Patent Application
20130031009
An embodiment of the invention generally relates to a system and method for transferring cash between users of an ad-hoc cash-dispensing network. Other embodiments are also described.
Most businesses accept payment through credit, check, or other forms of non-direct cash payments. There are many benefits for consumers to use credit cards and checks in contrast to paying directly with cash. For example, credit cards offer rewards programs, fraud/theft protection, extended warranties on products purchased, etc. The proliferation of credit cards, checks, and other forms of non-direct cash payments has resulted in many people not carrying any cash or very small quantities of cash in their everyday lives.
However, there are often situations where cash payments are necessary. For example, some smaller businesses do not accept payment with credit cards because of the charges the proprietor of the business must pay to the credit card companies. Accordingly, there is a need for a cash-dispensing network that allows users to exchange cash as needed.
An embodiment of the invention provides an ad-hoc cash-dispensing network that allows users to efficiently exchange cash. The ad-hoc cash-dispensing network includes a cash-dispensing server, a network, and a plurality of client terminals that connect to the cash-dispensing server through the network. In one embodiment, a user of a client terminal sends a request for cash to the cash-dispensing server. The request for cash identifies the location of the client terminal. Based on this identified location, the cash-dispensing server locates one or more other users that are close or are proximate to the requesting user and verifies that at least one of these proximate users is willing and able to provide the requested amount of cash. Following the transfer of cash between the parties, the requesting user's account is charged for the service while the providing user's account is credited for the service. In one embodiment, in addition to the amount of cash, the requesting user is charged a service fee for the cash transfer. The service fee may be split between the providing user and the administrators of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network.
The above summary does not include an exhaustive list of all aspects of the present invention. It is contemplated that the invention includes all systems and methods that can be practiced from all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized above, as well as those disclosed in the Detailed Description below and particularly pointed out in the claims filed with the application. Such combinations have particular advantages not specifically recited in the above summary.
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment of the invention in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and they mean at least one.
a shows an example cash transferring application running on a client terminal of a requesting user.
b shows an example cash transferring application running on a client terminal of a proximate user (i.e. providing user).
c shows a user the client terminal displaying a map including locations of requesting and proximate users.
Several embodiments of the invention with reference to the appended drawings are now explained. While numerous details are set forth, it is understood that some embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.
The network 3 may be composed of multiple smaller networks and may be capable of using various communication standards, protocols and technologies. The communications standards, protocols and technologies, may include Global System for Portable Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and/or IEEE 802.11n), Wi-MAX, LTE Advanced, or any other similar communication protocol, including communication protocols not yet developed as of the filing date of this document.
A client terminal 4 may be a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a netbook computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a mobile smart phone, an entertainment system, or other similar computing platform (generically referred to here as a “computer”). For example, a terminal 4 may be an iPhone™ device, iPad™ device or an iPod™ device by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The client terminals 4, associated with respective users 4a, may communicate with the cash-dispensing server 2 through the network 3 using either a dedicated application or a web browser running on each of the client terminals 4. For example, each of the client terminals 4 may run the Safari™ web browser provided by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The web browser allows users to access a website associated with the cash-dispensing server 2 over the network 3. Accordingly, a client terminal 4 may include a network interface capable of connection to the network 3 using appropriate communication standards, protocols and technologies, an Internet Protocol (IP) network software stack, and an application program that communicates with the server 2.
In one embodiment, a client terminal 4 may include a system for determining location. For example, as a portable device the client terminal 4 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver that communicates with one or more GPS satellites to determine location of the client terminal 4. Alternatively or in addition to the GPS transceiver, a client terminal 4 may include a cellular triangulation system that determines the location of the client terminal 4 based on its proximity to cellular towers. The location may be a street address, a set of longitude and latitude values, a distance from a landmark, or some other set of values to uniquely identify the location of the client terminal 4 on Earth. The system for determining location may be integrated into the client terminal 4 or it may be a peripheral device that is connected to the client terminal 4 through a wired or wireless peripheral bus (e.g. Universal Serial Bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (Firewire), iPod™ dock connector, Bluetooth, etc.).
