Methods and systems for managing integrated credit and stored-value programs

• US 20050108130A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Monk, Justin
• Application Number:
  US10/974,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108130A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Methods are provided for producing a chip card for a customer. Credit-account parameters to be associated with the chip card are received. A credit account associated with the chip card is established in accordance with the credit-account parameters. Stored-value-account parameters to be associated with the chip card are also received, and a stored-value account associated with the chip card is established in accordance with the stored-value-account parameters. The credit account and the stored-value account are linked. Information identifying both the stored-value account and the credit account are downloaded onto a chip. The information identifies an initial balance for the stored-value account and an initial balance for the credit account. The chip is installed in the chip card. The chip card is issued to the customer substantially contemporaneously with linking the credit account and the stored-value account.

Claims

1. A method for producing a chip card for a customer, the method comprising:

receiving credit-account parameters to be associated with the chip card;

establishing a credit account associated with the chip card in accordance with the credit-account parameters;

receiving stored-value-account parameters to be associated with the chip card;

establishing a stored-value account associated with the chip card in accordance with the stored-value-account parameters;

linking the credit account and the stored-value account;

downloading information identifying both the stored-value account and the credit account onto a chip, wherein the information identifies an initial balance for the stored-value account and an initial balance for the credit account;

installing the chip in the chip card; and

issuing the chip card to the customer substantially contemporaneously with linking the credit account and the stored-value account.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein issuing the chip card is performed after linking the credit account and the stored-value account.

3. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising downloading processing software onto the chip.

4. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising downloading encryption software onto the chip.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the information includes specification of a limited set of one or more merchants at which the stored-value account may be used.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the information includes specification of a credit limit for the credit account.

7. A method for increasing an available balance of a stored-value account, the method comprising:

reading, with a chip-card communications device from a presented chip card, information identifying the stored-value account and a linked credit account, wherein the information identifies a current balance for the stored-value account and a current balance owed for the credit account;

receiving a request identifying an amount to be added to the stored-value account;

determining an updated balance for the stored-value account by increasing the current balance for the stored-value account by the identified amount;

determining an updated balance owed for the credit account by increasing the current balance owed for the credit account by the identified amount; and

writing, to the presented chip card with the chip-card communications device, updated information for the stored-value account and for the credit account, wherein the updated information identifies the updated balance for the stored-value account and the updated balance for the credit account.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the information further identifies a credit limit for the credit account, the method further comprising verifying that the updated balance owed for the credit account is less than the credit limit.

9. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the stored-value account and credit account were linked substantially contemporaneously with issuance of the chip card to a customer.

10. The method recited in claim 7 further comprising transmitting a record of increasing the available balance from the point-of-sale device to a remote host system.