System and method for an integrated payment and reward card

• US 20060266821A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Bank National Association (US Bancorp)
• Original Assignee: US Bank National Association (US Bancorp)
• Inventors: Tabat, Carolyn G., Zajkowski, Joseph W., Christenson, Anne M., Hack, Kenneth C., Sonnenberg, Brad M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• 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 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An integrated rewards card includes a credit card number associated with a credit account of a person, persons, entity or a business. The integrated rewards card also includes a debit card number. The debit card number is different then the credit card number. Purchases using the credit card number cause a reward balance on a reward account associated with the debit card number to be increased. Products or services can be purchased with the reward account using a point of sale device for the credit card number.

Claims

1. An integrated rewards card, comprising:

a payment card number associated with a payment account of a person, persons, an entity, or a business; and

a debit card number, different than the payment card number, wherein purchases using the payment card number cause a reward balance on a reward account associated with the debit card number to be increased, wherein products or services can be purchased with the reward account using a POS device for the payment card number.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment account and the reward account are maintained by a common institution.

3. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment account and the award account are maintained by separate entities.

4. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment card number is an encoded number on a magnetic strip.

5. The card of claim 4, wherein the debit card number is an encoded number on a magnetic strip.

6. The card of claim 5, wherein the payment card number and debit card number are encoded on separate strips or chips.

7. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment card number is embossed on a face of the card and the debit card number is non-embossed.

8. The card of claim 7, wherein the debit card number is printed on the card.

9. The card of claim 8, wherein the debit card number is printed without embossing on an opposite face to the face of the card.

10. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment card number and debit card number have the same first four numbers.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein the payment card number and debit card number have the same six numbers.

12. The card of claim 10, wherein the first four numbers of the debit card number are not written on the card.

13. The card of claim 1, wherein the card is a VISA or Mastercard.

14. The card of claim 1, wherein the payment card account is a credit account.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second number is a credit card number.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first four digits of the debit card number are not visible on the card.

15. A method of procurement using a payment card having a debit card number associated with a first account, wherein the payment card has a second number associated with a second account, wherein use of the second number to purchase goods or services results in an accumulation in the first account, the method comprising:

providing the payment card to a merchant;

determining whether to use the first number or the second number to at least partially purchase a good or a service;

using a point of sale device to process the debit card number, the point of sale device being capable of processing the second number for purchases of goods or services; and

consummating a transaction upon receiving verification.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a same banking institution is associated with the debit card number and the second number.

19. A financial system, comprising:

an integrated credit/debit reward card including a payment card number associated with a payment account and a debit card number, the debit card number is different than the payment card number, the payment associated with a debit account corresponding to the debit card number, wherein purchases using the payment card number increase the debit account; and

point of sale equipment for processing the payment card number and the debit card number, wherein the payment card number and the debit card number are processed utilizing the same network.

20. The financial system of claim 19, wherein the same network is an open credit card network.