The cash-dispensing server 2 may be a single computer, a set of one or more computers working in parallel, or any other suitable computing platform. In conjunction with the client terminals 4, the cash-dispensing server 2 assists in the transfer of cash between parties. The cash-dispensing server 2 will be described in further detail through description of its operation.
The cash transfer application 14 sends a cash request to the cash-dispensing server 2, in response to the send button being selected by the user. The cash request may include, for example, at least the desired amount entered by the requesting user, the current location of the client terminal 4a, the user credentials of the requesting user, etc. The request may be sent using various data formats including Extensible Markup Language (XML), Comma-separated values (CSV), Structured Data eXchange Formats, Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1), Property list, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), or similar formats. The request may be sent to the cash-dispensing server 2 over the network 3 using appropriate network protocols.
Although described above using a dedicated application running on the client terminal 4a, in other embodiments the user may log into and send a cash request to the cash-dispensing server 2 using a web-browser (running on the client terminal 4a). For example, the requesting user may access a web page associated with the cash-dispensing server 2 and enter appropriate information into corresponding user input fields provided by the web page. In one embodiment, the cash-dispending server 2 has web server functionality and is able to host a web page as described above.
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After receiving the request, the cash-dispensing server 2 processes the request. Processing of the request may begin by selecting one or more registered users that are proximately located to the requesting user (operation 7). In one embodiment the cash-dispensing server 2 sends a location demand to each user of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1. Where the network 3 includes the Internet, the location demands may be transmitted over the network 3 using appropriate Internet protocols (e.g. TCP/IP). Alternatively, the location demands may be sent through a text messaging service (e.g. Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Extended Messaging Service (EMS), etc.). In another embodiment, the sever 2 accesses a cellular network location register that is proximate to the requesting user's location. So that only those users whose mobile client terminals 4 are currently registered with that cellular network location register are sent the demand.
Upon receipt of the location demand, each user may respond to the server 2 with their current location. This response may be manually performed by the user or automatically performed by the user's associated client terminal 4. For example, the user may manually respond by logging into the cash-dispensing server 2 and entering their current location (e.g. an address, longitude and latitude, landmark, etc.). Alternatively, the location demand may be intercepted or received by the cash transferring application 14 which then automatically submits a response to the location demand, after prompting its user for permission to do, using a location provided by a system for determining location (e.g. a GPS transceiver) embedded within or attached to the client terminal 4a as described above.
Based on the locations received from each user of the client terminals 4, the cash-dispensing server 2 selects one or more users that are sufficiently proximate to the requesting user(
Upon finding one or more users that are sufficiently proximate to the requesting user, the cash-dispensing server 2 forwards the cash request to these selected one or more proximate users, and then awaits responses from the one or more proximate users at operation 8a. The cash requests may be forwarded over the network 3 using appropriate protocols (e.g. a sever-to-client Internet-based messaging protocol).
In one embodiment, the proximate users are also members of the same social network that the requesting user is part of. For example, the requesting user and the proximate users may both be part of Facebook®, MySpace®, or a similar social networking site. The requesting user may indicate in the cash request that proximate users must be part of a particular social network and have a particular degree of connection with the requesting user. For example, the requesting user may indicate that proximate users must be a second level friend on Facebook® (e.g. a friend of the requesting user or a friend of the requesting user's friend). This familiarity will increase the trust level between the requesting user and the proximate users.
In one embodiment, each proximate user is associated with a rating indicating the satisfaction or success rate of other users of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1 during previous transactions with the proximate user. The requesting user may filter on these ratings to only send the cash request to proximate users with ratings above a defined level.
