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:
Jun. 10, 2014
Filed:
May. 09, 2012
Ashmit Bhattacharya, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Bruce Bower, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Gary Briggs, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Marc Gendron, Clovis, CA (US);
Steve Grove, San Jose, CA (US);
Tina Henson, Fresno, CA (US);
Parker Thomas, Alameda, CA (US);
Ashmit Bhattacharya, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Bruce Bower, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Gary Briggs, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Marc Gendron, Clovis, CA (US);
Steve Grove, San Jose, CA (US);
Tina Henson, Fresno, CA (US);
Parker Thomas, Alameda, CA (US);
e2interactive, Inc., Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
Techniques are provided for allowing a merchant to process third party closed-loop instruments (such as gift cards) as if the closed-loop instruments were open-loop instruments. A customer provides card data of a third party gift card to a merchant, e.g., online or in a merchant store, for the purchase of one or more items provided by the merchant. The merchant sends the gift card data to an intermediary that deducts at least a portion of the balance of the gift card. The intermediary sends an offer for the gift card to the customer. If the customer accepts the offer, then the merchant applies the offer towards the total purchase price of the one or more items.