Systems and methods for barcode-based gift card exchange
View Patent ↗Various of the disclosed embodiments consider systems and methods for the sender of a printed or electronic greeting card to attach one or more virtual or electronic gift cards to that printed or electronic greeting card, so that the recipient of the greeting card can subsequently retrieve and redeem the attached gift cards electronically. Thus, some of the disclosed embodiments provide a system for automating the giving and receiving of electronic gift cards via the medium of the greeting card itself.
1. A computer-implemented method for processing an electronic gift card in association with a physical card, comprising:
receiving at least one barcode-based identifier from a sender device, the barcode-based identifier uniquely associated with a physical card;
receiving at least one electronic gift card selection from the sender device;
storing the at least one electronic gift card selection in association with the at least one barcode-based identifier;
receiving the at least one barcode-based identifier from a recipient device;
sending a representation of the at least one electronic gift card selection to the recipient device, wherein the representation comprises a barcode redeemable via scanning of the barcode on the recipient device by a merchant;
receiving a first indication from the sender device to lock the at least one electronic gift card selection, wherein locking the at least one electronic gift card selection prevents redemption of an electronic gift card associated with the at least one electronic gift card selection, the first indication comprising first identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
receiving a second indication from the recipient device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection, the second indication comprising second identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
comparing the first identifying characteristics of the recipient device with the second identifying characteristics received from the recipient device; and
automatically unlocking the at least one electronic gift card selection based upon the comparison.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon the at least one barcode-based identifier.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon a contextual identifier associated with the at least one barcode-based identifier, wherein each of the plurality of gift card selections are associated with electronic gift cards providing redemption of goods or services related to a context associated with the contextual identifier.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the context comprises one of: baby-related goods or services; wedding-related goods or services; and vacation-related goods or services.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one barcode-based identifier is a Quick-Response (QR) code.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a third indication from the sender device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor to cause a computer system to:
receive at least one barcode-based identifier from a sender device, the barcode-based identifier uniquely associated with a physical card;
receive at least one electronic gift card selection from the sender device;
store the at least one electronic gift card selection in association with the at least one barcode-based identifier;
receive the at least one barcode-based identifier from a recipient device;
send a representation of the at least one electronic gift card selection to the recipient device, wherein the representation comprises a barcode redeemable via scanning of the barcode on the recipient device by a merchant;
receive a first indication from the sender device to lock the at least one electronic gift card selection, wherein locking the at least one electronic gift card selection prevents redemption of an electronic gift card associated with the at least one electronic gift card selection, wherein the first indication comprises first identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
receive a second indication from the recipient device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection, the second indication comprising second identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
compare the first identifying characteristics of the recipient device with the second identifying characteristics received from the recipient device; and
automatically unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection based upon the comparison.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to:
send a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon the at least one barcode-based identifier.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to:
send a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon a contextual identifier associated with the at least one barcode-based identifier, wherein each of the plurality of gift card selections are associated with electronic gift cards providing redemption of goods or services related to a context associated with the contextual identifier.
10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the context comprises one of: baby-related goods or services; wedding-related goods or services;
and vacation-related goods or services.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the at least one barcode-based identifier is a Quick-Response (QR) code.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to: receive a third indication from the sender device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection.
13. A server comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the server to:
receive at least one barcode-based identifier from a sender device, the barcode-based identifier uniquely associated with a physical card;
receive at least one electronic gift card selection from the sender device;
store the at least one electronic gift card selection in association with the at least one barcode-based identifier;
receive the at least one barcode-based identifier from a recipient device;
send a representation of the at least one electronic gift card selection to the recipient device, wherein the representation comprises a barcode redeemable via scanning of the barcode on the recipient device by a merchant;
receive a first indication from the sender device to lock the at least one electronic gift card selection, wherein locking the at least one electronic gift card selection prevents redemption of an electronic gift card associated with the at least one electronic gift card selection, wherein the first indication comprises first identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
receive a second indication from the recipient device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection, the second indication comprising second identifying characteristics of the recipient device;
compare the first identifying characteristics of the recipient device with the second identifying characteristics received from the recipient device; and
automatically unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection based upon the comparison.
14. The server of claim 13 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the server to:
send a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon the at least one barcode-based identifier.
15. The server of claim 13 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the server to:
send a plurality of gift card selections to the sender device based upon a contextual identifier associated with the at least one barcode-based identifier, wherein each of the plurality of gift card selections are associated with electronic gift cards providing redemption of goods or services related to a context associated with the contextual identifier.
16. The server of claim 15 , wherein the context comprises one of: baby- related goods or services; wedding-related goods or services; and vacation- related goods or services.
17. The server of claim 13 , wherein the at least one barcode-based identifier is a Quick-Response (QR) code.
18. The server of claim 13 , the instructions further executable by the at least one processor to cause the server to: receive a third indication from the sender device to unlock the at least one electronic gift card selection.