METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR TOPPING UP PREPAID PAYMENT CARDS FOR OFFLINE USE

• US 20100312617A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cowen, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• 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: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A card holder carries out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card. The prepaid payment card is configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in the infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of the balance. Contemporaneously with the initial top-up, the card holder registers risk mitigation information in association with the pre-paid payment card. Subsequent to the initial top-up, an indicator is written to the pre-paid payment card during a transaction with the pre-paid payment card outside the infrastructure. The indicator identifies the pre-paid payment card as having the risk mitigation information associated therewith. During subsequent presentation of the pre-paid payment card to the infrastructure, the pre-paid payment card is treated as a token backed up by the risk mitigation information, based on presence of the indicator on the pre-paid payment card.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

facilitating a card holder carrying out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card, said prepaid payment card being configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in said infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of said balance;

contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitating said card holder registering risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card;

subsequent to said initial top-up, facilitating writing an indicator to said pre-paid payment card during a transaction with said pre-paid payment card outside said infrastructure, said indicator identifying said pre-paid payment card as having said risk mitigation information associated therewith; and

during subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card to said infrastructure, treating said pre-paid payment card as a token backed up by said risk mitigation information, based on presence of said indicator on said pre-paid payment card.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said card holder comprises a transit system rider;

said infrastructure comprises normal access terminals of a transit system, said normal access terminals being contactless; and

said different behavior required by said specification comprises normally requiring contacted transactions for topping up said balance of said pre-paid payment card.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said risk mitigation information comprises personal contact information of said transit system rider.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said risk mitigation information comprises a backup funding source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said backup funding source comprises one of a credit card account and a debit card account.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said initial top-up is carried out using a card-not-present transaction for said one of a credit card account and a debit card account.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of treating said pre-paid payment card as a token comprises:

refraining from deducting funds directly from said pre-paid payment card upon subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card for access to said transit system; and

recording details of use of said pre-paid payment card for access to said transit system, for a predetermined period; and

effectuating back-office payment for said access to said transit system with said pre-paid payment card for said predetermined period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of effectuating said back-office payment comprises debiting a central balance associated with said pre-paid payment card.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said risk mitigation information comprises a backup funding source and wherein said step of effectuating said back-office payment further comprises accessing said backup funding source to effectuate said payment only in a case where said central balance is inadequate to effectuate said back office payment.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of effectuating said back-office payment comprises obtaining payment from said backup funding source upon expiration of said predetermined period.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising facilitating opt-in, by said transit system rider, to said obtaining payment from said backup funding source upon expiration of said predetermined period.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of treating said pre-paid payment card as a token further comprises granting access to said transit system, upon subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card, without further checking, using offline decisioning based on presence of said indicator, with one of:

no further checking; and

reduced checking, as compared to checking carried out for cards not having said indicator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said granting of said access comprises opening a fare gate.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein said predetermined period comprises a predetermined number of transactions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said predetermined number of transactions is one.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said predetermined number of transactions is greater than one.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein said predetermined period comprises a predetermined aggregation time period.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein said indicator is under control of an issuer of said pre-paid payment card.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, in said step of facilitating writing said indicator, said indicator is written to said pre-paid payment card by a pre-existing retail point of sale terminal outside of said transit system.

20. The method of claim 2, further comprising the additional step of:

providing a system, wherein said system comprises distinct software modules, each of said distinct software modules being embodied on at least one tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium, and wherein said distinct software modules comprise a payment platform module, an issuer module, and an infrastructure terminal module;

wherein;

said step of facilitating said card holder carrying out said initial top-up of said balance of said pre-paid payment card is carried out by said payment platform module executing upon at least one infrastructure server;

said step of facilitating said card holder registering said risk mitigation information is carried out by said payment platform module executing upon said at least one infrastructure server;

said step of facilitating writing said indicator to said pre-paid payment card during said transaction outside said infrastructure is carried out by said issuer module executing on an issuer host; and

said step of treating said prepaid payment card as a token is carried out by said infrastructure terminal module executing on at least one infrastructure terminal.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for facilitating a card holder carrying out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card, said prepaid payment card being configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in said infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of said balance;

means for, contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitating said card holder registering risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card;

means for, subsequent to said initial top-up, facilitating writing an indicator to said pre-paid payment card during a transaction with said pre-paid payment card outside said infrastructure, said indicator identifying said pre-paid payment card as having said risk mitigation information associated therewith; and

means for, during subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card to said infrastructure, treating said pre-paid payment card as a token backed up by said risk mitigation information, based on presence of said indicator on said pre-paid payment card.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to;

facilitate a card holder carrying out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card, said prepaid payment card being configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in said infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of said balance;

contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitate said card holder registering risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card;

subsequent to said initial top-up, facilitate writing an indicator to said pre-paid payment card during a transaction with said pre-paid payment card outside said infrastructure, said indicator identifying said pre-paid payment card as having said risk mitigation information associated therewith; and

during subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card to said infrastructure, treat said pre-paid payment card as a token backed up by said risk mitigation information, based on presence of said indicator on said pre-paid payment card.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said at least one processor comprises a first processor, a second processor, and a third processor, further comprising:

distinct software modules, each of said distinct software modules being embodied on at least one tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium, and wherein said distinct software modules comprise a payment platform module, an issuer module, and an infrastructure terminal module;

wherein;

said first processor is operative to facilitate said card holder carrying out said initial top-up of said balance of said pre-paid payment card by executing said payment platform module;

said first processor is operative to facilitate said card holder registering said risk mitigation information by executing said payment platform module;

said second processor is operative to facilitate writing said indicator to said pre-paid payment card during said transaction outside said infrastructure by executing said issuer module; and

said third processor is operative to treat said prepaid payment card as a token by executing said infrastructure terminal module

24. A computer program product comprising at least one tangible computer readable recordable storage medium including computer usable program code, said computer program product including:

computer usable program code for facilitating a card holder carrying out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card, said prepaid payment card being configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in said infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of said balance;

computer usable program code for, contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitating said card holder registering risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card;

computer usable program code for, subsequent to said initial top-up, facilitating writing an indicator to said pre-paid payment card during a transaction with said pre-paid payment card outside said infrastructure, said indicator identifying said pre-paid payment card as having said risk mitigation information associated therewith; and

computer usable program code for, during subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card to said infrastructure, treating said pre-paid payment card as a token backed up by said risk mitigation information, based on presence of said indicator on said pre-paid payment card.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said computer program product comprises distinct software modules, each of said distinct software modules being embodied on said at least one tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium, and wherein said distinct software modules comprise a payment platform module, an issuer module, and an infrastructure terminal module;

wherein;

said payment platform module comprises;

said computer usable program code for, contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitating said card holder registering said risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card; and

said computer usable program code for, contemporaneously with said initial top-up, facilitating said card holder registering risk mitigation information in association with said pre-paid payment card;

said payment platform module being configured to execute upon an infrastructure server;

said issuer module comprises said computer usable program code for, subsequent to said initial top-up, facilitating writing said indicator to said pre-paid payment card during said transaction with said pre-paid payment card outside said infrastructure, said issuer module being configured to execute upon an issuer host; and

said infrastructure terminal module comprises said computer usable program code for, during subsequent presentation of said pre-paid payment card to said infrastructure, treating said pre-paid payment card as said token backed up by said risk mitigation information, based on said presence of said indicator on said pre-paid payment card, said infrastructure terminal module being configured to execute on at least one infrastructure terminal.