US20140074704A1 - Systems, methods and devices for conducting transactions with electronic passbooks - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is disclosed for storing an electronic gift card (eGC) on a portable electronic device. The method includes: receiving a request for a web page hosted by a prepaid instrument provider server, the request including a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a selected eGC stored on the server; associating with the selected eGC a unique identification code and a URL link to the selected eGC; sending the web page with a user-interface control that, when selected, causes the selected eGC to be added to an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device; responsive to selection of the user-interface control, receiving the unique identification code associated with the selected eGC; responsive to receiving the unique identification code, creating an electronic passbook file for the selected eGC; and, communicating the electronic passbook file for adding as a representation of the selected eGC to the electronic passbook.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY AND CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/699,704, which was filed on Sep. 11, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present disclosure relates generally to electronic commerce and, more particularly, to software applications for conducting transactions and storing information on mobile computing and cellular devices.
BACKGROUND
• Electronic commerce, or “e-commerce” as it is more commonly known, has become one of the most prevalent means for conducting transactions both domestically and internationally. E-commerce can generally be typified as the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems, such as the Internet and other computer networks. Various forms of electronic payment instruments, such as credit cards, debit cards, pre-paid value cards, cash cards, gift cards, gift certificates, and the like, have been used to facilitate commercial transactions, including web-based (e.g., “e-commerce”) transactions and brick-and-mortar (e.g., “store front”) transactions. Conventional pre-paid payment mechanisms are typically acquired by a purchaser for value from a seller. The seller can take on various known forms, such as banks and other financial institutions, retailers, online institutions, and other types of entities. The purchaser typically provides value (e.g., currency) to the seller and, in exchange, is issued a pre-paid payment instrument, e.g., by delivering or otherwise associating the value with a pre-paid payment instrument. Traditionally, once the seller completes the initial transaction of selling and providing the pre-paid payment instrument to the purchaser, the seller tracks purchases against currency value attributed to the pre-paid payment instrument.
• In a conventional gift card scenario, the originating purchaser is required to travel in person to a brick-and-mortar store and purchase a card that is associated with a certain amount of stored value. Once acquired, the originating purchaser must then mail or otherwise deliver the gift card to the intended recipient, who typically redeems the value of the gift card by traveling to the store, picking out an item for purchase, and presenting the gift card at a point-of-sale terminal as a form of payment. Generally speaking, this scenario is inconvenient for both the originating purchaser and the recipient because of the additional personal time and money required to travel to the store for the original purchase of the gift card as well as subsequent purchases with the gift card. Even for the merchant, this situation may be undesirable due to avoidable overhead costs and personnel time associated with stocking, displaying and selling gift cards. Moreover, gift card redemption is typically limited to a single retailer such that the gift card can be redeemed at that retailer's stores only.
• With the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, internet-based “online” systems enable shoppers to purchase items, such as gift cards or prepaid cards, from home using personal credit cards and a personal computer. In a typical online gift card purchase, the purchaser is required to access a specific website for a desired online retailer, navigate the website to determine where gift cards are available for purchase, choose a gift card and associated value, enter personal shipping and billing information, and, once the transaction is complete, then wait for the gift card to be delivered. The processes and interfaces for purchasing gift cards from an online retailer can oftentimes be confusing and time consuming to the purchaser. Moreover, the originating purchaser or the intended recipient must wait until the gift card is physically shipped and received before they can redeem the value of the card. There are also security risks associated with conducting electronic transactions over the internet. These issues are exacerbated by purchases made electronically with portable computing and cellular devices, such as laptop computers and smartphones, which are more susceptible to loss, theft and tampering than desktop computers.
• Various mechanisms have been proposed to provide security and convenience for transactions conducted electronically, especially with respect to individual consumers using mobile computing and cellular devices to purchase goods and services over the Internet from online retailers. For example, a digital wallet (also known as an electronic wallet or “e-wallet”) is a software component, typically consisting of various sub-component software components, modules, and the like, that allows a consumer to make a secure electronic payment with an electronic payment instrument, such as a credit card or debit card, during an e-commerce transaction. The software includes features that provide security and encryption for personal information used to conduct the electronic transaction, such as credit card information, bank account information, and other sensitive information. The digital wallet can thus hold a consumer's payment information, a digital certificate to identify the consumer, shipping/address information, and the like to speed transaction processing. Consumers benefit from using a digital wallet because their information is encrypted against piracy, and the digital wallet can automatically input shipping and other necessary information to complete the transaction.
• Most digital wallets are stored “client side” on the consumer's personal computer (PC) or smartphone, and are self-maintained. Digital wallets may also reside on a remote, non-consumer owned and operated server, such as a retailer server, a financial institution server, or a digital wallet company server. A “server side” digital wallet, also known as a “thin wallet,” is one that an organization creates for and about an individual consumer. Server-side digital wallets are gaining popularity among major retailers due to the security, efficiency, and added utility it provides to the end-user, which increases customer loyalty and purchase frequency. Nevertheless, digital wallets are typically limited in their overall functionality and in the types of information that can be stored in a digital wallet. What is needed are digital storage and security applications for mobile computing and cellular devices that offer the security and benefits of server-side digital wallets, but can be maintained client side on, accessed through and modified with a consumer's portable computing or cellular device. There is also a need for digital storage and security applications that offer more functionality beyond just storing and encrypting personal shipping and bank account information.
SUMMARY
• Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method of storing on a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider. The method includes: receiving, at a server of the prepaid instrument provider, a request from a web browser running on a portable electronic device for a web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider server, the request including a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a selected electronic gift card selected from a plurality of electronic gift cards stored on the prepaid instrument provider server, the selected electronic gift card being associated with a unique identification code, a balance of an amount of value remaining on the selected electronic gift card, a name of a sender of the selected electronic gift card, and a URL link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider server; the prepaid instrument provider server sending to the web browser running on the portable electronic device the web page that includes a user interface control that is configured, when selected, to cause a representation of the selected electronic gift card to be added to an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device; responsive to the prepaid instrument provider server receiving an indication of a selection of the user interface control, receiving from the web browser the unique identification code associated with the selected electronic gift card; responsive to receiving the unique identification code, the prepaid instrument provider server creating an electronic passbook file that includes the balance, the name of the sender, and the URL associated with the selected electronic gift card; and, the prepaid instrument provider server communicating to the web browser the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card for adding the representation of the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.
