System and method for chopping up and processing gift cards

• US 9,016,567 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GiftCodes.com, LLC
• Original Assignee: GiftCodes.com, LLC
• Inventors: Wolfe, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US14/227,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/381, 235/382.5, 705/35, 705/39, 705/44, 705/14.26, 705/1.1, 705/16, 705/14.34, 705/14.15
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/127 in which both online and offline card verification can take place

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for chopping up a gift card/code into smaller multiple gift card/codes. The system receives a request from a user to convert a closed-loop card/code having a value amount into two different closed-loop cards/codes and divides (or “chops up”) the closed-loop card/code into a first closed-loop card/code having a first value amount and a second closed-loop card/code having a second value amount, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the value amount. The system offers the first closed-loop card/code and the second closed-loop card/code to one of the user and a third party.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a user to convert a closed-loop card/code having a value amount into two different closed-loop cards/codes;

paying an amount of money to the user for the closed loop card/code;

dividing the closed-loop card/code into a first closed-loop card/code having a first value amount and a second closed-loop card/code having a second value amount, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the value amount; and

offering one of the first closed-loop card/code at the first value amount and the second closed-loop card/code at the second value amount for sale to a second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount equal the value amount.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an additional amount of money from the user to yield a new value amount comprising the value amount plus the additional amount of money.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the new value amount.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating the closed-loop card/code.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving an additional amount of money from the user to yield a new value amount comprising the value amount plus the additional amount of money.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the new value amount.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request from a user to convert a closed-loop card/code having a value amount into two different closed-loop cards/codes;

paying an amount of money to the user for the closed loop card/code;

dividing the closed-loop card/code into a first closed-loop card/code having a first value amount and a second closed-loop card/code having a second value amount, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the value amount; and

offering one of the first closed-loop card/code at the first value amount and the second closed-loop card/code at the second value amount for sale to a second user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount equal the value amount.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the first closed-loop card/code and the second closed-loop card/code are personalized based on input from the user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a further operation comprising deactivating the closed-loop card/code.

12. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a user to convert a closed-loop card/code having a value amount into two different closed-loop cards/codes;

paying an amount of money to the user for the closed loop card/code;

dividing the closed-loop card/code into a first closed-loop card/code having a first value amount and a second closed-loop card/code having a second value amount, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the value amount; and

offering one of the first closed-loop card/code at the first value amount and the second closed-loop card/code at the second value amount for sale to a second user.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount equal the value amount.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a further operation comprising:

receiving an additional amount of money from the user to yield a new value amount comprising the value amount plus the additional amount of money.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the first value amount and the second value amount add up to no more than the new value amount.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a further operation comprising deactivating the closed-loop card/code.