The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1997
Jay S Walker, Ridgefield, CT (US);
Andrew S Vanluchene, Norwalk, CT (US);
Daniel E Tedesco, Stamford, CT (US);
James A Jorasch, Stamford, CT (US);
Walker Asset Management Limited Partnership, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A system and process for redeeming concealed value gift certificates with concealed value products. The gift certificates, purchasable by a buyer, represent a value stored in a database and concealed from the subsequent recipient/redeemer. Gift products are selected by the system operator and similarly stored in a database with their corresponding prices. Upon receipt of a gift certificate identifier, the corresponding value is retrieved from the database, and used to identify a selection of gifts affordable with the certificate. The gifts are then displayed to the redeemer, without revealing either the value of the certificate or the cost of the gifts. As gifts are selected for purchase by the redeemer, the concealed value of the gift certificate is reduced by the cost of the selected gifts, and new sets of affordable gifts are identified and displayed to the redeemer. Gifts may also be `returned,` and the value added back into the concealed value of the gift certificate. The redeemer can thus select gifts in an interactive, game-type manner.