• According to other aspects of the present disclosure, a method is presented for importing to a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider. The method includes: receiving an indication confirming a purchase of an electronic gift card selected from a plurality of electronic gift cards stored on a server of the prepaid instrument provider; in response to receiving the indication confirming the purchase, the prepaid instrument provider associating with the selected electronic gift card at least a unique identification code, an amount of value of the selected electronic gift card, and a uniform resource locator (URL) link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider server; transmitting an electronic notification of the purchase to an intended recipient; receiving from the intended recipient, at the prepaid instrument provider server, a request with the URL link associated with the selected electronic gift card; the prepaid instrument provider server sending to a web browser running on a portable electronic device of the recipient a web page with a user-selectable feature that is operable, when selected, to automatically export a representation of the selected electronic gift card into an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device; responsive to the prepaid instrument provider server receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable feature, determining the unique identification code of the selected electronic gift card; from the unique identification code, creating an electronic passbook file that includes the amount of value and the URL link of the selected electronic gift card; and, the prepaid instrument provider server communicating to the portable electronic device the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card and an instruction to automatically import the representation of the selected electronic gift card into the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.
• In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, a method is presented for dynamically constructing a web page for display on a video display of an electronic device. The method includes: determining, from an HTTP header associated with a web page requested from a web browser running on the electronic device, whether an electronic passbook is present on the electronic device, wherein the web page is hosted by a prepaid instrument provider server that issues and stores a plurality of electronic gift cards, and wherein the electronic passbook is configured to store a plurality of virtual instruments; responsive to determining that the electronic passbook is present on the electronic device, adding, prior to displaying the entire web page, a user interface control that is configured when selected to cause a selected electronic gift card of the plurality of electronic gift cards issued by the prepaid instrument provider server to be added to the electronic passbook; and responsive to determining that the electronic passbook is not present on the electronic device, causing the web page to be displayed on the video display without the user interface control
• Additional aspects of the present disclosure are directed to computer program products comprising one or more non-transient computer-readable media. The computer-readable media includes instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a prepaid instrument provider, cause the one or more processors to operate with one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider to perform any of the methods disclosed herein. Systems and devices for storing on a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider are also disclosed.
• The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the novel aspects and features set forth herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a representative system for conducting a transaction using a portable electronic device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIGS. 2A-2C are plan-view illustrations of an exemplary portable electronic device with an electronic passbook with which aspects of the present disclosure can be practiced.
• FIG. 3 is a flow chart representing an exemplary algorithm or method for storing an electronic gift card in an electronic passbook on a portable electronic device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustration of an example method or algorithm of a prepaid instrument provider dynamically building a web page depending on the capabilities of the portable electronic device.
• FIG. 5 is an example web page hosted and generated by the prepaid instrument provider server displaying a button control, which indicates that the electronic device supports an electronic passbook.
• FIG. 6 is an example web page hosted and generated by the prepaid instrument provider server, which allows the recipient of an electronic gift card to thank the sender thereof.
• FIG. 7 is an example web page hosted and generated by the prepaid instrument provider server, which allows an authenticated recipient of the electronic gift card to redeem it online or at a retailer.
• While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms and aspects. There are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail aspects of the present disclosure with the understanding that it is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention or inventions disclosed herein and is not intended to limit the broad aspects illustrated. To that extent, elements and limitations that are disclosed, for example, in the Abstract, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly or collectively, by implication, inference or otherwise. For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed, the singular includes the plural and vice versa; the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the word “all” means “any and all”; the word “any” means “any and all”; and the word “including” means “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein in the sense of “at, near, or nearly at,” or “within 3-5% of,” or any logical combination thereof, for example.
• Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components throughout the several views,FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary wireless communications system and network, designated generally as10, for conducting transactions using a portableelectronic device12 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Thesystem10 includes, but is not limited to, the portableelectronic device12, which is operated by a user orclient14, acommunications network16, and one ormore servers18 and20, and one or more participating retailers ormerchants22 and24. It should be readily understood that thesystem10 illustrated inFIG. 1 is merely provided as an exemplary application by which the various inventive aspects and features of this disclosure can be applied. Moreover, only selected components of thesystem10 have been shown and will be described in additional detail hereinbelow. Nevertheless, the systems and devices discussed herein can include numerous additional and alternative features, and other well-known peripheral components, for example, for carrying out the various methods and functions disclosed herein. Those components which are not necessary for carrying out the aspects of the present disclosure will not be described in further detail.
• Thecommunications network16 can be a wired or a wireless network, or a combination of wired and wireless technology. In at least some aspects, most if not all of the transaction functions (e.g., purchasing) described herein by the portableelectronic device12 can be conducted over a wireless network, such as a WLAN or cellular data network, to ensure freedom of movement of the user anddevice12. In some implementations, thesystem10 can be a web-based system where users orclients14 use internet-based websites and/or web-based applications to access the transaction features disclosed herein. In various aspects, the portableelectronic device12 includes a web browser or a dedicated, standalone application software, or a combination of both. A web browser typically allows theuser14 to search for and/or request a web page (e.g., from the server18) with a web page request. A web page, in a non-limiting example, is a data file that includes computer executable or interpretable data, graphics, text, video, and/or sound, that can be executed, displayed, played, processed, streamed, and/or stored, and that can contain links to other web pages. In some embodiments, a user manually requests a web page from theserver18. Alternatively, the dedicated transaction software automatically makes requests with the web browser. Examples of commercially available web browser software include, but are certainly not limited to, FIREFOX, available from the Mozilla Corp., of Mountain View, Calif., SAFARI available from Apple, Inc., ANDROID BROWSER, available from Google Inc., and INTERNET EXPLORER, available from Microsoft Corp., of Redmond, Wash. In one implementation, the portableelectronic device12 can connect to thenetwork16 over a cable, which can pertain to a peripheral bus such as a USB or Firewire® (IEEE-1394) connection.
• Thecommunications network16 connects theuser14, through operation of the portableelectronic device12, with one ormore servers18 and20. Communication can take place through any now-known or hereinafter developed media, such as telephone lines (e.g., Dial-Up), local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) links (e.g., Ethernet, T(X) lines, X.25, etc.), broadband connections (e.g., Integrated Service Data Network (ISDN), Frame Relay, etc.), wireless links (e.g., infrared, Bluetooth®, WiFi or WLAN), cellular networks, and so on. Thenetwork16, in at least some embodiments, can typically carry Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol communications, and HTTP/HTTPS requests made by a web browser and associated responses and replies, and the connection between client software and a server can be communicated over such TCP/IP networks. Some non-limiting examples of networks that can serve as thecommunications network16 include a wireless or wired Ethernet-based intranet, a local or wide-area network (LAN or WAN), and/or the global communications network known as the Internet, which can be configured to accommodate many different communications media and protocols.