The one or more proximate users may access the cash request by logging into the cash-dispensing server 2 through the use of the cash transferring application 14 or the web browser running on a client terminal 4. The login credentials used to login to the cash-dispensing server 2 may be associated with a social network the proximate users' are part of (e.g. Facebook® or MySpace®). Upon accessing the cash request, the one or more proximate users may send either an affirmative response indicating they are willing/able to transfer the desired amount of cash to the requesting user or they may send a negative response indicating they are unwilling/unable to transfer the desired amount of cash to the requesting user at operation 8b. These responses may be sent by logging into the cash-dispensing server 2 through the use of the cash transferring application 14 or the web browser running on a client terminal 4.
In one embodiment, the requesting user is presented with map indicating the locations of proximate users that have received the cash request.
In one embodiment, the cash transferring application 14 may automatically send a response to the cash request based on a set of predefined rules. For example, a user may elect to accept every request for cash below $1. Alternatively, a user may elect to accept every request for cash within two miles from his/her current location.
In one embodiment, each requesting user is associated with a rating indicating the satisfaction or success rate of other users of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1 during previous transactions with the requesting user. The requesting user may filter on these ratings to only receive cash requests from requesting users with ratings above a defined level. In one embodiment, proximate users may automatically accept cash requests from requesting users with ratings above a defined level.
Upon receiving an affirmative response to the cash request from a proximate user, the cash-dispensing server 2 sends instructions to the proximate user (hereinafter “providing user”) and the requesting user to perform the cash transfer at operation 9. In one embodiment, the instructions may include directions to a meeting place (e.g. directions to the current location of the requesting user, directions to the current location of the providing user, or equidistant location between the requesting and providing users), a meeting time, contact info of the other party (e.g. phone number or email address), a photo of the other party for easy identification, etc.
The instructions may also include data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash. For example, each of the requesting and providing users may be issued a unique alphanumeric code or a data token in the instructions. Accordingly, the alphanumeric code or data token of the requesting user is not the same as the alphanumeric code or data token given to the providing user. Use of the alphanumeric code and data token will be described in further details below.
Still referring to
Upon transfer of the requested amount of cash, the users exchange data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash at operation 11. For example, the users may exchange an alphanumeric code or data token through a digital transmission between the client terminals 4. This digital transfer may be performed over the network 3 or through a local medium such as through Bluetooth or an infrared transfer mechanism included in the client terminals 4. The data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash may thereafter be sent to the cash-dispensing server 2 at operation 12. Alternatively, if one or both of the parties does not believe that the transfer of cash was correct (e.g. the providing user did not provide the full amount of cash), the users do not have to exchange data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash.
Upon receipt of the data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash, the cash-dispensing server 2 may adjust the providing user's and the requesting user's accounts at operation 13. The providing and requesting user's accounts may be apart of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1 or they may be third party accounts. For example, the providing and requesting user's accounts may be third party traditional bank accounts, digital money and payment accounts such as those provided by an e-commerce business, or accounts created and fully operated by the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1.
In one embodiment, the GPS transceiver in the client terminals 4 of both the requesting and the providing user may be used to record the location of the users during the transaction. For example, the GPS transceiver in the client terminals 4 may each record their locations when the users exchange data for authorizing or confirming the transfer of cash at operation 11. The recorded locations of the users may be used as proof if disputes over the transaction arise.
In one embodiment adjustment of the providing user's and the requesting user's accounts includes depositing in the providing user's account the requested amount of cash and a reward amount for making the cash transfer. Adjustment may further include deducting from the requesting user's account the requested amount of cash, a service fee kept by the administrators of the cash-dispensing server 2, and the reward amount. For example, in a scenario in which $50 is requested and properly transferred between the requesting user and the providing user, the cash-dispensing server 2 may deduct from the requesting user's account $50 to cover the requested amount of cash, $5 to cover the service fee, and $3 to cover the reward amount for the providing user. Under this scenario the cash-dispensing server may deposit into the providing user's account $50 to cover the requested amount of cash and $3 to cover the reward amount for the providing user.
