WO2003014982A1

WO2003014982A1 - Gift card system

Info

Publication number: WO2003014982A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/001047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Walter Vowles
Original assignee: Loiacono, Patrick
Priority date: 2001-08-09
Filing date: 2002-08-07
Publication date: 2003-02-20

Abstract

A gift card system comprising a gift card (1) created from the combination of a greeting card and a debit or credit card (10) to form a single unit and methods of doing business with said gift card (1) comprising some or all of: issuing of gift cards (1) by a card issuing organisation (card issuer); sale or gift cards (1) with pre-paid values to customers who give them as gifts to recipients; recording of data relating to sold cards (1) and their pre-paid values in a computer database; deposit of pre-payment amounts by card issuer in a suitable bank account; tendering, physically, electronically or telephonically by recipients of gift cards (1) to merchants in payment for purchase of goods or services; validation of purchase transactions by merchants; payment to merchants by their bankers (card acquirers) of the value of purchase transactions; reimbursement of card acquirers by card issuer through its bankers.

Description

GIFT CARD SYSTEM

This invention relates to a system in which value can be conveyed from a giver to a recipient in the form of a gift card. More specifically, it relates to a system in which a presentation gift card is employed in combination with an integral debit or credit card of a type enjoying more or less universal commercial acceptance and which may be pre-paid or otherwise allocated a credit to a desired value by a giver.

Gift voucher and gift card systems exist in a wide variety of forms and are well known in the art. In most cases, such voucher and card systems are specific to and accepted only in discrete businesses, chains of businesses, or trading locations such as shopping malls. It is normal for vouchers and cards issued under such systems to be prepaid to particular values and to not be re-useable when fully expended. Paper gift vouchers are considered old-fashioned in a world accustomed to plastic credit cards and have the disadvantages that they are easily lost, damaged or overlooked and are readily forged. Plastic debit or credit cards are accepted as more appropriate to modern shopping methods and have the advantage that their value may be replenished as purchases are made with them. Debit and credit cards may be of the ubiquitous plastic credit card-type, on which identification data is stored on a strip of magnetic medium, or the more complex smart card type, on which a larger amount of data is stored in an integral memory chip. The principal disadvantages of conventional plastic debit or credit cards is their higher production cost. Additionally, in a society in which it is frequently necessary to carry plastic cards for a variety of purposes, and additional permanent cards may be an inconvenience.

Gift cards having more or less universal commercial acceptance are well known. These take the form of conventional plastic credit cards issued under the auspices of well known credit card franchises. It is normal for such cards to be printed in attractive forms and their value may subsequently be replenished in the conventional way as purchases are made. In many cases, such credit cards are an unnecessary duplication of card types already held by recipients. In common with all conventional credit cards, such credit cards experience a high level of fraudulent transactions, either through the use of stolen cards or the use of counterfeit cards encoded with intercepted data. Additionally, the relatively high credit limits of such credit cards may render them generally unsuited as gifts for children. The object of the present invention is to provide a gift card system in which a debit card forming part of an attractive presentation gift card is pre-paid to a noininated value at the point of purchase, the debit card being essentially a throw-away item intended for making only a small number of purchases. It is intended that said debit card be of only limited value and that the originally credited figure not be replenishable as it is expended. As such, the card is relatively unattractive as a vehicle for fraud. The value of the said debit card may be set at a level making it suitable as a gift for children. The said debit card is preferably issued under the auspices of one or more well known credit card franchises so as to have more or less universal commercial acceptance. Another objective of the present invention is to arrange said presentation gift card and said integral debit card such that a high degree of flexibility is available in the manufacturing process. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a presentation gift card in standard form to which decoration, serial numbering, bar coding and the like are applied to meet the needs of a variety of applications and occasions. Yet another objective of the present invention is to

provide a separately manufactured debit card panel, the printed serial numbering of which may be read in a read-write unit and simultaneously recorded on magnetic media fonning part of said integral debit card.

According to the present invention, a gift card system is provided in which a presentation gift card comprises two leaves hinged together at one side or at the top, preferably formed from a single folded piece of material. Said presentation gift card is preferably made from a suitable dense paper card material, coated to provide durability and an attractive appearance. The upper leaf of said presentation gift card carries on its upper surface an attractive decoration which substantially covers its area. Said decoration may be printed directly onto said leaf surface or may take the form of a separately printed article fixed to said leaf surface. The lower surface of said upper leaf may be made blank or, optionally, may carry instructional, warning or advertising material. The upper face of said lower leaf preferably incorporates an area for the writing of a message by the giver; the upper face of said debit card where said debit card is formed from said lower panel; text advising the recipient of the pre-paid value of said debit card, which value is inscribed in a designated area; text advising the recipient where said debit card may be tendered for use; text referring the recipient to the instructions for use of said debit card on the lower face of the lower leaf; text warning of the period of validity of said debit card; and, as required, advertising material. The lower surface of said lower leaf carries text giving appropriate warnings and detailed instructions for use of said debit card, the reverse face of said debit card where said debit card is fonned from said lower leaf and, as required, advertising material. An appropriately located aperture is provided in said lower leaf to disclose identification coding on the reverse of a debit card made integral with an inserted debit card panel and to permit finger pressure to be applied to said debit card to dislodge it from said inserted debit card panel.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, Said debit card is preferably die cut from said lower leaf of said presentation gift card with small areas of intact material retaining it in place in said lower leaf. The upper face of said debit card is preferably decorated with an attractive design and incorporates the logotype of the card franchiser; the serial number of said debit card; a difficult to reproduce mark to authenticate the genuineness of said card; a strip of magnetic medium upon which is recorded identification and other data for said debit card; and a brand name for said gift card system. The reverse face of said debit card is optionally coated for appearance purposes and carries a bar coding or other printed identification system, the serial number of the debit card, appropriate warnings and detailed instructions for use of said debit card.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, an area of suitable dimensions on the upper surface of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card is kept free of printed material and has fixed to it a separately manufactured debit card panel incorporating a debit card which has been die cut in a way leaving small areas of material uncut to retain said debit card in place in said panel. Preferably, said inserted debit card panel is made from a suitable dense paper card material coated to provide durability and an attractive appearance. The stock from which said debit card panel is made is optionally thicker than that from which said presentation gift card is made. The faces of said debit card are as previously described. Said debit card panel is made sufficiently large to accommodate, in addition to said debit card, instructional and advertising text and a repetition of the serial number of said debit card. Said debit card panel is secured in place on the upper surface of said lower leaf by a suitable adhesive applied outside of the area occupied by said debit card.