• The dedicated transaction or application software can be implemented in various forms. For instance, the dedicated transaction software or application software can be in the form of a web-based (e.g., Java) applet that is downloaded to the portableelectronic device12 and runs in conjunction with a web browser on the portableelectronic device12. Optionally, the dedicated transaction software can be in the form of a standalone software application, which can be implemented in a multi-platform language such as .Net or Java, or in native processor executable code. If executed on the portableelectronic device12, the dedicated transaction software can be operable to open a network connection with theservers18,20 over thecommunications network16 and, thus, communicates via that connection with theserver servers18,20. In some embodiments, the dedicated transaction software of the portableelectronic device12 communicates with a single “host” or “client”server18, which in turn conducts any necessary communications with one or more “third party”servers20 to complete a particular transaction. Optionally, the dedicated transaction software and web browser can be part of a single client-server interface, where the software can be implemented as a “plug-in” to the web browser, for example. Other optional variations and known alternatives are considered to be within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Thehost server18 can include one or more servers, such as a host server and a prepaid instrument provider server, such as a server operated by First Data Corporation's merchant processing service. In some implementations, thehost server18 can carry out the functions of a prepaid instrument provider server, or thehost server18 can interface with a remote prepaid instrument provider server, which manages and stores gift cards and their associated account information including balances. An example of a host server is a digital gifting platform operated by CashStar, Inc., the assignee of the present disclosure. Thethird party servers20 can include more than one third party server (e.g., a third party relative to the prepaid instrument provider), including, for example, servers of several independently owned and operated merchants, which are not owned or operated by the host/prepaidinstrument provider server18. In other words, the entity operating theserver20 is not the same entity as the issuer of the prepaid instruments stored on the prepaidinstrument provider server18. Thereference numbers18 and20 each generally designates one or more servers.
• In the illustrated system, thenetwork16 is used to securely communicatively couple the portableelectronic device12 to one or more of theservers18,20. Eachserver18,20 can be implemented on one or more server class computers, which can be subcomponents of a computer hardware server system, with sufficient memory, data storage, and processing power and, in some embodiments, the capabilities to run a server class operating system (e.g., GNU/Linux, SUN Solaris, Microsoft Windows OS, etc.). Theservers18,20 can each be part of a logical group of one or more servers, such as a server farm or server network. As is typical in large-scale systems, the application software can be implemented in components, with different components running on different server computers, on the same server, or any logical combination thereof. AlthoughFIG. 1 illustrates a single portableelectronic device12 communicating with asingle host server18 over asingle network16 to execute a transaction with asingle retailer22, it should be understood that thesystem10 can support numerous portableelectronic devices12 operating over one ormore networks16 to conduct transactions with an array ofretailers22 through a variety ofhost servers18 andthird party servers20.
• The portableelectronic device12 comprises a housing orcasing26 and includes one ormore input devices28, which can include various devices such as a keyboard, buttons on a button panel, a single- or multi-touch screen, a track ball, a track pad, a microphone, or voice and/or gesture recognition software and hardware. For output, the portableelectronic device12 can include, in a few examples, adisplay device30, which can include a high-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a plasma display, or a light emitting diode (LED) or organic LED (OLED) display, one or more speakers, one or more user-accessible ports (e.g., an audio output jack for headphones, a video headset jack, etc.), and other conventional I/O devices and ports. Theprimary display device30 can be configured to display aspects of the dedicated transaction software, which can take on the form of a dedicated mobile software application (or “app”), as well as other tangential features, functions and information, such as text messaging, emails, alerts and announcements, personal information, advertisements, and the operating status of the portableelectronic device12. In some embodiments, the portableelectronic device12 can also include alocation tracking device34, which can include a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. Examples of some portable electronic devices include, but are not limited to, cellular phones and smartphones, laptop computers, tablet computers (e.g., the Samsung GALAXY TAB tablet device and the Apple IPAD tablet device), e-readers (e.g., the KINDLE electronic reader device), personal digital assistants (PDA), etc. By portable, it is meant that the device can be comfortably held in the hand or hands of one adult human and weighs less than a pound to a few pounds.
• In some embodiments, the user-input device(s)28 accept(s) user input(s) and transforms the user input(s) to electronic data signals indicative of input or inputs, which can correspond to an enabled feature for such input(s) at a time of activation. The input(s), once transformed into electronic data signals, can be outputted to a central processing unit (CPU) orcontroller32 for processing. The electronic data signals can correspond to an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical charge, an optical signal, or a magnetic signal, or any combination thereof.
• To enhance security, a transaction with the portableelectronic device12 can be optionally enabled only by an authentication process in which a primary or secondary source confirms the identity of theuser14. Upon entry of user identification information, for example, such as a password, PIN number, credit card number, personal information, biometric input, predefined key sequences, etc., the user can be permitted to access a user account. Thus, a transaction can be enabled by, for example, a combination of personal identification input (e.g., mother's maiden name) with a secret PIN number, or a combination of a password and a corresponding PIN number, or a combination of a credit card input with secret PIN number. Other conventional security or authentication features can be utilized to prevent unauthorized access to a user's account, for example, to minimize an impact of any unauthorized access to a user's account, or to prevent unauthorized access to any personal information or funds accessible via a user's account.
• The various components of the portableelectronic device12 are controlled by one or more processors (e.g., CPU, distributed processors, etc.)32, also referred to herein generally as a controller (e.g., microcontroller, microprocessor, etc.). Thecontroller32 can include any suitable processor(s). By way of example, thecontroller32 can include a plurality of microprocessors including a master processor, a slave processor, and a secondary or parallel processor.Controller32, as used herein, can comprise any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware disposed inside and/or outside of thehousing26 of thedevice12 that is configured to communicate with and/or control the transfer of data between the portableelectronic device12 and a bus, another computer, processor, or device and/or a service and/or a network. Thecontroller32 is generally operable to execute any or all of the various computer program products, software, applications, algorithms, methods and/or other processes disclosed herein. Thecontroller32 can include a memory device or can be coupled to a memory device, which can comprise a volatile memory (e.g., a random-access memory (RAM) or multiple RAM) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., an EEPROM).
• Location and movement of the portableelectronic device12 can be tracked via alocation tracking device34, which can reside in the portableelectronic device12. As indicated above, the location can be determined through a satellite-based GPS navigation system. Even without a GPS receiver, the portableelectronic device12 can provide location and movement information through cooperation with a cellular system through a process known as “trilateration.” A cellular system's towers and base stations communicate radio signals and are arranged into a network of cells. Cellular devices, such as cellphones, smartphones and cellular-enabled tablet computers, have low-power transmitters for communicating with the nearest tower, base station, router, or access point. As a user moves with the cellular device, e.g., from one cell to another, the base stations monitor the strength of the transmitter's signal. When the cellular device moves toward the edge of one cell, the transmitter signal strength diminishes for a current tower. At the same time, the base station in the approaching cell detects a strength increase in the signal. As the user moves into a new cell, the towers transfer the signal from one to the next. A computer can determine the location of the device based on measurements of the transmitter signal, such as the angle of approach to the cell tower(s), the time it takes the signal to travel to multiple towers, and the strength of the signal when it reaches the towers. According to other aspects of at least some embodiments of the present concepts, a movement sensor can be provided comprising one or more sensors configured to determine the movement (e.g., rotation, translation, etc.) of the portableelectronic device12 with respect to an established datum or reference (e.g., position, spatial orientation, reaction, force, velocity, acceleration, electrical contact, etc.) about or along one or more axes.
• FIGS. 2A-2C provide a more specific example of a portable electronic device, which is illustrated as a WiFi-enabled and cellular-enabledsmartphone112. The smartphone ofFIGS. 2A-2C includes various known input and output devices, including one or more input devices, which in this example includes a touch screen (or “touchscreen”)128A and adigital camera128B, and one or more output devices, such as a high-resolutionLCD display screen130A and anear speaker130B. The portableelectronic device112 ofFIG. 2 can take on any of the various forms, optional configurations, and functional alternatives, including those described above with respect to the aspects exemplified in the portableelectronic device12 ofFIG. 1, and thus can include any of the corresponding options, components and features. For instance, the portableelectronic device112 can communicate with one or more servers (e.g.,servers18 and20 ofFIG. 1) via a wireless network (e.g.,network16 ofFIG. 1) in any of the manners described above or otherwise known.
