Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates
US6193155A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/02
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. The present invention includes a first aspect directed to a merchant card authorization terminal and a second aspect directed to a credit card issuer central controller. According to the first aspect, a method for redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a financial account is disclosed including the steps of receiving a gift certificate for payment of an identified value, transmitting a request for authorization to a central server, receiving an authorization signal, representing an indication that redemption of the gift certificate is authorized, from said central server and receiving a payment from the account issuer based on said identified value. A system is also disclosed for implementing the methods in all aspects of the present invention.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.