Stored-value card assembly with a plurality of stored-value cards

• US 7,614,548 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Dennis R., Schultz, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/062,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 235/379, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 235/486, 235/493, 705/16
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/18 Ticket-holders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A stored-value card assembly includes a plurality of stored-value cards and a package. The plurality of stored-value cards each include an account identifier linking the respective stored-value card to a different financial account or record. The package is configured to maintain the plurality of stored-value cards such that the account identifier of each of two of the plurality of stored-value cards is visible for scanning. Other stored-value card assemblies and associated methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of activating a plurality of stored-value cards, the method comprising:

providing a stored-value card assembly including a plurality of stored-value cards including a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card, each of the plurality of stored-value cards including an account identifier linking the respective stored-value card to a financial account or record, and wherein the account identifiers are a sequential range of account identifiers, and the plurality of stored-value cards are maintained in a housing;

entering the account identifier of the first stored-value card including scanning the account identifier of the first stored-value card through the housing;

entering the account identifier of the last stored-value card including scanning the account identifier of the last stored-value card through an aperture in the housing; and

activating the plurality of stored-value cards based on the account identifier of the first stored-value card and the account identifier of the last stored-value card.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering an expected number of stored-value cards in the stored-value card assembly;

wherein activating the plurality of stored-value cards includes;

comparing the account identifier of the first stored-value card to the account identifier of the second stored-value card to determine a calculated number of stored-value cards in the stored-value card assembly;

comparing the expected number to the calculated number; and

activating the plurality of stored-value cards if the expected number is equal to the calculated number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a monetary value to be added to each financial account or record linked to the plurality of stored-value cards upon activation of the plurality of stored-value cards.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the account identifier of the first stored-value card includes reading the account identifier directly from the first stored-value card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing a package substantially enclosing all of the plurality of stored-value cards and the housing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and entering the account identifier of the first stored-value card includes reading the account identifier directly from the first card through a second aperture in the package.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing a wrapper coupling each of the plurality of stored-value cards to one another, the wrapper being at least partially enclosed within the package.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing the stored-value card assembly such that the housing substantially encloses the wrapper, and the package substantially encloses the housing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of stored-value cards is associated with a predetermined monetary value prior to activating the plurality of stored-value cards.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the plurality of stored-value cards includes specifying a monetary value to be placed in each financial account or record associated with the plurality of stored-value cards.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and scanning the account identifier of the first stored-value card through the housing includes scanning the account identifier of the first stored-value card through a second aperture in the housing, the first aperture being formed separately and spaced from the second aperture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of stored-value cards includes at least three stored-value cards, and the method is characterized by reading only the account identifier of the first stored-value card and the account identifier of the second stored-value card of the sequential range of account identifiers prior to activating the plurality of stored-value cards.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stored-value cards includes at least three stored-value cards, and the method is characterized by reading only the account identifier of the first stored-value card and the account identifier of the second stored-value card of the sequential range of account identifiers prior to activating the plurality of stored-value cards.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes enclosing each of the plurality of stored-value cards in a corresponding separate pouch defined by a wrapper, the wrapper being substantially enclosed by the housing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wrapper maintains the plurality of stored-value cards in a linear array, and providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing the wrapper folded in alternating directions such that the plurality of stored-value cards are provided in at least two stacks within the housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing the wrapper to include a first tear line extending along each corresponding separate pouch to facilitate opening the wrapper to access the plurality of stored-value cards;

and the wrapper includes plurality of second tear lines, each of the plurality of second tear lines extending between two adjacent pouches defined by the wrapper.

17. A stored-value card assembly, comprising:

a series of account identifiers each linked to a different one of a plurality of financial accounts or records, wherein the series of account identifiers includes a first account identifier and a last account identifier;

a plurality of stored-value cards coupled to one another, each of the stored-value cards including a different one of the series of account identifiers; and

means for identifying the first account identifier and the last account identifier, wherein the means for identifying is removably coupled with the plurality of stored-value cards;

wherein the means for identifying includes means for obscuring all of the series of account identifiers except for the first account identifier and the last account identifier.

18. The stored-value card assembly of claim 17, wherein the means for obscuring includes a panel coupled with the plurality of stored-value cards.

19. The stored-value card assembly of claim 17, wherein the means for identifying includes printed indicia.

20. A stored-value card assembly, comprising:

a series of account identifiers each linked to a different one of a plurality of financial accounts or records, wherein the series of account identifiers includes a first account identifier and a last account identifier;

a plurality of stored-value cards coupled to one another, each of the stored-value cards including a different one of the series of account identifiers; and

means for identifying the first account identifier and the last account identifier, wherein the means for identifying includes a panel coupled with the plurality of stored-value cards such that the first account identifier and the last account identifier are visible through the panel.