In a third embodiment, said inserted debit card panel is formed from an extension of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card which is folded into place and fixed to the upper face of said lower leaf. In the three embodiments described, to release said debit card for use, it is simply pushed out from said lower leaf or from said inserted debit card panel by finger pressure applied directly to said debit card or through said access aperture provided in said lower leaf, rupturing said small areas of uncut material.

In yet further embodiments, a separately made said debit card is fixed to the upper surface of said lower panel of said presentation gift card or to said inserted debit card panel in ways which permit its ready removal.

The pre-paid value of said debit card may not be replenished as it is expended and said card is essentially a throw-away item intended for making only a small number of purchases. It is preferably issued under the auspices of one or more well known credit card franchises and thereby has more or less universal commercial acceptance. Said card has low potential for fraudulent use and its value may be fixed at a level, making it suitable for use by children.

In commercial use, a principal business operating said gift card system supplies said presentation gift cards to first retail organisations with no value recorded on said debit card. Said first retail organisations sell said gift cards and accept pre-payments in relation to their integral said debit cards. Preferably, said first retail organisations utilise an electronic funds transfer system to credit the bank account of said operator of said gift card system with the proceeds of said gift card sales and said pre-payment amounts. Also preferably, said first retail organisations transmit electronically to a computer system operated by or on behalf of said principal business details of said gift card sales, including retail sale value and loaded value of said debit cards. After confirination of receipt of payment from said first retail organisations, said principal business enters details of said debit card sales, including said pre-paid loading amounts, into a database in its computer system. When said debit cards are tendered for the making of a purchase at second retail organisations, they are read in point of sale electronic funds transfer tenninals connected to a computer system operated by the bankers to said second retail organisations. The bank computer system refers to the database in the computer system of said principal business to confirm that the requisite credit is available for each card. If the available credit is sufficient and cards are confirmed as valid, said retail transactions are approved. The bankers to said second retail organisations transmit electronically to said computer system operated by or on behalf of said principal business details of said retail transactions with a request for reimbursement and said principal business subsequently settles with said bankers on an agreed basis. Said principal business amends the data in its computer database in relation to debit cards as each purchase transaction is approved.

The various aspects of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following description of preferred embodiments given in relation to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an opened side view of a first embodiment of said presentation gift card made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an opened face view of an alternative embodiment of said presentation gift card in which a separate debit card panel is inserted; Figure 3 is an opened side view of a second embodiment of said presentation gift card made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is an opened face view of the inner surfaces of the presentation gift card depicted in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an opened face view of the presentation gift card depicted at

Figures 1 and 2 with its inserted debit card panel removed;

Figure 6 is a face view of a typical form of a debit or credit card incorporated into the presentation gift card depicted at Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Figure 7 is a face view of a debit or credit card foπning an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which said card is retained in place by seals bonded to it and to a parent presentation gift card;

Figure 8 is a face view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which said debit or credit card is retained in place by an enclosure of film material bonded to a parent gift card; Figure 9 is a face view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which said debit or credit card is retained in place in a parent presentation gift card by combinations of slots, straps and seals;

Figure 10 is an opened face view of the inner surfaces of an alternative embodiment of said gift card in which said inserted debit card panel is foπned from an extension of said lower panel;

Figure 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the debit or credit card retention provisions depicted in Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the debit or credit card retention provisions depicted in Figure 8;

Figure 13 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of the debit or credit card retention provisions depicted in Figure 8. In this specification, the terms 'card', 'debit card' and 'credit card' may be taken to refer to either a debit card in relation to which a loaded value is pre-paid in some way or to a credit card which has an authorised credit expenditure limit or value or, where appropriate, to both forms. The term 'principal business' refers to the commercial operator and controller of said gift card system. The term 'first retail organisation' refers to a commercial organisation or organisations selling said gift card system to retail customers. The term 'customers' refers to purchasers of said gift card system from said first retail organisation. The term 'recipient' refers to a person receiving said gift card system from said customer. The term 'second retail organisation' refers to a commercial organisation or organisations to which said gift card system is tendered by said recipient. The term 'purchase transaction' should be taken to apply to any payment made using said gift card system, whether or not a payment is made as part of a purchase transaction.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a gift card system is provided in which a presentation gift card 1 comprises two leaves 2, 3 and 4, 5 of more or less equal size hinged together along line 6 at one side or at the top. hi the, preferred embodiment, said presentation gift card is fonned from a single, folded piece of a suitable dense paper card material, coated at least on its outer surfaces 2, 5 to provide durability and an attractive, glossy surface. The upper surface 2 of said upper leaf of said presentation gift card carries on it an attractive decoration 8 which substantially covers its area. In one embodiment, said decoration is made separately and is bonded to surface 2 after printing of said presentation gift card in standard form. In an alternative embodiment, said decoration is printed directly onto surface 2 during the printing of said presentation gift card. The inner surface 3 of said upper leaf carries instructional, warning or advertising text or material (text indicated by lines 12). The upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card comprises an area 13 for the writing of a message by a giver; text advising a recipient of the pre-paid value of or credit authorisation relating to a debit card 10 made integral with said gift card, which value is inscribed in a designated area 17 by the giver; text advising a recipient where said debit or credit card may be tendered for use; text referring a recipient to instructional, warning and advertising text (not shown) on the lower surface 5 of said lower leaf (all such text indicated by lines 15). In the preferred embodiment, the inner surfaces 3, 4 of said presentation gift card are made uncoated so as to provide a satisfactory surface for writing upon with normal writing instruments and area 13 is feint ruled at an appropriate line spacing.

An area of suitable dimensions on the upper surface of lower leaf 4 of said presentation gift card is kept free of printed material and has fixed to it a separately manufactured debit card panel 7 incorporating a debit or credit card 10 which has been die cut from said debit card panel along line 9 leaving small areas of material 11 uncut to retain said debit or credit card in place in said panel. Preferably, said debit card panel is made from a suitable dense paper card material coated to provide durability and an attractive, glossy appearance. In the preferred embodiment, the stock from which said debit card panel is made is somewhat thicker than that from which said presentation gift card is made. In an alternative embodiment, said debit card panel is made from a suitable smooth, dense material with a glossy surface, such as the polymer material from which conventional credit cards are made. In a further alternative embodiment, said debit card panel is made from stock of similar weight to that from which said presentation gift card is made and has laminated onto it a plasticised layer which is clear and applied over a printed surface, or opaque and carrying printed material. With additional reference to Figure 6, the upper surface of debit or credit card 10 carries a brand name 20 of said gift card system; unique serial number 23 of each card; a strip of magnetic medium 21 upon which is recorded all or some of: identification data for the debit card, a coded instruction requiring confirmation of validity and availability of funds before approval of a transaction in relation to a card, and a security coding; the logotype 19 of a card franchiser (as appropriate); a logotype (not shown) representing said gift card system; and a difficult to reproduce mark 22 to authenticate said debit or credit card. In the preferred embodiment, mark 22 is a holographic emblem or logotype formed on a small area of metal foil. In the preferred embodiment, the reverse surface of debit or credit card 10 (not shown) is made plain and uncoated and incorporates a bar coding or other printed identification system, the serial number of said debit or credit card, appropriate warnings, simple instructions for use of said debit or credit card and, as required, advertising material. Debit card panel 7 is made sufficiently large to accommodate, in addition to debit or credit card 10, instructional and advertising text (indicated by lines 18) and a repetition 14 of the serial number of said debit or credit card. Said debit card panel is secured in place on the upper surface 4 of said lower leaf by a suitable adhesive applied outside of the area occupied by said debit or credit card. To release said debit or credit card for use, it is simply pushed out from debit card panel 7 by finger pressure applied through an access aperture (depicted as 16 in Figure 5) provided in lower leaf 4, rapturing small areas of uncut material 11. In an alternative embodiment, said debit card panel covers more or less all of surface 4 excepting the feint ruled area 13. In the preferred embodiment, said debit card panel is decorated with an all-over background pattern which covers it fully and extends to cover the face surface of said debit or credit card.

