Presenting previously hidden user interface options within a graphical user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11010727-B2
Application number	US-201514879480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2003
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A system and method to associate an electronic gift certificate with a payment services account to cause presentation of the electronic gift certificate based on meeting a predetermined condition. A gift certificate is purchased on-line and associated with a recipient's payment services account by the electronic gift certificate purchaser. A graphical user interface representing the payment services account of the recipient is presented with a record of the electronic gift certificate in a hidden state within the payment services account. Determining the predetermined condition is met, unmarking the record of the electronic gift certificate and causing presentation of a gift certificate button within the user interface representing the payment services account.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing an interactive graphical user interface for use in performing a transaction across a communications network, comprising:
receiving, by a payment server, a record of a purchase transaction, the purchase transaction representing a purchase of an electronic gift certificate by a sender for a recipient;
storing, by the payment server, a record of the electronic gift certificate in a payment services account associated with the recipient, wherein the record of the electronic gift certificate is marked as an entry in a hidden state within the payment services account such that the record of the electronic gift certificate is not visible in a user interface representing the payment services account associated with the recipient;
identifying, by the payment server, a delivery date to deliver the electronic gift certificate to the recipient;
determining, by the payment server, whether a predetermined condition is met, the predetermined condition including a current date being the delivery date of the electronic gift certificate;
responsive to the predetermined condition being met, unmarking, by the payment server, the record of the electronic gift certificate as being in the hidden state within the payment services account such that a gift certificate button is visible in a payment confirmation page of the user interface, wherein the gift certificate button is associated with the payment services account and the electronic gift certificate and, and wherein the gift certificate button provides a mechanism for the recipient to redeem the electronic gift certificate using the payment services account;
receiving, by the payment server, a selection made on the payment confirmation page of the gift certificate button as a payment source; and
responsive to the selection of the gift certificate button, redeeming, by the payment server, the electronic gift certificate and causing presentation of confirmation information within the payment confirmation page of the interactive graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
based on the predetermined condition being met, sending an email message containing information on the electronic gift certificate associated with a communications identifier of the recipient to the communication identifier, the communications identifier associated with the payment services account associated with the recipient; and
verifying the recipient is authorized to use the electronic gift certificate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the verifying that the recipient is authorized to use the selected electronic gift certificate further comprises receiving confirmation data from the recipient as part of a confirmation when a hyperlink within an e-mail message is activated.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected electronic gift certificate comprises successfully logging into the payment services account using the communications identifier of the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the redeeming further includes:
receiving, at the interactive graphical user interface, a communications identifier associated with the electronic gift certificate; and
uniquely identifying the payment services account of the recipient, the recipient of the electronic gift certificate being authenticated as part of a log in process for logging into the payment services account of the recipient, to authorize redemption of the electronic gift certificate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a hyperlink that when activated returns a unique confirmation code to the payment server.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a confirmation code.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information is contained within an e-mail message transmitted, to the recipient using a communications identifier, as part of redeeming the electronic gift certificate.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing presentation of visual representation of all available payment sources that may be used to complete a transaction.

10. A system, comprising:
one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon; and
one or more processors configured to, in response to execution of the instructions, cause the system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a record of a purchase transaction, the purchase transaction representing a purchase of an electronic gift certificate by a sender for a recipient of the electronic gift certificate;
storing a record of an electronic gift certificate within a payment server in a payment services account associated with the recipient, wherein the record of the electronic gift certificate is marked as an entry in a hidden state within the payment services account such that the record of the electronic gift certificate is not visible in a user interface representing the payment services account associated with the recipient;
identifying a delivery date to deliver the electronic gift certificate to the recipient;
determining whether a predetermined condition is met, the predetermined condition including a current date being the delivery date of the electronic gift certificate;
responsive to the predetermined condition being met, unmarking the record of the electronic gift certificate as being in the hidden state within the payment services account such that a gift certificate button is visible in a payment confirmation page of the user interface, wherein the gift certificate button is associated with the payment services account and the electronic gift certificate, and wherein the electronic gift certificate provides a mechanism for the recipient to redeem the electronic gift certificate using the payment services account;
receiving a selection made on the payment confirmation page of the gift certificate button as a payment source; and
responsive to the selection of the gift certificate button, redeeming the electronic gift certificate and causing presentation of confirmation information within the payment confirmation page of an interactive graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the redeeming further includes:
based on the predetermined condition being met, sending an email message containing information on the electronic gift certificate associated with a communications identifier of the recipient to the communication identifier, the communications identifier associated with the payment services account associated with the recipient; and
verifying the recipient is authorized to use the electronic gift certificate.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the verifying that the recipient is authorized to use the selected electronic gift certificate further comprises receiving confirmation data from the recipient as part of a confirmation when a hyperlink within an e-mail message is activated.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected electronic gift certificate comprises successfully logging into the payment services account using the communications identifier of the recipient.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the redeeming further includes:
receiving, at the user interface, a communications identifier associated with the electronic gift certificate and uniquely identifying the payment services account of the recipient, the recipient of the electronic gift certificate being authenticated as part of a log in process for logging into the payment services account of the recipient, to authoriz

Assignees

• Paypal Inc

Inventors

• Chu Peter Zhe
• Chen Steven
• Chastagnol Franck
• Lee Aaron Kwong Yue
• Olliphant Hugo
• Billman Wendy

Classifications

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q30/0207

  Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates · CPC title

• G06Q20/0457 Primary

  the tickets being sent electronically · CPC title

• G06F40/134

  Hyperlinking · CPC title

• G06Q30/0241

  Advertisements · CPC title