GIFT TOKEN

Abstract: A gift token has a card-like handy body member with an appropriate imprint and representing a certain exchange-value which is exchangeable for a chosen good. The body member includes an integrated circuit with an electronically readable and programmable memory, intended for the storage (at least temporarily) of the above-mentioned exchange value, in a way which is compatible with an existing electronic payment system.

Description: Gift Token The present invention concerns a gift token representing a certain countervalue which can be exchanged for an optional product, comprising a manageable body provided with an appropriate print. Nowadays, gift tokens of a kind referred to in the preamble, are common property and with these, two categories can be distinguished. The first category of known gift tokens is issued by certain branch organisations and can be exchanged specifically for a certain kind of product. For example, the well-known book tokens, record/CD tokens and dinner cheques, which can only be exchanged for respectively books, sound recording media or dinners at a restaurant of your choice. In addition to this, gift tokens are also issued by stores, shopping centres or organisations for the self-employed with which the gift token can be exchanged for any product from the store, shopping centre respectively the organisations for the self-employed. In all cases, an often quite laborious and administratively costly procedure is common to steer the issuing, exchanging and cashing of the circulating gift tokens in the right direction. For this purpose, almost always considerable administrative costs for cashing the token are charged. Thus, in the Netherlands for years the Naήonale Vereniging van Geluidsdr gende Det i isten (NVGD, national association of sound recording retail traders) has issued so-called CD tokens, which can be exchanged for sound recording media at businesses affiliated to this branch organisation. Each affiliated business is able to order such tokens with the NVGD. Th<; NVGD sends the token to a management storage office, usually a bank, where the shopkeeper may purchase the tokens. Subsequendy, the tokens are circulated by the shopkeeper at the purchase price, in the course of which nothing has been tamed yet then. When spending the indicated countervalue, the token is collected and subsequently charged from the NVGD by the collecting shopkeeper. Subsequently, the NVGD pays the indicated countervalue of the token in due course, after deducting the above-mentioned administrative costs and destroys the used gift token. After this, the countervalue claim is submitted to the management office, while the management office deducts the administrative costs incurred by them. This procedure is not o ιly laborious and Time-consuming but also, as a result, die shopkeeper will be less inclined to accept the gift token in case the spending value is lower than the countervalue of the token. The present invention aims, among others, at providing the kind of token referred to in the preamble, not, or at least to a considerable lesser degree, having these drawbacks. In order to realise the intended aim, a gift token according to the present invention is characterised in that the body comprises an integrated circuit, comprising an electronic memory which can be read out and programmed, intended, at least temporarily, to store the above-mentioned countervalue on it, in a way compatible with an existing electronic payment system. Because the countervalue of such a card is stored in an electronic memory in a way compatible with an existing electronic payment syste , the card can be used without any problem in principle for any random spending, while the amount is simply debited from the balance of the card with the integrated circuit and credited to the bank account of the shopkeeper. The costs charged for making use of the electronic payment system are negligible, or at least relatively low, compared to the administrative costs which were thus far charged for conventional gift tokens. After spending, the card balance is available for another purchase. In the following embodiment, the use of a gift card according to the invention will be explained in more detail and the corresponding advantages will be explained. A corresponding drawing will be referred to in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a gift token system making use of an embodiment of the gift token according to the invention. As referred to above, the drawing is purely schematic. Corresponding pans in the figures are indicated with the same reference number. With the gift token according to the invention, the administrative procedure for issuing the gift tokens is considerably easier to realise than the above-mentioned existing procedure for CD tokens, which will be explained on d e basis of figure 1. The entire system is based on a gift token according to the invention comprising a card-shaped body .2, provided with an appropriate print containing an integrated circuit in it or on it. The integrated circuit comprises an electronic memory which can be read out and programmed, intended to store, at least temporarily, the desired countervalue on it, in a way compatible with an existing electronic payment system. An issue point 1 has unloaded gift cards at its disposal, as a result of which it is hardly sensitive to, among others, theft. This issue point 1 may be arranged specifically as such, however, affiliated companies/shops may also function as such. If a consumer asks for a gift card, card 2 is loaded for the desired amount $ 1.- and sold. With this, the options may be limited to accepted amounts formed by an entire multiple of NLG 25.-, however, in itself this may also differ, if necessary. Loading is realised by means of the appropriate equipment at the issue point 1. In addition to cash payment, settlement may also be realised electronically, for the issued gift card is compatible with an existing system for electronic payment transactions. In a special embodiment, the integrated circuit of card 2 comprises means in order to co-operate by the medium of adequate peripheral equipment with a second card-shaped body containing an electronic memory with a certain loaded currency value in order to debit the value concerned from it. Such a second card comprises, for example, a so-called chip-knip: an electronic purse which is issued by joint banks and which is loaded to a certain amount in advance. The amount 5 1 of gift card 2 is charged to an account of the issue point credited to a central bank account 3, which is realised fully automatically. If so desired, a chip-knip from issue point 1 may be debited for the amount $ 1.