The lower surface of said lower leaf (not shown) carries text giving appropriate warnings and detailed instructions for use of said debit card and, as required, advertising material.

With reference to Figure 5, presentation gift card 1, as depicted in Figure 2, is shown with debit card panel (depicted as 7 in Figure 2) removed. Aperture 16 of suitable size and shape is provided in said lower leaf in a location more or less coincident with the central location of debit or credit card 10 when said debit card panel is fixed in place on surface 4.

The advantages of making said presentation gift card and debit or credit card combination in the manner described are several. With reference again to all figures, a first advantage is that presentation gift card 1 may be printed in standard form in a single colour on suitable white or coloured stock and then decorated as required by applying decoration 8 and gift card panel 7 in a variety of colours and configurations. A second advantage is that, by separately making the decoration 8 to be fixed to surface 2 of said upper leaf of said presentation gift card, said standard form of said gift card may readily be embellished in ways to meet the needs of a wide variety of applications. A third advantage is that, by making debit card panel 7 separately from said presentation gift card such that (together with its integral debit or credit card 10) it carries all serial numbers, bar coding and the like, it simplifies identification of the finished product. Serial number 14 on said debit card panel is placed to permit said gift card panel to be passed through a suitable card reading and writing unit in which said serial number is read by an optical character recognition device and simultaneously recorded on strip of magnetic medium 21 by a magnetic recording head. A fourth advantage is the fact that, by separately making said debit card panel, it facilitates the accommodation of a separately made said debit or credit card.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, a gift card system is provided in which a presentation gift card 1 comprises two leaves 2, 3 and 4, 5 hinged together along line 6 at one side or at the top. In an alternative embodiment, said gift card comprises two or more discrete leaves joined along one edge by a suitable common binge or joined along alternate edges by suitable hinges to create a fan-fold arrangement. In the preferred embodiment, said presentation card is formed from a single, folded piece of a suitable dense paper card material, coated on its outer surfaces 2, 5 to provide durability and an attractive, glossy surface. The upper surface 2 of said upper leaf of said presentation gift card carries an attractive decoration (not shown) which substantially covers its area.

The lowerer surface 3 of said upper leaf of said presentation gift card is made blank. In an alternative embodiment, surface 3 carries instructional, warning or advertising text or material. The upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card comprises an area 13 for the writing of a message by the giver; the upper surface of a debit or credit card 10; the serial number of said debit or credit card (indicated by line 14); a message (text indicated by lines 15) advising a recipient of the pre-paid value or credit authorisation of said debit or credit card, which value is inscribed in a designated area 33 by the giver; a message advising a recipient where said debit or credit card may be tendered for use; a note referring the recipient to instructions (not shown) on the lower surface 5 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card for use of said debit or credit card; a warmng in relation to the period of validity of said debit or credit card; and, as required, an advertising message (all such text indicated by lines 15). Lower surface 5 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card (not shown) carries the reverse face of debit or credit card 10. In the preferred embodiment, the inner surfaces 3, 4 of said presentation gift card are made uncoated so as to provide a satisfactory surface for writing upon with normal writing instruments and area 13 is feint ruled at an appropriate line spacing. To provide a durable and attractive face of debit or credit card 10, in the preferred embodiment, the features of the upper face of said debit or credit card (described below in relation to Figure 7) are printed onto or incorporated into a sheet of plasticised material the same size and shape as said debit or credit card which is laminated onto said debit or credit card. Debit or credit card 10 is die cut from said lower leaf of said presentation gift card along line 9, small areas of material 11 being left uncut to retain said debit or credit card in place in said presentation gift card. With additional reference to Figure 7, in the preferred embodiment, the upper face of said debit card is decorated with an attractive design covering it more or less completely and upon which is superimposed a brand name 24 of said gift card system, a serial number 25, a strip of magnetic medium 21 upon which is recorded identification data for the debit card, the logotype 22 of a card franchiser (as appropriate), a difficult to reproduce mark 23 to authenticate said debit card, and a security coding, i the preferred embodiment, mark 23 is a holographic emblem or logotype formed on a small area of metal foil. In the preferred embodiment, the reverse face of said debit card (not shown) is made plain and incorporates a bar coding or other printed identification system, the serial number of said debit card, appropriate warnings, simple instructions for use of said debit card and, as required, advertising material. To release said debit card for use, it is simply pushed out from said lower panel of said presentation gift card, rupturing small uncut areas of material 11.

With further reference to Figure 7, in an alternative to the embodiment depicted in Figures 3, 4 and 10, presentation gift card 1 is made from a suitable dense paper card material, coated on its outer surfaces 2, 5. Upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card has laminated onto it covering all or a substantial part of its area a layer 17 of coated or uncoated dense paper card material, which has printed on it or incorporated into its surface all of the material shown on surface 4 as described in relation to Figure 4. In the location of debit card 10, an aperture is provided in said laminated layer of a size and shape such as to just neatly accommodate a separately made said debit or credit card. Said debit or credit card is made from a suitable thin, stiff material more or less of the same thickness as said laminated layer and has provided on its upper and reverse faces the features described in relation to Figure 7. Said debit or credit card is accommodated within said aperture in said laminated layer and is retained in place in said aperture by two or more seals 26, 27 bonded to said debit or credit card and to said laminated layer. In the preferred embodiment, said debit or credit card is made from a thin, stiff, polymer material with glossy face and reverse surfaces. In an alternative embodiment, said debit or credit card is made from a thin, dense paper card material coated to provide durability and an attractive glossy surface or surfaces. Said debit or credit card has printed onto it or incorporated into its surfaces the details described in relation to Figure 7. In the preferred embodiment, said seals are made from a thin, coated, coloured, paper material, optionally embossed and printed with an attractive design or a thin metal, foil material embossed and printed with an attractive design. Said debit or credit card is removed from said presentation gift card by rupturing said seals or cutting them along line 9. The material from which said seals are made is sufficiently thin for said seals to be readily ruptured by pressure applied to said debit card or , alternatively, cut by a thumbnail or the like.

