Method and System for Transferring a Digital Asset and for Managing a Digital Wallet Application

Abstract

The method comprises transferring a digital asset from a first user to a second user. The method comprises authenticating the first user as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting a transaction database. The method comprises transferring the digital asset from the first user to the second user by updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and by providing a graphic asset associated with the digital asset to a user electronic device of the second user. The transfer of the digital asset may be validated using a distributed ledger such as a blockchain. The method may be performed by a system 800 comprising user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C, and a transaction database 801. The system comprises a user electronic device 200 comprising a communicator 201, and a processor 207 communicatively coupled to the communicator 201.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of transferring a digital asset from a first user to a second user, the method comprising: authenticating the first user as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting a transaction database; and transferring the digital asset from the first user to the second user by: updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and providing a provided graphic asset associated with the digital asset to a user electronic device of the second user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating a digital wallet application of the user electronic device of the second user using the provided graphic asset so that the digital asset is associated with a digitised transaction card of the digital wallet application.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein updating the digital wallet application comprises adding a digitised transaction card to the digital wallet application and associating the digitised transaction card with the provided graphic asset.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein updating the digital wallet application comprises updating an existing digitised transaction card in the digital wallet application by replacing the existing graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card with the provided graphic asset.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein transferring the digital asset further comprises providing metadata associated with the graphic asset, the metadata comprising an identifier for the graphic asset, and optionally wherein the identifier links the graphic asset to a record of the digital asset in the transaction database.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user is associated with a user electronic device comprising a digital wallet application, the digital wallet application comprising a digitised transaction card associated with a graphic asset and a digital asset.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein in response to receiving a request for the first user to transfer the digital asset to the second user, the method comprises disassociating the graphic asset from the digitised transaction card.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein in response to receiving a request for the first user to transfer a part of the digital asset to the second user, the method comprises obtaining another graphic asset; associating the another graphic asset with the part of the digital asset; updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the part of the digital asset; and providing the another graphic asset to the user electronic device of the second user.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital asset is transferred in response to receiving a request to transfer the digital asset.

10. The method according to as claimed in-claim 9, wherein the request is provided in response to the electronic device of the second user receiving information regarding the digital asset of the first user, and optionally wherein the information regarding the digital asset of the first user is provided to a plurality of electronic devices associated with a plurality of users.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer of the digital asset from the first user to the second user is in exchange for a second digital asset from the second user.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: authenticating the second user as the owner of the second digital asset by inspecting a transaction database; and transferring the second digital asset from the second user to the first user by: updating the transaction database so as to identify the first user as the owner of the second digital asset; and providing a second graphic asset to a user electronic device of the first user, the metadata comprising information identifying the nature of the second digital asset.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database is a distributed ledger, and optionally wherein the distributed ledger is a permissioned distributed ledger, and optionally wherein the distributed ledger is a blockchain.

14. A computer program comprising instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method of transferring a digital asset from a first user to a second user, the method comprising: authenticating the first user as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting a transaction database; transferring the digital asset from the first user to the second user by: updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and providing a graphic asset associated with the digital asset to a user electronic device of the second user.

15. A computerised system for transferring a digital asset from a first user to a second user, the system being arranged to: authenticate the first user as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting a transaction database; and transfer the digital asset from the first user to the second user by: updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and providing a graphic asset associated with the digital asset to an electronic device of the second user.

16-30. (canceled)

Description

[0081] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

[0082] FIG. 1A shows a digital wallet application according to an existing implementation;

[0083] FIG. 1B shows a schematic view of a system according to an existing implementation;

[0084] FIG. 2 shows an example system according to aspects of the present invention;

[0085] FIG. 3 shows an example system according to aspects of the present invention;

[0086] FIG. 4 shows an example user electronic device according to aspects of the present invention;

[0087] FIG. 5 shows an example management server according to aspects of the present invention;

[0088] FIG. 6 shows an example signal flow diagram according to aspects of the present invention;

[0089] FIG. 7 shows an example system according to aspects of the present invention;

[0090] FIG. 8 shows an example signal flow diagram according to aspects of the present invention;

[0091] FIG. 9 shows an example system according to aspects of the present invention; and

[0092] FIG. 10 shows an example system according to aspects of the present invention.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a system 100 according to the present invention. The system 100 comprises a user electronic device 200 and a management server 300. The user electronic device 200 and management server 300 are communicatively coupled to one another, e.g. via a wireless communication connection, such that they may send and receive data from one another.

