Systems and methods for providing a transaction card package assembly including sample product or service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9852420-B2
Application number	US-201213440530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2012
Priority date	Apr 8, 2011
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A transaction card package assembly comprising at least one transaction card, at least one sample product, and a card holder, and methods and system for processing the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transaction card package assembly comprising:
an encoded transaction card package assembly identifier, wherein the encoded transaction card package assembly identifier is associated with a transaction card package assembly account and wherein the encoded transaction card package assembly identifier comprises a magnetic stripe, a bar code, an RFID tag, or combinations thereof;
a transaction card having a transaction card identifier thereon;
a removable and reattachable sample associated with an identifier and a sample account, wherein the identifier is encoded on a card holder, and readable by a point of sale system, wherein said sample is at least one product or at least one coupon for a product or service that is distributed at no cost to a consumer, wherein the sample account comprises sample information maintained in a datastore, wherein the card holder, the sample, and the transaction card are coupled together.

2. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the card holder comprises a panel and an opening.

3. The package assembly of claim 2 wherein the transaction card and sample are releasably attached to the cardholder.

4. The package assembly of claim 3 wherein another sample may be attached or reattached to the card holder.

5. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the card holder comprises a panel and an outer layer for retaining the transaction card and sample without the transaction card or sample being attached to the cardholder.

6. The package assembly of claim 1 further comprising multiple transaction cards.

7. The package assembly of claim 1 further comprising multiple samples.

8. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the encoded transaction card package assembly identifier and the encoded sample identifier are correlated via a point of sale terminal, via a transaction card issuer's system, via a sample issuer's system, or via a transaction card processing system.

9. The package assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a panel releasably attached to the card holder or to the transaction card, wherein the panel comprises a magnetic stripe.

10. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the sample and the transaction card package assembly are correlated via a point of sale terminal, via a transaction card issuer's system, via a sample issuer's system, or via a transaction card processing system.

11. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the encoded sample identifier is associated with a sample account.

12. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the sample is coupled with the transaction card.

13. A transaction card package assembly comprising:
an encoded transaction card package assembly identifier, wherein the encoded transaction card package assembly identifier is associated with a transaction card package assembly account and wherein the encoded transaction card package assembly identifier comprises a magnetic stripe a bar code, an RFID tag, or combinations thereof;
a plurality of transaction cards each having a transaction card identifier thereon;
a plurality of removable and reattachable samples each associated with an identifier and a sample account, wherein the identifier is encoded on a card holder and readable by a point of sale system, wherein each sample is at least one product or at least one coupon for a product or service that is distributed at no cost to a consumer, wherein the sample account comprises sample information maintained in a datastore, wherein the sample identifier for one of the plurality of samples is correlated with the transaction card identifier for one of the plurality of transaction cards via entering the sample identifier of the one of the plurality of samples and the transaction card identifier of the one of the plurality of transaction cards at a point of sale terminal; and
a card holder, wherein the card holder, the plurality of samples, and the plurality of transaction cards are coupled together.

14. The transaction card package assembly of claim 1 further including a microchip.

15. The transaction card package assembly of claim 13 further including a microchip.

Assignees

• Miller Amie
• Spagnolie Saverio
• Blackhawk Network Inc

Inventors

• Miller Amie
• Spagnolie Saverio

Classifications

• G06K19/00

  Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings · CPC title

• B42D25/285

  Gift cards · CPC title

• G06K19/083

  Constructional details · CPC title

• Y10T29/49817

  with other than ancillary treating or assembling · CPC title

• G06Q20/28

  Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before" · CPC title