SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR SELLING TRANSACTION INSTRUMENTS VIA WEB-BASED TOOL

• US 20080215448A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Vollmer, Nicole Milne, Rose, John R., Feldman, Gennye Hannover, Miller, Sven, Holt, Elizabeth Anne, Rubner, Marc, Page, Clyde, Beck, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• 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: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a system and method for distributing a transaction instrument. The system includes the steps of: offering for sale, in a retail environment, the transaction instrument; selling a selected transaction instrument; communicating with the issuer of the transaction instrument via an internet accessible web site, and enabling the use of the transaction instrument. The transaction instrument may be, for example, an open pre-paid card. The distribution of the transaction instrument may also include the step of sending a message, through the web site, in substantially real time, causing the pre-paid transaction instrument to be funded but not activated until later through an interactive voice response system, for example. In another example, an associated transaction account may be funded and activated at the time of distribution. Furthermore, an issuer system may be suitably configured to leverage existing Travelers Cheque infrastructure for inventory and related processes.

Claims

1. A browser-based system at a point of sale, the browser-based system comprising:

a browser-based tool configured to facilitate distributing an open transaction instrument at the point of sale in association with purchase of the open transaction instrument by a consumer at the point of sale;

the browser-based tool configured to receive transaction information and to facilitate the distribution of the open transaction instrument by sending the transaction information from the browser-based tool to a host system, wherein the host system authorizes distribution of the open transaction instrument, funds and activates a transaction account associated with the open transaction instrument, and sends an authorization message to the browser-based tool;

the browser-based tool further configured to receive said authorization and provide an indication of said authorization for the open transaction instrument to be vended to a consumer, wherein a card number is associated with the open transaction instrument and the transaction account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument includes a plurality of open transaction instruments having different card numbers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to receive transaction information for purchasing a plurality of open transaction instruments having different card numbers for purchase by a single consumer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument comprises at least one of:

a pre-paid card, a gift card, a charge card, a phone card, a credit card, a debit card, a mall card, a variable load card, a fixed load card, a smart card, an RFID device, a paper receipt, and a signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to cause a signal containing the card number to be transmitted to a device associated with the consumer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the card number is displayed on the open transaction instrument by at least one of:

embossing and printing the card number on the open transaction instrument.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a tracking code is included on at least one of:

the open transaction instrument and a sleeve associated with the open transaction instrument, wherein the tracking code is included in a format including at least one of;

a numerical format, a code format, bar code format, radio frequency format and magnetic stripe format.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured to be generally accepted by at least one of:

merchants that are not directly affiliated with each other, merchants within one shopping mall, merchants within one payment network, merchants within one country, and merchants within one geographic region.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured with restrictions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured with restrictions comprising at least one of:

geographic restrictions and device restrictions.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is configured to receive transaction information via a point of sale device for processing a payment for the open transaction instrument.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is configured to receive transaction information comprising at least one of:

payment data, seller data, the card number and a load amount to be loaded to the open transaction instrument.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is configured to receive transaction information comprising payment data related to at least one of:

cash, transaction account information, loyalty points and cash equivalent value.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is configured to receive transaction information comprising payment data, wherein the payment data comprises at least one of:

account code of a payment account, charged amount, issuer information, security code, expiration date, cash equivalent value, demographic data, and loyalty point value.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is configured to receive transaction information comprising a load amount, wherein the load amount comprises at least one of:

an initial load amount, reload amount, cash equivalent value, loyalty point value, information to transfer value from another account and information to transfer value to another account.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to communicate the transaction information to the host via an intermediary.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to at least one of:

receive said authorization and provide an indication of said authorization, that the open transaction instrument is at least one of;

in stock, valid for sale, payment authorization amount is equivalent to a load amount, and load information is associated with the card number.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to facilitate:

reconciling, generating reports, producing receipts, cashing out of the open transaction instruments at a point of sale, voiding the open transaction instruments when a transaction is not settled, submitting a balance inquiry, and replacing lost open transaction instruments.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to receive transaction information from at least one of:

manual entry, a database, a digital wallet, a transaction instrument reader, a bar code scanner, an RFID reader and a biometric sensor.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to facilitate moving the card number from an electronic vault to an electronic till to allow entry of the transaction information related to the card number.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the browser-based tool is further configured to facilitate moving the card number from an electronic vault associated with a parent entity to an electronic till associated with an affiliate of the parent entity, to allow entry of the transaction information related to the card number.