[0094] The system 100 is configured to provide improved graphics for transaction card representations in a digital wallet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] The user electronic device 200 acts as a digital wallet. In particular, a digital wallet application and consumer application are both installed on the user electronic device 200, and are operable in combination to allow personalisation or updating of existing graphic assets associated with digitised transaction cards enrolled in the digital wallet application. The digital wallet and consumer applications are downloadable from an application store and/or content provider. For example, the content provider may comprise the Apple? Appstore? or Google? Play?. The consumer application may be incorporated into another application on the device. The functionality of the consumer application may be provided as a software developer's kit (SDK) so that the consumer application may be incorporated into another application such as a banking application.

[0096] FIG. 3 illustrates another representation of a system 100 according to the present invention and configured to provide improved graphics for transaction card representations in a digital wallet. The system 100 comprises the user electronic device 200 and management server 300 also shown in FIG. 2. The system shown in FIG. 3 uses a communications network, such as a wide-area network, and in particular the Internet for example, which connects the various parties involved in the system and provides network infrastructure for the exchange of data. The user electronic device 200 is connected to the communications network in order to upload data for processing to the management server 300. The consumer application comprises an application interface that is used to gather data from the user, and to display data sent to the application by the management server 300 via a communications network. For example, the consumer application may gather transaction card information by capturing an image of a physical transaction card 70 using the device camera as shown in FIG. 3.

[0097] Data input to the consumer application by the user can be uploaded via the communications network to a centralized hub (e.g. the management server 300), where it can be managed and processed. The management server 300 may receive data sent via the communications network and provide data to other components connected to the communications network. The management server 300 comprises a communicator 301 shown in the form of a communications server, a processor/controller 305 and a memory/database 303. Data is received and processed at the management server 300 by the communications server 301, which is operatively coupled with the controller 305. The controller 305, in turn, is operatively coupled with the database 303. Data that is received by management server 300, or data that is of use for the operation of the management server 300, may be stored in the database 303. The management server 300 is external to the consumer application and acts as an on demand service.

[0098] In order to perform transactions, the user electronic device is configured to communicate with a point-of-sale (POS) terminal 25 associated with a particular merchant using NFC or other short-range wireless communication protocol. This communication is depicted by a dotted line in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 further shows at least one transaction card provider (PCP) 21 and at least one transaction card server, which is identified as a payment service provider (PSP) 23. The components are connected via the communications network.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a simplified schematic diagram of an example user electronic device 200 in accordance with the present invention. The user electronic device 200 comprises a communicator 201, a user interface 203, a memory/data store 205, and a processor 207. The memory 205 has stored thereon a digital wallet application. The processor 207 is communicatively coupled to the communicator 201, user interface 203, and memory 205.

[0100] The user interface 203 may comprise or be associated with a display. The user electronic device 200 may also comprise a camera. The communicator 201 is operable to facilitate exchange of data with other processing elements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 via the communications network, or with the POS terminal via NFC. The user electronic device 200 may also operate a consumer application stored within the memory/data store 205, and is able to be run on command by the processor 207 in the conventional manner. The user interface 203 of the user electronic device 200 may be integral with a display of the user electronic device 200, and may be a presence sensitive display such as a touch screen in this embodiment. Typically the user electronic device 200 is a smartphone or tablet.

[0101] The digital wallet application comprises a digitised transaction card. The digital wallet application also comprises a graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card. The digital wallet application, when executed by the user electronic device 200 is arranged to display the graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card. For example, the user electronic device 200 may be arranged to display the graphic asset associated with digitised transaction card in the manner shown in FIG. 1A.

[0102] An object of the present invention is to enable the graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card to be changed, e.g. to suit a user preference. In conventional digital wallet application architectures this is not possible, as the graphic assets are controlled centrally by a transaction card server, which means that all users will use the same graphic asset for the same type of digitised transaction card (e.g. from a particular bank). This arrangement makes it challenging for a user to select their desired digitised transaction card when using the digital wallet application. The present invention is thus concerned with providing technical means to enable an improved man machine interface for allowing a user to select a desired digitised transaction card.

