Claims
- 1. A method for automatically transferring credit between a stored value fund and a handler using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:
receiving automated transfer information at a server computer system from the wide-area computer network coupled to a user associated with the stored value fund; determining the handler chosen by a user for an automated transfer; determining the direction of the automated transfer with respect to the stored value fund; determining an amount for the automated transfer; and automatically transferring the amount between the stored value fund and the handler.
- 2. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining if a transfer period has expired.
- 3. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining if a threshold amount is crossed.
- 4. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 3, wherein:
the determining the amount step comprising a step of determining the difference between the threshold amount and a balance of the stored value fund; and the difference is equal to the amount.
- 5. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the amount is included in the automated transfer information.
- 6. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of electronically notifying the user of the automated transfer, wherein the electronic notification includes at least one of a web page, an instant message, an e-mail message, a pager message, and a wireless phone message.
- 7. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the server computer system comprises a plurality of computers coupled together by a computer network.
- 8. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the handler includes at least one of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, an agent location, a stored value fund, an airline mileage program, a gift certificate issuer, an electronic gift certificate issuer, and a money order issuer.
- 9. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the amount corresponds to at least one of: currency, monetary value, airline mileage, promotional program points, gift certificate credit, and commodities.
- 10. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value find and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the automatically transferring step comprises at least one of the following steps:
transferring the amount with a bank account; transferring the amount with a credit card or debit card; transferring the amount in a check or money order; transferring the amount to another's stored value fund; transferring the amount to an agent location chosen by the user; transferring a telegram or a greeting card with a check or money order for the amount; and transferring an electronic greeting card with an electronic payment notification for the amount embedded therewith.
- 11. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:
retrieving a trigger condition that initiates the automatically transferring step; and determining when the trigger condition is satisfied.
- 12. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 11, wherein the trigger condition includes at least one of:
a credit balance in the stored value find meeting a threshold; and a period of time expiring.
- 13. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the user, the handler and the server computer system are remotely located with respect to each other.
- 14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network of claim 1.
- 15. A method for automatically transferring credit between a stored value fund and a handler using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:
receiving automated transfer information at a server computer system from the wide-area computer network coupled to a user associated with the stored value fund; determining the handler chosen by a user for an automated transfer; determining the direction of the automated transfer with respect to the stored value fund; determining an amount for the automated transfer; determining a trigger condition for the automated transfer; and automatically transferring the amount between the stored value fund and the handler if the trigger condition is satisfied, wherein the trigger condition includes at least one of: a credit balance in the stored value find meeting a threshold amount, and a period of time expiring.
- 16. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 15, wherein:
the determining the amount step comprising a step of determining the difference between the threshold amount and a balance of the stored value fund; and the difference is equal to the amount.
- 17. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 15, wherein the handler include at least one of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, an agent location, a stored value find, an airline mileage program, a gift certificate issuer, an electronic gift certificate issuer, and a money order issuer.
- 18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network of claim 15.
- 19. A method for automatically transferring credit between a stored value fund and a handler using a wide-area computer network, the method comprising:
receiving automated transfer information at a server computer system from the wide-area computer network coupled to a user associated with the stored value fund; determining the handler chosen by a user for an automated transfer; determining the direction of the automated transfer with respect to the stored value fund; determining if a transfer period has expired; determining an amount for the automated transfer; automatically transferring the amount between the stored value fund and the handler after the transfer period has expired.
- 20. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 19, further comprising a step of determining if a threshold amount is crossed.
- 21. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 19, wherein:
the determining the amount step comprising a step of determining the difference between the threshold amount and a balance of the stored value fund; and the difference is equal to the amount.
- 22. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 19, further comprising a step of determining a trigger condition for the automated transfer, wherein the trigger condition includes at least one of the following:
a credit balance in the stored value fund meeting a threshold, and a period of time expiring.
- 23. The method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network as recited in claim 19, wherein the stored value fund is only accessible by the user over the wide-area computer network.
- 24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for automatically transferring credit between the stored value fund and the handler using the wide-area computer network of claim 19.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of both PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US01/22,179 filed on Jul. 11, 2001 and U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/613,615 filed on Jul. 11, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09613615 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
10046654 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Parent |
PCT/US01/22,179 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Child |
10046654 |
Oct 2001 |
US |