A multifunction card system, comprising:</claim-text> a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American ng Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to said multifunction card system; b. a bank processing hub computer under bank hub software control and in communication over a banking network with a pre-existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said bank processing hub computer receiving electronic gift certificate card activation data when said electronic gift certificate card is swiped through said point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data comprising said unique identification number of said electronic gift certificate card and an electronic gift certificate activation amount; and c. a gift certificate card computer under gift certificate card software control and in communication with said bank processing hub for activating a gift certificate card account in a gift certificate card database corresponding to said electronic gift certificate card, said gift certificate card account comprising balance data representative of an electronic gift certificate activation amount. view more

A multifunction card system as recited in claim <HIL><BOLD>1</BOLD></HIL> wherein said bank processing hub computer receives electronic gift certificate card recharge data from said pre-existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said cate card is swiped through said point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card recharge data comprising said unique identification number of said electronic gift certificate card and an electronic gift certificate recharge amount, and said gift certificate card computer being capable of increasing said balance data of said gift certificate card account corresponding to said electronic gift certificate card by said electronic gift certificate recharge amount. view more

A method of activating or recharging a magnetically encoded electronic gift certificate card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to an electronic gift certificate card system, comprising the steps of: a. swiping said gift certificate card through a pre-existing standard retail point-of-sale device; b. entering an activation amount into said point-of-sale device; c. transmitting said identification number and said activation amount from said point-of-sale device to a bank processing hub computer over a banking network via which said point-of-sale device processes debit and credit card transactions; d. decrypting said identification number and said amount by a gift certificate card computer under gift certificate card software control and in communication with said bank processing hub computer if said identification number and said activation amount are encrypted; and e. crediting a gift certificate card account balance, in a gift certificate card database existing on said gift certificate card computer, with said activation amount. view more

A multifunction card system, comprising: a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to the multifunction card system; b. means for receiving electronic gift certificate card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said electronic gift certificate card is swiped through the point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data comprising the unique identification number of the electronic gift certificate card and an electronic gift certificate activation amount; c. means for activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card with a balance equal to the electronic gift certificate activation amount; d. means for allowing a user of the electronic gift certificate card to purchase goods and services having a value up to the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card; and e. means for decreasing the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card by the value of the goods and services purchased. view more

A system comprising: a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having an electronic gift certificate card unique identification number encoded on it, said electronic gift certificate card unique identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving electronic gift card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data including said unique identification number and an electronic gift certificate card activation amount; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said activation data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card unique identification number with a balance corresponding to the electronic gift certificate activation amount. view more

The system of claim 34, wherein the electronic gift certificate card activation amount is entered at the point-of-sale device.

The system of claim 34, wherein said processing hub allows a user of the electronic gift certificate card to purchase a value up to the balance corresponding to the electronic gift certificate activation amount.

A multifunction card system comprising: a. at least one card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said card activation data including said unique identification number; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said activation data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub activating an account corresponding to the unique identification number, thereby permitting later access to said account. view more

The multifunction card system of claim 57, wherein said card is selected from the group consisting of an electronic gift certificate card, a phone card, a loyalty card, and a medical information card.

A method of activating a prepaid card having a unique identification number encoded on it, the identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, the method comprising the steps of: a. swiping the card through an unmodified existing standard point-of-sale device; b. transmitting the identification number and an activation amount from the point-of-sale device to a processing hub; and c. activating an account in the processing hub corresponding to the identification number. view more

The method of claim 60, further comprising entering the activation amount into the point-of-sale device.

The method of claim 60, further comprising allowing a user of the card to purchase goods and services using the card.