SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PAYMENT ACCOUNT ACTIVATION

• US 20090299864A1
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Newbrough, Keith A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for activating a payment account. The payment account is associated with two identifiers. A payment instrument is provided as having the two identifiers. A first identifier is read at a first point of sale device to activate the payment account. A second identifier is read by a radio frequency identification reader at a second point of sale device to access funds in the payment account. The first point of sale device may not be capable of reading the second identifier.

Claims

1. A method for activating a payment account at a point of sale device, the method comprising:

providing a payment instrument having a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with a unique account record in a database;

receiving from the point of sale device an activation request at a processing system to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the first identifier;

updating the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated; and

transmitting from the processing system an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

wherein the unique account record is also determinable using the second identifier;

wherein the first identifier is accessible through a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader; and

wherein the second identifier is accessible through a radio frequency identification reader.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading the first identifier at the point of sale device, the point of sale device comprising the reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader;

transmitting the activation request to activate the payment account from the point of sale device to the processing system; and

receiving at the point of sale device the activation response that the payment account has been activated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is a first point of sale device, the method further comprising:

reading the second identifier at a second point of sale device, the second point of sale device comprising the radio frequency identification reader;

transmitting a debit request to debit the payment account from the second point of sale of device to the processing system; and

receiving at the second point of sale device a debit response that the payment account has been debited;

wherein the first point of sale device is incapable of reading the second identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is a first point of sale device, the method further comprising:

receiving from a second point of sale device a debit request to debit the payment account, the debit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

debiting an account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the debit request; and

transmitting from the processing system a debit response that the payment account has been debited.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first point of sale device is a same point of sale device as the second point of sale device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the unique account record using the first identifier comprises searching for a mapping from the first identifier to the unique account record in a mapping database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the mapping database is a first mapping database;

the mapping from the first identifier to the unique account record is a first mapping; and

the unique account record is also determinable using the second identifier by searching for a second mapping from the second identifier to the unique account record in a second mapping database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mapping database is a same database as the second mapping database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier has a same value as the second identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is not associated with the second identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment account is associated with a stored value account.

12. A system for activating a payment account at a point of sale device, the system comprising:

a database having a unique account record associated with the payment account;

a payment instrument having a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with the unique account record;

a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader, wherein the first identifier is accessible through the reader;

a radio frequency identification reader, wherein the second identifier is accessible through the radio frequency identification reader; and

a processing system configured to;

receive from the point of sale device an activation request to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier;

determine the unique account record using the first identifier;

update the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated; and

transmit an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

wherein the processing system is also configured to determine the unique account record using the second identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the payment instrument comprises a radio frequency device, wherein:

the radio frequency device comprises the second identifier; and

the radio frequency device is removably coupled with the payment instrument.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency device is attachable to a surface other than of the payment instrument after the radio frequency device is decoupled with the payment instrument.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment instrument comprises a bar code, the bar code comprising the first identifier.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment instrument comprises a magnetic stripe, the magnetic stripe comprising the first identifier.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment instrument comprises a bar code and a magnetic strips, wherein the bar code comprises the first identifier and the magnetic stripe also comprises the first identifier.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a first point of sale device comprising the reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader; and

a second point of sale device comprising the radio frequency identification reader.

19. A method for providing a payment account, the method comprising:

providing a payment instrument having a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with a unique account record in a database;

reading the first identifier at a first point of sale device, the first point of sale device comprising a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader;

transmitting an activation request to activate the payment account from the first point of sale device to a processing system;

receiving from the first point of sale device the activation request at the processing system to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the first identifier;

updating the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated;

transmitting from the processing system an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

receiving at the first point of sale device the activation response that the payment account has been activated;

reading the second identifier at a second point of sale device, the second point of sale device comprising a radio frequency identification reader;

transmitting a debit request to debit the payment account from the second point of sale of device to the processing system;

receiving from the second point of sale device the debit request to debit the payment account, the debit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

debiting an account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the debit request;

transmitting from the processing system a debit response that the payment account has been debited; and

receiving at the second point of sale device the debit response that the payment account has been debited;

wherein the first point of sale device is incapable of reading the second identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a credit request to credit the payment account, the credit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

crediting the account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the credit request; and

transmitting from the processing system a credit response that the payment account has been credited.