U.S. patent application number 10/976170 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-28 for method and system to associate a gift certificate with an email address.
Invention is credited to Billman, Wendy, Chastagnol, Franck, Chen, Steven, Chu, Peter Zhe, Lee, Aaron Kwong Yue, Olliphant, Hugo.
Application Number | 20050165641 10/976170 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34798775 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050165641 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chu, Peter Zhe ; et
al. |
July 28, 2005 |
Method and system to associate a gift certificate with an email
address
Abstract
A system and method to associate a gift certificate with an
email address is useful to permit on-line merchants to provide gift
certificates that may be trusted while remaining used to customers.
A gift certificate is purchased on-line and associated with a
recipient's e-mail address provided by the gift certificate
purchaser. An e-mail message containing confirm information used to
authenticate the identity of the recipient is subsequently
provided. This e-mail message may be sent when the gift certificate
is purchased. This e-mail message may also be sent when a printed
gift certificate is redeemed. The recipient of the gift certificate
returns this confirmation information to complete the
authentication process of the recipient's e-mail address. All
subsequent activity of related to the use of the gift certificate
may be authenticated using the e-mail address once confirmed.
Inventors: |
Chu, Peter Zhe; (Santa
Clara, CA) ; Chen, Steven; (San Jose, CA) ;
Chastagnol, Franck; (Redwood City, CA) ; Lee, Aaron
Kwong Yue; (San Francisco, CA) ; Olliphant, Hugo;
(San Francisco, CA) ; Billman, Wendy; (Omaha,
NE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SCHWEGMAN, LUNDBERG, WOESSNER & KLUTH, P.A.
P.O. BOX 2938
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0938
US
|
Family ID: |
34798775 |
Appl. No.: |
10/976170 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60515046 |
Oct 27, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.1 ;
705/14.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0482 20130101;
G06Q 30/0241 20130101; G06Q 20/0457 20130101; G06F 3/04842
20130101; G06F 40/134 20200101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0207
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/014 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for providing electronic gift certificates for use in
completion of sale of goods and services, the system including: a
commerce server module to create an order for sale of goods and
services; a payment server module to provide payment for the order,
the payment server module including: a gift certificate purchase
module to sell an electronic gift certificate associated with a
communications identifier of a gift certificate recipient; and a
gift certificate redemption module to redeem the electronic gift
certificate associated with the e-mail address of the gift
certificate recipient to at least partially provide payment for the
order; wherein an identity of the gift certificate recipient is
authenticated using confirmation information, transmitted to the
gift certificate recipient within an electronic message to the
communications identifier, that is returned to the payment server
module.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communications
identifier comprises an e-mail address.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communications
identifier comprises a communications identifier selected from a
group of communications identifiers including an SMS address, an
instant message (IM) address, a telephone number, and a network
address identifier.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the commerce server
module comprises an on-line auction service.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the commerce server
module comprises an on-line catalog service.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation
information transmitted to the recipient of the gift certificate
within an e-mail message is contained within an e-mail message sent
to the recipient that contains the gift certificate.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation
information transmitted to the recipient of the gift certificate
within an e-mail message is contained within an e-mail message sent
to the recipient as part of the gift certificate redemption.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the payment server
module is to maintain a payment service account for recipient of
the gift certificate associated with the e-mail address of the gift
certificate.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the payment service
account for recipient comprises payment sources for use in
providing payment for the order.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the payment source for
the order comprises a payment source selected from a group of
payment sources, the group of payment sources including electronic
gift certificates, credit card accounts, electronic checks and
balances maintained with the payment server module for an account
associated with the recipient e-mail address.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein only one gift
certificate is usable as a payment source for the order.
12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the payment server
module is to communicate as a web server with the recipient of the
gift certificate using a web browser.
13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation
information comprises a hyperlink that when activated returns a
unique confirmation code to the payment server module.
14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation
information comprises a confirmation code.
15. A method for providing electronic gift certificates for use in
completion of a purchase transaction, the method including: sending
an e-mail message containing an electronic gift certificate to a
recipient communications identifier; receiving information
specifying the purchase transaction from the recipient; and
redeeming the electronic gift certificate to pay in satisfaction of
obligations imposed under the purchase transaction; wherein the
recipient of the gift certificate is authenticated to authorize
redemption of the gift certificate upon return of confirmation
information sent to the recipient communications identifier.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communications
identifier comprises an e-mail address.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communications
identifier comprises a communications identifier selected from a
group of communications identifiers including an SMS address, an
instant message (IM) address, a telephone number, and a network
address identifier.
18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the purchase
transaction is established by a successful bid on an on-line
auction service.
19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the purchase
transaction is established by an order place on an on-line catalog
service.
20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the confirmation data
sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained within the e-mail
message containing the electronic gift certificate.
21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the confirmation data
sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained within an e-mail
message transmitted as part of redeeming the electronic gift
certificate.
22. The method according to claim 15, wherein payment source for
purchase transaction includes at least one of a group of payment
sources, the group including electronic gift certificates, credit
card accounts, electronic checks and balances maintained with the
payment server module for an account associated with the recipient
e-mail address.
23. The method according to claim 22, wherein only one gift
certificate may be used as a payment source for the order.
24. The method according to claim 15, wherein redeeming the
electronic gift certificate comprises: selecting a gift certificate
for use as a payment source; and verifying the recipient is
authorized to use the selected gift certificate.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the verifying that
the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate
comprises receiving confirmation data from the recipient as part of
a soft confirmation when a hyperlink within an e-mail message is
activated.
26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the verifying the
recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate
comprises successfully logging into a payment service using the
recipient e-mail address associated with the selected gift
certificate.
27. The method according to claim 15, wherein the confirmation
information comprises a hyperlink that when activated returns a
unique confirmation code to the payment server module.
28. The method according to claim 15, wherein the confirmation
information comprises a confirmation code.
29. A system for providing electronic gift certificates for use in
completion of sale and order of goods and services, the system
including: means for sending an e-mail message containing an
electronic gift certificate to a recipient e-mail address; means
for receiving information specifying the order for goods and
services from the recipient; and means for redeeming the electronic
gift certificate to pay for the order for goods and services;
wherein the means for redeeming the electronic gift certificate
includes: means for selecting a gift certificate for use as a
payment source; and means for verifying the recipient is authorized
to use the selected gift certificate.
30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the order for goods
and services comprises a successful bid on an on-line auction
service.
31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the order for goods
and services comprises an order place on an on-line catalog
service.
32. The system according to claim 29, wherein means for verifying
the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate
comprises receipt of confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail
address is contained with the e-mail message containing the
electronic gift certificate.
33. The system according to claim 29, wherein means for verifying
the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate
comprises receipt of confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail
address is contained with a e-mail message transmitted as part of
redeeming the electronic gift certificate.
34. A machine-readable medium storing a set on instructions that,
when executed by a machine, cause of the machine to perform a
method for providing electronic gift certificates for use in
completion of a purchase transaction, the method including: sending
an e-mail message containing an electronic gift certificate to a
recipient e-mail address; receiving information specifying the
purchase transaction from the recipient; and redeeming the
electronic gift certificate to pay in satisfaction of obligations
imposed under the purchase transaction; wherein the recipient of
the gift certificate is authenticated to authorize redemption of
the gift certificate upon return of confirmation data sent to the
recipient e-mail address.
Description
[0001] This application claims the priority benefits of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/515,046, filed Oct. 27, 2003, which
is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relates generally to
the technical field of commerce automation and, in one exemplary
embodiment, to methods and systems to associate a gift certificate
with an email address.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Electronic commerce that utilizes the Internet to sell goods
and services to customers has been increasing in its scope and
scale at increasing rates. Merchants using the Internet to increase
sales of goods and services are attempting to become as
sophisticated in the techniques used to increase sales as more
traditional sales in stores. The on-line techniques are now
utilizing well known sales devices such as coupons, gift
certificates and related sales devices to increase sales, create
customer loyalty to an on-line merchant, and provide customers with
an on-line buying experience similar to buying experiences
customers experience at stores and shopping malls.
[0004] On-line sales of goods and services, however, possess a
different set of challenges associated with conducting sales
transactions between a merchant and a customer that never meet.
Specifically, challenges exist to ensure a merchant and a customer
can obtain confidence that the identity of each party is
sufficiently known to permit a legal transaction for the sale of
goods to occur. Because communications between merchant's commerce
servers and customer client computers occur using transfer of data
between IP addresses over the Internet, and because these IP
addresses are not necessary static nor are they readily known to
the parties, authenticating the identity of each parties requires
more effort than is needed when a customer sets foot into a store.
