Systems and methods for automatically distributing gifts to recipients on behalf of customers

• US 7,559,465 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/889,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20070284439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/383, 705/39, 705/40, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing gifts are described. In one exemplary embodiment, the systems and methods may include receiving financial card distribution information from a consumer, wherein the financial card distribution information identifies at least one recipient for a financial card and a predetermined delivery time for providing the financial card to the recipient, storing the financial card distribution information in a database, such that the stored financial card distribution information is associated with the consumer, and preparing a communication to the recipient to provide the financial card to the recipient at the predetermined delivery time.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving information from a customer to select a first individual to receive a first gift card, the first gift card being convertible into a credit card;

storing information indicating that the first individual has been selected to receive the first gift card and information indicating that the first gift card is convertible into the credit card;

monitoring usage of the first gift card by the first individual; and

converting the first gift card into the credit card based on the usage of the first gift card.

2. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises providing a delivery status, the delivery status comprising a date and time when the first gift card will be delivered to the first individual.

3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises providing a delivery status, the delivery status comprising an indication that the first gift card has been delivered to the first individual.

4. The computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein the indication comprises a date and time when the first gift card was delivered to the first individual.

5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, the method further comprising displaying a graphical interface comprising:

a display element for ordering a second gift card for delivery to the first individual.

6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, the method further comprising displaying a graphical interface comprising:

a display element for canceling the delivery of the first gift card to the first individual.

7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, the method further comprising displaying a graphical interface comprising:

a display element to modify previously provided gift distribution information associated with the first gift card.

8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, the method further comprising displaying a graphical interface comprising:

a display element indicating a second individual selected by the customer to receive a second gift card.

9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the gift card is a pre-stored value card.

10. A system for providing information regarding gift cards, comprising:

a computer that;

receives information from a customer to select a first individual to receive a first gift card, the first gift card being convertible into a credit card; and

stores information indicating that the first individual has been selected to receive the first gift card and information indicating that the first gift card is convertible into the credit card;

monitors usage of the first gift card by the first individual; and

converts the first gift card into the credit card based on the usage of the first gift card,

wherein the computer comprises at least a storage device for storing the information indicating that the first individual has been selected to receive the first gift card.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer provides a delivery status comprising a date and time when the first gift card will be delivered to the first individual.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer provides a delivery status comprising an indication that the first gift card has been delivered to the first individual.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises a date and time when the first gift card was delivered to the first individual.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer is further configured to receive additional information associated with an order by the customer for a second gift card for delivery to the first individual, and displays the additional information.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer presents a display element that allows, when selected via an input device, the delivery of the first gift card to the first individual to be canceled.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer presents a display element that allows, when selected via an input device, the modification of distribution information associated with the first gift card.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer presents a display element that identifies a second individual selected by the customer to receive a second gift card.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the gift card is a pre-stored value card.

19. A computer-implemented method for providing information regarding gift cards, comprising:

receiving information from a customer to select a first individual to receive a first gift card, the first gift card being convertible into a credit card;

storing information indicating that the first individual has been selected to receive the first gift card and information indicating that the first gift card is convertible into the credit card into a storage device;

monitoring usage of the first gift card by the first individual; and

converting the first gift card into the credit card based on the usage of the first gift card.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises providing a delivery status, the delivery status comprising a date and time when the first gift card will be delivered to the first individual.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises providing a delivery status, the delivery status comprising an indication that the first gift card has been delivered to the first individual.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the indication comprises a date and time when the first gift card was delivered to the first individual.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving additional information associated with an order by the customer for a second gift card for delivery to the first individual; and

displaying the additional information.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising displaying a display element that allows, when selected via an input device, the delivery of the first gift card to the first individual to be canceled.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising displaying a display element that allows, when selected via an input device, the modification of distribution information associated with the first gift card.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising displaying a display element that identifies a second individual selected by the customer to receive a second gift card.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the gift card is a pre-stored value card.

28. A computer-implemented method for providing gift cards, comprising:

receiving, from a customer of a gift card distribution entity, delivery information for a first gift card for a first recipient and a second gift card for a second recipient, the first recipient and the second recipient being identified by the customer, wherein the delivery information identifies the first recipient, the second recipient, and scheduled delivery times for automatically providing the first gift card to the first recipient and the second gift card to the second recipient;

storing the delivery information in a storage device;

determining a delivery status for the first gift card and the second gift card;

preparing, using a processor, a communication to the customer indicating delivery status for the first gift card and the second gift card, the delivery status for the first gift card including a date and time the first gift card will be delivered to the first recipient, and the delivery status for the second gift card including a date when the second gift card was previously delivered to the second recipient; and

sending the communication to the customer.

29. The computer-implemented method according to claim 28, further comprising providing the second gift card to the second recipient.

30. The computer-implemented method according to claim 28, further comprising notifying the customer when the first gift card has been delivered.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the scheduled delivery times include an annually scheduled event.

32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising notifying the first recipient that the customer has scheduled delivery of the first gift card.

33. A system for providing gift cards, comprising:

a computer for;

receiving, from a customer of a gift card distribution entity, delivery information for a first gift card for a first recipient and a second gift card for a second recipient, the first recipient and the second recipient being identified by the customer, wherein the delivery information identifies the first recipient, the second recipient and scheduled delivery times for automatically providing the first gift card to the first recipient and the second gift card to the second recipient;

determining a delivery status for the first gift card and the second gift card;

preparing a communication to the customer indicating delivery status for the first gift card and the second gift card, the delivery status for the first gift card including a date and time the first gift card will be delivered to the first recipient, and the delivery status for the second gift card including a date when the second gift card was previously delivered to the second recipient; and

sending the communication to the customer,

wherein the computer comprises at least a storage device for storing the delivery information.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the computer takes steps to provide the second gift card to the second recipient.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the computer takes steps to notify the customer when the first gift card has been provided to the first recipient.

36. The system according to claim 33, wherein the scheduled delivery times include an annually scheduled event.

37. The system according to claim 33, wherein the computer takes steps to notify the first recipient that the customer has scheduled delivery of the first gift card.