Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Shopping center gift card offer fulfillment machine, program product, and associated methods
- Patent Title (中): 购物中心礼品卡提供履行机,程序产品和相关方法
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Application No.: US12607780Application Date: 2009-10-28
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Publication No.: US08371502B1Publication Date: 2013-02-12
- Inventor: Scott H. Galit , Andrew B. Crowe
- Applicant: Scott H. Galit , Andrew B. Crowe
- Applicant Address: US SD Sioux Falls
- Assignee: Metabank
- Current Assignee: Metabank
- Current Assignee Address: US SD Sioux Falls
- Agency: Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP
- Main IPC: G06K5/00
- IPC: G06K5/00

Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments provide for offer fulfillment utilizing a shopping center gift card and an offer fulfillment machine. A cardholder obtains the gift card and registers with an issuer to receive offers, discounts, and promotions electronically. The machine activates the gift card's offer purse, a subaccount associated with an offer. The machine notifies a cardholder of the promotional offer. To redeem an offer, the cardholder presents the gift card as payment to a merchant. No coupons are necessary. No change to the merchant's POS terminal is necessary. The machine matches, in memory, the offer purse to a standard transaction approval request. The machine determines eligibility for the promotion and updates an amount associated with the offer purse to thereby satisfy at least in part from the offer purse the standard transaction approval request. A purchase purse, another gift card subaccount, can optionally provide any remaining amount for the transaction.
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