Methods and apparatus for facilitating a transaction

• US 20030233334A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Smith, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for conducting a transaction include identifying information defining a transaction including at least a transaction amount, identifying an account identifier to associate with the transaction, and establishing a pre-authorization record associated with the account identifier, the pre-authorization record including an authorization restriction based on the transaction amount.

Claims

1. A transaction method, comprising:

identifying information defining a transaction including at least a transaction amount;

identifying an account identifier to associate with said transaction; and

establishing a pre-authorization record associated with said account identifier, said pre-authorization record including an authorization restriction based on said transaction amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing said account identifier to a merchant to complete said transaction.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from said merchant, a request to authorize an actual transaction involving said account identifier, said request including transaction terms; and

authorizing said actual transaction if said transaction terms comply with terms of said pre-authorization record.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from said merchant, a request to authorize an actual transaction involving said account identifier, said request including a transaction amount; and

determining if said transaction amount satisfies said authorization restriction based on said transaction amount.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said request to authorize said actual transaction is denied if said determining indicates that said authorization restriction is not satisfied.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said request to authorize said actual transaction is approved if said determining indicates that said authorization restriction is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a merchant involved in said transaction is compensated by an issuer of said account if said request to authorize said actual transaction is approved.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying an account identifier to associate with said transaction includes:

identifying a primary account pool; and

selecting an available account identifier from said primary account pool.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying an account identifier to associate with said transaction includes:

determining that a primary account pool is unavailable; and

selecting an available account identifier from a backup account pool, wherein said establishing a pre-authorization record includes modifying an existing pre-authorization record.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said information defining a transaction further includes a start date, and wherein said establishing a pre-authorization record further includes establishing an authorization restriction based on said start date.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said information defining a transaction further includes at least one of a start date, a merchant identifier, an industry code, a product identifier and an expiration date, and wherein said establishing a pre-authorization record further includes establishing an authorization restriction based on at least one of said start date, said merchant identifier, said industry code, said product identifier and said expiration date.

12. A method for conducting a transaction, comprising:

receiving a transaction request from a buyer, said transaction request including a request to purchase a first product from a first merchant for a first price and a second product from a second merchant for a second price;

identifying a first limited use account identifier including use restrictions associated with at least one of said first price, said first product and said first merchant;

identifying a second limited use account identifier including use restrictions associated with at least one of said second price, said second product and said second merchant;

establishing a transaction record confirming said transaction; and

providing said first limited use account identifier to said first merchant and said second limited use account identifier to said second merchant for payment for said first and second products.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first merchant is caused to be paid when said first limited use account identifier is properly presented for payment.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said first limited use account identifier is retrieved from at least one of a primary card pool and a backup card pool.

15. A method for limiting a transaction, comprising:

identifying an account;

identifying a transaction involving said account, said transaction having a start date;

establishing a pre-authorization record associated with said account, said pre-authorization record identifying said start date;

receiving an authorization request associated with said account and a transaction, said transaction having a date; and

authorizing said transaction if said date is on or after said start date.

16. A method for managing a backup card pool, comprising:

identifying a primary card pool containing a plurality of account identifiers;

selecting a subset of said account identifiers and indicating that said subset of account identifiers are not available for use in said primary card pool;

establishing initial pre-authorization criteria associated with said subset of account identifiers; and

creating said backup card pool containing said subset of account identifiers.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request to utilize a selected one of said subset of account identifiers;

modifying a pre-authorization record associated with said selected one of said account identifiers;

retrieving a replacement account identifier from said primary card pool;

indicating that said replacement account identifier is not available for use in said primary card pool;

establishing initial pre-authorization criteria associated with said replacement account identifier; and

adding said replacement account identifier to said backup card pool.

18. A transaction apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

identify information defining a transaction including at least a transaction amount;

identify an account identifier to associate with said transaction; and

establish a pre-authorization record associated with said account identifier, said pre-authorization record including an authorization restriction based on said transaction amount.

19. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a transaction method, said method comprising:

identifying information defining a transaction including at least a transaction amount;

identifying an account identifier to associate with said transaction; and

establishing a pre-authorization record associated with said account identifier, said pre-authorization record including an authorization restriction based on said transaction amount.