SHORT-TERM CERTIFICATE
A short-term certificate is disclosed. The method receives a request for a short-term certificate to be generated from a credit account of a first party and provided to a second party, the request includes an amount allocated to the short-term certificate and an identifier for the second party. A part of the credit account is allocated to cover the value of the short-term certificate. The short-term certificate is generated and provided to the second party. However, no funds are taken from the credit account of the first party until the short-term certificate is redeemed.
1 . A method for providing a short-term certificate from a first party to a second party, the method comprising:
receiving, at a credit account management system, a request for a short-term certificate to be provided from a credit account of the first party to the second party,
the request comprising:
a value of the short-term certificate, and
an identifier for the second party;
allocating a part of the credit account to cover the value of the short-term certificate;
generating the short-term certificate; and
providing, from the credit account management system and to the second party, the short-term certificate, wherein no funds are taken from the credit account of the first party until the short-term certificate is redeemed.
2 . The method of claim 1 , where the identifier of the second party is a physical mail address and the short-term certificate is sent to the physical mail address of the second party.
3 . The method of claim 1 , where the short-term certificate is provided to the second party in a digital format.
4 . The method of claim 3 , where the short-term certificate is automatically added to a digital wallet on a mobile device of the second party, when the short-term certificate is received at the mobile device of the second party.
5 . The method of claim 3 , where the identifier of the second party is an email address and the short-term certificate is sent to the email address of the second party.
6 . The method of claim 3 , where the identifier of the second party is a mobile phone number and the short-term certificate is sent via an SMS to a mobile device of the second party.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing an indicator to the first party when the short-term certificate is used to make a purchase, the indicator comprising:
an amount of money spent; and
a location where the short-term certificate was redeemed.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a reminder to the second party,
the reminder provided after a pre-defined amount of time,
the reminder indicating that the short-term certificate is still active.
9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing an expiration date with the short-term certificate; and
deactivating the short-term certificate after a passing of the expiration date.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
providing an expiration reminder to the second party,
the expiration reminder provided a pre-defined amount of time before the expiration date of the short-term certificate; and
the expiration reminder indicating that the short-term certificate is still valid.
11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
wherein the short-term certificate is a single use certificate.
12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to:
receive, at a credit account management system, a request for a short-term certificate to be provided from a credit account of a first party to a second party,
the request comprising:
a value of the short-term certificate, and
an identifier for the second party;
allocate a part of the credit account to cover the value of the short-term certificate;
generate the short-term certificate; and
provide, from the credit account management system and to the second party, the short-term certificate, wherein no funds are taken from the credit account of the first party until the short-term certificate is redeemed.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , where the short-term certificate is digital.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , where the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
automatically add the short-term certificate to a digital wallet on a mobile device of the second party, when the short-term certificate is received at the mobile device of the second party.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , where the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
provide an indicator to the first party when the short-term certificate is used to make a purchase, the indicator comprising:
an amount of money spent, and
a location where the short-term certificate was redeemed.
16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , where the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
provide an expiration date with the short-term certificate; and
deactivate the short-term certificate on the expiration date.
17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , where the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
provide an expiration reminder to the second party,
the expiration reminder provided a pre-defined amount of time before the expiration date of the short-term certificate; and
the expiration reminder indicating that the short-term certificate is still active.
18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the short-term certificate is a single use certificate.
19 . A system comprising:
a memory;
a storage; and
one or more processors to:
receive, at a credit account management system, a request for a single use short-term certificate to be provided from a credit account of a first party to a second party,
the request comprising:
a value of the single use short-term certificate, and
an identifier for the second party;
allocate a part of the credit account to cover the value of the single use short-term certificate;
generate the single use short-term certificate;
provide an expiration date for the single use short-term certificate;
provide, from the credit account management system and to the second party, the single use short-term certificate, wherein no funds are taken from the credit account of the first party until the single use short-term certificate is redeemed; and
provide an indicator to the first party when the single use short-term certificate is redeemed, the indicator comprising:
an amount of money spent, and
a location where the single use short-term certificate was redeemed.
20 . The system of claim 19 wherein the request for the single use short-term certificate to be generated from the credit account of the first party and provided to the second party is received at an application of the credit account operating on a first party's mobile device; and
wherein the single use short-term certificate is provided to another application of the credit account operating on a second party's mobile device.