Family stored value card program

• US 20050098624A1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CC Serve Corp. (Atlanticus Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Compucredit Intellectual Property Holdings Corporation II
• Inventors: Foss, Sheldon H. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1075 : PIN is checked remotely

Abstract

A family stored value card program is provided. One embodiment is a method for implementing a stored value card program. One such method comprises: identifying an existing stored value card account; and enabling a first customer associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer, the new stored value card account linked to the first stored value card account.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a stored value card program, the method comprising:

identifying an existing stored value card account; and

enabling a first customer associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer, the new stored value card account linked to the first stored value card account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling a first customer associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer occurs via a customer service web site associated with a stored value card provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling a first customer associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer occurs via an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling a first customer associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer occurs via a merchant terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying an existing stored value card account comprises swiping a stored value card at a merchant terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the first customer to load the new stored value card account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the enabling the first customer to load the new stored value card account comprises transferring the load amount from the existing stored value card account to the new stored value card account.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering a stored value card associated with the new stored value card account to the second customer; and

enabling the second customer to use the stored value card.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the enabling the second customer to use the stored value card comprises enabling the second customer to withdrawal from the stored value card account at an automated teller machine (ATM).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the existing stored value card account comprises a primary account and the new stored value card account comprises a sub-account associated with the primary account.

12. The merchant terminal of claim 11, wherein the new stored value card account is linked to the first stored value card account as a sub-account.

14. The merchant terminal of claim 12, wherein the family enrollment module comprises:

logic configured to identify the existing stored value card account based on the data read from the card reader;

logic configured to enable the existing customer to specify the second customer via the user interface;

logic configured to authenticate the second customer based on the information provided by the existing customer; and

logic configured to create the new stored value card account.

15. The merchant terminal of claim 14, wherein the logic configured to identify the existing stored value card account comprises:

logic configured to prompt the existing customer to swipe the existing stored value card; and

logic configured to retrieve an account number from the data read from the card reader.

16. The merchant terminal of claim 14, wherein the logic configured to authenticate the second customer involves checking the identity of the second customer against a database.

17. The merchant terminal of claim 11, further comprising a transfer module configured to enable the existing customer to transfer funds from the existing stored value card account to the new stored value card account.

11. A merchant terminal for providing stored value card services, the merchant terminal comprising:

a card reader for reading data from a stored value card associated with an existing stored value card account of a first user; and

a family card enrollment module for enabling the first user associated with the existing stored value card account to establish a new stored value card account associated with a second customer.

13. The merchant terminal of claim 11, wherein the family enrollment module is supported by an interactive user interface.

18. A method for implementing a stored value card program, the method comprising:

enrolling a first customer in a stored value card program with a first stored value card account; and

enrolling a second customer in the stored value card program with a second stored value card account, the second stored value card account comprising a secondary account associated with the first stored value card account.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transferring funds from the first stored value card account to the second stored value card account.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the enrolling a second customer in the stored value card program occurs via at least one of a point-of-sale terminal, a customer service web site, and an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising establishing a maximum value for an aggregate balance on the first stored value card account and the second stored value card account.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the second stored value card account is established by the first customer.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second stored value card accounts are managed as a single stored value card account.