• Downloaded to or otherwise available on the portableelectronic device112, e.g., as a standard feature with the device's operating system, is a software application for conducting transactions electronically. This software application is portrayed as a dedicated mobile software application160 (more commonly known as a “mobile application” or just “app”). The software application160 (FIG. 2C) can take on any of the various forms and optional alternatives described above as well as those now known and hereinafter developed. As will be developed in further detail below, thesoftware application160 is an electronic passbook. The electronic passbook is operable, in at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, to store electronic travel tickets, electronic entertainment event tickets, electronic pre-paid value cards, electronic loyalty cards, or electronic coupons, or any combination thereof. For example, the electronic passbook can safely store airplane boarding passes, sporting, concert and movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, virtual gift cards, and more all in one place. Rather than merely saving information associated with each of these articles, the electronic passbook allows the user to save, organize, access, and redeem or otherwise use the passes/tickets/coupons/cards/etc. By way of non-limiting example, the electronic passbook allows the user to present the portableelectronic device112 on site and, directly from thedisplay screen130A or through onboard wireless technology (e.g., near field communication (NFC) technology or radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology) redeem a retail coupon, check in at an airline gate for a flight, or access a movie at the movie theatre. The electronic passbook may offer additional functionality, including generating notifications (e.g., a “push” notification) indicating when a concert or movie is about to start, when a retail coupon is about to expire, when a flight has been delayed, or when the balance of a pre-paid store card is running low. In contrast to prior art digital wallets (or “e-wallets”), the electronic passbook may be characterized, at least in part, by not being operable to store bank account information, credit card information, or personalized shipping information of the user.
• As seen inFIG. 2A (left), the user (a fictitious “Derek F.”) of the portableelectronic device112 has received an electronic notification, in the form of anemail140, indicating that another person (a fictitious “Jeremy P.”) has sent to the user an electronic gift card (eGC). In this example, a prepaid instrument provider may receive an electronic confirmation that Jeremy P. purchased an eGC, which was selected from an assortment of available electronic gift cards that are stored on one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider (e.g.,host server18 ofFIG. 1). The confirmation can include various types of information, including proof of purchase, a specific merchant for the eGC (e.g., SLAP Clothing), a selected design for the eGC, and a card value of the eGC, which can be a fixed value, a value chosen from one or more predefined values, or a user-defined value. The electronic confirmation may also include other information, such as the intended recipient's personal information and/or an email address, a mailing address, or a preexisting account number for purposes of delivery. Some other optional information may include the purchaser's/sender's personal contact information, a date of purchase, associated terms and conditions, etc. It is also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure that the purchaser/sender buy the eGC for himself/herself; in such an instance, the purchaser (e.g., “Jeremy P.”) would be receiving theemail140. As another optional alternative, the electronic notification may have been generated and transmitted from a source other than the prepaid instrument provider (e.g., by thethird party servers20 ofFIG. 1).
• For some preferred embodiments, the eGC is a “virtual gift card” (generally called a virtual prepaid instrument) where a physical (e.g., plastic or paper) gift card or gift voucher is not issued with the purchase. The term “card” includes a voucher, ticket, coupon, and the like, and is not limited to any particular tangible form such as paper or plastic. “Virtual” as used herein means that the prepaid instrument exists electronically, such as an electronically stored file, that is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a memory device. According to some implementations, a virtual gift card account is created and a redemption code is assigned to that account, such as by the prepaidinstrument provider server18. Redeeming the eGC, in some implementations, merely requires displaying, via thedisplay device130A, a digital representation of the virtual gift card with the characterizing indicia of the gift card and presenting the digital representation at a point-of-sale retailer. Virtual gift cards offer many of the conveniences of a traditional gift card, but are typically available within seconds or minutes without the extra time and cost associated with shipping a physical gift card, and are less susceptible to loss and theft. Gift recipients can receive an email notification with a link to activate their virtual gift card. In the context of the present disclosure, virtual gift cards offer the benefit of allowing the user to instantly redeem a virtual gift card at a merchant's store or kiosk, or at the webpage of an online retailer, without having to log into any accounts to authenticate the transactions. The user is not required to visit any outside websites or enter any further authentication information, though in some implementations, these actions are contemplated by this disclosure.
• In response to the electronic confirmation of the eGC purchase, the prepaid instrument provider will generate a profile for the selected eGC, store the profile locally on the prepaid instrument provider server(s), and associate unique sales information with the selected eGC. The unique sales information can include any or all of the information provided in the electronic confirmation of purchase, which is discussed above. In addition, or alternatively, the unique sales information will include a unique identification code and a uniform resource locator (URL) link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider's server(s). Other types of information can also be associated with the eGC profile—e.g., a date of purchase, a card number (which is distinct from the unique ID code), a point of purchase, billing information for the purchaser, a balance of the amount of value remaining on the selected electronic gift card, etc.
• The prepaid instrument provider will then generate and transmit an electronic notification (e.g., email140 ofFIG. 2A) of the purchase to the intended recipient of the selected eCG. When the user accesses or “opens” the electronic notification, they can be presented with a message, a picture, a logo, an animation, a sound byte, or any other indicia, singly or in combination, to notify the user of the purchased eGC. As seen inFIG. 2A (right), for example, upon selection of theemail140, the user is presented with amessage142, which states “Happy Days! Your friend Jeremy P. has given you an eGift!” Theemail140 also presents to the user a user-selectable button144 which, once selected, accesses a specific URL in a web browser (e.g., SAFARI or ANDROID BROWSER) on the portableelectronic device112, and directs the user to a web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider with a simulated gift-unwrappingfeature146. That is, selection of the user-selectable button144 may include transmitting a request to the server(s) of the prepaid instrument provider. The request can be transmitted by a web browser running on the portableelectronic device112. The request for the web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider server may include the URL associated with the selected eGC. The user-selectable button144 may take on alternative forms, such as a hypertext-file user-selectable hyperlink and/or instructions for opening a web browser and submitting the request manually. Optionally, the user-selectable button144 may be omitted altogether; in this instance, the transmission of the request can be automated, for example, in response to the recipient opening theemail140.
• Upon receiving the request from the web browser running on the portableelectronic device112 for the web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider server(s), the prepaid instrument provider server(s) sends the requested web page to the web browser, which includes the optional gift-unwrappingfeature146. Thisoptional feature146, which can best be seen inFIG. 2B (left), displays to the user a simulated gift box148 wrapped in wrapping paper (left, top). To reveal the eGC, namely the value of the eGC, the retailer associated with the eGC, and the sender of the eGC, the user is prompted to “unwrap” the gift box148 by swiping their finger or other appendage back and forth across display screen130. After the gift box is unwrapped, the selected eGC, including the sender (e.g., “Jason”), the merchant (e.g., SLAP Clothing), which operates separately from the prepaid instrument provider, and the value of the eGC (e.g., $100 USD) is revealed to the user, as seen inFIG. 2B (left, bottom).
• After completing the gift-unwrappingfeature146, the user is directed to aneGC summary page150 for providing more detailed information about the eGC transaction. For instance, in the example illustrated inFIG. 2B (right), thesummary page150 provides the user with a “Status Bar”151, anameplate152 with the name of the merchant associated with the eGC (e.g., “SLAP eGiftCard”), branding information unique to that merchant associated with the eGC (e.g., a SLAP logo153), a value or a remainingbalance154 of the eGC, afaceplate155 with a design of the eGC, and amessage box156 with a message from the sender. Additional and alternative types of information can be presented to the user in thesummary page150.
• The web page inFIG. 2B (right) also includes a user interface control158 (also referred to herein as “user-selectable control”) that is configured, when selected, to cause a representation of the selected eGC to be added to theelectronic passbook160 on the portableelectronic device112. With regard to the illustrated example, the user “selects” theuser interface control158 using any of the input devices available on the portable electronic device112 (e.g.,touchscreen128A). For some optional implementations, theuser interface control158 can be omitted altogether such that a representation of the selected eGC is automatically imported into theelectronic passbook160 on the portableelectronic device112, for example, upon completion of the simulated gift-unwrappingfeature146 or at another predetermined time.