With reference to Figures 8 and 11, in a variation of the preceding embodiment, debit or credit card 10 is accommodated within said aperture in said laminated layer and is retained in place in said aperture by a cover 18 of a suitable thin, transparent, sheet material bonded or fused to said laminated layer more or less along the line indicated by broken line 19. One comer 29 of said cover is maintained free of surface 4 and is reinforced with a material preferably of an eye catching colour or design. Access to said debit or credit card is obtained by pulling up on said reinforced comer, thereby tearing said cover away from said laminated layer.

With reference to Figure 12, in another alternative embodiment, debit or credit card 10 is simply located and secured in place on surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card by a cover 18 of a suitable thin, transparent, sheet material bonded or fused to surface 4 more or less along the line indicated by broken line 19. One comer 29 of said cover is maintained free of surface 4 and is reinforced with a material preferably of an eye catching colour or design. Access to said debit or credit card is obtained by pulling up on said reinforced comer, thereby tearing said cover away from surface 4. In another alternative embodiment (not shown), the extent of said laminated layer is limited to the area immediately surrounding said aperture, thereby providing, effectively, a frame to accommodate and locate said debit or credit card on upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card. hi another alternative embodiment (not shown), said laminated layer is made sufficiently large to accommodate said aperture to receive said debit card, together with features numbered 14, 15 and 33, as described in relation to Figure 4, which are printed onto it or incorporated into its surface, hi the preferred embodiment, the upper, exposed surface of is said laminated layer is preferably coated to provide a durable and attractive glossy surface and is decorated with an all-over background decoration. hi another alternative embodiment (not shown), said laminated layer is dispensed with and an aperture of a size and shape to neatly accommodate said debit card is simply provided in said lower leaf of said presentation gift card, said debit or credit card being secured in place in said aperture by two or more seals of the form described previously in relation to Figure 7 bonded to said debit or credit card and to upper surface 4 of said lower leaf. Preferably in this embodiment, said seals are preferably made from a somewhat thicker material than that previously described in order to properly support and secure said debit or credit card in place in said aperture.

With reference also to Figure 13, in another alternative embodiment, debit or credit card 10 is accommodated in an envelope made from a suitable thin, transparent material comprising upper layer 18 and lower layer 20, both said layers being joined together more or less along broken line 19. h the preferred embodiment, the outer surface of lower layer 20 of said envelope is coated with a contact adhesive by means of which said envelope is readily bonded to the-upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card. In an alternative embodiment, lower layer 20 ,is made of a suitable non-transparent material which is preferably thicker than upper layer 18. One comer (not shown) of said envelope is maintained free of surface 4 and is reinforced with a material preferably of an eye catching colour or design. Access to said debit or credit card is obtained by pulling up on said reinforced comer, thereby tearing said envelope away from said laminated layer.

In a further alternative embodiment (not shown) said envelope is bonded to upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card more or less along the broken line 19 depicted in Figure 8.

With reference to Figure 9, in another alternative embodiment, debit or credit card 10 is located in said lower leaf of said presentation gift card by the comers of one of its ends passing through angled slits 30, 31, by the main part of said debit card passing beneath strap 32 formed by two parallel die cuts made normal to the longer axis of said debit card, and secured in place by one or more seals 28 bonded to said debit or credit card and to surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card in the manner described in relation to Figure 7. Said debit or credit card is released by rapturing or cutting seals 28 and displacing said debit or credit card longitudinally to disengage its comers from slits 30, 31 and to withdraw it from beneath strap 32. Obviously, in a variation of this embodiment, said debit card may be located and secured in place in the manner described on a separate panel of paper card material or the like fixed to upper surface 4 of said lower leaf of said presentation gift card.

With reference to Figure 10, presentation gift card 1 is made in the manner described in relation to Figure 4 with the addition of an extension piece 7 of said lower leaf which is folded in along line 8 to cover somewhat less than half of surface 4. Said extension piece is retained in place against surface 4 by small, appropriately located applications of a suitable adhesive. Surfaces 2 and 5 (as depicted in Figure 3) are coated to provide a glossy and durable surface, as is the common lower surface of extension piece 7. Debit or credit card 10 is die cut from said extension piece along line 9 leaving small uncut pieces of material 11 to retain said debit or credit card in place in said extension piece. Access aperture 16 of suitable size and shape is provided in said lower leaf located more or less centred on the position of said debit or credit card when said extension piece is folded into position against surface 4. Said access aperture permits scanning of a bar coding or other coding provided on the reverse surface of said debit or credit card and allows finger pressure to be applied to said debit or credit card to rapture small uncut pieces of material 11 and dislodge said debit or credit card from said extension piece. Surfaces 2, 3, 4, 5 (as depicted in Figures 3, 4 and 7) are printed in the manner described in relation to Figure 4, excepting that features numbered 14, 15, 33 in Figure 4 are printed on the coated lower surface of extension piece 7 and are brought into the correct position when said extension piece is folded into position against surface 4. The material printed on the reverse surface of said debit or credit card, as described in relation to Figure 7, is printed in the appropriate position on the uncoated upper surface of said extension piece prior to its folding into position against surface 4. The features provided on the face surface of said debit or credit card, as described in relation to Figure 7, are printed or applied in the appropriate position on the coated lower surface of said extension piece prior to its folding against surface 4. In an alternative embodiment, an aperture of suitable size and shape to accommodate said debit or credit card is die cut in said extension piece and said debit or credit card is secured in place in said aperture in the manner described in relation to Figure 11. In other alternative embodiments, said debit or credit card is secured in place in the appropriate position on extension piece 7 in the manner described in relation to Figures 12 and 13. Obviously, said debit or credit card may be secured to surface 3 in the manner described in relation to Figures 11, 12 and 13.

In the preferred embodiment, once pre-paid, the loaded value or approved credit value of said debit or credit card may not be replenished as it is expended and said debit or credit card is essentially a throw-away item intended for the making of only a small number of purchase transactions. Also in the preferred embodiment, said debit or credit card is issued under the auspices of one or more well known credit card franchises, thereby conferring upon it more or less universal commercial acceptance. As its said pre-paid loaded value will generally be low and unable to be replenished, said debit or credit card has low potential for fraudulent application.

