SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING AND MANAGING VIRTUAL GIFT CARDS

• US 20130254063A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cashstar Incorporated (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cashstar Incorporated (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Stone, David D., Snyder, Glenn, Peeler, Phelps
• Granted Patent: US 9,754,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a method for administering a virtual gift card, the method comprising acts of receiving a request from a server of a retailer, providing, in response to the request, an interface to a terminal operated by a purchaser, the interface comprising fields for receiving a value and a recipient for the virtual gift card, receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the purchaser, the value and the recipient for the virtual gift card, generating a code for the virtual gift card, and sending a message to the recipient of the virtual gift card, the message including the code for the virtual gift card.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for providing a virtual gift card template, the method comprising:

providing an interface to a terminal operated by a user, the interface comprising a plurality of fields, each of the fields corresponding to a design element of the virtual gift card template;

receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the user, a respective value for each field of the plurality of fields, the respective value specifying the design element corresponding to the field; and

providing, in response to receiving a request for a virtual gift card, the virtual gift card having the specified design elements.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the user, information specifying at least one customizable design element, and wherein the virtual gift card includes the at least one customizable design element.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the interface includes a preview portion displaying the at least one customizable design element according to the information specifying the at least one customizable design element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one customizable design element includes text.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one customizable design element includes an image.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the interface provided to the terminal operated by the user further comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the virtual gift card template comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

24-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A non-transient computer readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for administering a virtual gift card, the method comprising the acts of:

providing an interface to a terminal operated by a user, the interface comprising a plurality of fields, each of the fields corresponding to a design element of the virtual gift card template;

receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the user, a respective value for each field of the plurality of fields, the respective value specifying the design element corresponding to the field; and

providing, in response to receiving a request for a virtual gift card, the virtual gift card having the specified design elements.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 56, the method further comprising receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the user, information specifying at least one customizable design element, and wherein the virtual gift card includes the at least one customizable design element.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 57, wherein the interface includes a preview portion displaying the at least one customizable design element according to the information specifying the at least one customizable design element.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 58, wherein the at least one customizable design element includes text.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 58, wherein the at least one customizable design element includes an image.

61. The computer readable medium of claim 56, wherein the interface provided to the terminal operated by the user further comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

62. The computer readable medium of claim 56, wherein the virtual gift card template comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

63-94. -94. (canceled)

95. A system for providing a virtual gift card template, the system comprising:

a component configured to provide an interface to a terminal operated by a user, the interface comprising a plurality of fields, each of the fields corresponding to a design element of the virtual gift card template;

a component configured to receive from the terminal, in response to input from the user, a respective value for each field of the plurality of fields, the respective value specifying the design element corresponding to the field; and

a component configured to provide, in response to receiving a request for a virtual gift card, the virtual gift card having the specified design elements.

96. The system of claim 95, further comprising a component configured to receive from the terminal, in response to input from the user, information specifying at least one customizable design element, and wherein the virtual gift card includes the at least one customizable design element.

97. The system of claim 96, wherein the interface includes a preview portion displaying the at least one customizable design element according to the information specifying the at least one customizable design element.

98. The system of claim 97, wherein the at least one customizable design element includes text or an image, or both.

100. The system of claim 95, wherein the interface provided to the terminal operated by the user further comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

101. The system of claim 95, wherein the virtual gift card template comprises a design element specific to a retailer associated with the virtual gift card.

99. (canceled)

102-117. -117. (canceled)