Apple Introduces New iCard Patent with E-Commerce in Mind

On September 27, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple’s patent application titled Ecards from multiple users . Apple’s patent generally relates to their iCard program and specifically to introducing a new group-signing-capability to iCards. Apple states that “with physical greeting cards, it is common for groups of people (e.g. a group a coworkers, members of a family, etc.) to personalize and sign the same card. Unfortunately, current ecard technology does not provide the means for groups to send a single group-signed and group-customized ecard. Apple’s patent addresses this specific issue in detail in addition to introducing the concept of gift giving within iCards.

Apple’s Abstract

Techniques described herein allow multiple users to sign the same ecard. For example, a first user signs onto an ecard website, and selects an ecard template. After personalizing the ecard, the first user selects an option to invite other users to sign the card. Invitation messages are sent to the invited users. If an invited user accepts the invitation to sign the ecard, the invited user is prompted to login to the ecard website and sign the ecard. Once all the invited users have responded to the invitation, the first user is notified that the ecard is ready to be sent. Before sending the ecard, the first user may preview and modify the ecard. Once the first user is content with the ecard, the first user submits the ecard to the ecard web server to be sent to the intended recipient.

As illustrated in Apple’s patent FIG. 1A above, the destination box 114 contains two options, “Send to Recipient” and “Invite Others to Sign”. In FIG. 1A, the Invite Others to Sign option is selected. Selection of the Invite Others to Sign option indicates that when the ecard selector submits the ecard to be sent, the ecard selector will be presented with option to invite other users to sign the ecard. In alternative embodiments, the destination box 114 may only have one option (e.g., “invite others to sign”). In this type of scenario, if the check box is not checked, the ecard web server assumes the ecard is to go directly to the intended recipient. In other embodiments, other options may be listed.

The recipient box 116 is a user interface control that allows the ecard selector to input the intended recipient’s email address or electronic contact information, such as instant messenger identification, text messaging information, etc. In one embodiment, multiple recipients may be listed in the recipient box 116.

In one embodiment, the ecard selector box 118 in FIG. 1A is where the ecard selector inputs his own name and electronic contact information. This information can be used to validate the ecard selector and can also provide means to contact the ecard selector with status updates about the ecard. In one embodiment, the ecard selector box 118 may allow for multiple users to input their name and email addresses into the box.

Finally, the submit button 122 is a user interface control that allows an ecard selector to submit all the information they have entered to the ecard website’s server for processing.

After an ecard selector has filled out the information in a user interface, such as the user interface 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, in one embodiment, the ecard selector is presented with another user interface screen that allows the ecard selector to input electronic contact information and some additional comments to a group of users being invited to sign the ecard. FIG. 1B illustrates an example user interface 130 for inviting multiple users to sign the ecard.

iCard Gift Links to iTunes

Another added feature coming to Apple’s iCard program is the ability to send the recipient of the iCard a gift-link to either Apple’s iTunes Store or another participating online Store. Apple states that in “one embodiment, the ecard website provides links to online stores and other retail businesses that allow the ecard selector to link to gifts or gift ideas for the intended recipient. A link to the gift or gift idea may be included (either manually or automatically by the webserver) as a portion of the message to the invited users.”

Apple lists Susie H. Bui (San Jose, CA) as the sole inventor of patent 20070226305.

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Written and researched by Neo.