EMERGENCY SERVICES / VIRTUAL TRAVEL WALLET

• US 20180068399A1
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Inventors: Feinberg, Cory J., Miller, Kathleen L., Beasley, Rene Humphrey, Montano, Jesus R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,504,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer and network architecture configured to provide one or more travel services to users. The one or more travel services may enable the user to obtain funds in the event that the user'"'"'s financial cards and/or cash are lost or stolen while the user is travelling. Additionally, the one or more travel services may enable the user to obtain a temporary form of identification if the user'"'"'s passport or other form of identification are lost or stolen while travelling. Other travel services may that may be provided include a financial card cancellation service, a credit bureau alert service, a prepaid card service, or other services that enable a user to recover from an emergency situation that arises while the user is travelling.

Claims

1. A method for providing one or more pre-configured travel services to a user, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first device, identification information corresponding to user;

receiving, by the first device, travel service information, wherein the travel service information identifies one or more travel services pre-configured by the user in advance of the user travelling from a first location to a second location;

storing, by the first device, the identification information and the travel service information in a database, wherein the identification information and the travel service information are stored in association with an account of the user;

receiving, by the first device from a second device, a travel service request message that requests authorization to provide at least one pre-configured travel service of the one or more travel services to the user, wherein the travel service request message includes user identification information associated with an identity of the user, and wherein the second device is geographically remote from the first device;

authenticating, by the first device, an identity of the user based at least in part on the identification information stored in the database and the identification information included in the travel service request message; and

in response to authentication of the user, transmitting, from the first device to the second device, a travel service authorization message to provide the at least one travel service to the user, wherein the second device initiates operations to provide the at least one pre-configured travel service to the user based, at least in part, on the travel service information stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more travel services pre-configured by the user comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of:

a money transfer transaction service, a form of identification replacement service, a document replacement service, a financial card cancellation service, a credit bureau alert service, an itinerary service, a log-in information service, a contact information service, and a prescription medication service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the money transfer transaction service is pre-configured by staging a money transfer transaction prior to the user travelling from the first location to the second location, wherein information representative of the staged money transfer transaction is stored in the database, the method further comprising providing the money transfer transaction service to the user, wherein the money transfer transaction service is provided by:

retrieving, by the first device, the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction from the database, wherein the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction includes information that identifies a receive amount associated with the staged money transfer transaction and identifies a threshold time period during which the staged money transfer transaction is valid, the threshold time period corresponding to a predicted time period when the user will be at the second location;

determining, by the first device, whether the threshold time period is satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the threshold time period is satisfied, transmitting a transaction authorization message from the first device to the second device to authorize completion of the staged money transfer transaction, wherein completion of the staged money transfer transaction includes providing an amount of funds corresponding to the receive amount to the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the form of identification replacement service is preconfigured by storing information representative of one or more forms of identification for identifying the user in the database, the method further comprising providing the form of identification replacement service to the user, wherein the form of identification replacement service is provided by:

receiving, by the first device from the second device, a request to create a temporary form of identification for the user;

in response to receiving the request to create the temporary form of identification, retrieving, by the first device, the identification information from the database;

determining, by the first device, a template for creating the temporary form of identification for the user based on the identification information; and

transmitting, by the first device, the template for creating the temporary form of identification to the second device, wherein the second device creates the temporary form of identification for the user, wherein the temporary form of identification is provided to the user, and wherein the temporary form of identification is a valid form of identification for identifying the user at the second location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the form of identification replacement service to the user further comprises:

determining, by the first device, a location corresponding to the user'"'"'s residence based on the identification information;

determining, by the first device, an entity authorized to generate an authoritative form of identification for the user in a jurisdiction corresponding to the user'"'"'s residence; and

transmitting, by the first device, a request to the entity to request creation of an authoritative form of identification for the user, wherein the authoritative form of identification serves as a replacement for a lost or stolen form of identification of the user previously issued to the user by the entity, and as a replacement for the temporary form of identification.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein authenticating the identity of the user the based at least in part on the identification information further comprises:

receiving, by the first device from the second device, second biometric information of the user;

retrieving, by the first device, biometric information from the database, wherein the biometric information is included in the identification information stored in the database and was captured prior to the user travelling from the first location to the second location;

comparing, by the first device, the biometric information stored in the database and the second biometric information to determine whether the biometric information stored in the database matches the second biometric information to within a threshold tolerance;

