Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. The present invention includes a first aspect directed to a merchant card authorization terminal and a second aspect directed to a credit card issuer central controller. According to the first aspect, a method for redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a financial account is disclosed including the steps of receiving a gift certificate for payment of an identified value, transmitting a request for authorization to a central server, receiving an authorization signal, representing an indication that redemption of the gift certificate is authorized, from said central server and receiving a payment from the account issuer based on said identified value. A system is also disclosed for implementing the methods in all aspects of the present invention.
1. A method comprising:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
determining by a computer, a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in a database, by the computer, the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and
distributing said gift certificate to an owner of said financial account.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial account identifier cannot be discerned from the gift certificate identifier by a third party.
3. The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of:
receiving an indication of a gift certificate redemption; and
updating stored account data to reflect the redemption.
4. The method of claim 1 , in which the assigned corresponding certificate identifier is linked to the financial account.
5. The method of claim 1 , in which producing comprises:
obstructing the visibility of said corresponding certificate identifier.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a security code corresponding to said gift certificate; and
transmitting said security code to said owner of the financial account.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a security code corresponding to said gift certificate; and
printing said security code on said gift certificate.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
producing a security token storing a security token corresponding to said gift certificate; and
distributing said security token.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gift certificate is embodied as a magnetic stripe card.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gift certificate is embodied as a token.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gift certificate is
embodied as an event ticket.
12. The method of claim 1 , in which the computer comprises a
credit card issuer central controller.
13. A method comprising:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
determining, by a computer, a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in a database, by the computer, the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and distributing said gift certificate to a recipient.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the financial account identifier cannot be discerned from the gift certificate identifier by a third party.
15. The method of claim 13 , further including the steps of:
receiving an indication of a gift certificate redemption; and
updating stored account data to reflect the redemption.
16. The method of claim 13 , in which the assigned corresponding
certificate identifier is linked to the financial account.
17. The method of claim 13 , in which producing comprises:
obstructing the visibility of said corresponding certificate identifier.
18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining a security code corresponding to said gift certificate; and
transmitting said security code to said recipient of the financial account.
19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining a security code corresponding to said gift certificate; and
printing said security code on said gift certificate.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
producing a security token storing a security token corresponding to said gift certificate; and
distributing said security token.
21. The method of claim 13 , wherein said gift certificate is
embodied as a magnetic stripe card.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein said gift certificate is
embodied as a token.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein said gift certificate is
embodied as an event ticket.
24. The method of claim 13 , in which the computer comprises a
credit card issuer central controller.
25. A system comprising:
computer means for generating a certificate identifier linked to an account identifier that is associated with a financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
means for producing a gift certificate including thereon said certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and
means for distributing said gift certificate to an owner of said financial account.
26. A system comprising:
computer means for generating a certificate identifier linked to an account identifier that is associated with a financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
means for producing a gift certificate including thereon said certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and
means for distributing said gift certificate to a recipient.
27. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
determining, by a computer, a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in a database, by the computer, the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and
distributing said gift certificate to an owner of said financial account.
28. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
determining, by a computer, a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in a database, by the computer, the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and
distributing said gift certificate to a recipient.
29. An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a database accessible by the processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions, said processing instructions for directing the processor to perform:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
generating a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in the database the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and distributing said gift certificate to an owner of said financial account.
30. An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a database accessible by the processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions, said processing instructions for directing the processor to perform:
accessing stored account data associated with a financial account, the stored account data including an account identifier that is associated with the financial account;
generating a certificate identifier corresponding to the financial account, said certificate identifier being different from said account identifier;
assigning in the database the corresponding certificate identifier to the financial account for identifying the financial account;
producing a gift certificate including thereon said corresponding certificate identifier,
said gift certificate not including said account identifier; and distributing said gift certificate to a recipient.