SYSTEM FOR MAKING FINANCIAL GIFTS

• US 20140074654A1
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morris Friedman
• Original Assignee: Morris Friedman
• Inventors: Friedman, Morris
• Granted Patent: US 9,659,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for electronic gift giving. An exemplary embodiment includes providing an internet site for access by a giver, prompting the giver to enter giver identification information, prompting the giver to enter recipient information, prompting the giver to enter a value of a monetary gift, providing a plurality of possible recommended gifts or transfers of funds, prompting the giver to recommend at least one gift or transfer of funds to be effectuated using the monetary gift, prompting the giver to select a presentation template from a plurality of recommended presentation templates, prompting the giver to transfer the value of the monetary gift to a gift account, and storing the value of the monetary gift and the at least one recommended gift or transfer in association with the presentation template for delivery to a recipient.

Claims

1. A gift giving system configured to electronically send a monetary gift to a recipient with at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that the recipient may buy or make, the system comprising:

an Internet interface;

a giver account database accessed through the Internet interface by a giver and storing giver information;

a recipient account database accessed through the Internet interface by the giver and storing recipient information and a monetary gift selected by the giver;

a recommendation engine configured to create a selection of possible recommended gift, purchase or donation recommendations for the recipient, and for the giver to choose from; and

a server coupled to the giver account database, the recipient account database and the recommendation engine, wherein the server is configured to present the selection of possible recommended gift, purchase or donation recommendations to the giver, to prompt the giver to select at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that may be obtained or made by the recipient, to create an electronic gift comprising the monetary gift and the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation selected by the giver, and to deliver the electronic gift to the recipient over the Internet interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

send a notification to the recipient; and

display the monetary gift, and the at least one recommendation on a recipient device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server is further configured to:

prompt the recipient to accept the value of the monetary gift and transfer the value of the monetary gift to a recipient account.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the server is further configured to prompt the recipient to select the at least one recommended gift, purchase or donation from at least one online affiliate.

5. A server for a gift giving system, the server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory operably coupled to the processor storing program instructions therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions comprising;

providing an internet site for access by a giver via a giver device;

prompting the giver to enter giver identification information;

storing the giver identification information in a data store;

prompting the giver to enter recipient information;

storing the recipient information in the data store;

prompting the giver to enter a value of a monetary gift to be transferred from the giver to the recipient that may be used in any way the recipient chooses;

storing the value of the monetary gift in a data store;

prompting the giver to select at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that may be obtained or made by the recipient;

prompting the giver to select a presentation template from a plurality of recommended presentation templates;

prompting the giver to transfer the value of the monetary gift to a gift account; and

storing the value of the monetary gift and the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation in association with the presentation template for delivery to a recipient.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the program instructions further comprise providing a plurality of possible recommended gifts or transfers of funds based on the recipient information.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein the providing a plurality of possible recommended gifts or transfer of funds is further based on the value of the monetary gift.

8. The server of claim 5, wherein the program instructions further comprise:

sending a notification to a recipient; and

displaying the presentation template, the at least one recommended gift or transfer of funds, and a notification of the value of the monetary gift on a recipient device.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the notification comprises an Internet link for accessing the presentation template.

10. The server of claim 5, wherein the program instructions further comprise:

providing Internet links to at least one online affiliate offering the at least one recommended gift or transfer of funds.

11. The server of claim 5, wherein the program instructions further comprise:

prompting the giver to personalize the presentation template.

12. The server of claim 5, wherein the presentation template comprises one or more text components, visual images and/or audio elements.

13. A gift giving system configured to electronically send a monetary gift to a recipient with at least one suggestion of a gift item or donation to be purchased or made by the recipient, the system comprising:

an Internet interface;

a giver account database accessed through the Internet interface by a giver and storing giver information;

a recipient account database accessed through the Internet interface by the giver and storing recipient information and a monetary gift selected by the giver that may be used in any way the recipient chooses; and

a server coupled to the giver account database and recipient account database, wherein the server is configured to prompt the giver to select at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that may be obtained or made by the recipient, create an electronic gift comprising the monetary gift and data representative of the at least one gift or donation suggestion for the recipient selected by the giver, and to deliver the electronic gift to the recipient over the Internet interface, and to transfer the value of the monetary gift to a recipient account, thereby reducing or eliminating stress and waste associated with purchasing, delivery and possible return of unwanted gift items.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a recommendation database storing a plurality of possible recommended gift items, including gifts, purchases or donations, wherein the server is further coupled to the recommendation database and the at least one gift suggestion is selected by the giver from the plurality of possible gift item recommendations.

15. A computer-implemented method for electronic gift giving, in which a giver sends a monetary gift to a recipient that may be used in any way the recipient chooses, with at least one recommendation of a gift, purchase or donation that the recipient may buy or make, the method comprising:

prompting a giver to enter giver identification information on an Internet site;

prompting the giver to enter recipient information;

prompting the giver to enter a value of a monetary gift to be transferred from the giver to the recipient;

prompting the giver to select at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that may be obtained or made by the recipient;

transferring the value of the monetary gift to a gift account; and

sending an electronic gift notification to the recipient indicating the monetary gift and data indicative of the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation, thereby reducing or eliminating stress and waste associated with purchasing, delivery and possible return of possibly unwanted gift items.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a plurality of possible gift, purchase or donation recommendations based on the recipient information, wherein the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation is selected from the plurality of possible recommended gift, purchase or donation recommendations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing a plurality of possible recommended gift, purchase or donation recommendations is further based on the value of the monetary gift.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing Internet links to online affiliates offering the at least one recommended gift, purchase or donation.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation on a recipient device; and

providing the recipient access to the value of the monetary gift.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising displaying the value of the monetary gift on the recipient device.

21. A computer-implemented method for electronic gift giving, in which a giver sends a monetary gift to a recipient that may be used in any way the recipient chooses, with at least one recommendation of a gift, purchase or donation that the recipient may buy or make, the method comprising:

prompting the giver to enter giver identification information after accessing an Internet site using a giver device;

prompting the giver to enter recipient information;

prompting the giver to enter a value of a monetary gift to be transferred from the giver to the recipient;

storing the value of the monetary gift in a data store;

prompting the giver to select at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation that may be obtained or made by the recipient;

prompting the giver to prepare or select a composition including a visual image comprising a still image or a video;

prompting the giver to transfer the value of the monetary gift to a gift account; and

storing the value of the monetary gift and the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation in association with the composition for delivery to a recipient.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a notification to a recipient; and

displaying the composition, the at least one recommended gift or transfer of funds, and a notification of the value of the monetary gift on a recipient device.

23. The method of claim 21,

providing a plurality of possible gift, purchase or donation recommendations based on the recipient information, wherein the at least one gift, purchase or donation recommendation is selected from the plurality of possible recommended gift, purchase or donation recommendations.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of possible gift, purchase or donation recommendations is generated by a recommendation engine.