creating, by the first device, the authorization to provide the at least one travel service to the user in response to a determination that biometric information stored in the database matches the second biometric information to within the threshold tolerance; and

in response to a determination that biometric information stored in the database matches the second biometric information to within the threshold tolerance;

creating, by the first device, an authentication failure message, wherein the authentication failure message indicates that providing the at least one travel service to the user is not authorized; and

transmitting the authentication failure message from the first device to the second device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing, at the database, travel service authorization data including one or more pre-configured measures for authenticating the user, wherein authentication of the user by the first device is performed, at least in part, based on validating that the one or more pre-configured measures for authenticating the user are satisfied.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the financial card cancellation service is preconfigured by storing information identifying one or more financial cards issued to the user and information identifying one or more financial card issuers that issued at least one of the one or more financial cards to the user in the database, the method further comprising providing the financial card cancellation service to the user, wherein the financial card cancellation service is provided by:

retrieving, by the first device, the information identifying the one or more financial cards issued to the user and the information identifying the one or more financial card issuers that issued at least one of the one or more financial cards to the user from the database;

creating, by the first device, one or more financial card cancellation messages, wherein each of the one or more financial card cancellation messages corresponds to one of the one or more financial cards issued to the user; and

transmitting, by the first device, each of the one or more financial card cancellation messages to a particular financial card issuer of the one or more financial card issuers to request cancellation of particular financial cards issued to the user by the particular financial card issuer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the credit bureau alert service is preconfigured by storing information identifying at least one credit bureau in a database, the method further comprising:

generating, by the first device, at least one credit bureau alert notification including information identifying the user and one or more items stolen from, or lost by the user while travelling to or visiting the second location, the one or more items including items selected from the group consisting of;

financial cards, identification cards, identification documents, financial account information, itinerary information; and

transmitting, by the first device, the at least one credit bureau alert notification to the at least one credit bureau, wherein the at least one credit bureau alert notification is generated and transmitted automatically in response to initiating the operations to provide the pre-configured financial card cancellation service.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification information and the travel service information are received prior to the user travelling from the first location to the second location, the first location corresponding to a country of residence for the user and the second location corresponding to a foreign country with respect to the country of residence for the user, and wherein the travel service request, when received by the first device, indicates that that one or more items have been stolen from, or lost by, the user, the one or more items selected from the group consisting of:

a driver'"'"'s license, a passport, a financial card, a travel itinerary, money, and prescription medication.

11. An apparatus configured to provide one or more pre-configured travel services to a user, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface;

one or more user input devices;

a memory; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and to the network interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

receive identity information associated with a user via the one or more user input devices;

generate a travel service request message including the identity information and a request for authorization to provide at least one pre-configured travel service to the user, wherein the at least one travel service was pre-configured by the user in advance of the user travelling from a first location to a second location;

initiate transmission of the request to a remote device via the network interface, wherein the remote device authenticates an identity of the user based at least in part on the identity information included in the travel service request message and identification information stored in a database;

receive, via the network interface from the remote device, a travel service authorization message that includes an authorization to provide the at least one pre-configured travel service to the user; and

in response to receiving the travel service authorization message, initiate operations to provide the at least one pre-configured travel service to the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one pre-configured travel service comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of:

a money transfer transaction service, a form of identification replacement service, a financial card cancellation service, a credit bureau alert service, a document replacement service, an itinerary service, a log-in information service, a contact information service, and a prescription medication service.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the money transfer transaction service is pre-configured by staging a money transfer transaction, wherein information representative of the staged money transfer transaction is stored in a database, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured money transfer transaction comprise:

retrieving, from the database, the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction, wherein the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction includes information that identifies a receive amount associated with the staged money transfer transaction and identifies a threshold time period during which the staged money transfer transaction is valid, the threshold time period corresponding to a predicted time period when the user will be at the second location;

determining whether the threshold time period is satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the threshold time period is satisfied, completing the staged money transfer transaction, wherein completion of the staged money transfer transaction includes providing an amount of funds corresponding to the receive amount to the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the form of identification replacement service is preconfigured by storing information representative of one or more forms of identification for identifying the user in a database, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured form of identification replacement service comprise:

transmitting a request to create a temporary form of identification for the user to the remote device;

