GIFT CARD CONVERSION AND DIGITAL WALLET

• US 20120234911A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Yankovich, Steve, Melcher, Ryan, Veres, Robert Dean
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and a system convert the value of a gift card for use with a mobile device. A gift card converter module associates a value of the gift card with a digital wallet of the mobile device. A digital wallet module enables a financial transaction with the digital wallet of the mobile device. A storage device stores the value of the gift card associated with the digital wallet and the corresponding financial transaction.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor-implemented gift card converter module configured to associate a value of a gift card with a digital wallet of a mobile device;

a processor-implemented digital wallet module configured to enable a financial transaction with the digital wallet of the mobile device; and

a storage device configured to store the value of the gift card associated with the digital wallet and the corresponding financial transaction,

the processor-implemented gift card converter module comprising;

a processor-implemented gift card scanner module configured to capture a digital image of the gift card, the digital image of the gift card comprising a machine-readable symbol; and

a processor-implemented balance retriever module configured to retrieve the value of the gift card from an issuer of the gift card and to associate the retrieved value of the gift card with a gift card balance in the digital wallet, and

the processor-implemented digital wallet module comprising;

a processor-implemented balance query module configured to retrieve an updated value of the gift card from the issuer of the gift card;

a processor-implemented financial account module configured to link the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a financial account of a user of the mobile device; and

a processor-implemented redemption module configured to display the captured digital image of the gift card for the financial transaction, to retrieve an updated value of the gift card after the financial transaction, and to update the gift card balance in the digital wallet and the linked financial account of the user of the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor-implemented digital wallet module comprises:

a processor-implemented exchange module configured to exchange the value of a first gift card from a first issuer with the value of a second gift card from a second issuer.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor-implemented exchange module comprises:

a processor-implemented listing module configured to generate gift card listing for a gift card exchange market; and

a processor-implemented transaction module configured to transfer a captured digital image of the first gift card from the first issuer from a first user to the digital wallet of a second user, and to transfer a captured digital image of the second gift card from the second issuer from a second user to the digital wallet of the first user.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processor-implemented transaction module is configured to update a financial account of the first user with the value of the second gift card, and to update a financial account of the second user with the value of the first gift card.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the gift card listing comprises a name of an issuer of a gift card, a value of the gift card, and terms of the gift card.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor-implemented financial account module is configured to link the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a disposable gift card financial account of the user of the mobile device, the disposable gift card financial account being deleted when the gift card balance is zero.

2. (canceled)

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

associating a value of a gift card with a digital wallet of a mobile device;

enabling a financial transaction with the digital wallet of the mobile device;

storing the value of the gift card associated with the digital wallet and the corresponding financial transaction;

capturing a digital image of the gift card, digital image of the gift card comprising a machine-readable symbol;

retrieving the value of the gift card from an issuer of the gift card;

associating the retrieved value of the gift card with a gift card balance in the digital wallet;

retrieving an updated value of the gift card from the issuer of the gift card;

linking the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a financial account of a user of the mobile device;

displaying the captured digital image of the gift card for the financial transaction;

retrieving an updated value of the gift card after the financial transaction; and

updating the card balance in the digital wallet and the linked financial account of the user of the mobile device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising:

transferring the value of a first gift card from a first issuer with the value of a second gift card from a second issuer.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating gift card listing for a gift card exchange market; and

transferring a captured digital image of the first gift card from the first issuer from a first user to the digital wallet of a second user, and transferring a captured digital image of the second gift card from the second issuer from a second user to the digital wallet of the first user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

updating a financial account of the first user with the value of the second gift card, and updating a financial account of the second user with the value of the first gift card.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the gift card listing comprises a name of an issuer of a gift card, a value of the gift card, and terms of the gift card.

9. (canceled)

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

linking the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a disposable gift card financial account of the user of the mobile device; and

deleting the disposable gift card financial account when the gift card balance is zero.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:

associating a value of a gift card with a digital wallet of a mobile device;

enabling a financial transaction with the digital wallet of the mobile device;

storing the value of the gift card associated with the digital wallet and the corresponding financial transaction;

capturing a digital image of the gift card, digital image of the gift card comprising a machine-readable symbol;

retrieving the value of the gift card from an issuer of the gift card;

associating the retrieved value of the gift card with a gift card balance in the digital wallet;

retrieving an updated value of the gift card from the issuer of the gift card;

linking the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a financial account of a user of the mobile device;

displaying the captured digital image of the gift card for the financial transaction;

retrieving an updated value of the gift card after the financial transaction; and

updating the card balance in the digital wallet and the linked financial account of the user of the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising:

transferring the value of a first gift card from a first issuer with the value of a second gift card from a second issuer.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

generating gift card listing for a gift card exchange market; and

transferring a captured digital image of the first gift card from the first issuer from a first user to the digital wallet of a second user, and transferring a captured digital image of the second gift card from the second issuer from a second user to the digital wallet of the first user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

updating a financial account of the first user with the value of the second gift card, and updating a financial account of the second user with the value of the first gift card.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the gift card listing comprises a name of an issuer of a gift card, a value of the gift card, and terms of the gift card.

16. (canceled)

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 further comprising:

linking the gift card balance in the digital wallet with a disposable gift card financial account of the user of the mobile device; and

deleting the disposable gift card financial account when the gift card balance is zero.