• The one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of theuser interface control158, will determine the unique identification code of the selected eGC. In some embodiments, this can include receiving from the web browser on the portableelectronic device112 the unique ID code associated with the selected eGC. Optionally, or as an alternative for some embodiments, the unique ID code can be retrieved from another source or any number of available sources, such as directly from the prepaid instrument provider server(s).
• Responsive to receiving or otherwise determining the unique ID code for the eGC, the prepaid instrument provider server(s) creates an electronic passbook file170 (or “e-pass”) for the selected eGC. From the unique sales information stored along with the unique ID code in the eGC profile on the host server(s)18 ofFIG. 1, for example, ane-pass file170 can be generated with any of an assortment of requisite information. Theelectronic passbook file170 can be created dynamically after the prepaid instrument provider server(s) receives notification that theuser interface control158 has been selected. Theelectronic passbook file170 can be based on a template e-pass file and predefined guidelines provided by the merchant and/or manufacturer of the portableelectronic device112. The electronic passbook file may include any or all of the information in the eGC profile, including the available balance and the name of the sender (displayed at172 inFIG. 2C), as well as the URL associated with the selected eGC. Theelectronic passbook file170 can include other relevant information as well, such as the merchant associated with the selected eGC (displayed at171 inFIG. 2C), a card number and bar code associated with the selected eGC (displayed at173 inFIG. 2C) for redemption thereof, and/or a personal identification number (PIN). The card number associated with the selected electronic gift card is typically distinct from the unique identification code. For instance, a distinct card number may be assigned to each eGC by the merchant in advance of purchase to keep track of the total number of available gift cards, while a unique ID code is created and assigned to the eGC by the prepaid instrument provider after the eGC is purchased.
• Once the e-pass file is created, the prepaid instrument provider server(s) sends thee-pass file170 to the intended recipient. In some embodiments, the host server(s)18 communicates to the web browser on the portableelectronic device112 theelectronic passbook file170 as the representation of the selected eGC, which will subsequently be added to theelectronic passbook160. As seen inFIG. 2C (left), for example, theelectronic passbook160 is shown displaying seven individually selectable e-pass files: a FARGET e-pass161 for a national discount-retail chain; a MANDANGO e-pass162 for an online concert ticket retailer; a CARBUCKS e-pass163 for a local carwash chain; aCAMTRACK e-pass164 for an international passenger-train carrier; anAPPLE STONE e-pass165 for an independently owned and run grocery store; aUNITE AIR e-pass166 for an international airline company; and a National Baseball League (NBL) e-pass167 for tickets to see teams of a professional baseball league. A newe-pass file170 is shown inFIG. 2C (right) being exported from the prepaid instrument provider, through the onboard web browser, and imported by the portableelectronic device112 into theelectronic passbook160. Thee-pass file170, in some embodiments, can be automatically downloaded from the web browser into theelectronic passbook160 on the portableelectronic device112, as described above. Thee-pass file170 may include branding information unique to the merchant (e.g., SLAP Clothing), pre-established terms and conditions for using the selected eGC, and/or a hyperlink to a webpage hosted by the merchant (e.g., to redeem the balance on the eGC. Once received, thee-pass file170 is automatically added to theelectronic passbook160.
• Prior to importing thee-pass file170, the host server(s)18 may need to determine whether the portableelectronic device112 supports this platform (i.e., includes an electronic passbook170) prior to sending thee-pass file170 for the eGC to thedevice112. Determining whether the portableelectronic device112 includes anelectronic passbook170 may be a single-step or a multi-step verification process, including as some non-limiting examples: ascertaining the make and model of the portableelectronic device112; ascertaining if the portableelectronic device112 is JavaScript enabled; ascertaining what type of operating system, and the version of the operating system, that is on the portableelectronic device112; and/or ascertaining the type and version of the web browser running on the portableelectronic device112. Fewer, greater or alternative steps than those enumerated above are certainly contemplated as being within the scope of spirit of the present disclosure.
• With reference now to the flow chart ofFIG. 3, an improved method for storing on a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider is generally described as analgorithm200 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 3 can be representative of analgorithm200 that corresponds to at least some instructions that can be stored, for example, in a memory device, and executed, for example, by a CPU to perform any or all of the above and/or below described functions associated with the disclosed concepts. Themethod200 will be described with reference to the various aspects and features shown in the other Figures of the drawings; such reference is being provided purely by way of explanation and clarification.
• Themethod200 starts atblock201 with receipt (e.g., viaserver18 ofFIG. 1) of a purchase confirmation for a selected electronic gift card (eGC). Then, atblock203, themethod200 includes creating a unique URL for the selected eGC, which includes a user-selectable control or other feature for importing the selected eGC to the recipient's electronic passbook. Inblock205, the selected eGC is associated with unique eGC sales information. This information may include, in any combination, a unique identification code, a balance of an amount of value remaining on the selected electronic gift card, a name of a sender of the selected electronic gift card, and a URL link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider server. Likeblock201, the steps presented inblocks203 and/or205 may be performed by the server(s)18 of the prepaid instrument provider. An electronic notification of the purchase can be contemporaneously transmitted to the intended recipient(s).
• Atblock207, the URL link to the selected eGC is sent to the intended recipient(s).Black207 may be performed in response to receipt from an intended recipient, at the prepaid instrument provider server, of a request with the URL link associated with the selected electronic gift card.Block207 may include the prepaid instrument provider server sending to a web browser running on a portable electronic device of the recipient a web page with a user-selectable control that is operable, when selected, to automatically export a representation of the selected electronic gift card into an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.
• Themethod200 continues, atblock209, which receipt of an indication that the user-selectable control has been activated or otherwise selected. At block211 a unique ID code associated with the selected eGC is determined. The unique ID code may have been generated and associated with the selected eGC contemporaneous withblocks203 and/or205. The unique ID code may be received from the web browser running on the recipient's portable electronic device. Responsive to determining the unique ID code atblock211, an electronic passbook file is created, for example, by the prepaid instrument provider server(s) atblock213. The electronic passbook file may include the balance, the name of the sender, and the URL associated with the selected electronic gift card. Atblock215, the unique electronic passbook file is transmitted to the recipient for automatic exportation into the recipient's electronic passbook.
• In some embodiments, themethod200 includes at least those steps enumerated above. It is also within the scope and spirit of the present invention to omit steps, include additional steps, and/or modify the order presented above.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustration of an example method oralgorithm400 of a prepaid instrument provider dynamically building a web page depending on the capabilities of the portable electronic device. Thealgorithm400 determines from an HTTP header whether an electronic passbook is present on the electronic device12 (401). If an electronic passbook is present, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 adds to the web page a user interface control, which is configured to cause a selected electronic gift card issued by the prepaidinstrument provider server18 to be added to the electronic passbook (403). However, if the electronic passbook is not present on or supported by theelectronic device12, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 causes a web page to be displayed on thedisplay device30 of theelectronic device12 without the user interface control.
• In some embodiments, themethod400 includes at least those steps enumerated above. It is also within the scope and spirit of the present invention to omit steps, include additional steps, and/or modify the order presented above.
• FIG. 5 is an examplegraphical user interface500 displayed on thedisplay device30 of the portableelectronic device12. Thegraphical user interface500 includes aweb page502 hosted by the prepaidinstrument provider server18. The prepaidinstrument provider server18, via one or more controllers, implements a method of dynamically constructing one or more web pages, including theweb page502, for display on thedisplay device30 of an electronic device, such as the portableelectronic device12.
