# US 11,443,299 B2 · Gift card use notification

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- Number: US 11,443,299 B2
- Document ID: US11443299B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/691,286
- Filed: 2019-11-21
- Published: 2021-03-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-28
- Assignees: Comenity LLC
- Applicants: Comenity LLC
- Inventors: Melissa Hoar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443299B2

## CPC

- G06Q 20/342: {Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities}
- G06Q 20/2295: {Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights}
- G06Q 20/3672: {initialising or reloading thereof}
- G06Q 20/387: {Payment using discounts or coupons (relating to marketing G06Q30/02)}
- G06Q 30/016: After-sales
- H04L 67/55: Push-based network services
- H04L 51/214: using selective forwarding
- H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system and method for gift card use notification is disclosed. The method receives at a gift card use notification system, an indication that a specific gift card was used for a purchase. The information from the notice is used to identify the customer that had given the specific gift card. Contact information for the customer that had given the specific gift card is determined. The gift card use notification system provides to the customer, via the contact information, a use notification indicating that the specific gift card had been used.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for gift card use notification, the method comprising:
receiving, at a credit account management system, a request for a specific gift card to be provided from a credit account of a customer to a second party,
said request comprising:
an amount to be allocated to said specific gift card, and
an identifier for said second party;
generating a sub-account from said credit account, comprising:
allocating a part of said credit account to form a sub-account;
setting a credit limit on said sub-account to said amount to be allocated;
assigning a virtual account number (VAN) to said sub-account; and
generating said specific gift card using said VAN of said sub-account, said specific gift card is generated in a digital format;
electronically transmitting, from said credit account management system and to a mobile device of said second party, said specific gift card, wherein no funds are taken from said credit account of said customer until said specific gift card is used;
automatically adding said specific gift card to a digital wallet on said mobile device of said second party when said specific gift card is received at said mobile device of said second party;
receiving, at a gift card use notification system, an indication that said specific gift card was used for a purchase;
using an information from the indication to identify said customer that had given the specific gift card;
determining a contact information for the customer that had given the specific gift card; and
providing, from the gift card use notification system and to the customer via the contact information, a use notification indicating that the specific gift card had been used.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises:
a unique identifier for the specific gift card.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the specific gift card is a short-term authorized pass.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information for the customer is a physical mailing address and the use notification is sent to the physical mailing address.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information for the customer is an email address and the use notification is sent to the email address.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information for the customer is a number for a mobile device; and
the use notification is sent to the mobile device via a mobile device communications method from the group consisting of: a voice call, a text message, and an alert to an application operating on the mobile device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the use notification further comprises:
an amount of money spent; and
a location where the specific gift card was used.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to:
receive, at a credit account of a customer and from a customer, a request for a specific gift card to be generated from said credit account of said customer and provided to a second party,
said request comprises an amount to be allocated to said specific gift card;
receive, at said credit account of said customer and from said customer, an identifier for said second party;
generate a sub-account from said credit account, wherein said one or more processors:
allocate a part of said credit account to form a sub-account;
set a credit limit on said sub-account to said amount identified by said customer;
assign a virtual account number (VAN) to said sub-account;
link said VAN of said sub-account to said credit account; and
generate said specific gift card using said VAN of said sub-account, said specific gift card generated in a digital format;
electronically transmit, from said credit account of said customer and to a mobile device of said second party, said specific gift card, wherein no funds are taken from said credit account of said customer until said specific gift card is used, said electronic transmission includes an instruction to cause said specific gift card to be automatically added to a digital wallet on said mobile device of said second party when said specific gift card is received at said mobile device of said second party;
receive, at a gift card use notification system, a notice that said specific gift card has been used for a purchase;
use, at the gift card use notification system, an information from the notice to identify said customer that had given the specific gift card;
determine, at the gift card use notification system, a contact information for the customer that had given the specific gift card;
generate, at the gift card use notification system, a use notification for the specific gift card; and
provide, from the gift card use notification system and to the customer via the contact information, the use notification.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the specific gift card is a short-term authorized pass.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the notice further comprises:
a unique identifier for the specific gift card.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the use notification further comprises:
an amount of money spent; and
a location where the specific gift card was used.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the contact information for the customer is a number for a mobile device; and
the use notification is sent to the mobile device via a mobile device communications method from the group consisting of: a voice call, a text message, and an alert to an application operating on the mobile device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the contact information for the customer is a physical mailing address and the use notification is sent to the physical mailing address.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the contact information for the customer is an email address and the use notification is sent to the email address.

### Claim 15

A system comprising:
a memory;
a storage; and
one or more processors to:
receive, at a credit account of a customer and from a customer, a request for a specific gift card to be generated from said credit account of said customer and provided to a second party,
said request comprises an amount to be allocated to said specific gift card;
receive, at said credit account of said customer and from said customer, an identifier for said second party;
generate a sub-account from said credit account, wherein said one or more processors:
allocate a part of said credit account to form a sub-account;
set a credit limit on said sub-account to said amount identified by said customer;
assign a virtual account number (VAN) to said sub-account;
link said VAN of said sub-account to said credit account; and
generate said specific gift card using said VAN of said sub-account, said specific gift card generated in a digital format;
electronically transmit, from said credit account of said customer and to a mobile device of said second party, said specific gift card, wherein no funds are taken from said credit account of said customer until said specific gift card is used, said electronic transmission includes an instruction to cause said specific gift card to be automatically added to a digital wallet on said mobile device of said second party when said specific gift card is received at said mobile device of said second party;
receive a notice that said specific gift card has been used for a purchase;
use an information from the notice to identify said customer that had given the specific gift card;
determine a contact information for the customer that had given the specific gift card;
generate a use notification that the specific gift card has been used; and
provide the use notification to the customer via the contact information for the customer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the specific gift card is a short-term authorized pass.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the notice further comprises:
a unique identifier for the specific gift card.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the use notification further comprises:
an amount of money spent; and
a location where the specific gift card was used.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the contact information for the customer is a number for a mobile device; and
the use notification is sent to the mobile device via a mobile device communications method from the group consisting of: a voice call, a text message, and an alert to an application operating on the mobile device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the contact information for the customer is an email address and the use notification is sent to the email address.