In a store, a merchant may request identification if desired prior
to completion of a sale. On-line transactions require additional
steps to obtain a similar level of identity authentication.
[0005] Additionally, on-line transactions permit electronic
transfer of payment information between merchant and customer
computers in which this payment information may temporarily reside
within intermediate computing systems. This temporary storage of
the information increases chances that the information may be
improperly intercepted. Improperly intercepted payment information
may result in attempts to fraudulently obtain the purchase of goods
using this intercepted information. Payment information related to
banking information and credit card account usage already possess
anti-fraud mechanisms to detect, to deter, and to prevent such
fraudulent activities. Banking institutions and credit card
companies continually develop increasing sophisticated mechanisms
that relieve on-line merchants of much of the need to develop and
deploy their own complex anti-fraud mechanisms. On-line merchants
may rely upon these banking institutions to respond to increase
sophistication of on-line fraudulent behavior.
[0006] Payment mechanism such as gift certificates, however, place
these anti-fraud obligations upon merchants that utilize these
sales devices. In the use of these devices, on-line merchants and
their payment service partners need to provide the customer
identity authentication mechanisms in order for these sales devices
to be successful. Typically, the gift certificate sales devices
used on-line have utilized unique redemption codes that appear as a
random sequence of characters that are provided by a customer when
the gift certificate is redeemed. An assumption is made that care
has been exercised by customers in the transmittal of the gift
certificate. As such, the redemption code used by on-line merchants
to authenticate and identify a gift certificate is also assumed to
be protected by a customer. However, customers of the on-line
merchant and their corresponding recipients of gift certificates
may become irate when a gift certificate is not honored by an
on-line merchant when it has been fraudulently redeemed after
improper interception of the information needed for redemption.
On-line merchants face an undesirable choice to create two or more
dissatisfied customers from the denial of a second redemption of
the gift certificate, to honor a gift certificate multiple times
and simply bear the added costs, or to not utilize sales devices
such as gift certificates that customers typically expect to be
available and that have been shown to increase sales activities for
merchants utilizing them.
[0007] These limitations of existing on-line gift certificate
mechanisms that utilize only a unique and random redemption code
have hampered their widespread adoption and have resulted in lost
profits for on-line merchants. New on-line mechanisms to sell,
transfer, and redeem these sales devices may result in on-line
merchants overcoming these limitations in existing on-line sales
devices and thus increase on-line sales and corresponding profits
for these merchants.
SUMMARY
[0008] The below described embodiments of the present invention are
directed to methods and systems to associate a gift certificate
with an email address. According to one embodiment, there is
provided a system for providing electronic gift certificates for
use in completion of sale of goods and services. The system
includes a commerce server module for creation of an order for sale
of goods and services and a payment server module for providing
payment for the order. The payment server module includes a gift
certificate purchase module for sale of an electronic gift
certificate associated with an e-mail address of a gift certificate
recipient and a gift certificate redemption module redemption of
the electronic gift certificate associated with the e-mail address
of the gift certificate recipient to provide payment for the order.
The identity of the recipient of the gift certificate is
authenticated using confirmation information transmitted to the
recipient of the gift certificate within an e-mail message that is
returned to the payment server module.
[0009] In another embodiment, there is provided a method for
providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of
sale and order of goods and services. The method sends an e-mail
message containing an electronic gift certificate to a recipient
e-mail address, receives information specifying the order for goods
and services from the recipient, and redeems the electronic gift
certificate to pay for the order for goods and services. The
recipient of the gift certificate is authenticated to authorize
redemption of the gift certificate upon return of confirmation data
sent to the recipient e-mail address.
[0010] In yet another embodiment, there is provided a system for
providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of
sale and order of goods and services. The system includes a means
for sending an e-mail message containing an electronic gift
certificate to a recipient e-mail address, a means for receiving
information specifying the order for goods and services from the
recipient. and a means for redeeming the electronic gift
certificate to pay for the order for goods and services. The means
for redeeming the electronic gift certificate includes a means for
selecting a gift certificate for use as a payment source and a
means for verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected
gift certificate.
[0011] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are
set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below.
Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the description and drawings, and from the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a network diagram depicting a system having a
client-server architecture in accordance with one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a detailed network diagram depicting a system
having a client-server architecture in accordance with one
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating multiple marketplace
and payment applications in one exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a high-level entity-relationship diagram in
accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a web page provided by a commerce
server to a client providing a link to purchase an electronic gift
certificate from a payment server according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages provided
to a client providing for purchase an electronic gift certificate
from a payment server according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a more detailed flow diagram of a sequence of web
pages provided to a client providing for purchase an electronic
gift certificate from a payment server according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a set of processing
modules within a payment server for use in purchasing and
redemption of electronic gift certificates according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages provided
to a client providing for redemption of an electronic gift
certificate from a payment server according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a more detailed flow diagram of a sequence of web
pages provided to a client providing for redemption of an
electronic gift certificate from a payment server according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages
provided to a client providing for cancellation of an electronic
gift certificate from a payment server according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of transfer of monies within a
payment server as part of redemption of an electronic gift
certificate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a general
programmable processing system for use in programmable processing
system in accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] A method and system to associate a gift certificate with an
email address are described. In the following description, for
purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.
It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the
present invention may be practiced without these specific
details.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a network diagram depicting a system having a
client-server architecture in accordance with one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. Users of client computers
151-153 interact with servers 142-143 over the Internet 141 to
purchase goods and services. In one exemplary embodiment, a user of
client 151 interacts with commerce server 142 to purchase one or
more items. Client 151 communicates with commerce server 142 by
requesting and exchanging documents in well know HTML format.
Client 151 permits its user to select items for purchase that are
saved within an electronic shopping cart maintained within commerce
server 142. When the user completes the transaction, commerce
server 142 directs client 151 to interact with payment server 143
to arrange payment for the purchased goods. Client 151 interacts
with payment server 143 by requesting and exchanging documents in
well know HTML format to provide payment information to be used to
transfer monies to the seller of the goods as part of the
transaction.
[0027] In one exemplary embodiment, user of client 151 uses a gift
certificate 145 having a monetary value as the source of funds used
in completing the transaction. Gift certificate 145 is maintained
within payment server 143 in an account associated with the user of
client 151. When the user of client 151 completes a transaction by
making a payment using payment server 143, the user logs into
payment server 143 and selects an existing gift certificate 145 for
use as the funding source for this transaction. If the value of
gift certificate 145 is sufficient to pay for the transaction,
payment server 143 completes the transaction by transferring monies
associated with gift certificate 145 from the user of client 151
account to the account of the seller. Any remaining balance left on
the gift certificate may remain for later use.
[0028] In this exemplary embodiment, gift certificate 145 is
typically purchased by a user of a client 152 and provided to the
user of client 151 as is typically done when gift certificates are
sold. User of client 152 interacts with payment server 143 to
purchase gift certificate 145 and provide an identity of its
recipient, user of client 151. In purchasing gift certificate 145,
user of client 152, provides an identity of user of client 151, a
monetary amount to be provided as part of gift certificate 145, an
identity of the merchant accepting gift certificate 145 for
redemption, and payment information describing where payment server
143 may obtain the funds for use in purchasing gift certificate
145. The identity of user of client 151 may be an e-mail address
usable over the Internet 141 that is unique to user of client 1
151. In other embodiments of present invention, the identity of a
user of a client 151 may be recorded using some other
communications identifier, such as an SMS address, an instant
message (IM) address or a telephone or network address
identifier.
[0029] Gift certificate 145 is purchased by user of client 152 in a
well known manner for purchasing goods over the Internet 141 using,
for example, a electronic shopping cart and checkout procedure. The
identity of the merchant accepting gift certificate 145 for
redemption is associated with commerce server 142 in this
embodiment.
[0030] User of client 152 purchases gift certificate 145 using a
link on a web page provided by commerce server 142 that transfers
client 152 to payment server 143 with a data ID identifying
commerce server 142 as the source server for a gift certificate
purchase request made by client 152. Payment server 143 encodes the
data ID identifying commerce server 142 within gift certificate 145
for use when gift certificate 145 is redeemed. Payment server 143
may use this data ID to require gift certificate 145 to be used
only for completion of transactions associated with commerce server
142. In an alternate embodiment, commerce server 142 and payment
server 143 may reside on a single server or on a collection of
servers operated by a single merchant, or similar single entity. In
this alternate embodiment, the data ID may not be utilized as gift
certificate 145 may only be maintained and used within the servers
of this single entity.
