Electronic gift certificate system
US6175823A · kind A · utility
254Cited by
7References
28Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/0635
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic gift certificate system is disclosed which distributes electronic gift certificates in the form of e-mail documents that include hyperlinks for automating the redemption process. When a gift certificate recipient selects such a hyperlink, the recipient's computer automatically transmits a claim code to the merchant's Web site, and the site responds by automatically crediting the recipient's personal account with the gift certificate amount. When the recipient subsequently makes a purchase from the merchant's Web site, the recipient's account balance is automatically applied to the purchase price.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.