift-sender mobile device to a downloadable version of the gift-transfer application (e.g., at an online application store or at a website). Once open on the gift-sender mobile device  114 , the first copy of the gift-transfer application  122  produces a tag-query interprocess communication  714  including the unique NFC-tag identifier. The tag-query interprocess communication  714  is transmitted  716  to the gift-transfer service  118 , which looks up  718  the unique NFC-tag identifier in a searchable data-store (e.g.,  136 ) by executing a tag-identifier lookup module. When the gift-transfer service  118  determines that the unique NFC-tag is not associated with a digital gift, the gift-transfer service  118  sends  720  a response communication  722  to the gift-transfer application  122 , indicating that the unique NFC-tag identifier is not associated with a digital gift. 
     Using the gift-sender mobile device  114  and the first copy of the gift-transfer application  122 , a digital gift may be selected (e.g., input of monetary amount or selection of digital media or digital experience), and a financial account may be selected to provide payment for the digital gift (e.g., by debiting a selected financial account). The first copy of the gift-transfer application produces a transaction-details interprocess communication  724  that includes a financial-account identifier and an amount to be paid for the digital gift, which is transmitted  726  to the payment system  130 . The payment system  130  facilitates  728  payment from the financial account that was selected, and provides  730  payment confirmation  732  to the first copy of the gift-transfer application  122 . The first copy of the gift-transfer application  122  may then transmit  734  a gift-creating interprocess communication  736  to the gift-transfer service  118 , the gift-creating interprocess communication including at least the unique NFC-tag identifier and an identification of the digital gift. The gift-transfer service  118  may then update  738  the information stored in association with the unique NFC-tag identifier to indicate that the unique NFC-tag identifier is associated with a digital gift. For example, the gift-transfer service  118  may update an existing record that relates to the unique NFC-tag identifier, or may create a new searchable entry that links the unique NFC-tag identifier to the digital gift. 
     As previously described, a gift sender may give the physical gift item  110  to a gift recipient. Using the gift-recipient mobile device  116 , the NFC tag  112  is scanned and the unique NFC-tag identifier  740   a  and computer-executable instructions  740   b  are transmitted  742  to the gift-recipient mobile device  116 . The gift-recipient mobile device  116  opens the second copy of the gift-transfer application  126  in response to the instructions  740   b  (or downloads the application  126  if necessary). The second copy of the gift-transfer application  126  may then transmit  744  a tag-query communication  746  to the gift-transfer service  118 , the tag-query communication  746  including the unique NFC-tag identifier. The gift-transfer service  118  may perform a look up function  748  by searching its data store for the unique NFC-tag identifier to determine that the unique NFC-tag identifier is associated with the digital gift. The gift-transfer service  118  may transmit  750  a gift-notification interprocess communication  752  to the second copy of the gift-transfer application  126 , the gift-notification interprocess communication including a description of the digital gift, as well as any information that helps to retrieve the digital gift, such as a link to the payment system, a copy to digital content, a link to 3 rd -party digital content, and the like. Using the gift-recipient mobile device  116  and the second copy of the gift-transfer application  126 , a financial account may be selected to receive the credit specified by the digital gift. In turn, the second copy of the gift-transfer application  126  may produce a transaction-details interprocess communication  754  that is transmitted  756  to the payment system  130 . The payment system  130  can then facilitate credit  758  of the financial account specified in the transaction-details interprocess communication  754 . 
     Several of the components described in  FIGS. 1-7  include or utilize a computing device. Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an exemplary operating environment for implementing aspects of the technology described herein is shown and designated generally as a computing device  800 . The computing device  800  is but one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use of the technology described herein. Neither should the computing device  800  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated. 
     The technology described in this disclosure may be described in the general context of computer code or machine-useable instructions, including computer-executable instructions such as program components, being executed by a computer or other machine, such as a personal data assistant or other handheld device. Generally, program components, including routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, refer to code that performs particular tasks or implements particular abstract data types. The technology described herein may be practiced in a variety of system configurations, including handheld devices, consumer electronics, general-purpose computers, specialty computing devices, etc. Aspects of the technology described herein may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote-processing devices that are linked through a communications network. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 8 , the computing device  800  includes a bus  810  that directly or indirectly couples the following devices: memory  812 , one or more processors  814 , one or more presentation components  816 , input/output (I/O) ports  818 , I/O components  820 , and an illustrative power supply  822 . The bus  810  represents what may be one or more busses (such as an address bus, data bus, or a combination thereof). Although the various blocks of  FIG. 8  are shown with lines for the sake of clarity, in reality, delineating various components is not so clear, and metaphorically, the lines would more accurately be grey and fuzzy. For example, one may consider a presentation component such as a display device to be an I/O component. Also, processors have memory. Such is the nature of the art, and it is reiterated that the diagram of  FIG. 8  is merely illustrative of an exemplary computing device that can be used in connection with one or more aspects of the technology described in this disclosure. Distinction is not necessarily made between such categories as “workstation,” “server,” “laptop,” “handheld device,” etc., as all are contemplated within the scope of  FIG. 8  and refer to “computer” or “computing device.” 
     The computing device  800  typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computing device  800  and includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. 
     Computer storage media includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. Computer storage media does not comprise a propagated data signal. 
     Communication media is different from computer storage media and typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     The memory  812  includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory  812  may be removable, non-removable, or a combination thereof. Exemplary memory includes solid-state memory, hard drives, optical-disc drives, etc. The computing device  800  includes one or more processors  814  that read data from various entities such as the bus  810 , the memory  912 , or the I/O components  820 . The presentation component(s)  816  present data indications to a user or other device. Exemplary presentation components  816  include a display device, speaker, printing component, vibrating component, etc. The I/O ports  818  allow computing device  800  to be logically coupled to other devices, including I/O components  820 , some of which may be built in. 
     Illustrative I/O components include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, display device, wireless device, a controller (such as a stylus, a keyboard, and a mouse), a natural user interface (NUI), and the like. The computing device may include a radio  824 . The radio  824  transmits and receives radio communications. The computing device may be a wireless terminal adapted to receive communications and media over various wireless networks. The computing device  800  may communicate via wireless protocols, such as code division multiple access (“CDMA”), global system for mobiles (“GSM”), or time division multiple access (“TDMA”), as well as others, to communicate with other devices. The radio communications may be a short-range connection, a long-range connection, or a combination of both a short-range and a long-range wireless telecommunications connection. When referring to “short” and “long” types of connections, it is not meant to refer to the spatial relation between two devices. Instead, general reference is made to short range and long range as different categories, or types, of connections (i.e., a primary connection and a secondary connection). A short-range connection may include a Wi-Fi® connection to a device (e.g., mobile hotspot) that provides access to a wireless communications network, such as a WLAN connection using the 802.11 protocol. A Bluetooth connection to another computing device is a second example of a short-range connection, as well as near-field-communication protocol. A long-range connection may include a connection using one or more of CDMA, GPRS, GSM, TDMA, and 802.16 protocols. 
     One or more of the computing devices  800  might be used in various capacities in the subject matter described in this disclosure. For example, the mobile computing devices  114 ,  116 , and  410  may include at least some of the components described with respect to the computing device  800 . In addition, the server(s)  132 , the storage device(s)  134 , and the payment system  130  may also include at least some of the components described with respect to the computing device  800 . In a further aspect, the various modules (e.g.,  416 ,  418 ,  420 , and  140 ) may be implemented as a set of computer-readable instructions that utilize a processor to carry out respective operations and to create or modify data, which may be represented by underlying code. 
     Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. Embodiments of our technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.