[0031] When user of client 152 purchases gift certificate 145 with
an intention of providing gift certificate 145 to user of client
151, an e-mail is transmitted to the e-mail address for user of
client 151 provided to payment server 143 when gift certificate 145
is purchased. This e-mail informs user of client 151 of the
existence of gift certificate 145, its value, and the merchant
where gift certificate 145 may be redeemed. Using this process,
gift certificate 145 is associated with a particular e-mail
address, as an example of a communications identifier, that is used
when the gift certificate is redeemed. Since an assumption is made
that the provided e-mail address is owned by user of client 151,
the user may retrieve the e-mail message announcing the arrival of
gift certificate 145. Gift certificate 145 remains within a payment
service account maintained within payment server 143 that is
associated with the provided e-mail address. When user of client
151 wishes to redeem gift certificate, the user logs into payment
server 143 using the e-mail address associated with gift
certificate 145 when payment for goods is to be provided. When user
of client 151 logs into this account, payment server 143 recognizes
the existence of gift certificate 145 associated with this user
account, permitting its use in completing the transaction. Payment
server 143 authenticates user of client 151 when gift certificate
145 is redeemed by requiring confirmation of the user using
information contained only within the e-mail message sent to the
e-mail account associated with gift certificate 145 to ensure that
user of client 151 received the e-mail address and thus is the
rightful owner of gift certificate 145.
[0032] In one particular embodiment, commerce server 142 provides
on-line auction and fixed price setting services for users of
clients over the Internet 141. In this embodiment, the goods and
services purchased by user of client 151 may be provided by a user
of client 153 who posted an item for on-line auction on commerce
server 142. Monies obtained by payment server 143 used to complete
a transaction for an item sold using an on-line auction are
transferred into an account on payment server 143 associated with
an e-mail address owned by user of client 153. Typically, user of
client 153 sets up a payment account on payment server 143 prior to
and/or concurrently with listing of an item sold at auction on
commerce server 142. User of client 153 provides an e-mail address
uniquely owned by the user that may be used by payment server to
identify the user for all transactions within payment server 143.
In many cases, this e-mail address may be identical to an e-mail
address used as an auction service account identifier within
commerce server 142 when items are listed for sale. Because a
payment service account exists within payment server 143 for user
of client 153, redemption of gift certificate 145 permits payment
server to transfer monies into the payment service account
associated with user of client 153. Once the funds are placed into
this account, user of client 153 may utilize these funds as
desired, such as use for payment for items purchased using payment
server 143 and for transfer to a bank account owned by user of
client 153.
[0033] In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention may be
adapted for the market for corporate incentives. This slightly
tailored solution may involve transferable gift certificates. In a
further exemplary embodiment, the present invention may be adapted
for the merchant-specific gift certificates. In yet another
exemplary embodiment, the payment service merchants may be enabled
to offer their own gift certificate programs.
[0034] The commerce platform gift certificate capability may be
used as an additional tool to drive auction volume both in terms of
higher closing prices and an increased number of successfully
closed auctions, as well as to potentially acquire new customers
since gift certificates may introduce new parties to the commerce
platform community.
[0035] The commerce platform gift certificates ("GCs") can be
purchased by a payment service user, may be given to anyone with a
communications identifier (e.g., an email address), and redeemed
with a commerce platform seller that accepts payment through the
payment service. In one exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, some geographic restrictions may be implemented. For
example, GCs may be available only through the commerce platform
web site with a top level domain ".com" (as opposed to, e.g., ".uk"
or ".de"). International GC purchasers can use the GC purchase
flows on the US site, which allows international users to click a
link and fill out a non-US credit card form.
[0036] Recipients may have any email address, including
international domains. Recipients may be directed to a domestic
commerce platform site, as well as being enabled to navigate to an
international site on their own. A recipient using the commerce
platform checkout flow on a localized payment service site (for
example, a ".uk" site), may be offered the same options to add a
gift certificate as they would see on a domestic payment service
site.
[0037] GCs may be redeemed with the commerce server, which then
credits the recipient's account with the appropriate currency, and
uses the funds to pay the seller. Sellers are not necessarily aware
that a gift certificate has been used for the purchase of their
item.
[0038] GCs are not restricted to the purchase of items being sold
by sellers with domestic payment service accounts. A GC may also be
used to purchase an item from a foreign seller. In one exemplary
embodiment, escheatment and maintenance fees for foreign recipients
may be treated the same way as for Delaware residents.
[0039] The table 1 below represents a possibility of enabling
various groups of users to use the commerce platform gift
certificates.
1TABLE 1 Groups Using Gift Certificates. ROW (rest of US UK world)
All user groups Y Y Y Personal Accounts Y Y Y Premier Accounts Y Y
Y Business Accounts Y Y Y Admin Users Y Y Y Attack Users N N N
Others
[0040] Platform Architecture
[0041] FIG. 2 is a network diagram depicting a system 10, according
to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, having a
client-server architecture. A commerce server platform, in the
exemplary form of a network-based marketplace 12, provides
server-side functionality, via a network 14 (e.g., the Internet) to
one or more clients. FIG. 2 illustrates, for example, a web client
16 (e.g., a browser, such as the Internet Explorer browser
developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. State), and a
programmatic client 18 executing on respective client machines 20
and 22.
[0042] Turning specifically to the network-based marketplace 12, an
Application Program Interface (API) server 24 and a web server 26
are coupled to, and provide programmatic and web interfaces
respectively to, one or more application servers 28. The
application servers 28 host one or more marketplace applications 30
and payment applications 32. The application servers 28 are, in
turn, shown to be coupled to one or more databases servers 34 that
facilitate access to one or more databases 36.
[0043] The marketplace applications 30 provide a number of
marketplace functions and services to users that access the
marketplace 12. The payment applications 32 likewise provide a
number of payment services and functions to users. The payment
applications 32 may allow users to quantify for, and accumulate,
value (e.g., in a commercial currency, such as the U.S. dollar, or
a proprietary currency, such as "points") in accounts, and then
later to redeem the accumulated value for products (e.g., goods or
services) that are made available via the marketplace applications
30. While the marketplace and payment applications 30 and 32 are
shown in FIG. 2 to both form part of the network-based marketplace
12, it will be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments of the
present invention, the payment applications 32 may form part of a
payment service that is separate and distinct from the marketplace
12.
[0044] Further, while the system 10 shown in FIG. 2 employs a
client-server architecture, the present invention is of course not
limited to such an architecture, and could equally well find
application in a distributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system.
The various marketplace and payment applications 30 and 32 could
also be implemented as standalone software programs, which do not
necessarily have networking capabilities.
[0045] The web client 16, it will be appreciated, accesses the
various marketplace and payment applications 30 and 32 via the web
interface supported by the web server 26. Similarly, the
programmatic client 18 accesses the various services and functions
provided by the marketplace and payment applications 30 and 32 via
the programmatic interface provided by the API server 24. The
programmatic client 18 may, for example, be a seller application
(e.g., the TurboLister application developed by eBay Inc., of San
Jose, Calif.) to enable sellers to author and manage listings on
the marketplace 12 in an off-line manner, and to perform batch-mode
communications between the programmatic client 18 and the
network-based marketplace 12.
[0046] FIG. 2 also illustrates a third party application 38,
executing on a third party server machine 40, as having
programmatic access to the network-based marketplace 12 via the
programmatic interface provided by the API server 24. For example,
the third party application 38 may, utilizing information retrieved
from the network-based marketplace 12, support one or more features
or functions on a website hosted by the third party. The third
party website may, for example, provide one or more promotional,
marketplace or payment functions that are supported by the relevant
applications of the network-based marketplace 12.
[0047] Marketplace Applications
[0048] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating multiple marketplace
and payment applications 30 that, in one exemplary embodiment of
the present invention, are provided as part of the network-based
marketplace 12. The marketplace 12 may provide a number of listing
and price-setting mechanisms whereby a seller may list goods or
services for sale, a buyer can express interest in or indicate a
desire to purchase such goods or services, and a price can be set
for a transaction pertaining to the goods or services. To this end,
the marketplace applications 30 are shown to include one or more
auction applications 44 which support auction-format listing and
price setting mechanisms (e.g., English, Dutch, Vickrey, Chinese,
Double, Reverse auctions etc.). The various auction applications 44
may also provide a number of features in support of such
auction-format listings, such as a reserve price feature whereby a
seller may specify a reserve price in connection with a listing and
a proxy-bidding feature whereby a bidder may invoke automated proxy
bidding.
