Transaction processing platform for facilitating electronic distribution of plural prepaid services

• US 10,296,891 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EWI Holdings Inc. (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cardpool Incorporated (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Tamari, Roni Dolev, Herbinaux, Larry, New, Darren, Paschini, Miles, Hazel, Patrick K., Rose, Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia F
• Application Number:
  US12/538,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,574 Days
• Field of Search: 3791142
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 : with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/201 : automatic recharging with predetermined amount at threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 : on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 : using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/22 : with automatic recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection the account is recharged automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 : with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2593 : code management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A transaction processing platform capable of facilitating the distribution to consumers of various types of prepaid products is disclosed. The transaction processing platform is configured to interface with one or more providers of such prepaid products in order to facilitate the procurement or activation of the products. The platform includes a conduit interface through which service request messages are received and respectively utilized to generate transaction requests for corresponding types of prepaid services. A supply interface arrangement, operatively coupled to the conduit interface, is configured to route a first of the transaction requests through a first supply interface associated with a first type of prepaid service. The supply interface arrangement also routes a second transaction request through a second supply interface associated with a second type of prepaid service. The platform is also configured to provide supplier response information received through the supply interfaces to the conduit interface.

Claims

1. A method for processing prepaid product transaction requests performed by a transaction processing platform having a processor and computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, causes the transaction processing platform to perform the method comprising ordered steps of:

receiving a prepaid product transaction request message from a client terminal via a interface of the transaction processing platform, wherein the transaction request message includes a plurality of product activation requests for a prepaid product comprising a personal identification number;

extracting the plurality of product activation requests from the transaction request message;

determining the plurality of product activation requests were received from an authorized client terminal;

determining an appropriate service provider for at least one of the plurality of product activation requests;

routing the at least one of the plurality of product activation requests to the appropriate service provider;

receiving in real-time, subsequent to routing the at least one of the plurality of product activation requests to the appropriate service provider, a response comprising the personal identification number; and

returning at least one transaction response to the client terminal, wherein the at least one transaction response comprises an activation confirmation and the personal identification number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction response includes response information that at least one of the plurality of product activation requests was successfully processed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transaction response includes response information that at least one of the plurality of product activation requests was not successfully processed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of product activation requests comprise at least two identical requested products.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request message includes information unique to a customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request message includes advertising records.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of product activation requests is generated in response to information in the transaction request message.

8. The method of claim 1, further including electronically distributing a prepaid product to the client terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request message is received via an Internet coupling.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the client terminal is operative for wireless communication.

11. A method for processing prepaid product transaction requests performed by a transaction processing platform having a processor and computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, causes the transaction processing platform to perform the method comprising ordered steps of:

receiving a prepaid product transaction message from a client terminal via a interface of the transaction processing platform, wherein the transaction request message includes a plurality of product activation requests for multiple units of a prepaid product comprising a personal identification number;

extracting the plurality of product activation requests from the transaction request message;

determining the plurality of product activation requests were received from an authorized client terminal;

determining an appropriate service provider for at least one of the plurality of product activation requests;

routing the at least one of the plurality of product activation requests to the appropriate service provider;

receiving in real-time, subsequent to routing the at least one of the plurality of product activation requests to the appropriate service provider, a response comprising the personal identification number; and

returning at least one transaction response to the client terminal, wherein the at least one transaction response comprises an activation confirmation and the personal identification number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of product activation requests comprise two requested products which share a denomination.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the transaction request message includes information unique to a customer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the transaction request message includes advertising records.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the client terminal is operative for wireless communication.

16. A method for processing transactions involving prepaid services performed by a transaction processing platform having a processor and computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, causes the transaction processing platform to perform the method comprising ordered steps of:

receiving from a client terminal operative for wireless communication, via a interface of the transaction processing platform, a first type of prepaid product activation request, wherein the first type of prepaid product activation request comprises a first type of prepaid product comprising a personal identification number;

determining the first type of prepaid product activation request was received from an authorized client terminal;

contacting, subsequent to receiving the first type of prepaid product activation request, a service provider of the first type of prepaid product activation request;

receiving in real-time, subsequent to contacting the service provider of the first type of prepaid product activation request, an activation confirmation and the personal identification number; and

electronically distributing the first type of prepaid product to the client terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the client terminal and a provider of the first type of prepaid product interface through a platform database to enable real-time procurement and activation of the first type of prepaid product.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

contacting a service provider of a second type of prepaid product; and

electronically distributing the second type of prepaid product to the client terminal, wherein the client terminal and the service provider of the first type of prepaid product and the service provider of the second type of prepaid product interface through the transaction processing platform to enable real-time procurement and activation of the first type of prepaid product and the second type of prepaid product.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

determining advertising to provide to a customer based on information in a customer record associated with the client terminal through a platform database, wherein advertising is provided to the customer through the client terminal.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving from the client terminal a second type of prepaid product activation request, wherein the second type of prepaid product activation request comprises a second type of prepaid product, wherein the second type of prepaid product activation request is generated in response to the first type of prepaid product activation request and electronically delivered to the client terminal.