21. The stored-value card assembly of claim 20, wherein the panel includes a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first account identifier is viewable through the panel via the first aperture, and the last account identifier is viewable through the panel via the second aperture.

22. The stored-value card assembly of claim 20, wherein the panel is part of a sleeve at least partially enclosing the plurality of stored-value cards.

23. A method of activating a plurality of stored-value cards, the method comprising:

providing a stored-value card assembly including a housing and a plurality of stored-value cards including a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card, each of the plurality of stored-value cards including an account identifier linking the respective stored-value card to a financial account or record, the account identifiers being a sequential range of account identifiers, and wherein the housing substantially encloses all of the plurality of stored-value cards;

the housing includes means for identifying which of the sequential range of account identifiers corresponds to the first stored-value card and which of the sequential range of account identifiers corresponds to the last stored-value card, and the housing only exposes the account identifiers that correspond to the first stored-value card and the last stored-value card;

entering the account identifier of the first stored-value card read through the package;

entering the account identifier of the last stored-value card read through the package; and

activating the plurality of stored-value cards based on the account identifier of the first stored-value card and the account identifier of the last stored-value card.

24. A method of activating a plurality of stored-value cards, the method comprising:

providing a stored-value card assembly including a plurality of stored-value cards, a plurality of backers, and a package, wherein the plurality of stored-value cards includes a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card, each of the plurality of stored-value cards includes an account identifier linking the respective stored-value card to a financial account or record, the account identifiers are a sequential range of account identifiers, the package substantially encloses all of the plurality of stored-value cards, the plurality of backers are maintained within the package, and each of the plurality of backers is configured to support one of the plurality of stored-value cards for presentation to a recipient;

entering the account identifier of the first stored-value card;

entering the account identifier of the last stored-value card; and

activating the plurality of stored-value cards based on the account identifier of the first stored-value card and the account identifier of the last stored-value card.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the package is one of translucent and transparent.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing a housing substantially enclosing the plurality of stored-value cards and the plurality of backers, and the package substantially encloses the housing.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing each of the plurality of stored-value cards in a separate pouch of an internal wrapper, and the housing substantially encloses the wrapper.

28. A method of activating a plurality of stored-value cards, the method comprising:

providing a stored-value card assembly including a plurality of stored-value cards and a package substantially enclosing all of the plurality of stored-value cards, the plurality of stored-value cards including a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card, wherein each of the plurality of stored-value cards corresponds to a different one of a sequential range of account identifiers, the sequential range of account identifiers including a first account identifier, which corresponds with and links the first stored-value card to a first financial account or record, and a last account identifier, which corresponds with and links the last stored-value card to a second financial account or record, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing a wrapper coupling each of the plurality of stored-value cards to one another, the wrapper being at least partially enclosed within the package;

entering the first account identifier;

entering the last account identifier; and

activating all of the plurality of stored-value cards based on the first account identifier and the last account identifier.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

entering an expected number of stored-value cards in the stored-value card assembly;

wherein activating the plurality of stored-value cards includes;

comparing the first account identifier to the last account identifier to determine a calculated number of stored-value cards in the stored-value card assembly;

comparing the expected number to the calculated number; and

activating the plurality of stored-value cards if the expected number is equal to the calculated number.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

entering a monetary value to be added to each financial account or record linked to the plurality of stored-value cards upon activation of the plurality of stored-value cards.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein providing the store-value card assembly includes providing the package with a first aperture and a second aperture, and entering the first account identifier includes scanning the first account identifier through the first aperture of the package, and entering the last account identifier includes scanning the last account identifier through the second aperture in the package.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein entering the first account identifier includes reading the first account identifier directly from the first stored-value card.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein entering the first account identifier includes reading the first account identifier directly from the first card through an aperture in the package.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the package includes means for identifying which of the sequential range of account identifiers corresponds to the first stored-value card and which of the sequential range of account identifiers corresponds to the last stored-value card.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing a plurality of backers within the package, wherein each of the plurality of backers is configured to support one of the plurality of stored-value cards for presentation to a recipient.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the wrapper is an internal wrapper, and providing the stored-value card assembly includes providing an external wrapper enclosing the package and the plurality of stored-value cards.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the external wrapper is one of translucent and transparent.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of stored-value cards is associated with a predetermined monetary value prior to activating the plurality of stored-value cards.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein activating the plurality of stored-value cards includes specifying a monetary value to be placed in each financial account or record associated with the plurality of stored-value cards.