[0049] A number of fixed-price applications 46 support fixed-price
listing formats (e.g., the traditional classified
advertisement-type listing or a catalogue listing) and buyout-type
listings. Specifically, buyout-type listings (e.g., including the
Buy-It-Now (BIN) technology developed by eBay Inc., of San Jose,
Calif.) may be offered in conjunction with an auction-format
listing, and allow a buyer to purchase goods or services, which are
also being offered for sale via an auction, for a fixed-price that
is typically higher than the starting price of the auction.
[0050] Store applications 48 allow sellers to group their listings
within a "virtual" store, which may be branded and otherwise
personalized by and for the sellers. Such a virtual store may also
offer promotions, incentives and features that are specific and
personalized to a relevant seller.
[0051] Reputation applications 50 allow parties that transact
utilizing the network-based marketplace 12 to establish, build and
maintain reputations, which may be made available and published to
potential trading partners. Consider that where, for example, the
network-based marketplace 12 supports person-to-person trading,
users may have no history or other reference information whereby
the trustworthiness and credibility of potential trading partners
may be assessed. The reputation applications 50 allow a user, for
example through feedback provided by other transaction partners, to
establish a reputation within the network-based marketplace 12 over
time. Other potential trading partners may then reference such a
reputation for the purposes of assessing credibility and
trustworthiness.
[0052] Personalization applications 52 allow users of the
marketplace 12 to personalize various aspects of their interactions
with the marketplace 12. For example a user may, utilizing an
appropriate personalization application 52, create a personalized
reference page at which information regarding transactions to which
the user is (or has been) a party may be viewed. Further, a
personalization application 52 may enable a user to personalize
listings and other aspects of their interactions with the
marketplace 12 and other parties.
[0053] In one embodiment, the network-based marketplace 12 may
support a number of marketplaces that are customized, for example,
for specific geographic regions. A version of the marketplace 12
may be customized for the United Kingdom, whereas another version
of the marketplace 12 may be customized for the United States. Each
of these versions may operate as an independent marketplace, or may
be customized (or internationalized) presentations of a common
underlying marketplace.
[0054] Navigation of the network based-marketplace 12 may be
facilitated by one or more navigation applications 56. For example,
a search application enables key word searches of listings
published via the marketplace 12. A browse application allows users
to browse various category, catalogue, or inventory data structures
according to which listings may be classified within the
marketplace 12. Various other navigation applications may be
provided to supplement the search and browsing applications.
[0055] In order to make listings, available via the network-based
marketplace 12, as visually informing and attractive as possible,
the marketplace applications 30 may include one or more imaging
applications 58 utilizing which users may upload images for
inclusion within listings. An imaging application 58 also operates
to incorporate images within viewed listings. The imaging
applications 58 may also support one or more promotional features,
such as image galleries that are presented to potential buyers. For
example, sellers may pay an additional fee to have an image
included within a gallery of images for promoted items.
[0056] Listing creation applications 60 allow sellers conveniently
to author listings pertaining to goods or services that they wish
to transact via the marketplace 12, and listing management
applications 62 allow sellers to manage such listings.
Specifically, where a particular seller has authored and/or
published a large number of listings, the management of such
listings may present a challenge. The listing management
applications 62 provide a number of features (e.g., auto-relisting,
inventory level monitors, etc.) to assist the seller in managing
such listings. One or more post-listing management applications 64
also assist sellers with a number of activities that typically
occur post-listing. For example, upon completion of an auction
facilitated by one or more auction applications 44, a seller may
wish to leave feedback regarding a particular buyer. To this end, a
post-listing management application 64 may provide an interface to
one or more reputation applications 50, so as to allow the seller
conveniently to provide feedback regarding multiple buyers to the
reputation applications 50.
[0057] Dispute resolution applications 66 provide mechanisms
whereby disputes arising between transacting parties may be
resolved. For example, the dispute resolution applications 66 may
provide guided procedures whereby the parties are guided through a
number of steps in an attempt to settle a dispute. In the event
that the dispute cannot be settled via the guided procedures, the
dispute may be escalated to a third party mediator or
arbitrator.
[0058] A number of fraud prevention applications 68 implement
various fraud detection and prevention mechanisms to reduce the
occurrence of fraud within the marketplace 12.
[0059] Messaging applications 70 are responsible for the generation
and delivery of messages to users of the network-based marketplace
12, such messages for example advising users regarding the status
of listings at the marketplace 12 (e.g., providing "outbid" notices
to bidders during an auction process or to provide promotional and
merchandising information to users).
[0060] Merchandising applications 72 support various merchandising
functions that are made available to sellers to enable sellers to
increase sales via the marketplace 12. The merchandising
applications 80 also operate the various merchandising features
that may be invoked by sellers, and may monitor and track the
success of merchandising strategies employed by sellers.
[0061] The network-based marketplace 12 itself, or one or more
parties that transact via the marketplace 12, may operate loyalty
programs that are supported by one or more loyalty/promotions
applications 74. For example, a buyer may earn loyalty or
promotions points for each transaction established and/or concluded
with a particular seller, and be offered a reward for which
accumulated loyalty points can be redeemed.
[0062] Data Structures
[0063] FIG. 4 is a high-level entity-relationship diagram,
illustrating various tables 90 that may be maintained within the
databases 36, and that are utilized by and support the marketplace
and payment applications 30 and 32. A user table 92 contains a
record for each registered user of the network-based marketplace
12, and may include identifier, address and financial instrument
information pertaining to each such registered user. A user may, it
will be appreciated, operate as a seller, a buyer, or both, within
the network-based marketplace 12. In one exemplary embodiment of
the present invention, a buyer may be a user that has accumulated
value (e.g., commercial or proprietary currency), and is then able
to exchange the accumulated value for items that are offered for
sale by the network-based marketplace 12.
[0064] The tables 90 also include an items table 94 in which are
maintained item records for goods and services that are available
to be, or have been, transacted via the marketplace 12. Each item
record within the items table 94 may furthermore be linked to one
or more user records within the user table 92, so as to associate a
seller and one or more actual or potential buyers with each item
record.
[0065] A transaction table 96 contains a record for each
transaction (e.g., a purchase transaction) pertaining to items for
which records exist within the items table 94.
[0066] An order table 98 is populated with order records, each
order record being associated with an order. Each order, in turn,
may be with respect to one or more transactions for which records
exist within the transactions table 96.
[0067] Bid records within a bids table 100 each relate to a bid
received at the network-based marketplace 12 in connection with an
auction-format listing supported by an auction application 44. A
feedback table 102 is utilized by one or more reputation
applications 50, in one exemplary embodiment, to construct and
maintain reputation information concerning users. A history table
104 maintains a history of transactions to which a user has been a
party. One or more attributes tables 106 record attribute
information pertaining to items for which records exist within the
items table 94. Considering only a single example of such an
attribute, the attributes tables 106 may indicate a currency
attribute associated with a particular item, the currency attribute
identifying the currency of a price for the relevant item as
specified in by a seller.
[0068] FIG. 5 is a user interface diagrams illustrating a web page
550 provided by a commerce server to a client providing a link to
purchase an electronic gift certificate from a payment server
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In
this embodiment, a web page 550 is provided to client 151 by
commerce server 142 as part of one or more web pages utilized in an
attempt to sell goods and/or services. On this web page 550,
information relating to the sale of goods and services 551 is
provided by commerce server 142. Typically, this information is the
contents of a web page that may be organized into any arrangement
useful in displaying information to a user of client 151. Within
web page 550, a button or hyperlink 552 is provided to permit the
user of client 151 to initiate purchase of a gift certificate that
may be used at a later date to complete a transaction associated
with commerce server 142.
[0069] When user of client 151 invokes processing associated with
button 552, http code and related instructions are executed to
initiate purchase of a gift certificate. This http code may include
a URL to transfer client 151 to a web page provided by payment
server 143. Within this http code, a data ID associated with
commerce server 142 may be embedded to inform payment server 143
that a gift certificate associated with commerce server 142 is
requested. Payment server 143 provides client 151 with a sequence
of web pages to collected needed information to complete the sale
of a gift certificate associated with commerce server 142. In an
exemplary embodiment, the gift certificate may be associated with a
single commerce server, which is a single web site, a single
merchant, or a single entity. As such, the commerce server ensures
that a subsequent sale of goods or services is made when the gift
certificate is redeemed. Such an arrangement promotes future sales
of items provided by commerce server 142.
