Mobile device applications, other applications and associated kiosk-based systems and methods for facilitating coin saving

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems for saving coins and applying the coin value toward the purchase of selected products are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the methods and systems described herein can be utilized by parents, grandparents, etc. to encourage and facilitate saving by children. For example, in some embodiments a mobile application is provided that enables a child to select a product to purchase as a “reward” for achieving a savings goal. The mobile application can also enable the child (and/or the child's parent) to set the savings goal, and track the child's progress in reaching the goal as saved coins are periodically exchanged at one or more coin counting kiosks. Other embodiments of the disclosed technology enable the parent and/or child to receive a notification when the child reaches the savings goal, and apply the saved funds toward the purchase of the selected reward.

1 . A consumer operated coin counting kiosk to facilitate personal savings programs, the coin counting kiosk comprising:
 a coin receiving region configured to receive a plurality of random coins from a user;   a coin discriminator;   a voucher printer;   a voucher dispenser;   a processor; and   a memory storing instructions to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the coin discriminator to count the plurality of random coins to determine a total coin value; 
 cause the voucher printer to print a voucher, wherein the voucher includes indicia indicating a voucher redemption value, and wherein the voucher redemption value is a cash value that the user can receive in exchange for the voucher upon redemption; 
 cause the voucher dispenser to dispense the voucher; and 
 cause the kiosk to provide the user with a unique code, wherein the unique code is stored in a remote database and associated with the total coin value, and wherein the unique code enables the user to remotely obtain an indication of the total coin value by inputting the unique code into a user interface of a device that communicates the unique code to a remote computer associated with the remote database. 
   
     
     
         2 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the processor causes the kiosk to provide the user with the unique code by causing the printer to print the unique code on the voucher. 
     
     
         3 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the voucher redemption value is less than the total coin value. 
     
     
         4 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communication facility, wherein the instructions are to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the communication facility to—
 send the total coin value to the remote computer for storing in the database; and 
 in response to sending the total coin value, receive the unique code from the remote computer. 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface; and   a communication facility, wherein the instructions are to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the communication facility to—
 send the total coin value to the remote computer for storing in the database; and 
 in response to sending the total coin value, receive the unique code from the remote computer; and 
 
 cause the user interface to display the unique code to the user. 
   
     
     
         6 . A consumer operated coin counting kiosk, the coin counting kiosk comprising:
 a coin input region configured to receive a plurality of random coins from a user;   a coin discriminator;   a processor; and   a memory storing instructions to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the coin discriminator to count the plurality of random coins to determine a coin value; and 
 cause the kiosk to provide the user with a unique code, wherein the unique code is stored in a remote database and associated with the coin value, and wherein the unique code enables the user to remotely obtain an indication of the coin value by inputting the unique code into a user interface of a user device that communicates the unique code to a remote computer associated with the remote database. 
   
     
     
         7 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a communication facility, wherein the instructions are to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the communication facility to—
 send the coin value to the remote computer for storing in the remote database; and 
 in response to sending the coin value, receive the unique code from the remote computer. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a user interface; and   a communication facility, wherein the instructions are to be executed by the processor to:
 cause the communication facility to—
 send the coin value to the remote computer for storing in the remote database; and 
 in response to sending the coin value, receive the unique code from the remote computer; and 
 
 cause the user interface to display the unique code to the user. 
   
     
     
         9 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6  wherein the unique code further enables the user to remotely add the coin value to a user account via the user device. 
     
     
         10 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6  wherein inputting the unique code further enables the user to remotely add the coin value to a user account via the user device, and wherein the user account enables the user to make online purchases with at least a portion of the coin value. 
     
     
         11 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6  wherein:
 the plurality of random coins is a first plurality of random coins received from the user at a first time, the coin value is a first coin value, and the unique code is a first unique code; 
 the coin receiving region is further configured to receive a second plurality of random coins from the user at a second time, different than the first time; and 
 the instructions are to be further executed by the processor to:
 cause the coin discriminator to count the second plurality of random coins to determine a second coin value; and 
 cause the kiosk to provide the user with a second unique code, wherein the second unique code is stored in the remote database and associated with the second coin value, and wherein the second unique code enables the user to remotely add the second coin value to the first coin value in a user account via the user device. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 11  wherein the user account enables the user to make online purchases with at least a portion of the first and second coin values. 
     
     
         13 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a voucher printer; and   a voucher dispenser, wherein the instructions are to be further executed by the processor to:
 cause the voucher printer to print a voucher, wherein the voucher includes indicia indicating a voucher redemption value, and wherein the voucher redemption value is a cash value that the user can receive in exchange for the voucher upon redemption; and 
 cause the voucher dispenser to dispense the voucher to the user. 
   
     
     
         14 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 13  wherein the processor causes the kiosk to provide the user with the unique code by causing the printer to print the unique code on the voucher. 
     
     
         15 . The consumer operated coin counting kiosk of  claim 13  wherein the voucher redemption value is less than the coin value. 
     
     
         16 . A networked computer system comprising:
 a coin counting kiosk comprising:
 a coin receiving region configured to receive a plurality of random coins from a user; 
 a coin discriminator; 
 a first processor; and 
 a memory storing first computer-readable instructions to be executed by the first processor to:
 cause the coin discriminator to count the plurality of random coins to determine a coin value; and 
 cause the coin counting kiosk to provide the user with a unique code, wherein the unique code is stored in a remote database and associated with the coin value, and 
 
   a server configured to provide a user device with second computer-readable instructions, wherein the user device includes a second processor configured to execute the second computer-readable instructions to:
 receive the unique code from the user; and 
 in response to receiving the unique code, facilitate adding the coin value to an account of the user. 
   
     
     
         17 . The networked computer system of  claim 16  wherein the account is a savings account of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The networked computer system of  claim 16  wherein the second processor is further configured to execute the second computer-readable instructions to:
 receive a selection of a product from the user, the product having a purchase price; and 
 when the account contains a balance that is greater than or equal to the purchase price, enable the user to purchase the product. 
 
     
     
         19 . The networked computer system of  claim 18  wherein enabling the user to purchase the product includes displaying a link to the user via a display of the user device that enables the user to purchase the product online. 
     
     
         20 . The networked computer system of  claim 16  wherein the second processor is further configured to execute the second computer-readable instructions to:
 receive a product selection from the user, the product selection having a purchase price; and 
 when a sum of the coin value plus any additional coin values associated with any additional unique codes received from the user is greater than or equal to the purchase price, display a message to the user indicating that the purchase price has been met.