System and method for purchasing goods and services through data network access points over a point of sale network

• US 20040078332A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Euronet Worldwide Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Euronet Worldwide Incorporated
• Inventors: Ferguson, Ronald Gene, Clary, Jeffrey Scott, Michel, Thierry Marc, Witherell, Mark Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/387,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078332A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/00 Complete banking systems; Coded card-freed arrangements adapted for dispensing or receiving monies or the like and posting such transactions to existing accounts, e.g. automatic teller machines data processing equipment for bank accounting G06Q40/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for purchasing pre-paid account cards and replenishing pre-paid accounts for goods and services. The system includes a data source containing data descriptive of a prepaid account. The data source is accessible by a transaction system for responding to user service transactions and may be accessible by a fulfillment service provider for providing the goods or services based upon the prepaid account data. The system is accessed through a variety of service end points comprising point of sale (POS) systems.

Claims

1. A method for purchasing goods or services using pre-paid account cards, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a point of service device;

(b) selecting a good or service for purchase through the point of sale device;

(c) providing payment information through the point of sale device to a data network;

(d) receiving a prepaid account identification through the point of sale device from a mobile component; and

(e) replenishing the prepaid account by submitting the prepaid account identification to a provider of the selected good or service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile component is a prepaid account card.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile component is a Universal Phone Card.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile component is a smart card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing payment information comprises tendering payment to a third party who provides a payment verification code for submission through the point of sale device.

6. A system for replenishing pre-paid services using a data network, comprising:

a mobile component including prepaid account data for a user'"'"'s prepaid account;

a transaction system in communication with said prepaid account data for modifying said prepaid account in response to a user transaction request through a point of sale device;

a communication system in communication with said prepaid account for modifying said prepaid account in response to use of services associated with the user'"'"'s pre-paid account; and

,

a payment system in communication with said transaction system for executing a payment settlement transaction based upon fulfillment of the user transaction request.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a routing system for the data network and wherein the user service request is directed to the routing system by said point of sale device.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an application server and wherein the user service request is directed to the application server by said point of sale device.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a cryptography system and wherein at least a portion of the user service request is directed through said cryptography system and encrypted to meet encryption standards of the data network.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile component is a prepaid account card.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile component is a Universal Phone Card.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile component is a smart card.

13. A method of providing for initial charging and subsequent replenishment of a pre-paid account for goods or services through a data network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a user transaction request for the initial charging or subsequent replenishment of a user'"'"'s prepaid account through a point of service device;

(b) verifying the existence of the user'"'"'s prepaid account through communication with an prepaid account data source accessible to the goods or services provider;

(c) verifying a payment method associated with the user'"'"'s transaction request through the data network;

(d) updating the prepaid account to reflect the user'"'"'s transaction request; and

(e) returning confirmation of fulfillment of the user'"'"'s transaction request to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of accessing a cryptography system for encrypting payment method data to provide to the data network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of verifying a payment method includes verifying payment received at a remote user location.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the user transaction request comprises a single message including all user input for completing the initial charging or replenishment transaction.

17. A system for purchasing goods or services using pre-paid accounts comprising:

a prepaid account data source including a plurality of unique prepaid account identifiers;

a transaction system in communication with said prepaid account data source for retrieving a prepaid account identifier in response to a user transaction request; and

,

a point of service device for accepting the user service request and accepting the prepaid account identifier from the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the unique prepaid account identifier are contained on a mobile component.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile component is a prepaid account card.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile component is a Universal Phone Card.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile component is a smart card.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a data network in communication with said transaction system for providing payment settlement.