[0070] In an alternate embodiment, a gift certificate may be
provided by a collection of merchants that each maintain a separate
commerce server. In this embodiment, the purchase gift certificate
button 552 initiates a sale of a gift certificate redeemable for a
transaction associated with any commerce server within the
collection of merchants. This arrangement permits a "mall" in which
its stores maintain commerce web sites to sell goods to sell a gift
certificate for use in purchase of goods from any store within the
mall. This mall may correspond to a physical mall in which stores
offering goods to customers also maintain web sites to sell
products. This mall may also correspond to a "virtual mall"
containing a collection of web sites that may provide common
marketing information as if the on-line merchants were present
within the virtual mall. As such, a gift certificate purchased and
redeemed in accordance with the present invention may be redeemed
by a predefined collection of commerce servers as desired without
deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
recited within the attached claims.
[0071] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages provided
to a client providing for purchase an electronic gift certificate
from a payment server 143, according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention. As discussed above, a gift certificate is
purchased by a user of a client computer in a manner similar to
purchase of any goods and services sold over the Internet. This
gift certificate provides an identity of a recipient for the gift
certificate using an e-mail address. This e-mail address is used
when the gift certificate is redeemed to ensure the recipient of
the gift certificate is in fact redeeming the gift certificate.
[0072] When a gift certificate is purchased, a user of a client
computer is typically viewing a commerce server web page or email.
The user starts the purchase process using a purchase gift
certificate button or link 552 on the web page or email (601). The
user of the client computer then views a gift certificate
information collection page provided by payment server 142. This
web page may look similar to the commerce server web page and may
include the commerce server title in the domain used to access the
web page. This page may allow the user of the client computer to
enter the recipient's email, name, and custom text that is
associated with the gift certificate (602). The user of the client
computer may also be able to specify a delivery date for when the
recipient receives his or her gift certificate notification. The
user of the client computer may have an option to print the gift
certificate. (When off-the commerce platform gift certificates
(GCs) are available, printable may be a merchant-specific
option).
[0073] The user of the client computer may then proceed through the
payment service payment flow that solicits a login or sign up to
payment server 143 (603). The user logs into payment server 143 in
a usual manner to access a unique user account. The user uses an
e-mail address to identify the payment service account to be used
for this transaction. When a user does not already possess an
account on payment server 142, a process to create an account is
used. The use of an e-mail address as the account ID permits
payment server 143 to authenticate and confirm the identity of a
user by sending an e-mail message to the corresponding e-mail
account containing unique information and/or a hyperlink that is
then provided by a user to payment server 143 after receipt of the
e-mail message. This confirmation process may be part of anti-fraud
features used to ensure that funds are transferred to and from
users of a known identity.
[0074] Once the user logs into payment server 143, a review web
page is provided to the purchaser's client computer to summarize
the purchase and obtain payment information (604). Typically a user
may select from any number of supported payment options including
use of funds from a credit card, funds withdrawn from a bank
account associated with the account, and any funds previously
transferred into the account. As noted above, payment accounts may
be associated with sellers of goods using an on-line auction web
site. Payments received from sale of goods associated with an
on-line auction may be present in a payment account. Any funds in
the account may be used in purchasing a gift certificate.
[0075] Once adequate payment information is received, user of the
client computer is directed to a done web page (605) that indicates
the completion of the transaction. The web page may contain a
button or link to return the user to the commerce server web site
from which the purchase of gift certificate was initiated. As such,
the user may believe that the purchase of the gift certificate was
completed as part of the operation of the commerce server web site,
whether or not the commerce server and the payment server are
operated as a single entity. When the purchaser clicks to continue
from the done page, the user may return to the commerce
platform.
[0076] The completion of the purchase of gift certificate 145
concludes with payment server determining the delivery method
specified by the purchaser when gift certificate 145 was specified
(606). In most cases, an electronic gift certificate is included
within an e-mail message that is sent to a recipient at the e-mail
address specified when gift certificate 145 is purchased (607).
Information contained within this e-mail message is used to
authenticate the recipient of the e-mail address to be the intended
recipient of gift certificate 145.
[0077] In an alternate embodiment, gift certificate 145 is
specified as a web page provided to the client computer of the user
purchasing the gift certificate (608). The purchaser print the gift
certificate by printing the web page using a web browser to any
attached printer accessible by the client computer. The web page
contains a unique redemption code that is used to identify the gift
certificate to payment server 143 when gift certificate 145 is
redeemed. A user of a client computer redeeming gift certificate
145 enters this redemption code into an information web page as
part of the gift certificate redemption process. When this
redemption code is entered, gift certificate 145 then becomes
associated with an e-mail address of the user redeeming the gift
certificate as if the e-mail address had been specified when
purchased. Associating a gift certificate with an e-mail address
before redemption is completed permits payment server 143 to
receive confirmation information associated with the e-mail address
when an account is created for the e-mail address. Thus, payment
server 143 possesses a mechanism to investigate fraudulent
redemption of gift certificates as information relating to the
e-mail address, the IP address of its e-mail server, and related
identity information of the e-mail address owner may be obtained
when needed.
[0078] In one embodiment, the payment server 143 may require web
pages to be rendered differently depending upon the country of the
user. This rendering for each country may be in part be implemented
universally. For example, the following web page data
characteristics may be implemented universally: language of a
feature (on the website templates), a language rendered on a web
page may be defined on a per country basis, thus only needing to
identify for which countries the feature will be available; Unicode
data conversion; country codes (e.g., United Kingdom=UK and
Germany=DE); Language Codes; Time Zone Format; Calendar Format;
Phone Number Format; Name/Address Format; Currency Format; and
Fields: Character Lengths. Other similar web page characteristics
may also be implemented in this manner.
[0079] Other international/localization issues include the currency
used within the payment server 143. In one exemplary embodiment,
gift certificates are available in USD. International buyers,
recipients, and merchants are not restricted from the use of gift
certificates. Gift certificate-related pages may be translated in a
country-specific manner.
[0080] FIG. 7 is a more detailed flow diagram of a sequence of web
pages provided to a client providing for purchase an electronic
gift certificate from a payment server according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The purchase of a gift
certificate begins on a marketing page on the commerce server
(701). On this page, a purchase gift certificate button or link 552
is presented thatd, when activated, transfers a user to a gift
certificate information collection page (702). In one embodiment,
the URL for the gift certificate information collection page uses a
URL related to the commerce server 142 even if the page is
processed by the payment server 143. The servers may perform the
necessary IP address resolution and translation to permit the user
to believe the web sites are one in the same. The gift certificate
information collection page generated may possess a look and feel
of the commerce server site 142 to maintain the appearance of an
integrated site. The gift certificate information collection page
includes a plurality of data fields that a user enters data to
specify the gift certificate to be purchased. These data fields may
include a recipient name field, recipient e-mail address field,
sender name field, amount field, an optional personal message
field, a delivery method selection field. The recipient and sender
e-mail fields specify e-mail addresses for e-mail accounts
reachable over the Internet for the respective parties.
[0081] The amount field specifies the numerical value for the gift
certificate being purchased. In various embodiments, the amount
value specified in this amount field may correspond to a set of
predetermined values, a range of values having minimum and maximum
amounts, and any user specified amounts as desired by the operators
of the payment server.
[0082] The delivery method selection field provides the sender a
mechanism to select when and how the purchased gift certificate is
to be provided to the recipient. The sender may specify either that
the gift certificate be sent by e-mail message or be sent by
printing a web page containing a graphical representation of the
gift certificate. If the sender specifies the gift certificate is
sent via an e-mail message, the sender may specify the date and
time when the e-mail message is to be sent. This date may specify,
immediately, later today, tomorrow, a day within the coming week
referenced by the day of the week, or a date specified by a
calendar date.
[0083] The gift certificate information collection page may also
contain additional items including an error reporting field to
specify errors and/or missing data items when a gift certificate is
attempted to be purchased. The page may also contain an e-mail
warning message that remind the sender of the need to accurately
enter e-mail addresses into respective fields as they are used in
purchasing and redeeming gift certificates. A terms link may be
provided to provide the sender with a detailed written description
of all applicable legal terms associated with the purchase and
redemption of the gift certificate when the link is activated.
Other informational links provided on this web page may include a
redemption instruction link, a purchase FAQ link, a redemption FAQ
link, a gift certificate sample link, an about payment service
link, and an need help link. Each of these links provides the
sender with additional information useful in purchasing and
redeeming gift certificates (703).
[0084] The gift certificate information collection page possesses a
purchase button or link to purchase the gift certificate using a
payment service provided by the payment server. As part of the
operation of this link, the payment server performs error checking
to ensure that all needed information is provided and is accurate.
When incomplete and inaccurate information is found during error
checking, appropriate error messages are provided to the sender in
the error reporting field and the certificate information
collection page remains for the sender to provide updated
information.
