Stored value cards and methods for their issuance

• US 20030065624A1
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated), Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pridgeon, Peter A., James, Kevin A., Teixeira, Ryan G., Cox, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

A method for issuing both a virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder comprises issuing a virtual card to a cardholder, with the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value. A physical card is also issued to the cardholder. The physical card includes an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and the physical card is in an inactive state until the physical card is activated by linking of the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value.

Claims

1. A method for issuing both a virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder, the method comprising:

issuing a virtual card to a cardholder, the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value;

issuing a physical card to the cardholder, wherein the physical card includes an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and wherein the physical card is in an inactive state until the physical card is activated by linking of the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising performing at least one validation check prior to linking to the record of the stored value.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein virtual card further comprises a personal identification number (PIN) that is stored in the database, wherein the physical card further comprises a personal identification number (PIN) that is stored in the database, and wherein a validation check comprises comparing the physical card PIN and the virtual card PIN with corresponding PINs provided by the cardholder.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the validation check comprises querying the database to determine if the virtual card is both valid and active.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein the validation check further comprises querying the database to determine if the physical card is in the inactive state.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the linking step comprises providing two pointers in the database to the record of the stored value, and wherein the two pointers comprise the virtual card identifier and the physical card identifier.

7. A method for issuing both a virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder, the method comprising:

issuing a virtual card to a cardholder, the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value;

issuing a physical card to the cardholder, wherein the physical card includes an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and wherein the physical card is in an inactive state;

receiving a request to activate the physical card, wherein the request includes the physical card identifier; and

in response to the request, linking the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising performing a validation check prior to linking to the record of the stored value.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein virtual card further comprises a personal identification number (PIN) that is stored in the database, wherein the physical card further comprises a personal identification number (PIN) that is stored in the database, wherein the request includes physical card and virtual card PINS, and wherein the validation check comprises comparing the physical card PIN and the virtual card PIN with the received PINs.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein the validation check comprises querying the database to determine if the virtual card is both valid and active.

11. A method as in claim 8, wherein the validation check further comprises querying the database to determine if the physical card is both valid and in the inactive state.

12. A method as in claim 7, wherein the linking step comprises providing two pointers in the database to the record of the stored value, and wherein the two pointers comprise the virtual card identifier and the physical card identifier.

13. A computerized system for linking a virtual card with a physical card for the same cardholder, the system comprising:

a physical card having an identifier;

a processing system; and

a database having a record of a stored value, a virtual card identifier that comprises a pointer to the stored value record, and the physical card identifier;

wherein the processing system is configured to link the physical card identifier to the stored value record and to allow access to the stored value record using either card identifier once linked.

14. A system as in claim 13, wherein the processing system is further configured to link the physical card identifier to the stored value record after receipt of the physical card by the cardholder and upon a request by the cardholder to activate the physical card, and wherein the request includes the physical card identifier.

15. A system as in claim 13, wherein the processing system is further configured to perform a validation check prior to the linking.

16. A system as in claim 15, wherein database further includes a record of a virtual card personal identification number (PIN), wherein the physical card further comprises a personal identification number (PIN) that is stored in the database, and wherein the validation check comprises comparing the physical card PIN and the virtual card PIN in the database with corresponding PINs provided by the cardholder.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein the validation check comprises querying the database with the processing system to determine if the virtual card is both valid and active.

18. A system as in claim 16, wherein the validation check further comprises querying the database with the processing system to determine if the physical card is in the inactive state.