in response to transmitting the request to create the temporary form of identification, receiving a template for creating the temporary form of identification from the database; and

creating the temporary form of identification based on the template, wherein the temporary form of identification is provided to the user, and wherein the temporary form of identification is a valid form of identification for identifying the user at the second location.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the document replacement service is preconfigured by storing copies of one or more documents in a database, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured document replacement service comprise:

retrieving at least one document of the one or more documents from the database;

printing the at least one document; and

providing the at least one printed document to the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the financial card cancellation service is preconfigured by storing information identifying one or more financial cards issued to the user and information identifying one or more financial card issuers that issued at least one of the one or more financial cards to the user in a database, wherein each of the one or more financial card issuers issued at least one of the one or more financial cards identified in the database to the user, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured financial card cancellation service comprise:

retrieving the information identifying the one or more financial cards issued to the user and the information identifying the one or more financial card issuers from the database; and

transmitting one or more financial card cancellation messages to the one or more financial card issuers, wherein a particular financial card cancellation message of the one or more financial card cancellation messages requests cancellation of financial cards issued to the user by a particular financial card issuer of the one or more financial card issuers.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the credit bureau alert service is preconfigured by storing information identifying at least one credit bureau in a database, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured credit bureau alert service comprise:

generating at least one credit bureau alert notification including information identifying the user and one or more items stolen from, or lost by the user while travelling to or visiting the second location, the one or more items including items selected from the group consisting of;

financial cards, identification cards, identification documents, financial account information, itinerary information; and

transmitting the at least one credit bureau alert notification to the at least one credit bureau, wherein the at least one credit bureau alert notification is generated and transmitted automatically in response to initiating the operations to provide the pre-configured financial card cancellation service.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for providing one or more pre-configured travel services to a user, the operations comprising:

receiving identity information associated with a user via one or more user input devices;

generating a travel service request message including the identity information and a request for authorization to provide at least one pre-configured travel service to the user, wherein the at least one travel service was pre-configured by the user in advance of the user travelling from a first location to a second location, wherein the at least one pre-configured travel service comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of;

a money transfer transaction service, a form of identification replacement service, a financial card cancellation service, a credit bureau alert service, an itinerary service, a log-in information service, a contact information service, and a prescription medication service, and wherein travel service information corresponding to the at least one pre-configured by travel service is stored in a database;

initiating transmission of the request to a remote device via a network interface, wherein the remote device authenticates an identity of the user based at least in part on the identity information included in the travel service request message and identification information stored in the database;

receiving, via the network interface from the remote device, a travel service authorization message that includes an authorization to provide the at least one pre-configured travel service to the user; and

in response to receiving the travel service authorization message, initiating operations to provide the at least one pre-configured travel service to the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the money transfer transaction service is pre-configured by staging a money transfer transaction, wherein the travel service information includes information representative of the staged money transfer transaction, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured money transfer transaction comprise:

accessing the database to retrieve the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction, wherein the information associated with the staged money transfer transaction includes information that identifies a receive amount associated with the staged money transfer transaction and identifies a threshold time period during which the staged money transfer transaction is valid, the threshold time period corresponding to a predicted time period when the user will be at the second location;

determining whether the threshold time period is satisfied; and

in response to a determination that the threshold time period is satisfied, completing the staged money transfer transaction, wherein completion of the staged money transfer transaction includes providing an amount of funds corresponding to the receive amount to the user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the form of identification replacement service is preconfigured by storing information representative of one or more forms of identification for identifying the user in a database, and wherein operations to provide the pre-configured form of identification replacement service comprise:

accessing the database to retrieve the information representative of one or more forms of identification for identifying the user;

generating a temporary form of identification for identifying the user based on a template, wherein the template is generated based at least in part on the information representative of one or more forms of identification for identifying the user, wherein the temporary form of identification is provided to the user, and wherein the temporary form of identification is a valid form of identification at the second location;

determining a location corresponding to the user'"'"'s residence based on the identification information;

determining an entity authorized to generate an authoritative form of identification for the user in a jurisdiction corresponding to the user'"'"'s residence; and

transmitting a request to the entity to request creation of an authoritative form of identification for the user, wherein the authoritative form of identification serves as a replacement for a lost or stolen form of identification of the user previously issued to the user by the entity, and as a replacement for the temporary form of identification.