Prepaid cash equivalent card and system
First Claim
1. A method for operating a cash-equivalent card-based purchasing system comprising the steps of:
- a. storing in a storage device associated with an information processing computer a plurality of records, each comprising a unique cash-equivalent card number linked to a value;
b. providing to a user a cash-equivalent card, the cash-equivalent card having encoded thereon one of the cash-equivalent card numbers stored in the storage device, the cash-equivalent card provided in exchange for consideration equivalent to at least the value linked to the cash-equivalent card number encoded thereon, the cash-equivalent card comprising no information regarding the identity of the user;
c. activating the subsequent use of the cash-equivalent card provided to the user; and
d. executing with a merchant a purchase transaction for a purchase item having a corresponding purchase amount by the user presenting the cash-equivalent card to the merchant, the merchant, utilizing a purchase authorization system associated with a universally accepted credit-card, performing a purchase authorization step by requesting authorization from the information processing computer that the purchase amount is not greater than the value stored in the storage device, and the information processing computer reducing the value stored in the storage device by the purchase amount if the authorization is successful;
wherein the storage device contains no information regarding the identity of the user to whom the cash-equivalent card has been provided.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cash-equivalent card-based purchasing system and its method of operation, in which an information processing computer has a plurality of records stored in an associated storage device, each record including a unique cash-equivalent card number linked to a card value. A cash-equivalent card is provided to a user, the cash-equivalent card having encoded thereon one of the cash-equivalent card numbers stored in the storage device, the cash-equivalent card provided in exchange for consideration equivalent to at least the value linked to the cash-equivalent card number encoded thereon. Neither the cash-equivalent card nor the storage device has any information regarding the identity of the user.
399 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method for operating a cash-equivalent card-based purchasing system comprising the steps of:
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a. storing in a storage device associated with an information processing computer a plurality of records, each comprising a unique cash-equivalent card number linked to a value;
b. providing to a user a cash-equivalent card, the cash-equivalent card having encoded thereon one of the cash-equivalent card numbers stored in the storage device, the cash-equivalent card provided in exchange for consideration equivalent to at least the value linked to the cash-equivalent card number encoded thereon, the cash-equivalent card comprising no information regarding the identity of the user;
c. activating the subsequent use of the cash-equivalent card provided to the user; and
d. executing with a merchant a purchase transaction for a purchase item having a corresponding purchase amount by the user presenting the cash-equivalent card to the merchant, the merchant, utilizing a purchase authorization system associated with a universally accepted credit-card, performing a purchase authorization step by requesting authorization from the information processing computer that the purchase amount is not greater than the value stored in the storage device, and the information processing computer reducing the value stored in the storage device by the purchase amount if the authorization is successful;
wherein the storage device contains no information regarding the identity of the user to whom the cash-equivalent card has been provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35)
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29. A cash-equivalent card-based purchasing system comprising:
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a. an information processing computer comprising a storage device having stored thereon a plurality of records, each comprising a unique cash-equivalent card number linked to a value;
b. a plurality of cash-equivalent cards, each having encoded thereon one of the cash-equivalent card numbers stored in the storage device, each comprising no information regarding the identity of the user;
c. means for activating the subsequent use of the cash-equivalent card provided to a user; and
d. means for executing with a merchant a purchase transaction for a purchase item having a corresponding purchase amount, comprising;
an authorization system associated with a universally accepted credit-card comprising means for requesting authorization from the information processing computer that the purchase amount is not greater than the value stored in the storage device, and wherein the information processing computer further comprises means for reducing the value stored in the storage device by the purchase amount if the authorization is successful; and
wherein the storage device contains no information regarding the identity of the user to whom the cash-equivalent card has been provided. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification