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

• US 20080215449A1
• 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 8,712,852 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 method for processing a payment, received from a browser-based interface, for an open transaction instrument which is distributed to a consumer at a point of sale, comprising:

receiving, from a browser-based interface at a point of sale, a payment amount related to distributing the open transaction instrument at the point of sale in association with purchase of the open transaction instrument by the consumer at the point of sale, wherein the open transaction instrument is associated with a transaction account, and wherein a card number is associated with the open transaction instrument and the transaction account;

authorizing the payment amount to create an authorized payment amount;

transmitting the authorized payment amount to the browser-based interface, wherein the browser-based interface also receives confirmation that the authorized payment amount matches a requested load amount within the transaction information to confirm distribution of the open transaction instrument to the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the authorized payment amount by administrative charges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the payment amount which was entered into the browser-based interface by at least one of:

a consumer service representative and a consumer.

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the payment amount related to purchasing a plurality of open transaction instruments having different card numbers by a single consumer.

6. The method 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.

7. The method 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.

8. The method 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.

9. The method 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.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured with restrictions.

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

geographic restrictions and device restrictions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized payment amount relates to at least one of:

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

13. The method of claim 1, 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.

14. A method for purchasing an item using an open transaction instrument, wherein a browser-based interface was used to distribute the open transaction instrument to a consumer, comprising:

receiving a debit request for a purchase amount from a card number associated with the open transaction instrument and a transaction account, wherein the browser-based interface was used to distribute the open transaction instrument to the consumer at the point of sale in association with purchase of the open transaction instrument by the consumer at the point of sale, and wherein the purchase amount relates to a purchase from a merchant;

validating the card number;

confirming that a balance associated with the card number is greater than the purchase amount;

debiting the balance by the purchase amount; and

,

transmitting an authorization of the purchase amount to the merchant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the confirming step comprises reducing the authorized payment amount by administrative charges.

16. The method of claim 14, 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.

17. The method of claim 14, 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.

18. The method of claim 14, 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.

19. The method of claim 14, 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.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured with restrictions.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the open transaction instrument is configured with restrictions comprising at least one of:

geographic restrictions and device restrictions.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the debit request relates to at least one of:

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

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the debit request 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.

24. A method for loading value into a transaction account associated with an open transaction instrument, wherein a browser-based interface was used to distribute the open transaction instrument to a consumer, comprising:

receiving a load request to increase a balance in the transaction account associated with the open transaction instrument having a card number, wherein the browser-based interface was used to distribute the open transaction instrument to the consumer at the point of sale in association with purchase of the open transaction instrument by the consumer at the point of sale;

receiving verification that a payment amount related to the load request is equivalent to the load request;

validating the card number; and

,

updating the balance by the load request.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting an authorization of the updating to at least one of:

a merchant and the consumer.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the load request 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.