In the preferred embodiment, a principal business operating said gift card system supplies said presentation gift cards to one or more first retail organisations which sell them and accept pre-payments or credit approvals in relation to their said integral debit or credit cards. As supplied by said principal business to said first retail organisations, in the preferred embodiment said debit or credit cards have no value recorded in relation to them. In consequence, they require only a low level of security during shipment and storage. Said first retail organisations utilises an electronic funds transfer system to remit to a bank account operated by or on behalf of said principal business with all or part of the proceeds of sale of said presentation gift cards together with all or part of said pre-payments. Daily or more frequently, said first retail organisations utilise computer systems to transmit electronically to a computer system operated by or on behalf of said principal business details of data detailing gift cards sold, including the pre-paid values or approved credit values of their said integral debit or credit cards. After confirmation of receipt of payment from said first retail organisations, said principal business enters said data into a database in its computer system. When a said debit or credit card is tendered at a second retail organisation for the making of a purchase transaction, it is read in a point of sale electronic funds transfer terminal connected to a computer system operated by the bankers to said second retail organisation. The bank computer system directs an enquiry to said database in the computer system of said principal business to confirm that said debit or credit card is valid and that funds or credit sufficient for said purchase transaction are available in relation to it. If the enquiry elicits a satisfactory response, said purchase transaction is approved. Subsequently, the bankers to said second retail organisation transmit electronically to the computer system operated by or on behalf of said principal business details of said purchase transaction and said principal business settles with bankers on an agreed basis. Said principal business amends the data in its computer database in relation to each said debit or credit card as each said retail transaction is approved.

In an alternative embodiment, said debit or credit card is of the so-called smart card type inco orating a microchip, in the memory of which are stored all or some of: identification data for said debit or credit card; a coded instruction requiring confirmation of vahdity and availability of funds or credit before approval of a transaction in relation to a said card; a security coding; the current balance of said pre-payment or approved credit value available for expenditure; and, as appropriate, details of transactions made with said debit or credit card. Such cards are well known in the art and are commonly employed as non-replenishable telephone cards, hi this embodiment, after sale of said debit or credit cards to said customers and receipt of said pre-payments or credit approvals from said customers, said first retail organisations use card reading and writing devices to record said pre-paid loading amounts or approved credit values in said microchip memories of said debit or credit cards. Said first retail organisations then transmit to the computer system of said principal business all data appropriate to the sale and loading of said debit or credit cards and remit to the bank account of said principal business the appropriate portions of the proceeds of the sale and loading of said debit or credit cards. When said debit or credit cards are tendered to said second retail organisations, for the making of purchase transactions, said second retail organisations use similar card reading and writing devices to generate and transmit said verification enquiries to said database of the computer system of said principal business and to receive purchase transaction approvals. When said purchase transactions are approved, said computer system of said principal business appropriately amend said records in said database and in said microchip memories of said debit or credit cards in relation to said transactions. Settlement of said principal business with the bankers of said second retail organisations is effected in the manner previous described. Such smart card-type cards have the disadvantages of higher production cost, the fact that electronic card reading and writing devices are required at the point of initial sale and at each point where a purchase transaction is made, and the possibility of fraudulent use through illicit replenishment of the loaded value of the card.

In another alternative embodiment, said gift cards incorporate a detachable tag or coupon which carries a security coding to be quoted in the making of on-line or telephonic purchase transactions. To preserve the security of said purchased gift cards, said tags or coupons are optionally detached by said purchasers and sent to said recipients under separate cover or, alternatively, said security coding is transmitted by said purchasers to said recipients directly verbally, by telephone, facsimile or through the use of other electronic transmission means. Said recipients may be required by said second retail organisations to quote said security coding in the making of a telephonic or on-line purchase transaction and said security coding is verified in said database as part of said process of enquiry and verification involved in each said retail transaction. Obviously, with both the simple form of said debit or credit card incorporating said strip of magnetic medium and said smart card form incorporating a microchip, data recorded on a said debit or credit card including security codings and credit balance or authorised credit value, may be amended at each purchase transaction via a card reading and writing unit connected to a computer operated by a recipient in the making of an on-line transaction or by an electronic funds transfer unit operated by said second retail organisation at point of sale in the making of a conventional retail transaction.

Obviously, a recipient of the simple form of said debit or credit card may use it to make purchase transactions telephonically simply by quoting to said second retail organisation the serial number of the card and, as appropriate, a coding provided on the card replacing the noπnal month and year expiry coding of a conventional card and a security coding.

Obviously also, a recipient of said debit or credit card may use it to make on-line purchase transactions by a process involving the reading in a card reading, or reading and writing unit, connected to a computer operated by said recipient of data recorded on said strip of magnetic recording medium of said card or stored in the memory of a microchip of said card, or by reading optically readable data on said card with a reading device connected to said computer. Obviously further, said principal business may undertake on its own behalf all of the functions of said first retail organisations, thereby rendering unnecessary said business steps involving remission of funds and transmission of data detailing gift cards sold.

Claims

1. A gift card system, comprising a gift card created from the combination of a greeting card and a debit or credit card to fonn a single unit, said debit or credit card being attached to in a secure way, or made integrally with, said greeting card such that it requires a deliberate act of detachment prior to its separate use and a method of doing business with said gift card system comprising, in general terms, supplying of said gift cards by a principal business to first retail organisations who sell them to customers; transmission by said first retail organisation to said principal business of data relating to said card sales; mainten-ance by said principal business of a computer database in which said data is stored; remittance by said first retail organisation to said principal business of revenues resulting from said card sales; giving of said gift cards by said customers to recipients who tender them in various ways to second retail organisations in the commissioning of purchase transactions; verification by various means that said gift cards are valid and have funds or credit available in relation to them, and approval, as appropriate, of said purchase transactions; requisitioning by bankers to said second retail organisations of reimbursement in respect of said purchase transactions; and reimburseement by said principal business of said bankers and amendment of records in said data-base and in memories or on recording media of said debit or credit cards in respect of said purchase transactions.

2. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said greeting card comprises an upper and a lower leaf, said leaves being hinged together at the top or at one side, said debit or credit card being made integrally with one leaf of said greeting card by its being die cut from said leaf such that small uncut areas of material are left to retain said debit or credit card in place, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rupture said small uncut areas of material.

3. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said greeting card comprises a single leaf, said debit or credit card being made integrally with said greeting card by its being die cut from said leaf such that small uncut areas of material are left to retain said debit or credit card in place, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rapture said small uncut areas of material.

4. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is made integrally with a separately made panel by its being die cut from said panel such that small uncut areas of material are left to retain said debit or credit card in place in said panel, said panel being bonded to the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rapture said small uncut areas of material.

5. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which a separately made panel is fixed to the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card and a separately made said debit or credit card is neatly accommodated in an aperture cut in said panel and secured in place in said panel by one or more seals bonded to said debit or credit card and said panel, said debit or credit card being detached from said panel by the application of pressure to rupture said seals.

6. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is secured in place on the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card by its being completely covered by a cover of thin, more or less transparent sheet material bonded to said lower leaf around the periphery of said debit or credit card, one comer of said cover being maintained unattached and reinforced with material of an eye-catching colour or design to form a grip, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of tension to said grip to tear said cover away from said greeting card.

7. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which a separately made panel is fixed to the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card and a separately made said debit or credit card is neatly accommodated in an aperture cut in said panel and secured in place in said aperture by its being completely covered by a cover of thin, more or less transparent sheet material bonded to said panel around the periphery of said debit or credit card, one comer of said cover being maintained unattached and reinforced with material of an eye-catching colour or design to fonn a grip, said debit or credit card being detached from said panel by the application of tension to said grip to tear said cover away from said panel.

8. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is secured in place on the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card by its being completely enclosed in an envelope foπned from two sheets of thin material bonded together around the periphery of said debit or credit card, the upper sheet of said envelope being more or less transparent, the lower sheet being bonded to said lower leaf, one comer of said envelope being maintained unattached and reinforced with material of an eye-catching colour or design to form a grip, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of tension to said grip to tear said envelope away from said greeting card.

9. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is located on the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card by the comers of one or both of its ends being inserted through slots cut in said leaf, and/or its body part passing beneath one or more straps fonned in said leaf, and secured in place by one or more seals bonded to said debit or credit card and said leaf, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rapture said seals, allowing withdrawal of said debit or credit card from said slots and/or from beneath said straps.

10. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is secured in place on the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card by its being bonded to said greeting card by one or more small applications of an adhesive material of low tear strength, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rupture said adhesive material.

11. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is made integrally with a panel forming an extension of said lower leaf by its being die cut from said panel such that small uncut areas of material are left to retain said debit or credit card in place in said panel, said panel being folded over and bonded to the upper surface of the lower said leaf of said greeting card, said debit or credit card being detached from said greeting card by the application of pressure to rupture said small uncut areas of material.

12. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said greeting card part is made from a dense paper card material in weights (in coated and uncoated form) ranging from 150 to 600 grams per square metre.

13. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said dense paper card material from which said greeting card is made has a durable, glossy coating on one or both

sides.

14. A gift card according to Claims 4, 5 and 7 in which said panel is made from a dense paper card material of a weight 25% to 250% greater than that from which said greeting card part is made.

15. A gift card according to Claims 4, 5 and 7 in which said dense paper card material from which said panel is made has a durable, glossy coating on one or both sides.

16. A gift card according to Claims 4, 5 and 7 in which said panel is made from a printed, stiff, polymer sheet material having a smooth or textured surface finish.

17. A gift card according to Claims 4, 5, 7 and 11 in which the area of said panel ranges from one quarter of that of said lower leaf of said greeting card to the whole of that of said lower leaf.

18. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which an optically-readable identification coding is provided on one face of said debit or credit card, said coding being varied from card to card to uniquely identify each.

19. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which a suitable aperture is provided in the appropriate said greeting card leaf to permit scanning of an identification coding provided on the reverse of said debit or credit card and to allow access to the reverse of said debit or credit card to peπnit said debit or credit card to be pushed out and detached from said greeting card or from a separately made panel inserted into said greeting card.

20. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card canies on one or other of its faces a machine-readable serial number, a holographic authentification image, an optically-readable identification coding and a strip of magnetic medium.

21. A gift card according to Claim 18 in which said optically-readable identification coding on said debit or credit card is a European Article Number bar coding or bar coding of a similar nature.

22. A gift card according to Claim 18 in which said optically-readable identification coding on said debit or credit card is a coding system comprising patterns of dots, shapes, lines or the like.

23. A gift card according to Claims 5, 9 and 38 in which said seals are easily raptured and made from a thin, brightly coloured, embossed metal foil material.

24. A gift card according to Claims 5, 9 and 38 in which said seals are easily raptured and made from a thin, brightly coloured, printed paper material.

25. A gift card according to Claim 24 in which said seals are embossed and/or coated with a glossy coating.

26. A gift card according to Claim 20 in which said strip of magnetic material has recorded on it any of: coding for expiry date of said debit or credit card, coding for serial number of said debit or credit card, coding for security purposes and coding for a requirement that, prior to approval of each and every transaction, card validity and availability of funds or credit be confirmed from an associated database.

27. A gift card according to Claim 20 in which the values of an initial credit prepayment or an approved credit limit, or their values as amended from time to time, are recorded on said strip of magnetic medium.

28. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is a smart card type, having embedded in it a microchip, the memory of which may be read by direct contact means or in a contact-less way by radio frequency means.

29. A gift card according to Claim 28 in which said microchip memory has stored in it any of: coding for expiry date of said debit or credit card, coding for serial number of said debit or credit card, coding for security purposes and coding for a requirement that, prior to approval of each and every transaction, card validity and availability of funds or credit be confirmed from an associated database, said serial number coding being varied from card to card to uniquely identify each.

30. A gift card according to Claim 28 in which the values of an initial credit prepayment or approved credit limit is recorded in the memory of said microchip, together with their values as amended from time to time and details of all subsequent transactions.

31. A method of doing business according to Claim 1 comprising the following steps: a. Supplying by a principal business of said gift cards made according to

Claims 1 to 26 to one or more first retail organisations, said gift cards having no pre-paid value or approved credit limit recorded 'on said strips of magnetic medium of their said integral debit or credit cards or in said database maintained by said principal business; b. Selling to customers of said gift cards by said first retail organisations, said process of sale including the acceptance of pre-payments in relation to said integral debit cards; c. Giving of said purchased gift cards by said customers to recipients; d. Remitting electronically or by other means to the bank account of said principal business by said first retail organisations of monies flowing from said process of sale, including all or part of said pre-payments and all or part of the sale value of said gift cards; e. Transmitting electronically to said principal business by said first retail organisations on a daily basis or more frequently of data identifying by serial number said gift cards sold, the period in which said sales have been made, details of pre-payment amounts accepted in relation to each said gift card, and details of those parts of the sale values of said gift cards receivable by said principal business; f. Loading by said principal business of said data into a database maintained by said principal business; g. Tendering by said recipients of said gift cards to second retail organisations in the process of effecting purchase transactions; h. Reading of said debit or credit cards made integral with said gift cards by said second retail organisations in electronic funds transfer units at points of sale resulting in enquiries being addressed to said database through the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations to verify that said gift cards are valid and that sufficient funds are available in relation to them for the said purchase transactions; i. Indicating of approval of said purchase transactions at said electronic funds transfer units at points of sale where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having funds available in relation to them, allowing said purchase transactions to be completed; j. Recording of said purchase transactions in the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations; k. Transmitting by said banks of said second retail organisations to said principal business of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions; 1. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal business in relation to said purchase transactions; m. Amending of credit balances shown against said gift cards in said database after each said purchase transaction approval;