[0085] Once all of the correct information is provided and passes
error correction processing, the payment server transfers
processing to a payment details web page (704). This web page
provides a sender with a mechanism to identify a source of funds to
be used to purchase the gift certificate. In one exemplary
embodiment, a payment service provided by payment server 143 is
used to provide a finding mechanism for gift certificate purchases.
This service provides a sender sources including credit cards,
eChecks, electronic transfers from bank accounts previously
associated with a payment service account, and existing balances
present within a payment service account. The sender logs into his
or her payment service account using an e-mail address provided
when purchasing the gift certificate. If an account associated with
this e-mail address exists, the sender may log in using a usual
authentication mechanism such as providing a password. If an
account does not exist, the payment server may initiate creation of
an account. This account creation process may include use of e-mail
messages sent to the corresponding e-mail accounts in which the
message contains unique information that must be returned to the
payment server to create the account. This information may include
a unique identification code or a hyperlink that returns a unique
identification code to the server. As such, the payment server may
confirm that the sender e-mail address is owned, and accessible, by
the sender creating the payment service account.
[0086] The sender enters into the payment details page and
processing continues with an eCheck compatibility check in which
eCheck payment information is verified (705). If an incompatibility
is found within the eCheck payment option, an warning message is
generated and added to payment confirmation page (706). If an
eCheck is not used, or if no compatibility is found, processing
continues directly to a payment confirmation page (707).
[0087] The payment confirmation page provides the sender with all
relevant information associated with the pending purchase of the
gift certificate. The page may include an edit information button
or link to return the sender to the certificate information
collection page to change data values. In such a case, the data
fields are pre-populated with existing information to prevent the
sender from needing to re-enter data. The page possesses a cancel
purchase button or link to terminate the purchase process for the
gift certificate before a transaction has been completed. The page
also possesses a continue purchase button or link to initiate the
completion of the transaction using the information provided the
payment confirmation page.
[0088] Once the sender completes the purchase transaction using the
continue purchase button, a sequence of operations occurs within
the payment server. First, the purchased gift certificate is stored
within the payment server as an entry in the payment services
account associated with the recipient's e-mail address (708). If
the gift certificate is to be delivered at a date in the future,
entry is marked as being a hidden entry in the recipient's account
until the gift certificate has been delivered as specified when
purchased. An entry for the purchase of the gift certificate is
made within a transaction log for the sender and the recipient
(709) to provide the relevant parties with history information for
viewing at a later date. Similarly entries are made in activity
logs within the payment server to permit audits as needed (710).
Once all of these entries have been made, the payment is done (715)
and a final confirmation page is provided to the sender.
[0089] Once the sender completes the purchase of the gift
certificate, the processing determines if the gift certificate is
available in a printable form (716). If it is, the sender may print
the gift certificate (717). If the gift certificate is not
printable, the sender may be returned to the commerce server
marketing page as the gift certificate process has been
completed.
[0090] While the above operations occur, the payment server sends
an e-mail to the sender's e-mail address with all relevant
information relating to the transaction to provide an electronic
receipt for the transaction (711). In addition if a gift
certificate has been fraudulently purchased using an e-mail account
of an un-expecting party, this e-mail message provides a mechanism
for catching fraudulent transaction as soon as possible. This
e-mail message will contain the sender's identity information, the
recipient's identity information, gift certificate amounts,
redemption code information, and all related payment information
for use by the sender.
[0091] Finally, the payment server 143 checks to see if the gift
certificate is to be delivered today (712). If the gift certificate
is to be sent today, the payment server 143 unmarks the gift
certificate in the recipient's account as now being hidden (715).
As such, the recipient may see and use the gift certificate when
desired. The payment server also sends an e-mail message to the
recipient's e-mail address informing the recipient of the arrival
of the gift certificate in the recipient's payment service account.
This e-mail message may contain information identifying the sender
of the gift certificate, the merchant or commerce server web site
where the gift certificate may be redeemed, and information
associated with the use of the payment service to redeem the gift
certificate. Much of this information may be provided within the
e-mail message itself, within web pages accessed using hyperlinks
included within the e-mail message, and a combination of these two
arrangements.
[0092] The embodiments described above disclose a client-server
processing system in which communications between the client and
server occur as a sequence of web pages provided by a web server
that are rendered on the client computer as HTML documents
processed within a web browser. One skilled in the art will
recognize that a client-server distributed processing application
that obtains the above described data needed to purchase a gift
certificate may be obtained using a custom application running on
the client computer where the data is communicated with the remote
payment server and the remote commerce server using APIs that
enable the transfer of the data between the computing systems. As
such, the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes and other
client-server application architectures may be used without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
recited within the attached claims.
[0093] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a set of processing
modules within a payment server 143 for use in purchasing and
redemption of electronic gift certificates, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Payment server 143
includes a set of processing modules to implement its processing
functions. These processing modules include a gift certificate
purchase module 801, a gift certificate redemption module 802, a
gift certificate cancellation module 803, a payment account payment
module 804, a payment account bank interface module 805, a payment
account set-up module 806, a payment account history module 807, a
payment account anti-fraud module 808, and a payment account admin
tools module 809.
[0094] The gift certificate purchase module 801 performs all of the
processing associated with purchase of a gift certificate by a
sender and subsequent transfer of the gift certificate to its
recipient. The gift certificate redemption module 802 performs all
of the processing associated with redemption of a gift certificate
to complete a transaction between the gift certificate recipient
and a merchant/commerce web site. The gift certificate cancellation
module 803 performs all of the processing associated with canceling
an issued gift certificate typically when an error in the amount of
the gift certificate or an error in the identity of the recipient
as specified in the recipient e-mail address prior to the
redemption of the gift certificate.
[0095] The payment account payment module 804 performs all of the
processing associated with an account holder making a payment to
another entity using the payment service of the payment server. The
payment account bank interface module 805 performs all of the
processing associated with an account holder transferring monies to
and from a bank account of the payment account owner using the
payment service of the payment server. The payment account set-up
module 806 performs all of the processing associated with an
account holder setting up an account with the payment service of
the payment server that is associated with an e-mail address of the
account holder. The payment account history module 807 performs all
of the processing associated with providing an account holder a
history of all prior payments, fund transfers and gift certificate
purchase and redemption using the payment service of the payment
server. The payment account anti-fraud module 808 performs all of
the processing associated with an authenticating an account holder
when the account holder interacts with the payment service of the
payment server to prevent fraudulent payments from being made.
Finally, payment account admin tools module 809 performs all of the
processing associated with an providing account holder
administrative tools to manage an account with the payment service
of the payment server.
[0096] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages provided
to a client providing for redemption of an electronic gift
certificate from a payment server 143, according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. When a customer of an on-line
merchant wishes to redeem a gift certificate previously provided to
him or her, the customer shops for items to be purchased from an
on-line merchant by using a client computer to interact with a
commerce server to initiate a sale (901). The customer selects
items for purchase that are subsequently placed into a shopping
cart. These items may be selected from an on-line catalog of
available items, or may be selected by successful completion of an
on-line auction in which the customer is the winning bidder.
[0097] Once a customer has placed all items to be purchased into a
shopping cart, the customer performs a check-out procedure in which
the customer may use an on-line payment service to provide payment
to the on-line merchant while keeping information such as
identification for the customer, a shipping address, a billing
address, and a payment/credit card information in a single location
(902). This check-out procedure requires a customer to log into a
payment server 143 operated by the payment service (903). A unique
e-mail address owned by the customer is used as a unique identifier
for the user account within the payment service. Use of the e-mail
address that is uniquely controlled by the user/customer permits
the payment service to confirm the identity of the customer and the
corresponding e-mail address before any payment transactions occur.
As such, payment services may obtain a desired degree of confidence
that it has obtained a known identity of a customer using the
payment service. In addition, e-mail accounts are provided to users
by third parties such as Internet service provides (ISPs) and
on-line services such as Yahoo and Google. This e-mail account
provides obtain user identity information that may permit
subsequent tracing of fraudulent users to IP addresses when
needed.
[0098] Once a customer has successfully logged into the payment
service, the purchase may be reviewed and a payment method may be
selected (904). In the case of the use of a gift certificate, the
customer's account has previously received the gift certificate
from its sender when the gift certificate was purchased. If a
particular customer does not possess an account with the payment
service before a gift certificate is redeemed, the payment service
may require creation of an account, with its corresponding
confirmation of the ownership of the e-mail address associated with
the gift certificate being redeemed in order to authenticate the
identity of the customer as the intended recipient of the gift
certificate.
