Real-time card balance on card plastic

• US 20090078777A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hammad, Ayman A., Granucci, Nicole Janine, Vriheas, Carrie Elaine
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

A system, method and prepaid payment card configured to display a current card balance on the prepaid payment card. The prepaid payment card receives a balance request from a button on the card. After retrieving the current card balance encoded on the prepaid payment card, the card displays the current card balance. Remote terminals may be configured to support the real-time display of a balance on a prepaid payment card by writing the current balance to the card after a payment transaction has occurred.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a current card balance on a prepaid payment card comprising:

receiving a balance request from a button on the prepaid payment card;

retrieving the current card balance encoded on the prepaid payment card;

displaying the current card balance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting for input of a personal identification number (PIN).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the personal identification number is valid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the current card balance is displayed only if the personal identification number is determined to be valid.

5. A prepaid payment card comprising:

a non-volatile programmable memory configured to store a current card balance;

a button configured to receive a request for the current card balance;

a display configured to show the current card balance when the button receives the request for the current card balance.

6. The prepaid payment card of claim 5, wherein the display is further configured to prompt for input of a personal identification number (PIN).

7. The prepaid payment card of claim 6, further comprising:

a processor configured to determine whether the personal identification number is valid.

8. The prepaid payment card of claim 7, wherein the current card balance is displayed only if the personal identification number is determined to be valid.

9. A method of encoding a current card balance on a prepaid payment card comprising:

determining the current card balance;

prompting a user for presentation of the prepaid payment card;

encoding the current card balance on the prepaid payment card.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the current card balance is determined by querying an acquirer, payment processor, or issuer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the current card balance is determined subtracting a transaction amount from a previous card balance.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the current card balance is encoded on a magnetic stripe on the prepaid payment card.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the current card balance is encoded on track 3 of the magnetic stripe on the prepaid payment card.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the current card balance is encoded on a non-volatile programmable memory in the prepaid payment card.

15. A computer-readable medium, encoded with data and instructions, such that when executed by a device, the instructions causes the device to:

determine a current card balance of a prepaid payment card;

prompt a user for presentation of the prepaid payment card;

encode the current card balance on the prepaid payment card.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the current card balance is determined by querying an acquirer, payment processor, or issuer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the current card balance is determined subtracting a transaction amount from a previous card balance.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the current card balance is encoded on a magnetic stripe on the prepaid payment card.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the current card balance is encoded on track 3 of the magnetic stripe on the prepaid payment card.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the current card balance is encoded on a non-volatile programmable memory in the prepaid payment card.