[0103] In accordance with the present invention, the processor 207 of the user electronic device 200 obtains graphic asset preference information in relation to the digitised transaction card.

[0104] In one example of this, the user electronic device 200 receives a user command for selecting graphic asset preference information. The user command may be provided by user input via the user interface 203 of the user electronic device 200. The user input may be provided via voice control.

[0105] In one example of this, the processor 207 controls the user interface 203 to display one or a plurality of replacement graphic assets for the digitised transaction cards for selection by the user. The user may then provide a user input for selecting their desired replacement graphic asset. The user input may be via a touchscreen or via voice controls. In this example, the processor 207 of the user electronic device is operable to control the user interface 203 to display a representation of a replacement graphic asset for selection by the user. Representations of a plurality of other, different, replacement graphic assets may also be displayed on the user interface 203 for selection by the user. The representations of the replacement graphic assets may be displayed by the consumer application.

[0106] In another example of this, the processor 207 may determine the graphic asset preference information according to a location of the user electronic device 200. The location of the user electronic device 200 may be determined by a navigation sensor (such as a satellite navigation sensor) or the user electronic device 200. For example, the user may have a digitised transaction card which is beneficial to use when in a particular country. When the user electronic device 200 is determined to be within the particular country, the graphic asset preference information may indicate a preference for a graphic asset that highlights that the digitised transaction card should be used for transactions rather than other digitised transaction cards within the digital wallet application.

[0107] In another example of this, the processor 207 may determine the graphic asset preference information according to the current date and/or time. For example, the user may have a digitised transaction card which is beneficial to use at a certain date and/or time. The graphic asset preference information may indicate a preference for a graphic asset that highlights the date and/or time when it is beneficial to use the digitised transaction card. For example, the graphic asset of the digitised transaction card may change according to the current date/time.

[0108] The processor 207 of the user electronic device 200 controls the communicator 201 to communicate the graphic asset preference information to the management server 300.

[0109] The processor 207 of the user electronic device 200 controls the communicator 201 to receive, from the management server 300, asset information for a replacement graphic asset. The replacement graphic asset is determined according to the graphic asset preference information.

[0110] For example, if the graphic asset preference information communicated to the management server 300 indicates a preference for a representation of a graphic asset selected by a user, the asset information for the replacement graphic asset is determined according to this user preference.

[0111] In one example, the asset information comprises a storage location for the replacement graphic asset. In this example, the processor 207 of the user electronic device 200 is operable to obtain the replacement graphic asset from the storage location. The storage location may be in the form of a download link, e.g. is in the form of a uniform resource locator, URL. The storage location may be in a data store of the management server 300.

[0112] In another example, the asset information comprises the replacement graphic asset. That is, the user electronic device 200 directly receives a copy of the replacement graphic asset from the management server 300.

[0113] The processor 207 of the user electronic device 200 replaces the graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card with the replacement graphic asset according to the communicated asset information such that the digital wallet application, when executed by the user electronic device 200, is arranged to display the replacement graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card. In this way, the existing graphic asset for the digitised transaction card is replaced with a new graphic asset determined according to the graphic asset preference information.

[0114] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a simplified schematic diagram of an example management server 300 in accordance with the present invention. The management server 300 comprises a communicator 301, a memory 303 and a processor 305. The communicator 301 is in communication with the communicator 201 (FIG. 4) of the user electronic device 200. The processor 305 is communicatively coupled to the communicator 301 and memory 303.

[0115] The processor 305 of the management server 300 controls the communicator 301 to receive the graphic asset preference information from the user electronic device 200 (via the communicator 201). The processor 305 controls the communicator 301 to determine a replacement graphic asset according to the received graphic asset preference information. The processor 305 obtains the asset information for the replacement graphic asset, and controls the communicator 301 to communicate the asset information for the replacement graphic asset to the user electronic device 200.

[0116] The management server 300 may further comprise a user accounts module which is associated with a user accounts database. Together, the processor 305 and user accounts module are configured to register individual users and their associated devices, to process the preferences selected by a user using the consumer application, to identify the user information initially, to pass the information to the user accounts database and to build a profile of the user based upon preference information.

[0117] The memory 303/database/data store of or associated with the management server 300 may comprise two separate sections: a graphic assets vault and the user accounts database. The graphic assets vault contains information relating to graphic assets that may be selected by a user for display in a digital wallet. The user accounts database contains specific information relating to each user such as the digitised transaction cards and/or registered tokens for the digitised transaction cards, a user profile and enrolment information and the user's preference information.

