SYSTEM FOR BRAND NAME GIFT CARD EXCHANGE

• US 20080162299A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carl Phillip Gusler, Rick A. Hamilton II, Steven Jay Lipton, Timothy Moffett Waters
• Original Assignee: Carl Phillip Gusler, Rick A. Hamilton II, Steven Jay Lipton, Timothy Moffett Waters
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick Allen, Waters, Timothy Moffett, Gusler, Carl Phillip, Lipton, Steven Jay
• Application Number:
  US12/037,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162299A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention provides for exchanging a gift card. Data associated with a first gift card is provided. The data associated with the first gift card is validated. With a money rebate associated with the first gift card, or a second gift card is selected. The first gift card is exchanged for either a money or the second gift card. An exchange fee is generated by both the vendor associated with the gift card and the company performing the exchange.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging a gift card, comprising:

at least one consumer input device;

a consumer transaction server coupled to the at least one consumer input device;

a transaction exchange server coupled to the consumer transaction server and configured to exchange the gift card for either;

(i) a monetary amount dependent upon a total value of the gift card, or (ii) another gift card;

a vendor transaction server configured to release funds as a function of the exchanged gift card; and

wherein the transaction exchange server is configured to purchase the another gift card with the released funds.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an exchange database coupled to the transaction exchange server.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a data mining and query system coupled to the exchange database.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer coupled to the consumer transaction server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer input device comprises a telephone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer input device comprises a personal computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer input devices comprises a kiosk.

8. A computer program product for exchanging a gift card, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer code for providing data associated with a first gift card;

computer code for validating the data associated with the first gift card;

computer code for selecting either a money rebate associated with the first gift card, or a second gift card;

computer code for exchanging the first gift card for either a money rebate or the second gift card; and

charging a first service fee for issuing the second gift card.

9. A processor for exchanging a gift card, the processor including a computer program comprising:

computer code for providing data associated with a first gift card;

computer code for validating the data associated with the first gift card;

computer code for selecting either a money rebate associated with the first gift card, or a second gift card;

computer code for exchanging the first gift card for either a money rebate or the second gift card; and

charging a first service fee for issuing the second gift card.