Personalized Gift Card Templates With Digital Images

Abstract

A customizable gift card that may be designed using a plurality of design templates that have modifiable fields and layouts. The gift cards may be designated for use at one or more stores based on contract arrangements between the stores and a vendor of the gift card. The gift card may be adapted to be used exclusively at the designated stores. At least one template field of at least a portion of a plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set. A user provided photo is printed on the gift card and is selected by the user from either a digital photo album on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium.

1 . A method of customizing a gift card comprising:
 storing a plurality of design templates in a computer-readable medium, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields;   displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set;   receiving a set of inputs from a customer including a contract store selection; a design template selection; a gift card amount, wherein the gift card amount corresponds to a payment received from the customer by a vendor; and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner at a point of service location, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium specific to the user;   printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the user provided photo selected by the user; and   activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing an agreement between the contract store and the vendor of the gift card, wherein the contract store agrees to honor a purchase at the contract store based on the amount on the gift card if the contract store is designated by the gift card. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating comprises authorizing the gift card for use at the selected contract store and forwarding payment data pertaining to the activated gift card to a server computer associated with the selected contract store. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one field of the selected template comprises a logo of the selected contract store or a logo of the vendor of the gift card, and wherein at least one field comprises at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rule set comprises rules designating a set of modifiable and non-modifiable field parameters. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a field parameter includes at least one of a position, a shape, a size or a layout of a field. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of templates is displayed based on at least one of a customized text message inputted by the user, a browsing pattern of a user for previously displayed templates, an existing history of purchased gift cards, a user identity, or a promotion code. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the user provided photo to recognize undesirable content and preventing the customized gift card from being printed with the photo. 
   
   
       9 . A kiosk for vending customized gift cards comprising:
 a display unit that is capable of generating video images;   a first input device;   a processing apparatus operatively coupled to the display unit and the first input device, the processing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor;   a network interface connected to a network and to the processing apparatus;   the processing apparatus being programmed to:
 display a not of stores under contract with a gift card vendor; 
 display a plurality of design templates, wherein the templates include a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields, and wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable based on a rule set; 
 receive a set of inputs from a customer including a design template selection; a contract store selection; a payment value, wherein the payment value is based on a payment received; and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet, one or more user provided photos inputted via a scanner at a point of service location, or one or more user provided photos stored on a computer-readable medium specific to the user; 
 print the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection and the user provided photo selected by the user; and 
 activate the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the payment received. 
   
   
   
       10 . The kiosk of  claim 9 , wherein the processing apparatus is further programmed filter the user provided photo to recognize undesirable content and prevent the customized gift card from being printed with the photo. 
   
   
       11 . The kiosk of  claim 9 , wherein the processing apparatus is further programmed to authorize the gift card for use at the selected contract store and forward payment data pertaining to the activated gift card to a server computer associated with the selected contract store. 
   
   
       12 . A system for selling customized gift cards comprising:
 a plurality of retail stores under contract with a gift card vendor, the plurality of retail stores connected by a network computer system;   a database for storing a plurality of design templates, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields;   a first computer of the network computer system for displaying a listing of the plurality of contract retail stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one design template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates are modifiable by a customer based on a rule set;   an input device to receive a set of inputs from a customer including a design template selection, a contract store selection, and a purchase amount, wherein the purchase amount is based on a payment received;
 wherein at least one field of the selected template comprises a logo of the selected contract store and wherein the rule set comprises a rule for a parameter of the logo field which prevents overlapping a second field over the logo field; and 
   a printing device for printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the purchase amount.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising at least a second field including at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the logo field is a non-modifiable field as designated in the rule set. 
   
   
       15 . A method of customizing a gift card comprising:
 storing a plurality of design templates in a computer-readable medium, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields;   displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a rule set;   receiving a set of inputs from a customer including a contract store selection; a design template selection and a gift card amount, wherein the gift card amount corresponds to a payment received from the customer by a vendor;   including in a non-modifiable field of the selected template a logo of the selected contract store;   preventing overlapping a second field over the logo field;   printing the gift card based on the selected design template and the contract store selection; and   activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising including a second field having at least one of a policy, a notice, or a contract associated with the contract store or the vendor. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising printing the gift card at an independent mail and packaging facility and mailing the gift card to a recipient. 
   
   
       18 . A method of customizing a gift card comprising:
 storing a plurality of design templates in a database, the templates including a plurality of fields and a layout for the plurality of fields;   displaying a set of contract stores and a set of the plurality of design templates to a customer, wherein at least one template field of at least a portion of the plurality of design templates is modifiable by a customer based on a vendor based rule set;   receiving a set of inputs from a customer via a computer connected to the Internet, the inputs including a contract store selection; a design template selection; a gift card amount;   and a user provided photo selected by the user from either a digital photo album account on the Internet or one or more user provided photos;   printing the gift card based on the selected design template, the contract store selection, and the user provided photo selected by the user; and   activating the gift card for redemption exclusively at the selected contract store in an amount corresponding to the gift card amount.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising printing the gift card at a selected retail store for subsequent pickup by the recipient of the gift card. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising printing the gift card at an independent mail and packaging facility and mailing the gift card to a recipient.