[0118] The communicator 301 may also comprise or be associated with an encryption module for encrypting data before it is communicated, a decryption module for decrypting encrypted data communicated to the management server 300, and a notification module for generating signals and/or commands to be communicated to the electronic device.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a signal flow diagram for an example process in accordance with the aspects of the invention.

[0120] In step S501 the user of the user electronic device 200 enrols a transaction card.

[0121] In step S502 identification information for the transaction card is transmitted to a transaction card server 400.

[0122] In step S503, a reference identifier for the transaction card and a standard graphic asset for the transaction card is transmitted to the user electronic device 200.

[0123] In step S504, the user electronic device 200 obtains graphic asset preference information.

[0124] In step S505, the graphic asset preference information is transmitted to the management server 300.

[0125] In step S506, the management server 300 determines a replacement graphic asset according to the received graphic asset preference information.

[0126] In step S507, asset information for the replacement graphic asset is transmitted to the user electronic device 200.

[0127] In step S508, the user electronic device 200 replaces the current graphic asset with the replacement graphic asset according to the received asset information.

[0128] Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown another example system 100A according to aspects of the present invention. The system 100A achieves the same objective as the system 100. That is, the system 100A also replaces a graphic asset in a digital wallet application on the user electronic device 200. The user electronic device 200 and the management server 300 in the system 100A may be the same/provide the same functionality as the user electronic device 200 and the management server 300 of the system 100.

[0129] Unlike the system 100, the system 100A communicates the asset information for the replacement graphic asset via the transaction card server 400. This approach is particularly suited for retrofitting the system into existing digital wallet application architectures such as the one shown in FIG. 1B where the digital wallet application/digital wallet application server 40 (FIG. 1B) may not allow an external management server 300 to directly communicate with the digital wallet application to replace graphic assets.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a signal flow diagram for an example process in accordance with the aspects of the invention

[0131] In step S701, the management server 300 transmits asset information for a plurality of replacement graphic assets to the transaction card server 400.

[0132] In step S702, the transaction card server 400 stores the replacement graphic assets.

[0133] In step S703, the transaction card server transmits an identifier for each of the replacement graphic assets to the management server 300.

[0134] In step S704, the management server 300 stores the identifiers in memory/data store.

[0135] In step S705, the user electronic device 200 obtains graphic asset preference information.

[0136] In step S706, the graphic asset preference information is transmitted to the management server 300.

[0137] In step S707, the management server 300 determines a replacement graphic asset according to the received graphic asset preference information and obtains the stored identifier for the replacement graphic asset.

[0138] In step S708, the management server 300 transmits the obtained identifier to the transaction card server 400.

[0139] In step S709, the digitised transaction management server 400 transmits asset information for the replacement graphic asset to the user electronic device 200. Significantly, the digitised transaction management server 400 is transmitting the asset information in the same way as the standard graphic assets are provided to the digital wallet application. In this way, the graphic asset in the digital wallet application is able to replaced without requiring any, or at least minimal, redesign of an existing digital wallet application. The asset information may be transmitted via the tokenization platform 30 and/or the digital wallet application server 40.

[0140] In step S710, the user electronic device 200 replaces the current graphic asset with the replacement graphic asset according to the received asset information.

[0141] Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown another example of a system 100, 100A in accordance with the present invention. The system 100, 100A comprises the user electronic device 200, the management server 300, the transaction card server 400, the tokenization platform 30, and the digital wallet application server 40.

[0142] The management server 300 may provide asset information for a replacement graphic asset directly to the user electronic device (e.g. as per FIG. 6) or may provide the asset information via the transaction card server 400 (e.g. as per FIG. 8).

[0143] A general example operation of the system 100, 100A will now be described.

[0144] The initial process of downloading the application, installation on the user electronic device 200 and registration of a user will be described. Following this, the process relating to the user's image preferences being displayed in the digital wallet application will be described.

[0145] The user initially downloads the consumer application to their user electronic device 200 and installs the consumer application to allow the consumer application to interact with and control the device 200. The consumer application is stored in the device memory/database and may be sourced from an application store and/or content provider. For example, the content provider may comprise the Apple? Appstore? and/or may comprise a cloud computing provider.

