US2014156523A1PendingUtilityA1

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for peer-to-peer third party distribution of gift cards and peer-to-peer transaction routing therefor

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 31, 2008Filed: Feb 6, 2014Published: Jun 5, 2014
Est. expiryJul 31, 2028(~2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Gary T. DinkinLinda B. Dinkin
G06Q 10/10G06Q 30/0601G06Q 30/06G06Q 20/223G06Q 20/342G06Q 20/0855
40
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A method for peer-to-peer gift card transaction routing includes creating a record in a database corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider. In response to a gift card transaction by the third party seller for a gift card issued by the gift card provider, the method includes, at the peer-to-peer gift card transaction router, receiving a gift card transaction message from the third party seller. The method includes accessing the database using information in the gift card transaction message and locating a record in the database corresponding to the agreement between the gift card provider and the third party seller. The method further includes, using information in the record, communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for peer-to-peer third party distribution of gift cards and peer-to-peer transaction routing therefor, the method comprising:
 providing a peer-to-peer gift card transaction router and a peer-to-peer gift card transaction database that are configurable to facilitate peer-to-peer transaction processing for gift cards issued by a gift card provider and distributed by a third party seller where the gift card provider and the third party seller negotiate terms of gift card distribution directly with each other and enter an agreement regarding distribution of and transaction processing for gift cards issued by the gift card provider and distributed by the third party seller;   creating a record in the database corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider;   in response to a gift card transaction by the third party seller for a gift card issued by the gift card provider, at the peer-to-peer gift card transaction router:
 receiving a gift card transaction message from the third party seller; 
 accessing the database using information in the gift card transaction message and locating the record corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider; and 
 using information in the record, communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction router and the database are configured to facilitate transaction processing for gift cards issued by a plurality of different gift card providers and a plurality of different gift card sellers 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction router and the database are configured to maintain an inventory of gift cards provided by the gift card provider to the third party seller and to update the inventory in response to gift card activations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the notification of the gift card transaction communicated to the gift card provider includes a face value of the gift card. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein settlement for the gift card transaction occurs between the gift card provider and the gift card seller without involving a gift card distribution aggregator. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider includes routing the gift card transaction message to the gift card provider. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein routing the gift card transaction message to the gift card provider includes routing the gift card transaction message to a gift card transaction node operated by the gift card provider. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction comprises an activation and wherein the method further comprises, at the gift card provider, in response to receiving notification of the activation, loading an account with a value for the gift card. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction comprises an activation and wherein the method further comprises, at the gift card provider, in response to receiving notification of the activation, validating the activation and sending confirmation of the activation to the third party gift card seller. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction comprises a redemption of the gift card by the third party seller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gift card transaction comprises one of: a reload transaction, an adjust increment/decrement transaction, a preauthorization transaction, a balance inquiry transaction, a loyalty transaction, and a void transaction. 
     
     
         12 . A system for peer-to-peer third party distribution of gift cards and peer-to-peer transaction routing therefor, the system comprising:
 a peer-to-peer gift card transaction router and a peer-to-peer gift card transaction database that are configurable to facilitate peer-to-peer transaction processing for gift cards issued by a gift card provider and distributed by a third party seller where the gift card provider and the third party seller negotiate terms of gift card distribution directly with each other and enter an agreement regarding distribution of and transaction processing for gift cards issued by the gift card provider and distributed by the third party seller;   wherein the database includes a record corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider;   wherein, in response to a gift card transaction by the third party seller for a gift card issued by the gift card provider, the peer-to-peer gift card transaction router is configured to:
 receive gift card transaction message from the third party seller; 
 access the database using information in the gift card transaction message and locate the record corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider; and 
 using information in the record, communicate notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction router and the database are configured to facilitate processing of gift cards issued by a plurality of different gift card providers and a plurality of different gift card sellers 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction router and the database are configured to maintain an inventory of gift cards provided by the gift card provider to the third party seller and to update the inventory in response to gift card activations. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the notification of the gift card transaction communicated to the gift card provider includes a face value of the gift card. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein settlement for the gift card transaction occurs between the gift card provider and the gift card seller without involving a gift card distribution aggregator. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12  wherein communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider includes routing the gift card transaction message to the gift card provider. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein routing the gift card transaction message to the gift card provider includes routing the message to a gift card transaction node operated by the gift card provider. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction comprises an activation and wherein the gift card provider, in response to receiving notification of the activation, loading an account with a value for the gift card. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction comprises an activation and wherein the gift card provider is configured to validate the activation and send confirmation of the activation to the third party gift card seller. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction comprises a redemption of the gift card by the third party seller. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gift card transaction comprises one of: a reload transaction, an adjust increment/decrement transaction, a preauthorization transaction, a balance inquiry transaction, a loyalty transaction, and a void transaction. 
     
     
         23 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer performs steps comprising:
 providing a peer-to-peer gift card transaction router and a peer-to-peer gift card transaction database that are configurable to facilitate peer-to-peer transaction processing for gift cards issued by a gift card provider and distributed by a third party seller where the gift card provider and the third party seller negotiate terms of gift card distribution directly with each other and enter an agreement regarding distribution of and transaction processing for gift cards issued by the gift card provider and distributed by the third party seller;   creating a record in the database corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider;   in response to a gift card transaction by the third party seller for a gift card issued by the gift card provider, at the peer-to-peer gift card transaction router:
 receiving a gift card transaction message from the third party seller; 
 accessing the database using information in the gift card transaction message and locating the record corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider; and 
 using information in the record, communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider.

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