# US 2013/0159174 A1 · Systems, methods, and apparatus for enhancing and utilizing owed-value accounts

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- Number: US 2013/0159174 A1
- Document ID: US20130159174A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/735,010
- Filed: 2013-01-06
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-15
- Assignees: Walker Digital, LLC
- Inventors: Jay S. Walker; Jeffrey Y. Hayashida; Stephen C. Tulley; Russell P. Sammon; Zachary T. Smith; Renny S. Talianchich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159174A1

## CPC

- G06Q 40/02: Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03)
- G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/28: Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
- G06Q 20/40: Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G07F 17/32: for games, toys, sports, or amusements
- G07F 17/329: {Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards}
- A63F 9/24: Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for
- A63F 13/00: Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
- G06Q 30/00: Commerce
- G06Q 30/0203: Market surveys; Market polls
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for enhancing and utilizing owed-value accounts are provided, including, in accordance with some embodiments, automatically utilizing the remaining balance of an owed-value account to purchase a product or service on behalf of the owner of the owed-value account.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
determining, by a controller device in communication with at least one user device via a network, at least one breakage condition defining when a pre-paid account balance is considered breakage;
identifying, by the controller device and in a database of pre-paid accounts, a first account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the first account having a first breakage balance;
identifying, by the controller device and in the database of pre-paid accounts, a second account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the second account having a second breakage balance;
after identifying the first account and identifying the second account, establishing, by the controller device, a third breakage balance based on the first breakage balance of the first account and the second breakage balance of the second account; and
transmitting, by the controller device via a user device, an indication of the third breakage balance to an entity associated with the first account and with the second account.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one breakage condition is based upon a minimum balance threshold of a pre-paid account.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one breakage condition is based upon an amount of time that has elapsed since opening of a pre-paid account.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one breakage condition is based upon an amount of time that has elapsed since expiration of a pre-paid account.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one breakage condition is based upon a number of transactions that have utilized the account.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
utilizing, by the controller device, the third breakage balance to purchase a product automatically; and
transmitting, by the controller device via the user device, an indication of the purchased product to the entity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
providing the purchased product to the entity.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
determining, by the controller device, the product by retrieving from the database information associated with the first account.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
determining, by the controller device, the product based upon the third breakage balance.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the third breakage balance comprises a sum of the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the third breakage balance is less than a sum of the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the third breakage balance based on the first breakage balance of the first account and the second breakage balance of the second account comprises deducting a fee for pooling the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the controller device further is in communication with at least one of: (i) a terminal, (ii) a product supply device and (iii) a value purchaser device.

### Claim 14

An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device in communication with the processor and storing a database of pre-paid accounts, and storing instructions that when executed by the processor result in:
determining at least one breakage condition defining when a pre-paid account balance is considered breakage;
identifying, in the database of pre-paid accounts, a first account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the first account having a first breakage balance;
identifying, in the database of pre-paid accounts, a second account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the second account having a second breakage balance;
after identifying the first account and identifying the second account, establishing a third breakage balance based on the first breakage balance of the first account and the second breakage balance of the second account; and
transmitting, via a user device, to an entity associated with the first account and with the second account, an indication of the third breakage balance.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further result in
utilizing the third breakage balance to purchase a product automatically; and
transmitting, via the user device to the entity, an indication of the purchased product.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the third breakage balance comprises a sum of the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the third breakage balance is less than a sum of the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein establishing the third breakage balance based on the first breakage balance of the first account and the second breakage balance of the second account comprises deducting a fee for pooling the first breakage balance and the second breakage balance.

### Claim 19

A memory device storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor result in:
determining, by a controller device in communication with at least one user device via a network, at least one breakage condition defining when a pre-paid account balance is considered breakage;
identifying, by the controller device and in a database of pre-paid accounts, a first account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the first account having a first breakage balance;
identifying, by the controller device and in the database of pre-paid accounts, a second account for which the at least one breakage condition is satisfied, the second account having a second breakage balance;
after identifying the first account and identifying the second account, establishing, by the controller device, a third breakage balance based on the first breakage balance of the first account and the second breakage balance of the second account; and
transmitting, by the controller device via a user device, an indication of the third breakage balance to an entity associated with the first account and with the second account.