[0146] After installation of the application, a user may register personal details using the consumer application interface. These details are used for identification purposes and for subsequent authentication requests. The consumer application encrypts and communicates the user details to the management server 300, which receives the details at communicator 301 (FIG. 5) via an application programming interface (API). The communicator 301 then decrypts the details and passes them to the processor 305 (FIG. 5) to allow a user profile to be created in the user accounts database. Although only a single user electronic device 200 is depicted here, it will be appreciated that more than one user electronic device 200 will be able to communicate with the management server 300 via the communications network at any time.

[0147] As the management server 300 is an on-demand service, the user electronic device 200 requires a connection to the communications network, such as an internet connection, for the user to be able to interact fully with the consumer application. Where a user electronic device 200 cannot connect to the management server 300, then the application is still be able to perform much of its functionality with only locally cached media. It is noted however that changes to preferences are not saved to the relevant database and so these changes do not persist in such a situation.

[0148] When a connection to the communications network and connection to the management server 300 are established, the details are encrypted using an encryption module (not shown) and persisted in the user accounts database.

[0149] The process of enrolment of a user, and the process relating to the user's image preferences will now be described.

[0150] Having registered with the service, the user may enrol at least one transaction card used in their existing digital wallet application via the consumer application or directly from the digital wallet application if the consumer application is integrated with the digital wallet application. The consumer application may have the functionality to enrol the transaction card in the digital wallet application simultaneously and automatically.

[0151] To enrol the at least one transaction card, the user is typically required to input at least a Primary Account Number (PAN) for the card, and optionally may input an expiry date and security code. The encrypted card information is securely transferred from the device 200 to the tokenization platform 30 via the communications network. The transfer of transaction card data to may be via the management server 300, although the management server 300 is typically not able to decrypt the encrypted card information, as this information may only be decrypted by the tokenization platform 30. The transaction card data may be transferred directly from the user electronic device 200 to the tokenization platform 30, or may be transferred via the transaction card server 400. The tokenization platform 30 may be part of or may be associated with the transaction card server 400.

[0152] The tokenization platform 30 decrypts the PAN and any other card information from which it generates a card identifier (CID). The PAN and other card information is then stored in a card data vault associated with the tokenization platform 30. The CID is a non-sensitive data equivalent used to refer to the card so that reference can be made to it without any sensitive information being transferred via non-encrypted communications. The tokenization platform 30/transaction card server 400 encrypts and securely returns the CID to the management server 300 and/or the user electronic device 200.

[0153] The CID, at least, is subsequently transferred from the consumer application operating on the user electronic device 200 to the management server 300. At this point, the consumer application may communicate additional data such as user-specific data or assets, although it will be appreciated that this information may be communicated to the management server by the electronic device at any time.

[0154] The management server 300 confirms to the user electronic device 200 that the data has been received. A confirmation may be communicated to the user.

[0155] Once the management server 300 has received the CID at its communicator 301, the user accounts module of the management server 300 is configured to store the CID in the user accounts database for subsequent use.

[0156] The card enrolment process is then complete, and the user is prompted to either enrol more cards, in which case the process repeats until the user has finished enrolling transaction cards, or to specify graphic asset preference data for their enrolled transaction card or cards. The user may specify graphic asset preference data based upon graphic assets stored in the graphic assets vault of the management server 300, or may specify images stored on the user electronic device 200. Other approaches for specifying image/graphic asset preferences are described above. In some examples, the graphic asset preferences are not determined by the user, but are determined based on factors such as the location of the user electronic device 200, or the current date/time.

[0157] The user electronic device 200 encrypts the preference information before communicating it to the management server 300, where it is passed from the communicator 301 to the processor 305. The processor 305 utilizes the preference information to update the user's profile in the user accounts database and to access the relevant asset information that corresponds to the user's preference in the graphics assets vault. If this is successful, the communicator 301 again issues a confirmatory response to the electronic device.

[0158] The asset information retrieved from the graphics assets vault may be in the form of complete image data, or may comprise an asset id number to allow the device to retrieve the correct asset using the id number when required.

