System or Method for Storing Credit on a Value Card or Cellular Phone Rather Than Accepting Coin Change

• US 20130026229A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murray Jarman, Regan O'Reilly, Scott Barlow, Shane Jarman
• Original Assignee: Murray Jarman, Regan O'Reilly, Scott Barlow, Shane Jarman
• Inventors: Jarman, Murray, Jarman, Shane, O'Reilly, Regan, Barlow, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,390,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/088 the card reader being part of the point of sale [POS] terminal or electronic cash register [ECR] itself
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner

Abstract

A system and method for receiving a value on or associated with a consumer card in lieu of actually receiving coin change. In particular embodiments, and RFID device or other card reader/writer device is connected either in place of, or parallel to, an electric coin dispenser on a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal or cash register. Instead of receiving an odd amount of coin change after a purchase, the RFID device can augment a total value either stored on the card itself or in an account associated with the card. Alternatively a clerk can cause value to be added to a card equal to the amount that would have given as coin change. A consumer can redeem value up to the amount on the value card at participating stores as if it were a gift card. In one embodiment, a customer ID, total value and optionally a password or PIN can be stored on a smartcard usually in encrypted form. Alternatively, the card or telephone can simply present a barcode which relates to an account. The present invention can either be implemented to work with a particular merchant or merchant chain, or it can be implemented to work across a large number of participating merchants. The latter case usually requires a single remote value account accessible by all the participating merchants.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining value on a card in lieu of receiving coin change comprising:

an RFID device attached to a POS terminal or cash register, said RFID device adapted to receive a command from said POS terminal or cash register specifying a particular customer ID and a particular coin change value;

wherein, said RFID device, upon reading a card or cellular phone with said particular ID, augments a total value stored on said card by said coin change value.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

said RFID device being adapted to receive a command from said POS terminal or cash register specifying a particular customer ID and a particular desired redeem monetary value;

wherein said RFID device, upon reading a card or cellular phone with said particular ID, removes said redeem monetary value from said card if said card contains at least that desired redeem monetary value.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said card is a smartcard.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said RFID device is attached to said POS terminal or cash register in lieu of a coin dispenser.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said device is attached to said POS terminal or cash register in parallel to a coin dispenser.

6. A method for obtaining value on a card or cellular phone in lieu of receiving coin change comprising providing a card reader device to be connected to a POS terminal or cash register wherein a coin change value is added to a total on a consumer card, a remote account or cellular phone instead of being dispensed as coin change.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said card reader device communicates reads or writes said card or cellular phone wirelessly.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said card reader device is an RFID device.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said consumer presents a barcode to said reader device.

10. A method for maintaining change coin value in lieu of dispensing coin change comprising:

accepting a card swipe or proximity presence of a consumer card or cellular phone upon termination of a transaction with an RFID device or a card reader;

augmenting a total value associated with said card by an amount of coin change due said consumer from said transaction.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

accepting a card swipe or proximity presence of said consumer card to redeem value from said total value;

decreasing said total value by an amount specified by said consumer if said total value is at least as much as said amount specified.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein proximity presence is detected by an RFID device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said card is a smartcard and said total value is stored on said smartcard.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said total value is encrypted on said smartcard.

15. An apparatus for providing value on a card or cellular phone in lieu of dispensing coin change in a commercial transaction comprising:

an RFID device attached to a POS terminal or cash register, said RFID device adapted to receive a command from said POS terminal or cash register specifying a particular customer ID and a particular coin change value;

wherein said RFID device, upon reading a card or cellular phone with said particular ID either augments a total value stored on said card by said coin change value or removes a desired redeem monetary value from said card or cellular phone if said card or cellular phone contains at least that desired redeem monetary value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said card is a smartcard.

17. An apparatus of claim 15 wherein said phone is a smartphone.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said card or cellular phone presents a barcode to said RFID device.