Custom content gift cards

• US 7,959,065 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hodge, Andrew, Nakajima, Taido Lantz, Mayo, Sean Anthony, Lin, Gloria, Rosenblatt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chedekel; Tabitha
• Application Number:
  US12/286,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20100078474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/492, 705/52
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

There is provided a customized gift card and methods for customizing the gift card with buyer-selected downloadable content. A buyer may associate pre-purchased downloadable content with a gift card such that the card is “preloaded” for a recipient. The recipient may then redeem the customized gift card and download or access the pre-purchased content. The customized gift card may also include a buyer-selected image and/or personalized message on the face of the card. Alternatively, the customized gift card may have a generic design. Various methods are provided for producing the cards and selecting the downloadable content, including purchasing the card online and having it delivered; buying a generic card and associating content with it online; and purchasing and preloading the card at a dispenser, or kiosk.

Claims

1. A method, comprising an online tool performing the following steps:

receiving a unique identifier identifying downloadable content selected by a buyer of a customized gift card from a plurality of downloadable content available for download via the online tool;

determining individual downloadable items of the identified downloadable content;

enabling a recipient of the customized gift card to exchange one or more of the individual downloadable items for alternative downloadable content, a credit, or a combination thereof prior to download of the one or more individual downloadable items;

enabling the recipient of the customized gift card to select one or more of the individual downloadable items for download through the online tool; and

providing the selected individual downloadable items for download upon redemption of the customized gift card by the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a unique identifier comprises receiving via a user input prompt an identification code printed on the customized gift card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a unique identifier comprises receiving via a suitable media reader an identification code embedded in the customized gift card.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining individual downloadable items comprises transmitting the unique identifier to a server associated with the online tool to retrieve the individual downloadable items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the recipient of the customized gift card to exchange one or more of the individual downloadable items comprises displaying a list of the individual downloadable items and displaying a plurality of selection buttons, wherein each of the plurality of selection buttons corresponds to one of the individual downloadable items in the list and is selectable to exchange the corresponding individual downloadable item.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a user input selecting one of the individual downloadable items for exchange;

receiving a user input selecting the alternative downloadable content to be exchanged for the selected individual downloadable item; and

providing the alternative downloadable content for download upon redemption of the customized gift card by the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying a list of the individual downloadable items and displaying a selection button that enables the recipient to select all of the individual downloadable items in the list for download.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloadable content comprises music, movies, television shows, applications, video games, podcasts, or ringtones, or a combination thereof.

9. A method, comprising an online tool performing the following steps:

determining a unique identifier that identifies a gift card;

receiving data identifying individual downloadable items selected by a buyer of the gift card from a plurality of downloadable content available for download via the online tool upon redemption of the gift card;

associating the data with the unique identifier;

processing a request from a recipient of the gift card to redeem the gift card, wherein the request includes the unique identifier;

providing a list of the individual downloadable items to be displayed in response to receiving the request;

receiving a user input selecting one of the individual downloadable items for exchange prior to download of the selected individual downloadable item;

receiving a user input selecting alternative downloadable content to be exchanged for the selected individual downloadable item;

receiving a user input selecting one or more of the individual downloadable items for download via the online tool; and

providing the alternative downloadable content and the selected individual items for download upon redemption of the customized gift card by the recipient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a unique identifier comprises receiving via a user input prompt an identification code printed on the customized gift card.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a unique identifier comprises generating the unique identifier in response to receiving a customization request for the gift card.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein associating the data with the unique identifier comprises linking the individual downloadable items with the unique identifier in an online database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein processing a request comprises retrieving the individual downloadable items from the online database using the unique identifier.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the individual downloadable items comprise music, movies, or television shows, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 9, comprising receiving one or more buyer-selected images and transmitting the one or more buyer-selected images to a production facility to produce the gift card containing the one or more buyer-selected images.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more buyer-selected images comprise artwork associated with the individual downloadable items, an uploaded image, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 9, comprising displaying the library of downloadable content to facilitate selection of the individual downloadable items by the buyer.

18. A method comprising an online tool performing the following steps:

receiving a unique identifier that identifies a content empty gift card;

receiving data identifying individual downloadable items selected by a buyer of the gift card from a plurality of downloadable content available for download via the online tool upon redemption of the gift card;

associating the data with the unique identifier to transform the content empty gift card into a customized content gift card;

processing a request from a recipient of the customized content gift card to redeem the gift card, wherein the request includes the unique identifier;

providing a list of the individual downloadable items to be displayed in response to receiving the request;

enabling the recipient of the customized content gift card to exchange one or more of the individual downloadable items for alternative downloadable content, a credit, or a combination thereof prior to download of the one or more individual downloadable items;

enabling the recipient of the customized content gift card to select one or more of the individual downloadable items for download through the online tool; and

providing the selected individual downloadable items for download upon redemption of the customized content gift card by the recipient.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving data comprises receiving data that identifies the individual downloadable items from a library of content available for download through the online tool.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein associating the data with the unique identifier comprises linking the individual downloadable items with the unique identifier in an online database.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the individual downloadable items comprise music, movies, or television shows, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient of the customized content gift card to exchange one or more of the downloadable items comprises enabling the recipient to exchange selected individual downloadable items for alternative downloadable items of a similar value.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein enabling the recipient of the customized content gift card to exchange one or more of the downloadable items comprises enabling the recipient to exchange selected individual downloadable items for a credit that can be applied to future purchases from the plurality of downloadable content.

24. The method of claim 18, comprising determining that an additional value is included on the customized content gift card and enabling the recipient to apply the additional value to future purchases from the plurality of downloadable content.