[0159] Having retrieved the asset information from the graphics asset vault, the controller passes the asset information and CID to the communicator 301. The communicator 301 transfers the asset information and CID to the tokenization platform 30 (e.g. via the transaction card server 400). The tokenization platform 30 receives the CID and graphics data, and accesses the PAN to which the CID relates. The tokenization platform 30 returns a success or failure message to the management server 300. In another example, the communicator 301 communicates the asset information directly to the user electronic device 200, thereby bypassing the tokenization platform 30.

[0160] The tokenization platform 30 then passes the PAN and graphics data to a controller of the transaction card server 400, which identifies the transaction card that corresponds to the PAN and the current graphics data in a transaction card server 400 graphic assets vault. The transaction card server 400 graphic assets vault data for that card is then overwritten by the controller using the PAN and new graphics data.

[0161] Then, when the digital wallet next communicates with the transaction card server 400, either when the digital wallet application is opened or at a predetermined point, the transaction card server 400 communicates asset information to the user electronic device 200. The asset information may be image data, a location within the transaction card server 400 graphic assets vault from which the digital wallet application is required to download the information, a location within the graphic assets vault of the management server 300, or may even be or identify an image stored by the consumer application in the device 200 database. The user will see the new digitised transaction card graphic asset when they access the card in the digital wallet application.

[0162] In summary, in this example implementation, the following steps may be considered to be performed;

[0163] 1. Transaction card enrolled via consumer application on electronic device.

[0164] 2. PAN and transaction card data sent to tokenization platform of transaction card server via a secure, restful API.

[0165] 3. Card details stored in Card Data Vault associated with tokenization platform.

[0166] 4. Token (CID) and transaction card data returned to user electronic device 200 in an https response.

[0167] 5. Token and payment card data communicated to management server 300 via communications network.

[0168] 6. Token and transaction card data persisted in database of management server.

[0169] 7. Pre-approved graphics delivered to consumer application by secure restful API from graphics assets vault of the management server.

[0170] 8. User selects one or more graphics and specifies any other preference information for one or more enrolled transaction cards.

[0171] 9. User selection and preference information communicated to management server.

[0172] 10. User selection and preference information persisted in database of management server.

[0173] 11. Management server sends a Card Meta Data Update Notification including token and graphic asset information to the tokenization platform 30 (also referred to as proxy pass-through service) to update the graphics data associated with the transaction card within the transaction card server 400 graphics image vault.

[0174] 12. The token is replaced by the PAN, this together with the graphic asset information updates the graphics associated with that PAN in the transaction card server 400 graphic assets vault.

[0175] 13. When the digital wallet application updates its meta data for enrolled transaction cards, the asset data for the chosen graphics are displayed on the relevant transaction card or cards.

[0176] It will be appreciated that the call to Card Meta Data Update Notification can be made as often as is required to support the user's preferences made in the consumer app, and for this reason, multiple images or graphics may be associated with each payment card in the management server. This allows the management server to identify when a predetermined condition is met and to automatically send an update notification to the transaction card server 400 via the tokenization platform to update the transaction card graphics data. When the digital wallet application next contacts the transaction card server 400, the graphics will be updated according to the predetermined condition.

[0177] In summary, there is provided a system, method, and device for managing a digital wallet application. The system comprises a user electronic device 200 comprising a communicator 201, and a processor 207 communicatively coupled to the communicator 201. The processor 207 executes a digital wallet application which is arranged to display a graphic asset associated with a digitised transaction card. The processor 207 obtains graphic asset preference information in relation to the digitised transaction card. The communicator 201 communicates the graphic asset preference information to a management server 300. The communicator 201 receives, from the management server 300, asset information for a replacement graphic asset determined according to the graphic asset preference information. The processor 207 replaces the graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card with the replacement graphic asset according to the communicated asset information such that the digital wallet application is arranged to display the replacement graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction card.

[0178] Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown a system 800 according to another aspect of the present invention which is configured to provide a platform for trading, sharing, and storing of digital assets such as loyalty schemes. The system comprises user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C which may be the same as the user electronic device 200 described above. The user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C are associated with different users. The system further comprises a transaction database 801. The transaction database may keep a record of the trade of digital assets, and the value of the traded digital assets. The system 800 further comprises merchant entities 803A, 803B that provide digital assets, e.g. as part of a loyalty scheme. The ownership, transfer and assignment of digital assets may be managed and validated by a distributed ledger 805 (e.g. a blockchain), which may be in the form of a permissioned distributed ledger 805. The distributed ledger may create a secure and, optionally, pubic network for digital asset sharing and trading. In other words, the system as shown in FIG. 10 is useable for trading digital assets, while keeping track of the ownership of the digital assets, and enabling redemption of the digital assets.