• The prepaidinstrument provider server18 determines, from an HTTP header associated with theweb page502 requested from a web browser running on theelectronic device12, whether an electronic passbook is present on theelectronic device12. Theweb page502 is hosted by the prepaidinstrument provider server502, which issues and stores multiple electronic gift cards. The electronic passbook includes an electronic passbook module and is configured to store multiple virtual instruments. Examples of virtual instruments that can be stored in the electronic passbook include boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and electronic gift cards. An example of an electronic passbook is the PASSBOOK available from Apple, Inc. for iOS 6.0 or later. A virtual instrument is used to interact with the physical world at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal or under verification by a human. A virtual instrument can include an electronic code (such as a barcode or a quick response QR code) that is sensed (such as by a near-field communication NFC sensor) or scanned (such as by an imaging camera or barcode scanner) by a sensor to convert the electronic code to corresponding digital information indicative of the electronic code.
• If the prepaidinstrument provider server18 determines that the electronic passbook is present on theelectronic device12, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 adds, prior to displaying theentire web page502, auser interface control520 that is configured when selected to cause a selectedelectronic gift card506 of the electronic gift cards issued by the prepaidinstrument provider server18 to be added to the electronic passbook. The prepaidinstrument provider server18 dynamically constructs theweb page502 based on the capability of the electronic device12 (explained in more detail below) before theentire web page502 is displayed on thedisplay device30.
• If the prepaidinstrument provider server18 determines that the electronic passbook is not present on the electronic device, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 causes theweb page502 to be displayed on thedisplay device30 without theuser interface control520. For example, as shown inFIG. 5, instead of displaying theuser interface control520 in the form of a button control bearing the indicia “Add to Passbook,” the prepaidinstrument provider server18 causes abarcode514 associated with acard number526 of the selected electronic gift card to be displayed on thedisplay device30 of the portableelectronic device12.
• As mentioned above, whether theuser interface control520 is added to theweb page502 depends on whether theelectronic device12 supports electronic passbooks. This determination can include determining a version of an operating system (OS) running on theelectronic device12 and a type of the web browser running on theelectronic device12. The prepaid instrument provider server compares the determined version and the determined type with a predetermined version and a predetermined type that are known to support the electronic passbook. For example, the predetermined operating system version can be IOS 6.0 or higher, and the predetermined type of the web browser can be SAFARI provided by Apple, Inc. If thedevice12 lacks either IOS 6.0 or higher or the SAFARI web browser, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 determines that thedevice12 does not support electronic passbooks and will therefore omit theuser interface control520 from theweb page502. The OS version and the browser type can be extracted from the user-agent field of the HTTP header of the requestingdevice12.
• Optionally, in addition to the OS version and the browser type, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can also determine a device type of theelectronic device12 and compare the determined device type with a predetermined device type known to support the electronic passbook. For example, a predetermined device type can include the IPHONE smartphone by Apple, Inc., and if the determined device type corresponds to the IPHONE smartphone, and the OS version and the browser type match the corresponding predetermined OS version and browser type, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 adds theuser interface control520 to theweb page502 dynamically as the web page is being constructed in response to receiving a GET request before delivering the entire web page for display on thedisplay device30 of theelectronic device12. Like the OS version and the browser type, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can extract the device type from the user-agent field of the HTTP header.
• As shown inFIG. 5, theuser interface control520 is a button bearing indicia (in this example, “Add to Passbook”) indicating that if thebutton520 is selected, the selected electronic gift card will be added to the electronic passbook. Theelectronic device12 handles adding the electronic gift card to the electronic passbook, as explained in more detail below.
• As discussed above, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 is remote from theelectronic device12, and the prepaidinstrument provider server18, not theelectronic device12, determines whether the electronic passbook is present. The prepaidinstrument provider server18 dynamically builds or constructs theweb page502 as a function of whether the electronic passbook is present such that different content is presented on theweb page520 depending on whether theelectronic device12 includes the electronic passbook. For example, inFIG. 5, if thedevice12 supports an electronic passbook (e.g., the electronic passbook functionality is enabled or available on the device12), theuser interface control520 is displayed on theweb page520. Thebarcode514 can optionally also be displayed on theweb page502. However, if thedevice12 does not support an electronic passbook (e.g., the electronic passbook functionality is disabled, unavailable, or not present on the device12), thebarcode514 is displayed on theweb page502 instead of theuser interface control520.
• The prepaidinstrument provider server18 can determine whether the electronic passbook is present based on additional information. For example, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can receive an indication of a selection of theuser interface control520 and, responsive thereto, receive from the web browser a unique identification code associated with the selected electronic gift card. In response to receiving the identification code, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 creates an electronic passbook file that includes at least the monetary balance, the name of the sender, and the URL link of the selected electronic gift card. Once theprepaid instrument provider18 creates or builds the electronic passbook file, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 communicates to the web browser the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card for adding the representation of the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook that stores a plurality of instruments of value.
• Optionally, prior to adding the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can present a challenge page, such as a challenge web page, on theelectronic device12. The challenge web page prompts for entry by theuser14 of a challenge code entered by a recipient of the selected electronic gift card to authenticate that the selected electronic gift card is being accessed by the intended recipient. If theuser14 does not enter the challenge code, theprepaid instrument provider18 blocks theuser14 from accessing the selected electronic gift card and does not add the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook. The challenge code represents an additional security measure to ensure that only those electronic gift cards actually intended for the recipient are added to the electronic passbook. The challenge code can include, for example, an email address of the recipient corresponding to the email address sent to the recipient with a uniform resource locator (URL) link to the selected electronic gift card.
• The electronic passbook file can further include an image, such as a merchant'slogo504, associated with a merchant of a service or an item with whom the selected electronic gift card is redeemable. The electronic file can also include terms and conditions (accessible by the terms and conditions user interface control528) associated with the redemption of the selected electronic gift card with the merchant, acard number526, and a personal identification code (PIN)526 associated with the selected electronic gift card. The electronic file can further include a third party URL link to a web page associated with the merchant. The electronic gift card balance, the recipient's name, the URL link, thelogo504, the terms and conditions, the card number, and the PIN can be stored on the prepaidinstrument provider server18 and associated by the prepaidinstrument provider server18 with the selected electronic gift card. These items of data are not controlled by theelectronic device12. The card number can be generated by the merchant at which the electronic gift card can be redeemed, and the identification code can be generated by the prepaidinstrument provider server18. However, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 causes the card number to be displayed by the web browser on theweb page502 or another web page (e.g., theweb page702 shown inFIG. 7) linked to theweb page502.
• The prepaid instrument provider server can optionally add a terms and conditions user interface control528 (e.g., a button control) to theweb page502 such that when the terms and conditionsuser interface control528 is selected, the terms and conditions associated with the electronic gift card are displayed on theweb page502 or anotherweb page602,702 linked to theweb page502. Alternately, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can add the terms and conditions associated with the selected electronic gift card to the web page502 (not shown). The terms and conditions are a legal document that specify the terms and conditions associated with the electronic gift card.
