System and method for processing a long distance communication using a debit account

• US 20040103057A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Worldpass Corporation
• Original Assignee: Worldpass Corporation
• Inventors: Friedberg, Paul, Melbert, James B.
• Application Number:
  US10/304,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20040103057A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• 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 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/106 using commercial credit or debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/14 using commercial credit/debit cards, e.g. VISA, AMEX

Abstract

A method for processing a long distance communication using a debit account comprises receiving a deposit into a debit account, the account identified by an account identifier and the account comprising a balance, and updating the balance of the account. A first request for balance verification is received from a long distance provider in response to the long distance provider receiving an attempt to make a long distance communication using the debit account. The first request comprises a first amount and the account identifier. A first verification is communicated to the long distance provider. The first verification comprises the account identifier. A second request for balance verification is received from a debit card network provider in response to the debit card network provider receiving an attempt to withdraw funds from the debit account. The second request comprises a second amount and the account identifier. A second verification is communicated to the debit card network provider. The second verification comprises the account identifier.

Claims

1. A method for processing a long distance communication using a debit account, comprising:

receiving a deposit into a debit account, the debit account identified by an account identifier and the debit account comprising a balance;

updating a balance of the account based on the deposit;

receiving a first request for balance verification from a long distance provider in response to the long distance provider receiving an attempt to make a long distance communication using the debit account, the first request comprising a first transaction amount, a first PIN, and the account identifier;

communicating a first verification to the long distance provider, the first verification comprising the account identifier;

receiving a second request for balance verification from a debit card network provider in response to the debit card network provider receiving an attempt to withdraw funds from the debit account, the second request comprising a second transaction amount, a second PIN, and the account identifier; and

communicating a second verification to the debit card network provider, the second verification comprising the account identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the first amount with the balance and wherein communicating a first verification to the long distance provider comprises:

in response to the balance being less than the first amount, communicating a negative verification to the long distance provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the first amount, communicating a positive verification to the long distance provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first verification further comprises a verified amount.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the second amount with the balance and wherein communicating a second verification to the debit card network provider comprises:

in response to the balance being less than the second amount, communicating a negative verification to the debit card network provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the requested second amount, communicating a positive verification to the debit card network provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the debit card network provider comprises an automated teller machine.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an invoice from the long distance provider, the invoice comprising the account identifier and an invoiced amount, the invoiced amount comprising a long distance rate multiplied by a number of minutes.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising updating the balance based on the invoiced amount.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the balance comprises an available balance and an actual balance, the method further comprising:

reducing the available balance by the first amount, the difference between the actual balance and the available balance comprising an escrow amount;

receiving an invoiced amount from the long distance provider, the invoiced amount being less than or equal to the escrow amount;

reducing the actual balance by the invoiced amount; and

adding the difference between the escrow amount and the invoiced amount to the available balance.

9. Logic for processing a long distance communication using a debit account, the logic encoded in media and operable when executed to:

receive a deposit into a debit account, the account identified by an account identifier and the account comprise a balance;

update a balance of the account based on the deposit;

receive a first request for balance verification from a long distance provider in response to the long distance provider receiving an attempt to make a long distance communication using the debit account, the first request comprising a first transaction amount, a first PIN, and the account identifier;

communicate a first verification to the long distance provider, the first verification comprise the account identifier;

receive a second request for balance verification from a debit card network provider in response to the debit card network provider receiving an attempt to withdraw funds from the debit account, the second request comprising a second transaction amount, a second PIN, and the account identifier; and

communicate a second verification to the debit card network provider, the second verification comprising the account identifier.

10. The logic of claim 9 further operable to compare the first transaction amount with the balance and wherein the logic operable to communicate a first verification to the long distance provider comprises the logic operable to:

in response to the balance being less than the first amount, communicate a negative verification to the long distance provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the first amount, communicate a positive verification to the long distance provider.

11. The logic of claim 10, wherein the first verification further comprises a verified amount.

12. The logic of claim 9 further operable to compare the second amount with the balance and wherein the logic operable to communicate a second verification to the debit card network provider comprises the logic operable to:

in response to the balance being less than the second amount, communicate a negative verification to the debit card network provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the second amount, communicate a positive verification to the debit card network provider.

13. The logic of claim 9, wherein the debit card network provider comprise an automated teller machine.

14. The logic of claim 9, further operable to receive an invoice from the long distance provider, the invoice comprising the account identifier and an invoiced amount, the invoiced amount comprising a long distance rate multiplied by a number of minutes.

15. The logic of claim 14 further operable to update the balance based on the invoiced amount.

16. The logic of claim 9, wherein the balance comprises an available balance and an actual balance, the logic further operable to:

reduce the available balance by the first amount, the difference between the actual balance and the available balance comprise an escrow amount;

receive an invoiced amount from the long distance provider, the invoiced amount being less than the escrow amount;

reduce the actual balance by the invoiced amount; and

add the difference between the escrow amount and the invoiced amount to the available balance.

17. A system for processing a long distance communication using a debit account, comprising:

memory operable to store at least one debit account record, wherein the account record comprise an account identifier and a balance; and

a processor operable to;

receive a deposit into a debit account, the account identified by an account identifier and the account comprise a balance, update a balance of the account based on the deposit;

update the balance in the associated account record based on the deposit;

receive a first request for balance verification from a long distance provider in response to the long distance provider receiving an attempt to make a long distance communication using the debit account, the first request comprising a first transaction amount, a first PIN, and the account identifier;

communicate a first verification to the long distance provider the first verification comprise the account identifier;

receive a second request for balance verification from a debit card network provider in response to the debit card network provider receiving an attempt to withdraw funds from the debit account, the second request comprising a second transaction amount, a second PIN, and the account identifier; and

communicate a second verification to the debit card network provider, the second verification comprising the account identifier.

18. The system of claim 17, the processor further operable to compare the first amount with the balance and wherein the processor operable to communicate a first verification to the long distance provider comprises the processor operable to:

in response to the balance being less than the first amount, the processor operable to communicate a negative verification to the long distance provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the first amount, the processor operable to communicate a positive verification to the long distance provider.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first verification further comprises a verified amount.

20. The system of claim 17, the processor operable to further compare the second amount with the balance and wherein the processor operable to communicate a second verification to the debit card network provider comprises the processor operable to:

in response to the balance being less than the second amount, the processor operable to communicate a negative verification to the debit card network provider; and

in response to the balance not being less than the second amount, the processor operable to communicate a positive verification to the debit card network provider.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the debit card network provider comprises an automated teller machine.

22. The system of claim 17, the processor further operable to receive an invoice from the long distance provider, the invoice comprise the account identifier and an invoiced amount, the invoiced amount comprise a long distance rate multiplied by a number of minutes.

23. The system of claim 22, the processor further operable to update the balance based on the invoiced amount.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the balance comprises an available balance and an actual balance, the processor further operable to:

reduce the available balance by the first amount, the difference between the actual balance and the available balance comprise an escrow amount;

receive an invoiced amount from the long distance provider;

the invoiced amount being less than the escrow amount;

reduce the actual balance by the invoiced amount; and

add the difference between the escrow amount and the invoiced amount to the available balance.