[0099] The successful selection of a gift certificate is completed
with the selection of a redemption code associated with the gift
certificate for use in completing the transaction for the sale of
goods and services (905). In one embodiment, this redemption code
is found within the gift certificate sent to an e-mail address as
part of an e-mail message. The redemption code may also be embedded
within a hyperlink included within an e-mail message that, when
activated, provides the redemption code to the payment server for
use when purchasing goods and services. Finally, the redemption
code may be stored within the payment service account for the user
that is selected when a payment method is selected from a list of
available payment sources available to the account. In this latter
case, the e-mail address of the customer is used to authenticate
the customer before the redemption codes are provided for selection
at time of check-out.
[0100] When a recipient redeems a gift certificate, the payment
system may limit the recipient to utilize only one gift certificate
per transaction. This limitation would require a recipient to use
alternate payment sources, including credit cards, which are
associated with the recipient's payment services account to pay for
any balance needed to complete a transaction once the value of the
gift certificate has been exhausted. This limitation upon the use
of multiple gift certificates to pay for a single transaction
ensures that a merchant will obtain a separate sales transaction
for each gift certificate sold. In alternate embodiments, this
limitation on the use of multiple gift certificates may not be
imposed as it may cause ill will with potential customers who view
any gift certificate as the equivalent of cash that may be spent at
a merchant.
[0101] Once a payment selection has completed (906), the
transaction may be finalized and the payment made. When payment has
been made, a customer is provided a done page that may contain
information summarizing the transaction and its payment information
as a receipt for the transaction (907) before the entire process
concludes.
[0102] Gift certificates in the disclosed embodiments are typically
non-transferable once they are associated with an e-mail address.
This limitation on the transferability of gift certificates, which
may place a limitation upon the recipient in that he or she may not
transfer the gift certificate to other individuals through changing
the e-mail address associated with the gift certificate to an
alternate e-mail address, does enhance the anti-fraud protection of
the gift certificate. The gift certificates utilize the e-mail
address (or some other form of unique communication identifier)
associated with the gift certificate as the basis for
authenticating whether the intended recipient is the person who
ultimately redeems the gift certificate. Permitting this e-mail
address to be changed by transferring the gift certificate from one
e-mail address to another frustrates this intention.
[0103] FIG. 10 is a more detailed flow diagram of a sequence of web
pages provided to a client providing for redemption of an
electronic gift certificate from a payment server 143, according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. When a gift
certificate is redeemed, the recipient ultimately is required to
log into the payment service using the e-mail address associated
with the gift certificate. This process may occur one of three
ways. First, a recipient may initiate the redemption process by
activating a hyperlink contained within the e-mail message sent to
the recipient when the gift certificate was purchased (1101). This
activation of the hyperlink also performs a soft confirmation of
the identity of the recipient (1102) in that the payment server may
rely upon information returned to the server when the hyperlink is
activated indicating that the recipient is utilizing an e-mail
message sent by the payment server. The recipient is required to
create a payment service account if one does not exist that is
associated with the recipient's e-mail address (1006). If a payment
service account exists, the recipient may immediately log into the
payment service (1107). The payment server 143 may require the
creation of the account to permit resolution of disputed at a later
date if redemption of the gift certificate is challenged. In some
embodiments, a recipient may avoid this set up providing a valid
credit card number so that the payment service may obtain a refund
for erroneously processes gift certificates by charging the refund
to the provided credit card account. Once all of these steps are
completed, the recipient is logged into the payment service
(1007).
[0104] If a recipient has received a printed gift certificate
rather than an electronic gift certificate contained within an
e-mail message, the recipient begins the redemption process by
shopping at the merchant's web site (1003) and indicating at check
out that a gift certificate is to be used. Because an e-mail
account has not been associated with a printed gift certificate
yet, the recipient must log into the payment service using some
e-mail address (1004). If the recipient does not possess a payment
service account, the recipient may be required to either create an
account or provide a credit card account as described above (1006)
before logging into the payment service (1007). Finally, if the
recipient already possesses a payment service account (1005), the
recipient may directly log into the server (1007).
[0105] Once the recipient has logged into the payment service using
any of the above methods, the recipient is presented with a payment
confirmation page (1008). This web page provides the recipient with
all available payment sources that may be used to complete a
transaction. Of the available payment sources, use of available
gift certificates may be chosen. The recipient selects the use of a
gift certificate through the use of a gift certificate button or
hyperlink on the payment confirmation page that presents the
recipient with three different means to select an available gift
certificate redemption code to utilize a gift certificate for the
completion of a transaction (1009). These three options include the
entering of the redemption code, selecting an existing code
associated with the payment account, and clicking upon a hyperlink
within an e-mail message sent to a provided e-mail address.
[0106] When a recipient selects the option to enter a redemption
code directly into the payment service, a series of error checks is
performed to ensure the correct gift certificate is used and that
the recipient is permitted to use it. First, the redemption code
entered by the recipient is checked to verify that the
corresponding gift certificate is associated with the e-mail
address used by the recipient to log into the payment service
(1013). If the redemption code does not belong to this e-mail
account, an error is reported and the recipient is returned to the
payment confirmation page to select a different payment option
and/or attempt to re-enter a valid redemption code. If the
redemption code does belong to the recipient, the payment server
determines whether the redemption code corresponds to a gift
certificate that was previously sent to the recipient as an e-mail
message (1014). If the gift certificate was sent to the recipient
as part of an e-mail message, the recipient is required to perform
a soft confirmation (1015) by activating a link within the e-mail
message to confirm the recipient's identity.
[0107] In either case, the payment server determines if the
redemption code being selected has been confirmed with the return
of confirmation data contained within at least one e-mail message
(1016). If the payment server determines that the e-mail account
associated with the gift certificate has been confirmed, the gift
certificate associated with the entered redemption code is selected
and the process returns to the payment confirmation page (1008) to
complete the transaction. If the payment server determines that the
e-mail account associated with the gift certificate has not been
confirmed, the recipient is requested to add an e-mail account to
the payment service account (1017) and the e-mail account needs to
be confirmed. The e-mail account is confirmed by sending an e-mail
message containing a confirmation code to the provided e-mail
address (1011). The recipient retrieves the confirmation code from
the e-mail message and provides it to the payment service to
confirm his or her identity in order to complete the selection of
the gift certificate. Once the gift certificate associated with the
entered redemption code is selected, the process returns to the
payment confirmation page (1008) to complete the transaction.
[0108] When the recipient selects an existing redemption code, the
associated gift certificate is selected for use in this
transaction. The recipient is returned to the payment confirmation
page (1008) to complete the transaction. No further action is
required as the payment server possesses sufficient confidence that
recipient may use this redemption code following a successful log
in to the payment server.
[0109] If recipient selects the option of clicking upon a hyperlink
within an e-mail message sent to a provided e-mail address, an
e-mail message is transmitted to an e-mail address provided by the
recipient (1011) and the recipient is instructed to look for a
message to be sent to this e-mail account. Upon receipt of the
message, the recipient receives a confirmation code within the
e-mail message that is to be entered into the payment service
(1012) to confirm the identity of the recipient. If this
confirmation code is successfully entered, the gift certificate is
selected and the recipient returns to the payment confirmation page
(1008) to complete the transaction.
[0110] Once the desired gift certificates are selected, the
transaction may be finalized with the payment of the funds to the
merchant and confirmation e-mail messages transmitted to the
recipient before the entire process ends (1010).
[0111] The embodiments described above disclose a client-server
processing system in which communications between the client and
server occur as a sequence of web pages provided by a web server
that are rendered on the client computer as HTML documents
processed within a web browser. One skilled in the art will
recognize that a client-server distributed processing application
that obtains the above described data needed to redeem a gift
certificate may be obtained using a custom application running on
the client computer where the data is communicated with the remote
payment server and the remote commerce server using APIs that
enable the transfer of the data between the computing systems. As
such, the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes and other
client-server application architectures may be used without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
recited within the attached claims.
[0112] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a sequence of web pages
provided to a client providing for cancellation of an electronic
gift certificate from a payment server 143, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Gift certificates
purchased for redemption as described herein may on occasion be
purchased in error or may reference incorrect e-mail addresses that
are used to identify the recipient of the gift certificates
permitted to redeem them. Such errors may be corrected with the
cancellation of the erroneous gift certificates. A new gift
certificate may be purchased to correct the error. The cancellation
of a gift certificate may be initiated by either the
sender/purchaser of the gift certificate or the recipient of the
gift certificate. In either case, the person requesting a gift
certificate must log into the payment server as described above
when a gift certificate is either purchased or a gift certificate
is redeemed. The party needs to log into the payment server in
order to determine that the person is authorized to request the
gift certificate cancellation. Only the sender and the recipient
may request a gift certificate be cancelled.