32. A method of doing business according to Claim 31 in which steps g. to m. are modified as follows: g. In the making of telephonic purchase transactions, verbally quoting by recipients to said second retail establishments of the serial numbers of said gift cards without the necessity to remove said debit or credit cards from said greeting cards; h. Addressing of enquiries by said second retail establishments to said database, either indirectly through their own computers and through the computer systems of their banks or directly by telephone to the operator of said database to verify that said gift cards are valid and have sufficient funds available in relation to them for the said purchase transactions; i. Indicating by said second retail establishments to said recipients of approval of said purchase transactions where said gift cards are verified as valid and having funds available in relation to them, allowing said purchase transactions to be completed; j. Recording of said purchase transactions in the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations; k. Transmitting by said banks of said second retail organisations to said principal business of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions;

1. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal business in relation to said purchase transactions; m. Amending of credit balances shown against said combination cards in said database after each said purchase transaction approval.

33. A method of doing business according to Claim 1 comprising the following steps: a. Supplying by a principal business of gift cards made according to Claims 1 to 30 to one or more first retail organisations, said gift cards having a prepaid value or approved credit limit recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of their said integral debit or credit cards or in said database maintained by said principal business; b. Selling to customers of said gift cards by first retail organisations; c. Giving of said purchased gift cards by said customers to recipients; d. Remitting electronically or by other means to the bank account of said principal business by said first retail organisations of all or part of the sale value of said gift cards; e. Transmitting elecfronicaUy to said principal, business by said first retail organisations on a daily basis or more frequently of data identifying by serial number said gift cards sold, the period in which said sales have been made, details of the pre-paid values or approved credit limits of said gift cards, and details of those parts of the sale values of said gift cards receivable by said principal business; f. Loading by said principal business of said data into a database maintained by said principal business, said process of loading including conelation of the actual pre-paid values or approved credit limits of said gift cards with the pre-paid values or approved credit limits included in said data transmitted by said first retail orgamsations; g. In the making of on-line purchase transactions, removing by recipients of said debit or credit cards from said gift cards and reading of said debit or credit cards in card reading and writing devices connected to computers operated by said recipients; h. Transmitting of purchase orders by recipients via said computers to second retail organisations together with coding read from said strips of magnetic media or from the memories said microchips of said debit cards including: serial number of each said card, remaining balance of pre-loaded value or approved credit limit of each said card and security coding; i. Addressing of enquiries by said second retail establishments by computer to said database through the computer systems of their banks; j . Indications of approval of said purchase transactions are transmitted by said database to said computers of said second retail establishments where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having funds or credit available in relation to them, allowing said purchase transactions to be completed; k. Amending of debit or credit balances shown against said gift cards in said database at approval of each said purchase transaction; 1. Operating of said card reading and writing devices to amend debit or credit balances recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of said debit or credit cards; m. Transmitting of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions by said banks of said second retail organisations; n. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal business in relation to said purchase

34. A method of doing business according to Claim 33 in which steps g. to n. are modified as follows: g. Tendering by said recipients of said gift cards to second retail organisations in the process of effecting purchase transactions; h. Reading of said debit or credit cards made integral with said gift cards by second retail organisations in electronic funds transfer units at points of sale resulting in enquiries being addressed to said database through the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations to verify that said gift cards are valid and that sufficient funds or credit is available in relation to them for the said purchase transactions; i. Indicating of approval of said purchase transactions at said electronic funds transfer units at points of sale where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having sufficient funds or credit available in relation to them, allowing completion of said purchase transactions; j. Operating of said electronic funds transfer units to amend debit or credit balances recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of said debit or credit cards; k. Recording of said purchase transactions in the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations; 1. Transmitting by said banks of said second retail organisations to said principal business of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions; m. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal business in relation to said purchase transactions; n. Amending of credit balances shown against said gift cards in said database after each said transaction approval.

35. A method of doing business according to Claim 1 comprising the following steps: a. Supplying by a principal business of gift cards made according to Claims 1 to 30 to one or more first retail organisations, their integral said debit or credit cards having no pre-paid value or approved credit limit recorded on their said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of their said microchips or in said database maintained by said principal business; b. Selling of said gift cards to customers by said first retail organisations, said process of sale including the acceptance of pre-payments or credit authorisations in relation to said integral debit or credit cards and the use of card reading and writing devices to record on said strip of magnetic medium or in the memory of said microchip the values of said pre-payments or credit authorisations; c. Giving of said purchased gift cards by said customers to recipients; d. Remitting electronically or by other means to the bank account of said principal business by said first retail organisations of monies flowing from said process of sale, including all or part of said pre-payments and all or part of the sale value of said gift cards; e. Transmitting electronically to said principal business by said first retail organisations on a daily basis or more frequently of data identifying by serial number said gift cards sold, the period in which said sales have been made, details of pre-payment amounts or credit authorisations accepted in relation to each said gift card, and details of those parts of the sale values of said gift cards receivable by said principal business; f. Loading by said principal business of said data into a database maintained by said principal business; g. Tendering by said recipients of said gift cards to second retail organisations in the process of effecting purchase transactions; h. Reading of said debit or credit cards made integral with said gift cards by said second retail organisations in electronic funds transfer units at points of sale resulting in enquiries being addressed to said database through the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations to verify that said gift cards are valid and have funds or credit available in relation to them; i. Indicating of approval of said purchase transactions at said electronic funds transfer units at points of sale where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having funds or credit available in relation to them, allowing completion of said purchase transactions; j. Operating of said electronic funds transfer units to amend debit or credit balances recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of said debit or credit cards; k. Recording of said purchase transactions in the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations; 1. Transmitting by said banks of said second retail organisations to said principal business of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions; m. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal business in relation to said purchase transactions; n. Amending of credit balances shown against said combination cards in said database after each said transaction approval;