Ad-hoc cash-dispensing system 15 includes a login module 16 on the cash-dispending server 2 and a login module 24 on the client terminals 4. Login modules 16 and 24 allow users of the client terminals 4 to login to the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1 using preexisting user credentials. In one embodiment, the login module 24 on the client terminal 4 allows the user to enter in user credentials and transfer this data to the login module 16 on the cash-dispensing server 2 over the network 3. Thereafter, the login module 16 verifies the user's credentials and ensures the user is authorized to use the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1. If a user does not have preexisting credentials, the login modules 16 and 24 may allow the user to register with the ad-hoc cash-dispensing system 15. Registration may include submitting user-specific items such as user name, phone number, address, bank account information, authorization to access the bank account, etc. The login modules 16 and 24 may be implemented as software components, e.g. as part of a server side application and the cash transferring application 14.
After successfully registering and logging into the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1 using login modules 16 and 24, the user is allowed to send cash requests to the cash-dispensing server 2 using cash request transmission module 25. The cash request transmission module 25 retrieves input from the user regarding a desired amount of cash. The transmission module 25 may additionally retrieve user input regarding the user's current location or may access the user's current location from location module 26. The location module 26 retrieves this information form a system for determining location integrated or otherwise coupled to the client terminal 4 as described above. Upon obtaining inputs regarding the desired amount of cash and the current location of the user, the cash request transmission module transmits the cash request to the cash-dispensing server 2 where the cash request is received by the cash request receipt module 17.
Upon receiving a cash request from a client terminal 4, the proximate user determination module 18 determines one or more users that are proximately located to the requesting user. As described above, this may be performed by sending location demands to each user of the ad-hoc cash-dispensing network 1. The location module 26 of each client terminal 4 receives the location demand and responds with their current location. In turn, the proximate user determination module 18 receives each of these responses from the location module 26 of each client terminal 4 and determines one or more users that are proximate to the requesting user.
Upon determining one or more proximate users, the cash request forwarding module 19, forwards the requesting user's cash request to each of the one or more proximate users. The forwarded cash requests are received by the cash request receipt module 27 of the client terminals 4 associated with the one or more proximate users such that they may be viewed by the one or more proximate users.
Based on the forwarded cash requests, each of the one or more proximate users may respond using response transmission module 28. The response transmission module may provide a set of user inputs to receive either an affirmative response to the cash request indicating they are willing/able to transfer the desired amount of cash to the requesting user or conversely may send a negative response indicating they are unwilling/unable to transfer the desired amount of cash to the requesting user. These responses are transmitted by the response transmission module 28 to the response receipt module 20 of the cash-dispensing server 2.
Upon receipt of an affirmative response from a user (hereinafter “providing user”), the instruction generation and transmission module 21 generates a set of instructions for facilitating the transfer of cash. In one embodiment, the instructions may include directions to a meeting place (e.g. directions to the current location of the requesting user, directions to the current location of the providing user, or equidistant location between the requesting and providing users), a meeting time, contact info of the other party (e.g. phone number or email address), a photo of the other party for easy identification, etc. Upon generation of the instructions, the instruction generation and transmission module 21 send the instructions to both the requesting user and the providing user. In one embodiment, the instructions are received by the instruction receipt module 29 of the providing and requesting user's client terminals 4 such that they may be used by the respective users.
Following the successful transfer of cash from the providing party to the requesting party, the authorization/confirmation module 30 on each of the requesting and providing terminals 4 may transfer a unique alphanumeric code or a data token to confirm that the cash transfer has been properly performed. The unique alphanumeric codes or data tokens are received by the authorization/confirmation module 22 and trigger the account adjustment module 23 to adjust the accounts of the requesting and providing users as described above.
To conclude, various aspects of a technique for transferring cash between users of an ad-hoc cash-dispensing network have been described. As explained above, an embodiment of the invention may be a machine-readable medium such as one or more solid sate memory devices having stored thereon instructions which program one or more data processing components (generically referred to here as “a processor” or a “computer system”) to perform some of the operations described above. In other embodiments, some of these operations might be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic. Those operations might alternatively be performed by any combination of programmed data processing components and fixed hardwired circuit components.
While certain embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It should be noted that the functions of the various modules in
