Method for providing financial instruments to customers of a service provider

• US 20070162381A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCIP Corporation
• Original Assignee: Compucredit Intellectual Holdings Corporation II
• Inventors: Petralia, Kathryn, Frohwein, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

Methods for providing financial instruments to customers and applicants of a service provider are disclosed. One method, among others, includes providing a device such as a mobile telephone to a user, and providing the user with a contactless card having a financial account identifier that is associated with a financial account.

Claims

1. A method of providing credit, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an application for a mobile telephone service, wherein an applicant submits the application and the application includes information about the applicant;

causing a determination on whether the applicant qualifies for a credit account to be made, wherein the determination is based at least in part on information included in the application, wherein the credit account is provided by a financial service provider;

causing the applicant to receive a contactless card having an identifier of the credit account therein;

causing the contactless card and a mobile telephone to be joined; and

receiving an economic benefit from the financial service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received economic benefit includes payment from the credit account for telephone services.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

providing at least a portion of the application to the financial service provider, and wherein the received economic benefit includes receiving payment for providing the portion of the application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received economic benefit includes receiving payment in response to the determination being made that the applicant qualifies for the credit account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received economic benefit includes receiving a portion of charges applied against the credit account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing having an exterior surface, and wherein the contactless card is configured to couple to the exterior surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing having an exterior surface, and wherein the contactless card is configured to adhere to the exterior surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing, and wherein the housing is configured to receive the contactless card.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a cavity configured to receive the wireless card.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone includes electrical circuitry, and wherein the contactless card is electrically isolated from the electrical circuitry of the mobile telephone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit account is associated with the telephone service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit account is a private label account.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit account is a co-branded account.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit account is a general purpose account.

15. A method of providing credit to a customer of a telephone service provider, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least a portion of an application for a mobile telephone service, wherein an applicant submits the application and the application includes information about the applicant, and wherein a telephone service provider provides the applied for mobile telephone service;

determining whether the applicant qualifies for a credit account, wherein the determination is based at least in part on information included in the application;

responsive to determining that the applicant is qualified for the credit account, opening the credit account;

causing the applicant to receive a contactless card having an identifier of the credit account therein, wherein the contactless card and a mobile telephone are configured to be joined; and

providing an economic benefit to the telephone service provider.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the economic benefit includes payment from the credit account for telephone services.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the economic benefit includes providing payment for receiving the portion of the application.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the economic benefit includes providing payment in response to determining that the applicant qualifies for the credit account.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the economic benefit includes providing a portion of charges applied against the credit account.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing having an exterior surface, and wherein the contactless card is configured to couple to the exterior surface.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing having an exterior surface, and wherein the contactless card is configured to adhere to the exterior surface.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile telephone defines a housing, and wherein the housing is configured to receive the contactless card.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the housing includes a cavity configured to receive the wireless card.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile telephone includes electrical circuitry, and wherein the contactless card is electrically isolated from the electrical circuitry of the mobile telephone.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the credit account is associated with the telephone service provider.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the credit account is a private label account.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the credit account is a co-branded account.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the credit account is a general purpose account.

29. A method of providing a financial services to a customer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile telephone to a customer, wherein telephone services for the mobile telephone are pre-paid; and

providing the user with a contactless card, the contactless card including a debit card having a monetary value associated therewith, wherein at least one of the mobile telephone and the contactless card is configured to be joined with the other.

30. A method of providing a financial services to a customer of a telephone service provider, the method comprising the steps of:

causing the customer to receive an offer for a credit account, wherein a mobile telephone is associated with the customer, wherein the credit account is associated with the telephone service provider;

causing the customer to receive a contactless card having an identifier of the credit account therein, wherein the contactless card is electrically isolated from electric circuitry of the mobile telephone; and

providing an economic benefit to the telephone service provider.

31. A method of providing a financial services to a customer of a telephone service provider, the method comprising the steps of:

causing the customer to receive an offer for a credit account, wherein a mobile telephone is associated with the customer, wherein the credit account is provided by a financial service provider;

causing the customer to receive a contactless card having an identifier of the credit account therein, wherein the contactless card is electrically isolated from electric circuitry of the mobile telephone; and

receiving an economic benefit from the financial service provider.