36. A method of doing business according to Claim 35 in which steps g to n. are modified as follows: g. In the making on-line purchase transactions, removing by recipients of said debit or credit cards from said gift cards and reading of said debit or credit cards in card reading and writing devices connected to computers operated by said recipients; h. Transmitting of purchase orders by recipients via said computers to second retail organisations together with coding read from said strips of magnetic media or from the memories said microchips of said debit cards including: serial number of each said card, remaining balance of pre-loaded value or approved credit limit of each said card and security coding; i. Addressing of enquiries by said second retail establishments by computer to said database through the computer systems of their banks; j. Indications of approval of said purchase transactions are transmitted by said database to said computers of said second retail establishments where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having funds or credit available in relation to them, allowing said purchase transactions to be completed; k. Amending of debit or credit balances shown against said combination cards in said database at approval of each said purchase transaction;

1. Operating of said card reading and writing devices to amend debit or credit balances recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of said debit or credit cards; m. Transmitting of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions by said banks of said second retail organisations; n. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said principal busmess in relation to said purchase

7. A method of doing business according to Claims 35 and 36 modified as follows: a. Supplying by a principal business of said gift cards to one or more first retail organisations, their integral said debit or credit cards having no value recorded on their said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of their said microchips or in said database maintained by said principal business; b. Selling of said gift cards to customers by said first retail organisations, said process of sale including the acceptance of authorisations by said customers for the making of purchase transactions to specified maximum values using said gift cards, the cost of said purchase transactions to be debited to other nominated debit or credit cards, bank accounts or the like operated or controlled by said customers, and the use of card reading and writing devices to record on said strip of magnetic medium or in the memory of said microchip of said integral debit or credit cards details of such authorisations; c. Giving of said purchased gift cards by said customers to recipients; d. Remitting electronically or by other means to the bank account of said principal business by said first retail organisations of all or part of the sale value of said gift cards; e. Transmitting electronically to said principal business by said first retail organisations on a daily basis or more frequently of data identifying by serial number said gift cards sold, the period in which said sales have been made, details of said authorisations accepted in relation to each said gift card, and details of those parts of the sale values of said gift cards receivable by said principal business; f. Optionally, sending by said first retail organisations to said principal business copies of said authorisations; g. Loading by said principal business of said data into a database maintained by said principal business; h. Tendering by said recipients of said gift cards to second retail organisations in the process of effecting purchase transactions; i. Reading of said gift cards by said second retail organisations in electronic funds transfer units at points of sale resulting in enquiries being addressed to said database through the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations to verify that said combination cards are valid and have credit available in relation to them; j. Optionally, addressing of enquiries by computer by said principal busmess to the banks through which said other nominated debit or credit cards, bank accounts or the like operated or controlled by said customers are operated to verify the availability of credit; k. Indicating of approval of said purchase transactions at said electronic funds transfer units at points of sale where said gift cards are verified as being valid and having credit available in relation to them, allowing completion of said purchase transactions;

1. Operating of said electionic funds transfer units to amend the balances of authorised expenditure limits recorded on said strips of magnetic medium or in the memories of said microchips of said debit or credit cards; m. Recording of said purchase transactions in the computer systems of the banks of said second retail organisations; n. Transmitting by said banks of said second retail organisations to banks through which are operated said nominated debit or credit cards, bank accounts or the like operated or controlled by said customers of requests for reimbursement in relation to said purchase transactions; o. Reimbursing of said banks of said second retail organisations by said banks through which are operated said nominated debit or credit cards, bank accounts or the like operated or controlled by said customers in relation to said purchase transactions; p. Amending of authorised expenditure limits shown against said gift cards in said database after each said transaction approval;

38. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which said debit or credit card is located on a separate panel by its comers at one or both ends being inserted through slots cut in said panel, and/or its body part passing beneath one or more straps formed in said panel, and secured in place by one or more seals bonded to said debit or credit card and said panel, said debit or credit card being detached from said panel by the application of pressure to rapture said seals, allowing withdrawal of said debit or credit card from said slots and/or from beneath said straps, said panel being fixed to the upper surface 4 of said lower said leaf of said greeting card

39. A gift card according to Claim 38 in which said panel is made from a tight, dense, paper card material or sheet polymer material which is preferably coated on its exposed upper surface or made with a glossy surface finish, optionally carries the features numbered 14, 15, 17, 18 described in relation to Figure 2 and is optionally decorated with an all-over background pattern which is printed onto it or incorporated into its surface.

40. A method of doing business according to any of Claims 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 in which data read from said strip of magnetic medium or from said microchip memory of said debit or credit card made integral with said gift card includes a security coding unknown to the purchaser or recipient of a card which is recorded on a debit or credit card at its initial sale and which is compared with a complementary coding during checking of the current credit balance or authorised credit value recorded in said database by said computer system operated by or on behalf of said principal business as part of said enquiry directed to said database in relation to each transaction.

41. A method of doing business according to Claim 40 in which said security coding recorded on said strip of magnetic medium or in said microchip memory is changed by said computer operated by or on behalf of said principal business via said electronic funds transfer unit or said card reading and writing unit on each occasion that the credit balance or authorised credit value of said debit or credit card is amended as a result of a purchase transaction, thereby providing a means of detecting and preventing the fraudulent use of cards.

42. A gift card according to Claim 1 in which the integral said debit or credit card carries on its upper face adjacent said serial number of the card a coding replacing the normal month and year expiry coding of a conventional card.

43. A gift card according to Claim 11. in which a separately made said debit or credit card is neatly accommodated in an aperture cut in said panel and secured in place in said panel by one or more seals bonded to said debit or credit card and said panel, said debit or credit card being detached from said panel by the application of pressure to rupture said seals.

44. A gift card according to Claims 4, 5, 7, 38 and 39 in which said panel is fixed to any said surface of any said leaf.

45. A gift card according to Claims 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 38 and 43 in which said debit or credit card is made from a dense paper card material coated on one or both surfaces; or from a dense paper card material which has a printed polymer layer laminated onto its upper surface; or from a printed, rigid, sheet polymer material with a smooth, glossy or textured surface.

46. A gift card system according to Claim 1 in which said gift cards incorporate a detachable tag or coupon carrying a security coding, said tags or coupons being optionally detached by said purchasers and sent separately to said recipients or said security coding transmitted separately by said purchasers to said recipients allowing said recipients to use said security coding in the making of telephonic or on-line purchase transactions.

47. A method of doing business according to Claims 32, 33 and 36 in which a security coding in accordance with Claim 46 is quoted verbally or electronically in the making of a purchase transaction.

48. A method of doing business according to Claims 33 and 36 in which step g. is modified so that an optically readable coding on said debit or credit card is read by, in or with an optical reading device connected to a computer operated by said recipient.

49. Any of the methods of doing business according to Claims 31 to 37, 40, 41, 47 and 48 modified such that said principal business perfoπns, as appropriate, all of the functions of said first retail organisations.