Item-specific money transfer methods and systems

Abstract

The invention provides various systems and methods for implementing item-specific money transfers. The method includes receiving identification of an item, determining a vendor and a price of the item, and receiving, from a receiver, a money transfer request for an amount of the price of the item. The money transfer request identifies a sender. The method further includes sending the money transfer request to the sender, receiving, from the sender, authorization for a money transfer in an amount of the price of the item. The authorization includes an indication that funds from the money transfer are restricted for use only for the item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of implementing item-specific money transfers, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a money transfer computer processor, a barcode of an item and a photograph of the item;   based on the barcode of the item and the photograph of the item, determining, by the money transfer computer processor, a vendor for the item and a price of the item;   receiving, at the money transfer computer processor, from a receiver, a money transfer request for an amount of the price of the item, wherein the money transfer request identifies a sender;   sending, by the money transfer computer processor, the money transfer request to the sender;   based on the barcode of the item and the photograph of the item, restricting the funds for the money transfer to only be used for payment to the vendor for the item;   based on the restricting of the funds, receiving, at the money transfer computer processor, from the sender, an authorization for a money transfer in the amount of the price of the item, wherein the authorization includes an indication that funds from the money transfer are restricted for use only for the item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a kiosk. 
     
     
         3 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a photograph of the item or a substitute for the item to the money transfer computer processor;   determining that no match of the item or a substitute for the item is found; and   in response to no match of the item or a substitute for the item being found, identifying one or more related items.   
     
     
         4 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a price comparison interface to one or more of the following: the sender, the receiver, or vendor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 4 , wherein the price comparison interface is configured to search one or more of the following: a database of items or substitutes for the items for the identified item or a substitute for the item, and display price comparisons for the identified item or a substitute for the item from other vendors. 
     
     
         6 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 5 , receiving, from the sender or the receiver, a selection of the item or a substitute for the item from one of the other vendors. 
     
     
         7 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 6 , in response to the selection, adjusting the amount of the money transfer to the price of the item or a substitute for the item from the one of the other vendors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 1 , wherein the item or a substitute for the item comprises a charitable donation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 8 , further comprising in response to the item or a substitute for the item comprising a charitable donation, sending to the sender a tax statement related to the charitable donation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 1 , wherein the restricted use of the funds is restricted based in part on the Universal Product Code (UPC) associated with the item or a substitute for the item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 10 , wherein the funds from the money transfer are sent to a mobile wallet of the receiver. 
     
     
         12 . The method of implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 11 , wherein the funds in the mobile wallet are restricted to purchase the item or a substitute for the item associated with the UPC. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for implementing item-specific money transfers having sets of instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 receive a barcode of an item;   based on the barcode of the item, determine a vendor for the item and a price of the item;   receive from a receiver, a money transfer request for an amount of the price of the item, wherein the money transfer request identifies a sender;   send the money transfer request to the sender;   based on the barcode of the item, restrict the funds for the money transfer to only be used for payment to the vendor for the item;   based on the restricting of the funds, receive from the sender, an authorization for a money transfer in the amount of the price of the item, wherein the authorization includes an indication that funds from the money transfer are restricted for use only for the item.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 13 , wherein the item or a substitute for the item comprises a charitable donation. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 14 , wherein the sets of instruction when further executed by the computer, cause the computer to in response to the item or a substitute for the item comprising a charitable donation, send to the sender a tax statement related to the charitable donation. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 13 , wherein the restricted use of the funds is restricted based in part on the Universal Product Code (UPC) associated with the item or a substitute for the item. 
     
     
         17 . A system for implementing item-specific money transfers, the system comprising:
 a storage device having sets of instructions stored thereon; and   a computer processor in communication with the storage device, wherein the sets of instructions when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
 receive a photograph of the item; 
 based on the photograph of the item, determine a vendor for the item and a price of the item; 
 receive from a receiver, a money transfer request for an amount of the price of the item, wherein the money transfer request identifies a sender; 
 send the money transfer request to the sender; 
 based on the photograph of the item, restrict the funds for the money transfer to only be used for payment to the vendor for the item; 
 based on the restricting of the funds, receive from the sender, an authorization for a money transfer in the amount of the price of the item, wherein the authorization includes an indication that funds from the money transfer are restricted for use only for the item. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 17 , wherein the interface comprises a kiosk. 
     
     
         19 . The system for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 17 , wherein the sets of instructions when further executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
 send a photograph of the item or a substitute for the item to the money transfer computer processor;   determine that no match of the item or a substitute for the item is found; and   in response to no match of the item or a substitute for the item being found, identify one or more related items.   
     
     
         20 . The system for implementing item-specific money transfers as in  claim 17 , wherein the sets of instructions when further executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to provide a price comparison interface to one or more of the following: the sender, the receiver, or vendor.