[0179] The user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C run digital wallet applications and optionally additional consumer applications. The digital wallet applications and consumer applications may be operable in combination to allow personalisation or update of existing graphic assets associated with digitised transaction cards in the digital wallet application.

[0180] A user of user electronic device 200A may comprise a digitised transaction card in the digital wallet application with a particular associated graphic asset. The graphic asset may be linked to a loyalty point scheme such that use of the digitised transaction card when associated with the graphic asset results in the generation of loyalty points.

[0181] The user may wish to transfer, e.g. by buying, selling, or exchanging, digital assets to another user possibly in exchange for another kind of digital asset, e.g. loyalty points for a different loyalty scheme. To this end, the user may advertise their willingness to trade loyalty points to other user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C within the system 800. The user may provide a command to the user electronic device 200A for effecting the transfer via a user interface or via a voice input. The transfer may be performed locally (e.g. to user electronic device 200B), or over a wide area network (e.g. to user electronic device 200C).

[0182] In response to a user of the user electronic device 200B, 200C accepting the offer to trade loyalty points, the system 800 begins a process for transferring the digital asset from the user of user electronic device 200A to the user of the other user electronic device 200B, 200C. In a first stage of the process, the first user is authenticated as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting the transaction database 801. Then the digital asset is transferred from the user of user electronic device 200A to the user of the other user electronic device 200B, 200C by: updating the transaction database 801 so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and by providing a graphic asset associated with the digital asset to a user electronic device of the second user.

[0183] The graphic asset may be provided using the system and techniques disclosed above in relation to FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0184] The user electronic device 200B, 200C may update a digital wallet using the provided graphic asset so that the digital asset is associated with a digitised transaction card of the digital wallet application. This may involve adding a new digitised transaction card to the digital wallet application and associating the new digitised transaction card with the provided graphic asset. This may involve replacing the graphic asset associated with the digitised transaction with the provided graphic asset.

[0185] The provided graphic asset is associated with a digital asset which may be a number of loyalty points belonging to a loyalty point scheme. The providing of the graphic asset from the user electronic device 200A to the user electronic device 200B, 200C effects the transfer of the digital asset (the loyalty points) to the user electronic device 200B, 200C. This may mean that the user of user electronic device 200B, 200C is able to spend or transfer the digital asset using the digitised transaction card associated with the provided graphic asset in their digital wallet application. In addition or separately, subsequent transactions performed using the digitised transaction card when associated with the provided graphic asset may generate further digital assets (e.g. more loyalty points).

[0186] The transfer of digital assets may be performed separately or in addition to the replacement of graphic assets according to preference information as described above in relation to FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0187] In summary, there is provided a method and system for transferring a digital asset. The method comprises transferring a digital asset from a first user to a second user. The method comprises authenticating the first user as the owner of the digital asset by inspecting a transaction database. The method comprises transferring the digital asset from the first user to the second user by updating the transaction database so as to identify the second user as the owner of the digital asset; and by providing a graphic asset associated with the digital asset to a user electronic device of the second user. The transfer of the digital asset may be validated using a distributed ledger such as a blockchain. The method may be performed by a system 800 comprising user electronic devices 200A, 200B, 200C, and a transaction database 801.

[0188] At least some of the example embodiments described herein may be constructed, partially or wholly, using dedicated special-purpose hardware. Terms such as component, module or unit used herein may include, but are not limited to, a hardware device, such as circuitry in the form of discrete or integrated components, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks or provides the associated functionality. In some embodiments, the described elements may be configured to reside on a tangible, persistent, addressable storage medium and may be configured to execute on one or more processors. These functional elements may in some embodiments include, by way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Although the example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules and units discussed herein, such functional elements may be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements. Various combinations of optional features have been described herein, and it will be appreciated that described features may be combined in any suitable combination. In particular, the features of any one example embodiment may be combined with features of any other embodiment, as appropriate, except where such combinations are mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the term comprising or comprises means including the component(s) specified but not to the exclusion of the presence of others.

[0189] Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

[0190] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0191] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0192] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0193] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.