# US 9,519,895 B2 · Gift card association with account > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,895 B2 - Document ID: US9519895B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/047,145 - Filed: 2016-02-18 - Published: 2016-06-09 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-14 - Assignees: Bank of America Corporation - Applicants: Bank of America Corporation - Inventors: Jason Blackhurst; Dean Lyons Henry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519895B2 ## CPC - G06Q 20/28: Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before" - G06Q 20/10: specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems - G06Q 20/105: {involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"} - G06Q 20/227: {characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer} - G06Q 20/3276: {using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device} - G06Q 20/3278: {RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices} - G06Q 20/34: using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards - G06Q 20/342: {Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities} - G06Q 20/363: {with the personal data of a user} - G06Q 20/405: {Establishing or using transaction specific rules} - 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 ## Abstract Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for associating gift cards with accounts. An exemplary apparatus is configured to: receive information associated with a gift card; associate the gift card with the account; receive information associated with a transaction; determine the transaction qualifies for the gift card; and apply funds associated with the gift card to the transaction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for associating a gift card with an account, the apparatus comprising: a memory; at least one processor; and a module stored in the memory, executable by the at least one processor, and configured to cause the at least one processor to: receive images of a gift card; extract information associated with the gift card, wherein the gift card is associated with funds, wherein the information is extracted from the images of the gift card, wherein the information comprises an identification code associated with the gift card and an amount associated with the gift card; associate the gift card with an account, wherein associating the gift card with an account further comprises: initiating a presentation of a user interface for display on a user device, the user interface comprises one or more options to enable the user to establish a communicable link for transfer of information between the gift card and an account; receiving a user selection of at least one of the one or more options, wherein the user selection comprises an indication that the user has initiated the communicable link for the transfer of information between the gift card and the account; and establishing the communicable link based on at least receiving the user selection; determine the user is within a predetermined distance of a merchant associated with the gift card, based on determining global positioning system (GPS) coordinates associated with the user device; based on determining the user is within the predetermined distance of the merchant, transmit a message to the user device informing the user of the gift card previously associated with the account, the message also comprising a new offer for a second merchant and specifying an expiry date for the new offer, wherein a discount or rebate of the new offer for the second merchant is based on an age of the gift card, a period of inactivity of the gift card, and/or a balance of the gift card; determine execution of a transaction at the merchant; receive information associated with the transaction; determine the transaction qualifies for the gift card; and apply funds associated with the gift card to the transaction, wherein the transaction is executed using a payment method associated with the account, and wherein the transaction is not executed using the gift card. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transaction qualifies for the gift card when the transaction is associated with the merchant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transaction qualifies for the gift card when the transaction is associated with a predetermined type of purchase. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the funds associated with the gift card are applied to the transaction without the user pre-selecting to apply the funds associated with the gift card to the transaction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the payment method comprises at least one of a payment card payment, an electronic funds transfer, or a mobile device payment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein applying funds associated with the gift card to the transaction comprises: determining an amount associated with the transaction is greater than the amount associated with the gift card; applying funds associated with the gift card to the transaction; and applying general funds associated with the account to a remainder of the transaction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein applying funds associated with the gift card to the transaction comprises: applying general funds associated with the account to the transaction when the transaction occurs, and after a predetermined period, reducing a balance of the gift card by an amount of the transaction and increasing a balance of the general funds by the amount of the transaction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein extracting information associated with the gift card comprises at least one of receiving an image of the gift card, receiving readable indicia associated with the gift card, or receiving manual input associated with the gift card. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the readable indicia is comprised at least one of a visual or non-visual code. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the readable indicia is comprised in a tag that transmits information wirelessly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gift card comprises a plurality of gift cards. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the account comprises at least one of a financial institution account, a social networking account, or a merchant account associated with the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the financial institution account comprises at least one of a credit account or a debit account. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transaction is processed as a debit transaction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module is configured to communicate with the merchant to redeem the gift card before, substantially simultaneously with, or after receiving information associated with the transaction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein funds associated with the gift card comprise gift card funds, and wherein the module is configured to add extra funds to the gift card funds. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gift card is categorized based on a location associated with a merchant associated with the gift card, a type associated with the gift card, the amount associated with the gift card, an expiry date associated with the gift card, and a user associated with the gift card.