Management of network resource transfers via network portals and physical portals

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to database modification, and in particular, database modification in the context of networked platforms accessible by user computing devices. One example context to which such database modification techniques can be applied is a network provider providing a plurality of individual network portals via which users may acquire network resources and perform other transactions. Acquired network resources can subsequently be transferred to other users within or outside the communication network, and the original owner of the network resources may specify resource transfer options that specify the rules that govern these subsequent transfers. Further, these transactions may occur via network portals and/or physical portals associated with the users of the communication network. The network provider may maintain a database that keeps track of the network resources and update the database as these transactions occur.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for facilitating management of network resources, the method comprising:
 providing a database storing network resource information associated with a plurality of network resources registered with a network provider by a plurality of internal users within a communication network of the network provider, wherein the network provider is configured to provide, to each internal user of the plurality of internal users, a network portal accessible by other users of the network provider;   receiving, from a first internal user of the plurality of internal users, a request to make a first network resource available via the first internal user’s network portal, wherein the request specifies (i) a sharing option according to which the first network resource is to be shared across the plurality of internal users, and (ii) a resource transfer option according to which a transfer of the first network resource is to be processed;   causing the first network resource to be available for acquisition via at least the first internal user’s network portal;   receiving, from a first visitor at the first internal user’s network portal, a request to acquire the first network resource;   causing the first network resource to be transferred to the first visitor;   receiving, from the first visitor, an indication that the first visitor wishes to transfer the first network resource acquired via the first internal user’s network portal via a physical portal associated with a second internal user of the plurality of internal users different from the first internal user;   receiving, from the second internal user, an indication that the first network resource has been processed at the physical portal associated with the second internal user;   updating, in the network resource database, a physical location associated with the first network resource to the physical portal associated with the second internal user despite the second internal user not having had any prior history transacting with the first internal user with respect to the first network resource;   retrieving the resource transfer option associated with the first network resource, wherein the resource transfer option is specified by the first internal user;   determining whether the resource transfer option associated with the first internal user indicates that the first network resource can be transferred by the second internal user to a user other than the first internal user;   in response to determining that the resource transfer option indicates that the first network resource can be transferred by the second internal user to a user other than the first internal user, prompting the second internal user to indicate whether the second internal user wishes to transfer the first network resource that has been processed via the physical portal associated with the second internal user to a user other than the first internal user;   receiving, from the second internal user, an indication that the second internal user wishes to transfer the first network resource processed via the physical portal associated with the second internal user to a user other than the first internal user; and   causing the first network resource processed via the physical portal associated with the second internal user to be available acquisition by a user other than the first internal user via the second internal user’s network portal provided by the network provider.