Electronic gift certificate system
AssigneeAmazon.com, Inc.
InventorKaren L. Van Dusen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic gift certificate system is disclosed which distributes electronic gift certificates in the form of e-mail documents that include hyperlinks for automating the redemption process. When a gift certificate recipient selects such a hyperlink, the recipient's computer automatically transmits a claim code to the merchant's Web site, and the site responds by automatically crediting the recipient's personal account with the gift certificate amount. When the recipient subsequently makes a purchase from the merchant's Web site, the recipient's account balance is automatically applied to the purchase price.
Claims15
A computer-implemented method for conveying and redeeming a monetary certificate, the method comprising:
- prompting a user to specify at least a monetary amount of the certificate and a recipient of the certificate;
- collecting the monetary amount from the user;
- generating a link which includes a URL portion containing a claim code for redeeming the certificate;
- transmitting the link by electronic mail to the recipient;
- in response to selection of the link, crediting the monetary amount of the certificate to an account of the recipient;
- and
- applying a balance in the account to a subsequent purchase made by the recipient.
A computer-implemented method for facilitating the redemption of a monetary certificate, the method comprising:
- generating a hyperlink which includes a URL portion containing a claim code for redeeming the certificate;
- transmitting the hyperlink by electronic mail to a recipient;
- using the claim code included in the hyperlink, as passed in response to selection of the hyperlink, to credit a monetary amount of the certificate to an account of the recipient;
- and
- applying a balance in the account to a subsequent purchase made by the recipient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.