SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING GROUP GIFT CARDS USING A TEMPORARY, LIMITED SCOPE SOCIAL NETWORKING ENTITY

• US 20120150729A1
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Moneyhoney LLC
• Original Assignee: Moneyhoney LLC
• Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M., Durham, Ryan Connell
• Application Number:
  US13/235,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4015 using location information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling gift card recipients to redeem gift card amounts using existing accounts such as a credit/debit card. A system practicing the method sends to a set of givers a set of respective invitations to contribute to a group gift, wherein the group gift is associated with a policy, a person, and a payment account associated with the person that existed prior to sending the set of respective invitations. The system identifies a contribution to the group gift from one of the set of givers, wherein when the person makes a qualifying transaction using the payment account according to the policy, a gift amount associated with the group gift is applied from various giver accounts. Then the system updates at least one of the set of respective invitations sent to the set of givers based on the contribution.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, at a first time, a plurality of respective invitations to a plurality of givers to contribute to a group gift, wherein;

the group gift is associated with a policy, a person, and a payment account associated with the person, the payment account existing prior to the first time;

each giver of the plurality of givers has an associated giver payment account that is independent of other giver payment accounts and the payment account;

each associated giver payment account existed prior to the first time; and

when the person makes a qualifying transaction using the payment account according to the policy and at a second time, which is later than the first time, a gift amount associated with the group gift is applied in which at least a portion of the gift amount is drawn from each associated giver payment account according to the policy;

identifying a contribution to the group gift from one of the plurality of givers; and

updating at least one of the plurality of respective invitations sent to the plurality of givers based on the contribution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective invitations are at least one of an email, an SMS message, a tweet, and a text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective invitations are emails, and wherein each of the respective invitations includes dynamic content that is updated based on the contribution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated to show how much others have contributed to the group gift.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated to show progress towards a group gift goal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contribution comprises at least one of a transfer of funds, approval to transfer funds at a later time, and linking a contributor account to the group gift.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a temporary, limited-scope, one-click accessible social network associated with the group gift.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second contribution to the group gift from another one of the plurality of givers; and

updating at least one of the plurality of respective invitations sent to the plurality of givers based on the second contribution.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations comprises at least one of resending invitations, moving positions of invitations in an inbox, changing invitation status from read to unread, adding an invitation flag, and changing an invitation priority level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a notification, via a separate communication channel, that the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated.

11. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

sending, at a first time, a plurality of respective invitations to a plurality of givers to contribute to a group gift, wherein;

the group gift is associated with a policy, a person, and a payment account associated with the person, the payment account existing prior to the first time;

each giver of the plurality of givers has an associated giver payment account that is independent of other giver payment accounts and the payment account;

each associated giver payment account existed prior to the first time; and

when the person makes a qualifying transaction using the payment account according to the policy and at a second time, which is later than the first time, a gift amount associated with the group gift is applied in which at least a portion of the gift amount is drawn from each associated giver payment account according to the policy;

identifying a contribution to the group gift from one of the plurality of givers; and

updating at least one of the plurality of respective invitations sent to the plurality of givers based on the contribution.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the respective invitations are at least one of an email, an SMS message, a tweet, and a text message.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the respective invitations are emails, and wherein each of the respective invitations includes dynamic content that is updated based on the contribution.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated to show how much others have contributed to the group gift.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated to show progress towards a group gift goal.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps comprising:

sending, at a first time, a plurality of respective invitations to a plurality of givers to contribute to a group gift, wherein;

the group gift is associated with a policy, a person, and a payment account associated with the person, the payment account existing prior to the first time;

each giver of the plurality of givers has an associated giver payment account that is independent of other giver payment accounts and the payment account;

each associated giver payment account existed prior to the first time; and

when the person makes a qualifying transaction using the payment account according to the policy and at a second time, which is later than the first time, a gift amount associated with the group gift is applied in which at least a portion of the gift amount is drawn from each associated giver payment account according to the policy;

identifying a contribution to the group gift from one of the plurality of givers; and

updating at least one of the plurality of respective invitations sent to the plurality of givers based on the contribution.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the contribution comprises at least one of a transfer of funds, approval to transfer funds at a later time, and linking a contributor account to the group gift.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further causing the computing device to perform steps comprising:

creating a temporary, limited-scope, one-click accessible social network associated with the group gift.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further causing the computing device to perform steps comprising:

identifying a second contribution to the group gift from another one of the plurality of givers; and

updating at least one of the plurality of respective invitations sent to the plurality of givers based on the second contribution.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further causing the computing device to perform steps comprising:

sending a notification, via a separate communication channel, that the at least one of the plurality of respective invitations is updated.