[0113] A sender cancels a previously purchased but unredeemed gift
certificate by navigating within the payment system of the payment
server to a purchaser's transaction detail web page (1101). This
web page provides a summary of the details associated with the gift
certificate including the sender's identity as specified by an
e-mail address, the recipient's identity as specified by the
recipient's e-mail address, the date and amount of the purchased
gift certificate, the status of the gift certificate indicating
whether it has been redeemed, and payment information relating to
the details of the transaction. A cancel gift certificate button or
hyperlink is present on the web page that when activated initiates
the cancellation of the gift certificate.
[0114] When the sender activates the gift certificate button or
hyperlink, a confirm cancellation web page is presented to the
sender (1103). This web page indicates whether a full refund or a
partial refund is possible depending upon the amount of the unused
balance. The web page also provides information identifying to whom
any refund of existing funds are provided. The web page includes a
cancel gift certificate button or hyperlink and a retain gift
certificate or hyperlink. When a sender/purchaser activates the
cancel gift certificate button, processing within the payment
server causes the gift certificate to be marked as being refunded
within the transaction logs associated with both the sender and the
recipient (1104). The monies held in the unredeemed gift
certificate balance within the merchant's payment service account
that is associated with this particular gift certificate is
transferred to the payment service account of the sender to perform
the refund. Finally, an e-mail message is sent by the payment
server to both the sender and the recipient of the gift certificate
to inform the relevant parties of the refund transaction's
occurrence has been completed (1106).
[0115] If the sender activates the retain gift certificate button,
the payment server determines whether the sender or recipient of
the gift certificate is performing the cancellation operation
(1105) before returning the sender to the sender's transaction
detail web page (1101) where the sender may repeat the above
process as desired.
[0116] A recipient cancels a previously purchased but unredeemed
gift certificate by navigating within the payment system of the
payment server to a recipient's transaction detail web page (1102).
This web page also provides a summary of the details associated
with the gift certificate including the sender's identity as
specified by an e-mail address, the recipient's identity as
specified by the recipient's e-mail address, the date and amount of
the purchased gift certificate, and the status of the gift
certificate indicating whether it has been redeemed. A cancel gift
certificate button or hyperlink is present on the web page that
when activated initiates the cancellation of the gift certificate.
When the recipient activates the gift certificate button or
hyperlink, the confirm cancellation web page described above is
presented to the recipient (1103) with the remaining process
continuing as described above for a sender initiated cancellation.
If the payment server determines that a recipient has requested
that a selected gift certificate is to be retained (1105), the
recipient is returned to the recipient's transaction detail web
page (1102). Cancellation of a gift certificate is identical in
effect whether initiated by a sender or a recipient.
[0117] The embodiments described above disclose a client-server
processing system in which communications between the client and
server occurs as a sequence of web pages provided by a web server
that are rendered on the client computer as HTML documents
processed within a web browser. One skilled in the art will
recognize that a client-server distributed processing application
that obtains the above described data needed to cancel a previously
purchased a gift certificate may be obtained using a custom
application running on the client computer where the data is
communicated with the remote payment server and the remote commerce
server using APIs that enable the transfer of the data between the
computing systems. As such, the above embodiments are for
illustrative purposes and other client-server application
architectures may be used without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention as recited within the attached
claims.
[0118] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of transfer of monies within a
payment server 143 as part of redemption of an electronic gift
certificate, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. In one exemplary embodiment, monies used for purchase of
gift certificates that are subsequently used for purchase of goods
from a commerce server are held with accounts associated with the
payment server. When a purchaser buys a gift certificate, monies
are provided from a funding source of the purchaser to the payment
server (1201). Payment server 143 places and holds these monies in
a payment server account associated with the commerce server that
issued the gift certificates (1202). Merchants that use the
commerce server to sell goods possess a payment service account
that contains two separate balances: a balance of funds available
for use and transfer to other accounts and a balance of funds
corresponding to purchased and unredeemed gift certificates.
[0119] When a particular gift certificate is redeemed to complete a
transaction associated with a merchant, funds associated with this
gift certificate are transferred between the balance of funds
corresponding to purchased and unredeemed gift certificates and
balance of funds available for use and transfer to other accounts
for that particular merchant (1203). This procedure ensures a
purchaser of goods has funds available for use in redeeming the
gift certificate at the time the gift certificate rather than
provide it to the merchant when the gift certificate is sold. In
addition, this procedure provides funds to be used for escheatment
as required by applicable laws.
[0120] Once the funds have been transferred to the merchant's
balance of usable funds, the merchant may transfer the funds to
other accounts and otherwise use the funds as needed (1204). Since
the merchant has now received these funds for completion of a
transaction, the funds are properly considered the funds of the
property of the merchant. This procedure also allows for any
conversion of funds between currencies to occur at the time of the
purchase of the goods, thus placing the effect of currency
fluctuations upon the owner of the gift certificates as would be
the case if the funds are held in any other account for later
use.
[0121] Other issues related to money transfers in an exemplary
embodiment may be included with a payment server 143. The payment
server 143 may be configured such that there are no fees associated
with the purchase of a gift certificate. The purchaser pays the
face value of the gift certificate with no discount or premium. In
addition, maintenance fees may be structured such that 12 months
after the purchase or the last use of the gift certificate, a
monthly maintenance fee may be imposed. This fee may be set up to
be the smaller of $1.50 per month and the remaining balance of the
gift certificate until the gift certificate balance is exhausted.
Also, Standard Merchant Fees Upon Redemption may be set up such
that when the gift certificate is redeemed, the merchant may pay
the same fee that he or she would have had the recipient used any
other funding source.
[0122] Funds from the purchase may be placed into a special non-fee
account (e.g., Cat 99E), which may be controlled by a payment
service. In one exemplary embodiment, the recipient is be able to
use the gift certificate as a funding source only when purchasing a
commerce platform auction item. The portion of the purchase funded
by the gift certificate may come from a special non-fee account
account.
[0123] In one exemplary embodiment, all gift certificates are
denominated in USD. When a holder purchases something in a
different currency, then the funds are converted in the special
non-fee account prior to funding the item. For example, if a holder
purchases a 30 item using a $50 gift certificate, then $32 is
converted to 30 in the Special non-fee account. 30 is moved from
Special non-fee account to the holder's account temporarily, and
then transferred to the merchant. The holder's gift certificate
would still have an $18 balance held in the special non-fee
account.
[0124] Escheatment laws exist in most states that require abandoned
property to be given to the state. Normally, this would mean that
funds held against unredeemed gift certificates be given to the
state. By charging a maintenance fee that ultimately exhausts the
gift certificate balance, the commerce platform/payment service is
able to either use this to help offset the costs of fraud or return
the gift certificate balance to the purchaser or sponsor.
[0125] FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in
the exemplary form of a computer system 300 within which a set of
instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of
the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative
embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be
connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked
deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or
a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer
machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The
machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal
computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital
Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network
router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set
of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to
be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is
illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any
collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set
(or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of
the methodologies discussed herein.
[0126] The exemplary computer system 300 includes a processor 302
(e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) a graphics processing unit
(GPU) or both), a main memory 304 and a static memory 306, which
communicate with each other via a bus 308. The computer system 300
may further include a video display unit 310 (e.g., a liquid
crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer
system 300 also includes an alphanumeric input device 312 (e.g., a
keyboard), a cursor control device 314 (e.g., a mouse), a disk
drive unit 316, a signal generation device 318 (e.g., a speaker)
and a network interface device 320.
[0127] The disk drive unit 316 includes a machine-readable medium
322 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g.,
software 324) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or
functions described herein. The software 324 may also reside,
completely or at least partially, within the main memory 304 and/or
within the processor 302 during execution thereof by the computer
system 300, the main memory 304 and the processor 302 also
constituting machine-readable media. The software 324 may further
be transmitted or received over a network 326 via the network
interface device 320.
[0128] While the machine-readable medium 322 is shown in an
exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term
"machine-readable medium" should be taken to include a single
medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed
database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one
or more sets of instructions. The term "machine-readable medium"
shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of
storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution
by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or
more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term
"machine-readable medium" shall accordingly be taken to include,
but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic
media, and carrier wave signals.
[0129] Thus, a method and system to associate a gift certificate
with an email address have been described. Although the present
invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary
embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and
changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the
broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the
specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative
rather than a restrictive sense.
* * * * *