• The electronic passbook, in various but not necessarily all aspects disclosed herein, stores or holds virtual instruments, which are used to interact with the physical world. Virtual instruments, in these examples, can include an electronic code, such as a barcode, that is sensed or scanned by a sensor to convert the electronic code to corresponding digital information indicative of the electronic code. In some examples, virtual instruments do not include bank account or credit card numbers. Virtual instruments that do not include bank account or credit card numbers can be prepaid instruments, which means that the value associated with the instrument has already been paid and entitles the bearer of the instrument to present the virtual instrument to a point-of-sale terminal or to a human for entry into a paid event (e.g., a charity event or a concert or sporting event ticket or the right to board a vessel such as a passenger ship or airplane) or to receive a service or an item in exchange for the value associated with the instrument (e.g., an electronic gift card or a stored value card), without having to provide any additional monetary funds. In some examples, virtual instruments differ from traditional digital wallets, which store sensitive bank account or credit card information, in that a virtual instrument does not include this information.
• Returning toFIG. 5, the prepaidinstrument provider server18 can include a second user interface control522 (e.g., a button control) on theweb page502 prior to displaying theentire web page502. Thiscontrol522 allows theuser14 to thank the sender of the electronic gift card. When thebutton control522 is selected, a second web page602 (shown inFIG. 6) linked to theweb page502 is displayed. Thesecond web page602 includes a camerauser interface control608, a text boxuser interface control610, and a senduser interface control612. The camerauser interface control608 when selected permits auser14 of theelectronic device12 to take a digital photograph, which theuser14 can send with a thank you note. The text boxuser interface control610 accepts a text entry by theuser14, such as a thank you note. The senduser interface control612 when selected causes the prepaidinstrument provider server18 to instruct an email application residing on theelectronic device12 to send an email that includes the digital photograph (if taken by the user14) and the text entry (e.g., a thank you note) to a sender of the selected electronic gift card. Additional button controls can be provided on thesecond web page602, such as a social networkingservice button control614 for thanking the sender on a social media website, such as FACEBOOK, and a second social networkingservice button control616 for thanking the sender on a social networking service, such as TWITTER. The terms andconditions button control528 can be displayed on thesecond web page602. When selected, the prepaidinstrument provider server18, retrieves the requested terms and conditions associated with the selected electronic gift card and sends it to the web browser on theelectronic device12.
• Images associated with a merchant or provider of the selected electronic gift card can be displayed on theweb page502, such as the merchant'slogo504. The merchant'slogo504 can be hosted on the prepaid instrument provider server or on the merchant's server that is controlled by the merchant and not by the prepaidinstrument provider server18 or by theelectronic device12. Afaceplate image510 selected by a sender of the selected electronic gift card can be included on theweb page502. Thefaceplate image510 can correspond to any image that the sender desires to be shown on the electronic gift card, such as an image having a birthday theme.
• Instead of adding the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook, theuser14 may desire to use the electronic gift card immediately. Abutton control524 can be included on theweb page502, which when selected, causes a third web page702 (shown inFIG. 7) to be displayed. Selecting thebutton control524 indicates that theuser14 desires to use the selected electronic gift card. The original balance, the balance remaining, the card number of the selected electronic gift card, and the PIN number of the selected electronic gift card can also be displayed in thearea526 shown inFIG. 5.
• If theuser14 selects thebutton control524, thethird web page702 is displayed. Theweb pages502,602,702 are linked together. As used herein, “a web page” can include one or more web pages linked together, such as by uniform resource locators, to form a collection of linked web pages. Theweb pages502,602,702 can include anindicium508 indicating the amount of the selected electronic gift card and the name of the sender, along with the merchant'slogo504, andindication506 that the selected electronic gift card is an electronic gift card (as opposed to, for example, a stored value or loyalty card, so as not to confuse the user14), and the terms and conditions interfacecontrol button528. Referring toFIG. 7, thethird web page702 includes abarcode704, which can correspond to thebarcode514 if displayed on theweb page502, associated with the electronic gift card. A merchant can scan thisbarcode704 at a point of sale (POS) terminal to complete a sales transaction using the remaining balance (in this example $54.95) selected electronic gift card to fund part or all of the purchase of an item or service. Alternately, thedevice12 can include a near-field communication (NFC) module for transmitting at least the card number and PIN number associated with the selected electronic gift card.Indicia706 can indicate an online method that theuser14 can redeem the selected electronic gift card online and displays the card number and PIN associated with the selected electronic gift card in case the same needs to be manually inputted into a POS terminal.
• Indicia708 on thethird web page702 can indicate an in-store method that theuser14 can redeem the selected electronic gift card for an item or a service with instructions for scanning thebarcode704 at checkout.
• One or more of the following user interface controls can also be provided on the third web page by the prepaidinstrument provider server18. Abutton control710 allows theuser14 to redeem the selected electronic gift card at a retailer, such as at a brick-and-mortar store or kiosk. Abutton control712 allows theuser14 to find a retailer near the physical location of theuser14 using the electronic device's12 geolocation capabilities. Abutton control714 allows theuser14 to download a software application (colloquially referred to as an “app” when used on smartphones or tablet computing devices) released or controlled by the retailer to theelectronic device12. Abutton control716 allows theuser14 to see if there are any online offers offered by the merchant associated with the selected electronic gift card that can be used with the selected electronic gift card for a purchase of an item or a service offered by the retailer/merchant. Abutton control718 allows theuser14 to see whether there are any in-store (e.g., at a brick-and-mortar or kiosk location of the merchant) offers offered by the merchant associated with the selected electronic gift card that can be used in the store or at the kiosk together with the selected electronic gift card for a purchase of an item or a service offered by the retailer/merchant.
• Aspects of this disclosure can be implemented, in some embodiments, through a computer-executable program of instructions, such as program modules, generally referred to as software applications or application programs executed by a computer. The software can include, in non-limiting examples, routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The software forms an interface to allow a computer to react according to a source of input. The software can also cooperate with other code segments to initiate a variety of tasks in response to data received in conjunction with the source of the received data. The software can be stored on any of a variety of memory media, such as CD-ROM, magnetic disk, bubble memory, and semiconductor memory (e.g., various types of RAM or ROM).
• Moreover, the numerous aspects of the present disclosure can be practiced with a variety of computer-system and computer-network configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable-consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. In addition, aspects of the present disclosure can be practiced in distributed-computing environments where tasks are performed by remote-processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed-computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote computer-storage media including memory storage devices. Aspects of the present disclosure can therefore, be implemented in connection with various hardware, software or a combination thereof, in a computer system or other processing system.
• Any of the methods described herein can include machine readable instructions for execution by: (a) a processor, (b) a controller, and/or (c) any other suitable processing device. Any algorithm, software, or method disclosed herein can be embodied in software stored on a tangible medium such as, for example, a flash memory, a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard drive, a digital versatile disk (DVD), or other memory devices, but persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the entire algorithm and/or parts thereof could alternatively be executed by a device other than a controller and/or embodied in firmware or dedicated hardware in a well known manner (e.g., it can be implemented by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable logic device (FPLD), discrete logic, etc.). Also, some or all of the machine readable instructions represented in any flowchart depicted herein can be implemented manually. Further, although specific algorithms are described with reference to flowcharts depicted herein, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many other methods of implementing the example machine readable instructions can alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks can be changed, and/or some of the blocks described can be changed, eliminated, or combined.
• It should be noted that the algorithms illustrated and discussed herein as having various modules or blocks that perform particular functions and interact with one another. It should be understood that these modules are merely segregated based on their function for the sake of description and represent computer hardware and/or executable software code which is stored on a computer-readable medium for execution on appropriate computing hardware. The various functions of the different modules and units can be combined or segregated as hardware and/or software stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium as above as modules in any manner, and can be used separately or in combination.
• While particular embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variations can be apparent from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (19)

