Virtual Gift Credit System Using Aliases for Automatic Redemption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gift recipients often forget to bring or locate gift cards/gift codes, leading to unredressed credit, as existing systems require remembering the card or code for redemption.
Innovation Solution
A virtual gift credit system automatically attaches the credit to the recipient's payment account using an alias, eliminating the need for the recipient to remember the gift credit and allowing its automatic application to future purchases without sharing confidential account information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gift credit is provided in the form of gift cards or gift codes, then the gift provider can transfer credit to the recipient, but the recipient must remember to bring the card or locate the code for redemption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gift credit value from the physical card or digital code and transfers it directly to the recipient's payment account. The credit is separated from the delivery mechanism (card/code), allowing automatic application at point of sale without requiring the recipient to retain or recall the original gift instrument.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the payment account and associated software module) that automatically matches and applies gift credit to purchases. This intermediary handles the matching of gift credit to transactions without requiring active participation or memory from the recipient, resolving the contradiction between ease of redemption and human forgetfulness.
2Ease of operation
If gift credit is automatically applied to purchases, then the recipient does not need to remember the gift credit, but the system requires access to the recipient's payment account information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary alias (email address or phone number) that the recipient registers with the payment account system. This alias serves as a safe interface that allows the gift provider to send credit without exposing sensitive account information. The system mediates between the gift provider and the payment account through this registered alias, eliminating the need for direct account information sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the account access mechanism into two separate components: the public-facing alias (email/phone number) that can be safely shared, and the private account information that remains protected. This segmentation allows the system to receive and apply gift credit automatically while maintaining security and avoiding the need for the gift provider to handle sensitive account data.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual gift credit system that automatically attaches gift credit to a payment account or vehicle of the gift recipient upon issuance of the gift credit is herein described. By attaching the gift credit amount to the recipient's payment account, subsequent purchases made using the payment account, and of the type associated with the gift credit, are automatically settled by applying the gift credit amount to the purchase amount. Further, the invention does not require gift recipients to share confidential account information with gift providers in order for the gift providers to bestow gift credit upon the gift recipients. Through the use of aliases, which serve to tie an identifier, such as a gift recipient's telephone number, email address or the like to a gift recipient's payment account, the invention does not require that the gift provider know any information about the financial accounts of the intended gift recipient.