METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR BULK ACTIVATION OF MULTIPLE, DISPARATE STORED VALUE ACCOUNTS

• US 20070278296A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Resources LLC (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Algiene, Kenneth, Toomer, Christopher, Arthur, Steven, Dwyre, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/00 Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of activating a plurality of disparate stored value accounts utilizes a set of multiple presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants. Each presentation instrument includes a unique presentation instrument identifier used to associate value with the presentation instrument. Also, the set includes a set identifier, which may be included on a package that secures the presentation instruments together. In one embodiment, the set identifier is received over an electronic network, a list of the presentation instruments in the set is accessed from a computer database, and each of the presentation instruments is activated.

Claims

1. A method of activating a plurality of disparate stored value presentation instruments, the method comprising:

providing a set of multiple presentation instruments, wherein each presentation instrument includes a unique presentation instrument identifier used to associate value with the presentation instrument, and wherein the set includes at least first and second presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants;

receiving a set identifier that identifies the set of presentation instruments;

accessing from a computer database, based on the set identifier, a list of the presentation instruments in the set; and

activating each presentation instrument in the set for a certain activation amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the set identifier further comprises receiving the set identifier by a host computer system over an electronic network, the method further comprising activating at the host computer system all of the presentation instruments in the set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the set identifier further comprises receiving the set identifier by a host computer system over an electronic network, the method further comprising:

activating at the host computer system fewer than all of the presentation instruments in the set;

sending by the host computer system a message to another computer system, the message identifying a presentation instrument not activated at the host computer system; and

activating at the other computer system the presentation instrument not activated at the host computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the set identifier further comprises receiving the set identifier by an aggregating computer system over an electronic network, and further comprising:

sending a message from the aggregating computer system to a first host computer system, the message identifying a first presentation instrument in the set;

activating the first presentation instrument at the first host computer system;

sending a message from the aggregating computer system to a second host computer system, the message identifying a second presentation instrument in the set; and

activating the second presentation instrument at the second host computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is a gift card.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is a ticket.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ticket is an admission ticket to a concert, sporting event, theater, amusement park, or ski lift.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of presentation instruments is secured together by a package, and further comprising electronically reading the set identifier from the package at a point of sale using a reader selected from the set consisting of a bar code reader, a magnetic stripe reader, and an RF reader.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the presentation instruments is represented electronically.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is activated for an amount different than an amount for which another of the presentation instruments is activated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the set of multiple presentation instruments further comprises selling the set to a consumer at a point of sale.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the set of multiple presentation instruments further comprises selling the set to a consumer over a computer network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored value associated with at least one of the presentation instruments is a service.

14. A presentation instrument package arrangement, comprising:

a set of multiple presentation instruments, each presentation instrument having a unique account identifier stored thereon, each account identifier associated with a stored value account maintained on a host computer system, the set comprising first and second presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants;

a package securing the presentation instruments together; and

a set identifier uniquely identifying the set of presentation instruments, the set identifier readable from the package by a point of sale device to activate each of the presentation instruments.

15. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 14, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is a gift card.

16. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 14, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is a ticket.

17. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 16, wherein the ticket is an admission ticket to concert, sporting event, theater, amusement park, or ski lift.

18. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 14, wherein the presentation instruments in the set are selected to conform with a theme.

19. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 14, wherein the set identifier is readable from the package by one of a bar code reader, a magnetic stripe reader, and an RF reader.

20. The presentation instrument package arrangement of claim 14, wherein the stored value associated with at least one of the presentation instruments is a service.

21. A method of producing a presentation instrument package, the method comprising:

selecting a set of presentation instruments;

storing a unique account identifier on each presentation instrument, the set comprising at least first and second presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants;

securing the presentation instruments together with a package, the package comprising a set identifier uniquely identifying the set of presentation instruments; and

associating the unique account identifiers with the set identifier in a computer database.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the database on a host computer.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the database on an aggregating computer.

24. A system for activating a set of disparate stored value presentation instruments, the system comprising:

a host computer system comprising storage holding a database, the database associating a set identifier with a plurality of unique account identifiers, the set identifier identifying a set of at least two presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants, each unique identifier used to associate value with one of the presentation instruments in the set; and

an electronic network over which the host computer system receives the set identifier and a request to activate the presentation instruments in the set;

wherein the host computer system activates at least one of the presentation instruments in response to the request.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the host computer system activates all of the presentation instruments in the set in response to the request.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a second computer system, and wherein, in response to the request to activate the presentation instruments:

the host computer system activates fewer than all of the presentation instruments in the set;

the host computer sends to a second computer system a message identifying a presentation instrument not activated by the host computer system; and

the second computer system activates the presentation instrument not activated by the host computer system.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising a package that secures the set of presentation instruments together, the package comprising the set identifier in a form readable by a point of sale device.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is a stored value card.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein each of the presentation instruments is represented electronically.

30. A system for activating a set of disparate stored value presentation instruments, the system comprising:

an aggregating computer system comprising storage holding a database, the database associating a set identifier with a plurality of unique account identifiers, the set identifier identifying a set of at least two presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants, each unique identifier used to associate value with one of the presentation instruments in the set; and

an electronic network over which the aggregating computer receives the set identifier and a request to activate the presentation instruments in the set;

a first host computer that activates a first presentation instrument in the set;

a second host computer that activates a second presentation instrument in the set;

wherein the aggregating computer sends messages to each of the host computers requesting activation of the respective presentation instruments.

31. A method, comprising:

offering to a consumer, in return for the purchase of a particular product, a set of stored value presentation instruments, the set comprising at least first and second presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants;

completing a sale of the particular product to the consumer;

providing the set of presentation instruments to the consumer; and

activating each of the presentation instruments in the set.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the set of presentation instruments is offered to the consumer by the manufacturer of the product, and the set of presentation instruments is provided to the consumer at the time of the sale by a merchant at which the sale takes place.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the set of presentation instruments is offered to the consumer by a merchant at which the sale takes place, and the set of presentation instruments is provided to the consumer by the merchant at the time of the sale.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein at least one of the stored value presentation instruments is a gift card.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the stored value presentation instruments are represented electronically.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising storing the electronic representations of the presentation instruments on a handheld electronic device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the handheld electronic device is a cellular telephone.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein at least one of the presentation instruments is redeemable only for a limited time.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein activating each of the presentation instruments in the set further comprises:

activating one of the presentation instruments for a certain amount; and

activating another of the presentation instruments for a different amount.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein activating each of the presentation instruments in the set further comprises:

in association with the sale transaction, transmitting to a computer over an electronic network a set identifier that identifies the set of presentation instruments; and

accessing from a database stored on the computer a list of unique account identifiers associated with the presentation instruments in the set.