What is claimed is:

1. A method of storing on a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server of the prepaid instrument provider, a request from a web browser running on a portable electronic device for a web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider server, the request including a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a selected electronic gift card selected from a plurality of electronic gift cards stored on the prepaid instrument provider server, the selected electronic gift card being associated with a unique identification code, a balance of an amount of value remaining on the selected electronic gift card, a name of a sender of the selected electronic gift card, and a URL link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider server;

the prepaid instrument provider server sending to the web browser running on the portable electronic device the web page hosted by the server, the web page including a user interface control that is configured, when selected, to cause a representation of the selected electronic gift card to be added to an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device;

responsive to the prepaid instrument provider server receiving an indication of a selection of the user interface control, receiving by the prepaid instrument provider sever from the web browser the unique identification code associated with the selected electronic gift card;

responsive to receiving the unique identification code, the prepaid instrument provider server creating an electronic passbook file that includes the balance, the name of the sender, and the URL associated with the selected electronic gift card; and

the prepaid instrument provider server communicating to the web browser the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card for adding the representation of the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the selected electronic gift card is associated with a merchant operating separately from the prepaid instrument provider.

3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the representation of the selected electronic gift card includes branding information unique to the merchant.

4. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the representation of the selected electronic gift card includes pre-established terms and conditions for using the selected electronic gift card.

5. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the representation of the selected electronic gift card includes a hyperlink to a webpage hosted by the merchant.

6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising determining whether the portable electronic device includes the electronic passbook prior to communicating to the web browser the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card.

7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the determining whether the portable electronic device includes the electronic passbook comprises ascertaining at least a device make and model of the portable electronic device.

8. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the determining whether the portable electronic device includes the electronic passbook comprises ascertaining if the portable electronic device is JavaScript enabled.

9. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the determining whether the portable electronic device includes the electronic passbook comprises ascertaining an operating system type and a version of the operating system on the portable electronic device.

10. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the determining whether the portable electronic device includes the electronic passbook comprises ascertaining a browser type and a version of the web browser running on the portable electronic device.

11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic passbook file is created dynamically after the prepaid instrument provider server receives the indication of the selection of the user interface control.

12. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the communicating includes the electronic passbook file being automatically downloaded from the web browser into the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.

13. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the prepaid instrument provider server also associates a card number with the selected electronic gift card, the card number being distinct from the unique identification code.

14. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic passbook file also includes a card number, a merchant, and a personal identification number (PIN), all of which are associated with the selected electronic gift card.

15. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic passbook is operable to store electronic travel tickets, electronic entertainment event tickets, electronic pre-paid value cards, electronic loyalty cards, or electronic coupons, or any combination thereof.

16. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic passbook is characterized, at least in part, by not being operable to store bank account information or credit card information.

17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic passbook is a dedicated mobile device application saved on the portable electronic device.

18. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transient computer-readable media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a prepaid instrument provider, cause the one or more processors to operate with one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider to:

receive a request from a web browser running on a portable electronic device for a web page hosted by the prepaid instrument provider, the request including a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with an electronic gift card selected from a plurality of electronic gift cards stored on the one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider, the selected electronic gift card being associated with a unique identification code, a balance remaining on the selected electronic gift card, a sender of the selected electronic gift card, and a URL link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the one or more servers of the prepaid instrument provider;

send to the web browser running on the portable electronic device the web page which includes a user interface control that is configured, when selected, to cause a representation of the selected electronic gift card to be added to an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device;

responsive to receiving an indication of a selection of the user interface control, receive from the web browser the unique identification code associated with the selected electronic gift card;

responsive to receiving the unique identification code, create an electronic passbook file that includes the balance, the sender, and the URL associated with the selected electronic gift card; and

communicate to the web browser the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card for adding the representation of the selected electronic gift card to the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.

19. A method of importing to a portable electronic device an electronic gift card issued by a prepaid instrument provider, the method comprising:

receiving an indication confirming a purchase of an electronic gift card selected from a plurality of electronic gift cards stored on a server of the prepaid instrument provider;

in response to receiving the indication confirming the purchase, the prepaid instrument provider server associating with the selected electronic gift card at least a unique identification code, an amount of value of the selected electronic gift card, and a uniform resource locator (URL) link to the selected electronic gift card stored on the prepaid instrument provider server;

transmitting an electronic notification of the purchase to an intended recipient;

receiving from the intended recipient, at the prepaid instrument provider server, a request with the URL link associated with the selected electronic gift card;

the prepaid instrument provider server sending to a web browser running on a portable electronic device of the recipient a web page with a user-selectable control that is operable, when selected, to automatically export a representation of the selected electronic gift card into an electronic passbook on the portable electronic device;

responsive to the prepaid instrument provider server receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable control, determining the unique identification code of the selected electronic gift card;

from the unique identification code, creating an electronic passbook file that includes the amount of value and the URL link of the selected electronic gift card; and

the prepaid instrument provider server communicating to the portable electronic device the electronic passbook file as the representation of the selected electronic gift card and an instruction to automatically import the representation of the selected electronic gift card into the electronic passbook on the portable electronic device.

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