Gift Card Linking System for Seamless Payment Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current gift card systems lack efficient methods for linking stored value instruments to transaction accounts, limiting their utility in seamless payment processing and balance management.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for linking stored value instruments, such as gift cards, to transaction accounts, allowing for real-time debit and balance management, enabling users to choose when to use gift card balances for transactions and integrating with multiple financial accounts, while preventing physical gift card misuse.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If gift cards are linked to transaction accounts for seamless payment processing, then payment flexibility and balance management are improved, but system complexity and security requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a linking system that acts as an intermediary between gift cards and transaction accounts. This system stores associations between gift card identifiers and transaction account identifiers, enabling seamless payment processing without direct integration between gift card systems and financial institutions. The intermediary layer simplifies the overall architecture while maintaining payment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital representation or copy of the gift card's value and information within the transaction account system. By storing the gift card identifier and associated value in a database linked to the transaction account, the system enables balance management and payment processing without requiring physical gift card presence, thus improving ease of operation while controlling complexity through standardized data structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple transaction accounts are linked to a single gift card, then adaptability and payment options are improved, but difficulty in tracking and managing balances increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment optionsVSAvoidbalance tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system automatically tracks and updates balance information across all linked transaction accounts. When a gift card is used for a transaction, the system retrieves the available balance, debits the appropriate amount from the gift card, and charges the difference to the transaction account. This automated feedback loop provides real-time balance information to users, making it easy to track despite multiple linked accounts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple transaction account identifiers with a single gift card identifier in a centralized database. By merging the tracking of balances and transactions across multiple accounts into a single unified system, the patent simplifies balance management while maintaining the adaptability of having multiple payment options available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If real-time balance retrieval and automatic debiting are implemented, then payment processing efficiency is improved, but system reliability requirements and security measures increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment processing efficiencyVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by storing the gift card identifier and initial balance information in advance in a database. Before processing transactions, the system has the necessary data ready, enabling real-time balance retrieval and automatic debiting without complex calculations or external verification. This preliminary setup improves payment processing efficiency while maintaining reliability through pre-validated data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If gift card values are combined and accessed through transaction accounts, then ease of access and usability are improved, but vulnerability to misuse and theft increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of accessVSAvoidmisuse and theft

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the transaction account system as an intermediary layer that provides security controls between the gift card value and users. The linking system stores encrypted associations and requires authentication through the transaction account framework, which has established security measures. This intermediary approach maintains ease of access while reducing vulnerability to misuse and theft compared to direct gift card access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10565584B2Systems and methods for gift card linking

Publication Date: 2020.02.18 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK NA

AI summary

Systems and methods for gift card linking are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for processing a payment using a linked stored value instrument may include (1) receiving, from a merchant, a payment request for a transaction, the payment request comprising an identification of a transaction amount and a transaction account; (2) at least one computer processor retrieving a stored value instrument for the merchant that is associated with the transaction account; and (3) the at least one computer processor causing the stored value instrument to be debited for a first portion of the transaction amount.