Prepaid card with multiple depositors

• US 20060155641A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Richard Postrel
• Original Assignee: Richard Postrel
• Inventors: Postrel, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/314,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A user is provided with access to funds in an account held an account server computer, the account associated with and accessible via a token. A plurality of unique depositor identifiers is associated with the account, with of the depositor identifiers enabling a depositor to deposit a subset of funds into the account. Each subset of funds will be recorded in the account in association with the depositor identifier. Each of the depositor identifiers are subsequently distributed to a plurality of depositors. A depositor may then deposit a subset of funds into the account using the depositor identifiers he or she has been provided, with the subset of funds being recorded in the account in association with the depositor identifier. A user then may access funds from the account using the token, with the funds including at least one subset of funds previously deposited by a depositor. A statement of the account may be generated that indicates each subset of funds deposited by a depositor along with the identifying indicia (i.e. the depositor identifier or a depositor name previously associated with that depositor identifier) associated with the deposited subset of funds.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user with access to funds comprising the steps of:

a. establishing an account on an account server computer, said account being associated with and accessible via a token;

b. associating a plurality of unique depositor identifiers with said account, each of said depositor identifiers enabling a depositor to deposit a subset of funds into said account, wherein said subset of funds are recorded in said account in association with said depositor identifier;

c. distributing each of said depositor identifiers to a plurality of depositors;

d. at least one depositor depositing a subset of funds into said account using one of said depositor identifiers, said subset of funds being recorded in said account in association with said depositor identifier;

e. a user accessing funds from said account using said token, said funds comprising at least one subset of funds deposited by a depositor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

f. generating a statement of said account, said statement indicating each subset of funds deposited by a depositor along with identifying indicia associated with said deposited subset of funds.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said identifying indicia comprises the depositor identifier associated with the subset of funds deposited into the account.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the depositor accesses an identification record associated with the depositor identifier and enters a depositor name in association with the depositor identifier, and wherein said identifying indicia comprises the depositor name associated with the identifier associated with the subset of funds deposited into the account.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said statement is accessible via a user computer interconnected to the account server computer via a wide area network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the token is a card encoded with an identification of the account, and wherein the step of the user accessing funds from said account using said token comprises:

i. the user presenting the token to a point of sale terminal during a purchase transaction for an item,

ii. the token being used by the point of sale terminal to determine the identification of the account,

iii. the point of sale terminal communicating with a purchase authorization system using the identification of the account to obtain an authorization for the user to execute the purchase transaction, and

iv. the purchase authorization system causing the account server computer to reduce the amount of funds in the account by the amount of the purchase transaction.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the token is a card encoded with an identification of the account, and wherein the step of the user accessing funds from said account using said token comprises:

i. the user presenting the token to a cash dispensing terminal with a request to withdraw funds from the account,

ii. the token being used by the cash dispensing terminal to determine the identification of the account,

iii. the cash dispensing terminal communicating with a cash dispensing authorization system using the identification of the account to obtain an authorization for the user to withdraw the requested funds from the account, and

iv. the purchase authorization system causing the account server computer to reduce the amount of funds in the account by the amount of the requested cash withdrawal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of at least one depositor depositing a subset of funds into said account using one of said depositor identifiers, said subset of funds being recorded in said account in association with said depositor identifier, comprises:

i. the depositor using a depositor computer to communicate with the account server computer over a wide area network;

ii. the depositor providing via the depositor computer to the account server computer the depositor identifier and an identification of a source of depositor funds from which the account server computer will obtain the subset of funds being deposited into the account by the depositor;

iii. the account server computer interacting with the source of depositor funds in order to obtain the subset of funds and deposit said subset of funds into the account.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said source of depositor funds is a bank account.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said source of depositor funds is a credit account.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying the user that the depositor has deposited a subset of funds into the account.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of unique depositor identifiers comprise a PIN.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of unique depositor identifiers comprise a biometric identifier.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the biometric identifier is a fingerprint pattern.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of unique depositor identifiers comprise a unique access code.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said funds comprise cash held in a bank account.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said funds comprise credit accessible via a credit based account.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said funds comprise non-cash value.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said funds comprise reward points,

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said funds comprise intangible privileges.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said intangible privileges comprise access rights to a restricted access organization.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of allowing each of said depositors to ascertain information regarding the user accessing funds associated with that particular depositor.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of allowing each of said depositors to establish rules regarding a manner in which the user may access the funds associated with that particular depositor.

24. The method of claim 1 in which funds deposited by said depositors are a donation, and in which said user is a charitable entity.

25. The method of claim 1 which is carried out in association with a computer network.

26. The method of claim 1 which is carried out in association with an interactive television system.