- concerned instead. The consumer is now able to give away the just acquired, loaded gift card 2 as a gift. The person receiving gift card 2 from him, may spend it on the purpose indicated on the card. This may be a sound recording medium in case of a CD/record token, a stay in a hotel in case of a hotel token, a dinner in case of a dinner token, etc. Again and again, the card is spent at a desired corresponding affiliated company for a specific product respectively specific service. The indicated purpose may, however, also concern a specific place, e.g. a certain department store, shopping centre or shopkeepers' organisation, in which case the purchased service or product is generally optional. Contrary to the conventional gift tokens, the gift card receiver according to the invention is free to choose the amount to spend. Thus, he/she is able to use the gift card for a spending S 2 with a certain company 4. This spending is debited in an electronic way from the current balance of gift card 2, in such a way that the disposable balance $ 3 remains. This amount may be spent with the same company, however, it may also be spent with another company. After or if necessary, during/as a result of the transaction, the amount spent $ 2 is debited from the central bank account 3 electronically, and after deducting a small amount for processing costs, which is credited to an account kept by company 4. The above-mentioned mutations of the central bank account 3 may, for that matter, also be executed non-electronically in writing, using acceptable collection procedures. However, the processing time will be longer in that case. Apart from these kind of transactions, whether or not electronic, in principle, the gift token system according to the invention does not require administration, which results in substantial costs savings compared to a conventional gift token system. Although in pnnciple, the gift token according to the invention entails higher production costs compared to the conventional paper gift token, it is, however, also cost-saving in this respect, since a used gift card according to the invention, contrary to its conventional counterpart, is suitable for recycling. To this end, card 2 with a remaining balance $ 3 is collected below a certain amount, after settlement of this remainder $ 3, and subsequently put at the disposal of issue point 1 for recycling purposes. In addition, the physical stock of gift cards according to the invention may be limited, since every card is suitable for the entire gamut of countervalues and it is therefore not required to keep a collection of cards for every countervalue. Although the invention has been explained and described in more detail above by means of a specific embodiment, it may be obvious to any person that the invention is in no way limited to the given example. On the contrary, the invention offers a broad range of application opuons and ditto embodiment or appearance forms which can all be applied within the framework of the invention by the average craf sman, without requiring an inventive contribution from him. Thus, the gift chip card according to the invention may, for example, also be marketed in a loaded design and the card, partly because of the act that the costs incurred are lower, is more versatile than d e fields for which a gift token system has been applied thus far. These may involve the nearly unlimited field of retail trade, especially builder's merchants and do-it-yourself stores, toy stores, garden centres and the department stores referred to earlier, record shops and book shops, also including, however, transport companies and especially taxi and aircraft companies, as well as theatres, cinemas, sports stadiums, hotels, restaurants and other hotel and restaurant facilities. Time after time, the invention provides both the consumer and the entrepreneur with significant advantages due to the fact that any random amount can be spent by means of the gift card respectively no laborious charge procedures and costs are involved and settlement takes place almost immediately. In case of a spending for events, e.g. pop festivals, theatre performances, sports games, etc., the gift card according to die invention may, for that matter, be supplemented with any corresponding reservation. To this end, again preferably in an electronic way, contact is made with the booking agency and the amount due is debited from the gift card and the acquired reservation is loaded into the memory of the card. The user may enter the places desired by him, if and as far as they are still available. Thus, the card serves as an access ticket for the event concerned. In case of private events, the reservation is to be entered or shown together with a membership card, e.g. a season ticket club ticket with football matches, before the reservation can be executed. Such a reservation procedure may also be adopted outside the framework of a gift token system, making use of your own chip-card with a currency countervalue, e.g. the above- mentioned chip-knip.

Claims: Claims: 1. Gift token representing a certain countervalue which can be exchanged for an optional product comprising a manageable body provided with a suitable print, characterised in that the gift token comprises a card-shaped body with an integrated circuit, comprising a memory which can be read out electronically and programmed, intended, at least temporarily, to store the above-mentioned countervalue on it, in a way compatible with an existing electronic payment system. 2. Gift token according to claim 1, characterised in that the integrated circuit comprises means in order to co-operate by the medium of adeqaute peripheral equipment with a second card-shaped body with an electronic memory, in which a certain currency value is loaded in order to debit the value concerne .

Inventors: RAADSEN FERDINAND JAN ANTON, RAADSEN, FERDINAND, JAN, ANTON
Applicants: CHIPTEC INTERNATIONAL LTD, RAADSEN FERDINAND JAN ANTON, CHIPTEC INTERNATIONAL LTD., RAADSEN, FERDINAND, JAN, ANTON
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G07F7
IPC codes: G07F1, G07F7, G07G1