Alternative value exchange systems and methods

Abstract

This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for exchanging alternative currencies. The method includes creating, at an alternative currency platform, a plurality of user accounts and receiving, from a first user in the plurality of user accounts, an alternative currency exchange offer. The alternative currency exchange offer includes one or more offer terms and associated assets. Furthermore, the method includes extending the alternative currency exchange offer from the first user to the second user, in response to receiving acceptance of the offer from the second user, verifying the associated assets of the first user and the second user, and in response to verification of the assets of the first user and second user, providing settlement of the alternative currency exchange offer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for performing transactions via devices, the system comprising:
 a first device associated with a first entity, wherein the first device comprises:
 a processing unit comprising one or more processors; 
 one or more hardware-based detectors; 
 one or more user input components; and 
 memory readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the first device to:
 detect an indicator associated with a second device, wherein the second device is separate from the first device; 
 receive input via the one or more user input components, the input comprising at least a numerical transaction amount; and 
 transmit instructions to a computer server of a transaction network, the instructions corresponding to instructions to initiate a transaction between the first mobile device and the second device; 
 
   the computer server of the transaction network, wherein the computer server comprises:
 a processing unit comprising one or more processors; and 
 memory readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the computer server to:
 receive the instructions from the first device to initiate the transaction between the first device and the second device; 
 determine, based on the instructions received from the first device, the numerical transaction amount; 
 transmit a notification to the second device including transaction details for the transaction to be initiated between the first device and the second device; and 
 
   the second device, wherein the second device comprises:
 a processing unit comprising one or more processors; and 
 memory readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the second device to:
 output the indicator associated with the second device; and 
 receive the notification from the computer server of the transaction network, including the transaction details for the transaction to be initiated between the first device and the second device. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system for performing transactions of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware-based detectors of the first device comprise a camera, and wherein detecting the indicator associated with the second device comprises:
 activating the camera of the first device to capture a visual image of the indicator;   analyzing the captured visual image of the indicator to determine the size, shape, and color of the indicator; and   determining a transaction party associated with the second device, based on the size, shape, and color of the indicator.   
     
     
         3 . The system for performing transactions of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a location-based indicator associated with a first geographic location, wherein the hardware-based detectors of the first device comprise a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, and wherein detecting the indicator associated with the second device comprises:
 activating the GPS receiver of the first device to determine a current location of the first device; and   compare the current location of the first device to a plurality of locations associated with a plurality of location-based indicators, and   wherein the first device determines the second entity based on the comparison of the current location of the first device to the first geographic location associated with the location-based indicator.   
     
     
         4 . The system for performing transactions of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a radio frequency (RF) signal indicator transmitted by the second device, wherein the hardware-based detectors of the first device comprise an RF receiver, and wherein detecting the indicator associated with the second device comprises:
 activating the RF receiver of the first device to detect the RF signal indicator transmitted by the second device; and   compare the detected RF signal indicator to a plurality of RF indicator signals associated with a plurality of entities, and   wherein the first device determines the second entity based on the comparison of the RF signal transmitted by the second device to the plurality of RF indicator signals.   
     
     
         5 . A method of performing transactions via devices, comprising:
 detecting, by a first device, an indicator connected to a second device separate from the first device, wherein the first device is associated with a first entity;   determining, by the first device, a second entity associated with the second device, based on the detected indicator;   receiving, by the first device, user input via one or more user input components of the first device, the user input comprising a numerical transaction amount; and   transmitting, by the first device, instructions to a computer server of a transaction network, the instructions corresponding to instructions to initiate a transaction between the first entity and the second entity for the transaction amount.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a camera of the first device to capture a visual image of the indicator, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises analyzing the captured visual image of the indicator to determine the size, shape, and color of the indicator.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a radio-frequency (RF) receiver of the first device to detect a particular RF signal indicator transmitted by the second device, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises comparing the particular RF signal indicator transmitted by the second device to a plurality of RF indicator signals associated with a plurality of entities.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a global positioning system (GPS) receiver of the first device to determine a current location of the first device, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises comparing the current location of the first device to a plurality of locations associated with a plurality of location-based indicators.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the detection of the indicator is performed by an augmented reality application operating on the first device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indicator comprises a visual dynamic indicator output via a display screen of the second device, wherein the visual output of the dynamic indicator changes over time. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving one or more transaction parameters, via the user input components of the first device;   determining a second indicator, based on the received transaction parameters; and   outputting the second indicator via a display screen of the first device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second indicator output via the display screen of the first device comprises a dynamic indicator, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that the transaction amount has been received from the second entity; and   changing the second indicator output via the display screen of the first device to a null indicator, in response to determining that the transaction amount has been received from the second entity.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices, having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a first device, cause the first device to:
 detect an indicator connected to a second device separate from the first device, wherein the first device is associated with a first entity;   determine a second entity associated with the second device, based on the detected indicator;   receive user input via one or more user input components of the first device, the user input comprising a numerical transaction amount; and   transmit instructions to a computer server of a transaction network, the instructions corresponding to instructions to initiate a transaction between the first entity and the second entity for the transaction amount.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a camera of the first device to capture a visual image of the indicator, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises analyzing the captured visual image of the indicator to determine the size, shape, and color of the indicator.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a radio-frequency (RF) receiver of the first device to detect a particular RF signal indicator transmitted by the second device, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises comparing the particular RF signal indicator transmitted by the second device to a plurality of RF indicator signals associated with a plurality of entities.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , wherein detecting the indicator connected to the second device comprises activating a global positioning system (GPS) receiver of the first device to determine a current location of the first device, and
 wherein determining the second entity based on the indicator comprises comparing the current location of the first device to a plurality of locations associated with a plurality of location-based indicators.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , wherein the detection of the indicator is performed by an augmented reality application operating on the first device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , wherein the indicator comprises a visual dynamic indicator output via a display screen of the second device, wherein the visual output of the dynamic indicator changes over time. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 13 , having additional instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the first device, cause the first device to:
 receive one or more transaction parameters, via the user input components of the first device;   determine a second indicator, based on the received transaction parameters; and   output the second indicator via a display screen of the first device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing transactions via devices of  claim 19 , wherein the second indicator output via the display screen of the first device comprises a dynamic indicator, and having additional instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the first device, cause the first device to:
 determine that the transaction amount has been received from the second entity; and   change the second indicator output via the display screen of the first device to a null indicator, in response to determining that the transaction amount has been received from the second entity.