Method and apparatus for creation, personalizatioin, and fulfillment of greeting cards with gift cards
First Claim
1. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
- (a) maintaining in memory a compilation of greeting card templates;
(b) maintaining in memory data identifying one of the greeting card templates and any user defined modifications thereto;
(c) maintaining in memory data associating said one greeting card template and any user defined modifications thereto with a gift card;
(d) printing on demand a personalized greeting card comprising the identified greeting card template in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and greeting card data reference thereon; and
(e) generating a gift card having a gift card data reference thereon;
(f) comparing the greeting card data reference and the gift card data reference to determine a relationship therebetween.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated fulfillment system enables gift cards to be embedded or sent along with personalized greeting cards. The present invention, a method, system and apparatus enables a person to 1) purchase a gift card from either a Internet Website, Catalog, and/or retail kiosk, 2) choose a retail quality greeting card, 3) personalize the greeting card, and 4) send the personalized greeting cards as a gift with a gift card embedded inside the greeting card. The reverse is also possible, i.e. a user can purchase a greeting card, personalize the greeting card, and then assign that greeting card to have a gift card inserted inside therein.
135 Citations
35 Claims
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1. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
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(a) maintaining in memory a compilation of greeting card templates;
(b) maintaining in memory data identifying one of the greeting card templates and any user defined modifications thereto;
(c) maintaining in memory data associating said one greeting card template and any user defined modifications thereto with a gift card;
(d) printing on demand a personalized greeting card comprising the identified greeting card template in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and greeting card data reference thereon; and
(e) generating a gift card having a gift card data reference thereon;
(f) comparing the greeting card data reference and the gift card data reference to determine a relationship therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 23)
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12. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
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(a) maintaining data associating a greeting card with the gift card;
(b) generating on demand a personalized greeting card with a greeting card data reference thereon;
(c) using the greeting card data reference to initiate generation of a gift card having a gift card data reference thereon;
(d) reading the greeting card reference data;
(e) reading the gift card reference data; and
(f) determining if the personalized greeting card represented by the read greeting card reference data and gift card represented by the gift card reference are associated. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
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(a) maintaining data associating a personalized gift card with a personalized greeting card;
(b) generating a gift card with a gift card data reference thereon;
(c) using the gift card data reference to initiate generation of a personalized greeting card having a greeting card data reference thereon; and
(d) comparing the gift card data reference and the greeting card data reference to determine if a relationship exists therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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24. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
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(a) maintaining in memory data identifying a greeting card template and any user defined modifications thereto and data associating the gift card template with a gift card;
(c) upon the occurrence of a first predetermined event, printing a personalized greeting card comprising the identified greeting card template in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and greeting card data reference thereon;
(d) upon the occurrence of a second predetermined event, generating a gift card with a gift card data reference thereon; and
(e) comparing the gift card data reference and the greeting card data reference to determine a relationship therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
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(a) maintaining in memory a compilation of greeting card templates;
(b) maintaining in memory data identifying a plurality of the greeting card templates, any user defined modifications thereto, and data associating each of the plurality of greeting card templates with one of a plurality of the gift cards;
(c) printing, in a sequence, a plurality personalized greeting cards, each of the personalized greeting cards comprising one of the identified greeting card templates in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and a greeting card data reference thereon; and
(d) generating, on demand and in a sequence, a plurality of a gift card, each gift card having a gift card data reference thereon;
(e) comparing the greeting card data reference of a greeting card having a position in the sequence of personalized greeting cards with the gift card data reference of a gift card having a similar position in sequence of gift cards to determine a relationship therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer program product for use with a computer system operatively coupled to a computer network comprises a computer usable medium having program code embodied thereon, the program code comprising:
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(a) program code for maintaining in memory a compilation of greeting card templates;
(b) program code for maintaining in memory data identifying one of the greeting card templates and any user defined modifications thereto;
(c) program code for maintaining in memory data associating said one greeting card template and any user defined modifications thereto with a gift card;
(d) program code for printing on demand a personalized greeting card comprising the identified greeting card template in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and greeting card data reference thereon; and
(e) program code for generating a gift card having a gift card data reference thereon; and
(f) program code for comparing the greeting card data reference and the gift card data reference to determine a relationship therebetween.
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35. A computer system connectable to a computer network comprising:
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(a) a processor;
(b) a memory coupled to the processor for storing;
(i) data identifying one of the greeting card templates and any user defined modifications thereto; and
(ii) data associating said one greeting card template with a gift card;
(c) a printer coupled to the processor;
(d) program logic for printing on demand a personalized greeting card comprising the identified greeting card template in conjunction with any user defined modifications thereto and greeting card data reference thereon;
e) program logic generating a personalized gift card having a gift card data reference thereon; and
(f) program logic for comparing the greeting card data reference and the gift card data reference to determine a relationship therebetween.
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Specification