Method and apparatus for tracking parameters associated with a redemption certificate

• US 20080294518A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Weiss, Benjamin R., Knievel, Dale, McKay, Philip J.
• Application Number:
  US11/805,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system that tracks parameters associated with a redemption certificate is presented. During operation, the system receives parameters associated with the redemption certificate. The system then determines whether the parameters indicate that a specified event has occurred. If so, the system performs a specified action for the specified event.

Claims

1. A method for tracking parameters associated with a redemption certificate, comprising:

receiving parameters associated with the redemption certificate;

determining whether the parameters indicate that a specified event has occurred; and

if so, performing a specified action for the specified event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the parameters associated with the redemption certificate, the method further comprises determining the parameters associated with the redemption certificate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the parameters involves:

optically scanning the redemption certificate to produce a digital image of the redemption certificate; and

processing the digital image to extract the parameters for the redemption certificate.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the parameters involves:

determining one or more identifiers associated with the redemption certificate;

identifying one or more data sources which include the parameters for the redemption certificate based on the one or more identifiers; and

retrieving parameters associated with the redemption certificate from the one or more data sources based on the one or more identifiers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more identifiers can include one or more of:

a barcode;

a name of an issuer of the redemption certificate;

a postal address of the issuer;

a phone number of the issuer;

an email address of the issuer; and

a universal resource locator (URL).

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the one or more identifiers involves:

optically scanning the redemption certificate to produce a digital image of the redemption certificate; and

processing the digital image to extract the one or more identifiers.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the one or more identifiers involves:

scanning a barcode located on the redemption certificate; and

associating the barcode with an identifier.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein if the redemption certificate is an electronic redemption certificate, determining the one or more identifiers involves parsing the electronic redemption certificate to extract the one or more identifiers.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more data sources can include:

a database which includes parameters for one or more redemption certificates; and

a website associated with an issuer of the redemption certificate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if a data source is the database, retrieving the parameters involves using a structured financial data protocol to retrieve the parameters from the database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the structured financial data protocol is an open financial exchange (OFX) protocol.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein if a data source is the website, retrieving the parameters involves performing a screen-scrape operation, which parses unstructured financial data received from the website to produce the parameters from the website.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the parameters involves receiving the parameters from an end user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified action can include one or more of:

generating a notification that the specified event has occurred;

converting the redemption certificate to a newer version of the redemption certificate;

converting the redemption certificate into cash;

converting the redemption certificate into a cash-equivalent instrument;

selling the redemption certificate;

reporting a balance remaining on the redemption certificate; and

reporting a time remaining before the redemption certificate expires.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the notification can include:

an electronic mail notification;

a notification generated within a client-based financial application;

a notification generated within a web-based financial application;

an instant message;

a short message service (SMS) message; and

a telephone message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a user can configure a specified action to be performed when a specified event has occurred.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified event can include one or more of:

a specified amount of time before an expiration date for the redemption certificate;

a specified remaining balance on the redemption certificate; and

a specified amount of time before a penalty fee is applied.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption certificate can include:

a gift card;

a gift certificate; and

a coupon.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption certificate can include:

a physical redemption certificate; and

an electronic redemption certificate.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters can include one or more of:

a value of the redemption certificate;

an expiration date for the redemption certificate;

a penalty fee for not using the redemption certificate within a specified time period;

a time when a penalty fee is applied;

an issuer of the redemption certificate;

a remaining balance of the redemption certificate;

a discount value; and

other terms and conditions for the redemption certificate.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters for the redemption certificate can be located on one or more of:

the redemption certificate;

a document associated with the redemption certificate;

a website associated with the redemption certificate; and

a database which includes information about one or more redemption certificates.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a web-based financial application.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein method is performed by a client-based financial application.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a financial application which can be used by one or more of:

an end user; and

an issuer of the redemption certificate.

25. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for tracking parameters associated with a redemption certificate, wherein the method comprises:

receiving parameters associated with the redemption certificate;

determining whether the parameters indicate that a specified event has occurred; and

if so, performing a specified action for the specified event.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein prior to receiving the parameters associated with the redemption certificate, the method further comprises determining the parameters associated with the redemption certificate.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein determining the parameters involves:

optically scanning the redemption certificate to produce a digital image of the redemption certificate; and

processing the digital image to extract the parameters for the redemption certificate.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein determining the parameters involves:

determining one or more identifiers associated with the redemption certificate;

identifying one or more data sources which include the parameters for the redemption certificate based on the one or more identifiers; and

retrieving parameters associated with the redemption certificate from the one or more data sources based on the one or more identifiers.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more identifiers can include one or more of:

a barcode;

a name of an issuer of the redemption certificate;

a postal address of the issuer;

a phone number of the issuer;

an email address of the issuer; and

a universal resource locator (URL).

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein determining the one or more identifiers involves:

optically scanning the redemption certificate to produce a digital image of the redemption certificate; and

processing the digital image to extract the one or more identifiers.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein determining the one or more identifiers involves:

scanning a barcode located on the redemption certificate; and

associating the barcode with an identifier.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein if the redemption certificate is an electronic redemption certificate, determining the one or more identifiers involves parsing the electronic redemption certificate to extract the one or more identifiers.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more data sources can include:

a database which includes parameters for one or more redemption certificates; and

a website associated with an issuer of the redemption certificate.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein if a data source is the database, retrieving the parameters involves using a structured financial data protocol to retrieve the parameters from the database.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the structured financial data protocol is an open financial exchange (OFX) protocol.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein if a data source is the website, retrieving the parameters involves performing a screen-scrape operation, which parses unstructured financial data received from the website to produce the parameters from the website.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein receiving the parameters involves receiving the parameters from an end user.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the specified action can include one or more of:

generating a notification that the specified event has occurred;

converting the redemption certificate to a newer version of the redemption certificate;

converting the redemption certificate into cash;

converting the redemption certificate into a cash-equivalent instrument;

selling the redemption certificate;

reporting a balance remaining on the redemption certificate; and

reporting a time remaining before the redemption certificate expires.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the notification can include:

an electronic mail notification;

a notification generated within a client-based financial application;

a notification generated within a web-based financial application;

an instant message;

a short message service (SMS) message; and

a telephone message.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein a user can configure a specified action to be performed when a specified event has occurred.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the specified event can include one or more of:

a specified amount of time before an expiration date for the redemption certificate;

a specified remaining balance on the redemption certificate; and

a specified amount of time before a penalty fee is applied.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the redemption certificate can include:

a gift card;

a gift certificate; and

a coupon.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the redemption certificate can include:

a physical redemption certificate; and

an electronic redemption certificate.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the parameters can include one or more of:

a value of the redemption certificate;

an expiration date for the redemption certificate;

a penalty fee for not using the redemption certificate within a specified time period;

a time when a penalty fee is applied;

an issuer of the redemption certificate;

a remaining balance of the redemption certificate;

a discount value; and

other terms and conditions for the redemption certificate.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the parameters for the redemption certificate can be located on one or more of:

the redemption certificate;

a document associated with the redemption certificate;

a website associated with the redemption certificate; and

a database which includes information about one or more redemption certificates.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the method is performed by a web-based financial application.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the method is performed by a client-based financial application.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the method is performed by a financial application which can be used by one or more of:

an end user; and

an issuer of the redemption certificate.

49. An apparatus that tracks parameters associated with a redemption certificate, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive parameters associated with the redemption certificate;

an analysis mechanism configured to determine whether the parameters indicate that a specified event has occurred; and

an execution mechanism, wherein if the analysis mechanism determines that the parameters indicate that a specified event has occurred, the execution mechanism is configured to perform a specified action for the specified event.