System for packaging, processing, and activating a bundled greeting and gift card

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9691064-B2
Application number	US-201013518367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2010
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A greeting card stored-value card combinations and methods of forming said combinations are provided. In one embodiment, these combinations include a greeting card comprising means for affixing a stored-value card thereto. These combinations also include a stored-value card affixed to the greeting card. A single identifier, such as a Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) or a Universal Product Code (UPC), is assigned to the bundle that uniquely identifies the bundled greeting card and stored-value card. The single identifier provides identification means allowing the stored-value card to be activated. A single capture of the single identifier enables the customer to both purchase the greeting card stored-value card combination product as well as to activate the store-value card.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for processing a sale of a greeting card stored-value card combination product, the method comprising:
receiving, at a transaction routing service, an activation request from a point of sale terminal wherein the activation request includes an identifier from the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal, wherein the greeting card stored-value card combination product comprises a greeting card, a stored value card, a means for affixing the stored-value card to the greeting card, and a card identifier uniquely identifying the stored-value card and providing a means for activating the stored-value card, wherein the identifier is encoded on at least one of the greeting card and the stored-value card, and wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the greeting card and the stored-value card, thereby differentiating the greeting card stored-value card combination product from other combinations of greeting cards and stored-value cards;
determining, with the transaction routing service, a card processing service corresponding to the identifier;
transmitting the activation request to the card processing service from the transaction routing service;
receiving, at the transaction routing service, an activation response from the card processing service; and
transmitting the activation response from the transaction routing service to the point of sale terminal.

2. A computer implemented method for processing a sale of a greeting card stored-value card combination product, the method comprising:
receiving, at a transaction routing service, an activation request from a point of sale terminal wherein the activation request includes an identifier from the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal, wherein the greeting card stored-value card combination product comprises a greeting card, a stored value card, and a means for affixing the stored-value card to the greeting card, wherein the identifier is encoded on at least one of the greeting card and the stored-value card, and wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the greeting card and the stored-value card, thereby differentiating the greeting card stored-value card combination product from other combinations of greeting cards and stored-value cards and providing an identifying means for activating the stored-value card;
determining, with the transaction routing service, a card processing service corresponding to the identifier;
transmitting the activation request to the card processing service from the transaction routing service;
receiving, at the transaction routing service, an activation response from the card processing service; and
transmitting the activation response from the transaction routing service to the point of sale terminal.

3. A computer implemented method for processing a sale of a greeting card stored-value card combination product, the method comprising:
receiving, at a transaction routing service, an activation request from a point of sale terminal wherein the activation request includes an identifier from the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal and a card identifier captured at a point of sale terminal, wherein the greeting card stored-value card combination product comprises a greeting card, a stored value card, a means for affixing the stored-value card to the greeting card, and the card identifier uniquely identifying the stored-value card and providing a means for activating the stored-value card, wherein the identifier is encoded on at least one of the greeting card and the stored-value card, and wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the greeting card and the stored-value card, thereby differentiating the greeting card stored-value card combination product from other combinations of greeting cards and stored-value cards;
determining, with the transaction routing service, a card processing service corresponding to the card identifier;
transmitting the activation request, including the card identifier, to the card processing service from the transaction routing service;
receiving, at the transaction routing service, an activation response from the card processing service; and
transmitting the activation response from the transaction routing service to the point of sale terminal.

4. A computer implemented method for processing a sale of a greeting card stored-value card combination product, the method comprising;
receiving, at a transaction routing service, an activation request from a point of sale terminal wherein the activation request includes an identifier from the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal and a card identifier uniquely identifying a stored-value card included in the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal, wherein the greeting card stored-value card combination product comprises a greeting card, the stored value card, and a means for affixing the stored-value card to the greeting card, wherein the identifier is encoded on at least one of the greeting card and the stored-value card, and wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the greeting card and the stored-value card, thereby differentiating the greeting card stored-value card combination product from other combinations of greeting cards and stored-value cards and providing an identifying means for activating the stored-value card;
determining, with the transaction routing service, a card processing service corresponding to the card identifier;
transmitting the activation request, including the card identifier, to the card processing service from the transaction routing service;
receiving, at the transaction routing service, an activation response from the card processing service; and
transmitting the activation response from the transaction routing service to the point of sale terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit an account associated with a stored-value card issuer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit an account associated with a card transaction processor.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit to an account associated with a greeting card stored-value card combination product selling vendor.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit to an account associated with a greeting card stored-value card combination product greeting card manufacturer.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reconciling accounts belonging to at least two of the stored-value card issuer, the card transaction processor, the greeting card stored-value card combination product selling vendor, and the greeting card stored-value card combination product greeting card manufacturer to reflect a proper allocation of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product.

10. The method of c

Assignees

• Kingsborough Donald
• Blackhawk Network Inc

Inventors

• Kingsborough Donald

Classifications

• G06Q30/06 Primary

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06K19/06187

  with magnetically detectable marking · CPC title

• G06Q20/354 Primary

  Card activation or deactivation · CPC title

• G06K19/06028

  using bar codes · CPC title