Debit card with activation control

• US 6,270,012 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1996
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DocuSystems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magnetic Ticket & Label Corporation (HFS Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/664,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 235/486, 235/487, 235/493, 235/380, 235/381, 206/39, 206/460, 379/112, 379/114, 283/81
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification

Abstract

A method for providing security for the embedded value of a debit card and a secured debit card package having an embedded value and being adapted to be sold from open and unprotected retail shelving. The second debit card package comprises a debit card, formed as from a first material bearing a card identification number, and packaging formed as from a second different material securing the debit card thereto, the packaging defining a window through which the card identification number is visible, a magnetic stripe disposed on the packaging, the magnetic stripe bearing an encoded representation of a card identification number borne by the debit card, the stripe being positioned to be scanned by a terminal for reading the encoded representation from the packaging and for transmitting the encoded representation to a remote processing center for testing of the representation to determine whether the debit card should be activated.

Claims

1. A secured debit card package having an embedded value and being adapted to be sold from open and unprotected retail shelving, said secured debit card package comprising:

a debit card bearing at least one card identification number on a first surface thereof;

packaging means separate and distinct from said debit card, said packaging means mounting the debit card therein, and defining a window in said packaging means and confronting said first surface through which said one card identification number is visible,

a magnetic stripe disposed on the packaging means, the magnetic stripe bearing an encoded representation of said one card identification number which is visible through said window, said stripe being positioned to be scanned by a terminal for reading said encoded representation from the packaging means and for transmitting said encoded representation to a remote processing center for testing of said representation to determine whether said debit card should be activated.

2. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said debit card is formed from a first material and said packaging means is formed from a second different material.

3. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said debit card bears two card identification numbers, and wherein a second card identification number comprises a PIN number, and wherein said packaging means obscures the PIN number on the debit card and renders the one card identification number visible through said window.

4. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said card identification number is displayed in a bar code format.

5. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said card identification number is displayed in a human readable format.

6. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said packaging means comprises a substantially opaque paper backing confronting said debit card first surface with a substantially transparent plastic film overlying the other surface of said debit card.

7. A method of providing security for the embedded value of a debit card adapted to be displayed and sold in an unsecured environment such as a retail establishment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a debit card having an embedded value with a card identification number;

securing said debit card within a package defining a window through which said card identification number is visible;

providing a magnetic stripe on said package;

reading the card identification number through said window, and providing an encoded representation of said card identification number on said stripe, said magnetic stripe being positioned on said package to be presented to a terminal for reading and transmission of said encoded representation to a remote computer, whereby, when said remote computer receives said encoded representation, the remote computer may determine whether the embedded value is authorized for use.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said debit card bears first and second card identification numbers, said first card identification number comprises a PIN number, and wherein said package obscures the PIN number on the debit card while rendering the second card identification number visible through said window.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7, and wherein said method comprises a further step of receiving said encoded representation at a remote computer and determining whether the embedded value is authorized for use.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the remote computer tests the received encoded representation for an anticipated association with the terminal from which the encoded representation was transmitted.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the debit card is activated when the anticipated association is present.

12. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the debit card is not activated if the anticipated association is absent.

13. A method of making a secured debit card package for display and sale in an unsecured environment such as a retail establishment, comprising the steps of

providing a plurality of pre-formed debit cards of a first material, each debit card bearing a card identification number and each debit card having an embedded value,

providing a plurality of packages, each package being adapted to house a said debit card, each said package defining a window and having a magnetic stripe,

securing a said debit card to a said package with said card identification number being visible through said window, and

after securing a said debit card to a said package, reading said card identification number through said window and applying an encoded representation of said debit card identification number to said magnetic stripe, whereby when said magnetic stripe is presented to a terminal for reading said encoded representation, said representation may be transmitted to a remote computer for authorizing the use of said embedded value.

14. A debit card system with activation control, the debit card system comprising:

a debit card having front and rear surfaces and bearing a card identification number;

a package substantially surrounding the debit card, the package being adapted to make said card identification number visible therethrough;

a magnetic stripe disposed on the package, the magnetic stripe bearing an encoded representation of said card identification number derived from viewing the identification number on the debit card after it is surrounded by the package;

a terminal adapted to read a representation of said card identification number from the package and transmit said representation to a remote processing center, said terminal having a terminal identification number; and

a remote processing center for testing said representation and activating said debit card for use by a purchaser.

15. The debit card system of claim 14, wherein said debit card bears first and second card identification numbers, said first card identification number comprising a PIN number, said package obscuring the PIN number on the debit card while rendering the second card identification number visible.

16. The debit card system of claim 14, wherein said remote processing center tests said representation and said terminal identification number, and, if an anticipated association exists, activates said debit card for use by a purchaser.

17. The debit card system of claim 14, wherein said terminal adapted to read a representation of said card identification number reads said representation of said card identification number from the magnetic stripe.

18. The debit card system of claim 14, wherein said terminal adapted to read a representation of said card identification number reads said representation of said card identification number from the debit card through the package.

19. A debit card system with activation control, the debit card system comprising:

a debit card bearing a card identification number;

a package substantially surrounding the debit card, the package being adapted to make said card identification number visible;

a magnetic stripe disposed on the package, the magnetic stripe bearing an encoded representation of said card identification number;

a terminal adapted to read a representation of said card identification number from the package and transmit said representation to a remote processing center, said terminal having a terminal identification number;

a remote processing center for testing said representation and activating said debit card for use by a purchaser; and

wherein said remote processing center tests said representation and said terminal identification number, and, if an anticipated association exists, activates said debit card for use by a purchaser; and

wherein said anticipated association comprises a correspondence between the geographic location to which said debit card was shipped and the geographic location of the terminal identified by said terminal identification number.

20. The secured debit card package of claim 1, wherein said debit card bears two card identification numbers on said first surface and said packaging means comprises a substantially opaque backing defining said window in a selected location, and wherein a first card identification number is visible through said window and a second card identification number is a PIN number which is obscured by said opaque backing.

21. The method of claim 13, and wherein said pre-formed debit cards bear two card identification numbers, one being a PIN number and wherein the step of securing a said debit card to a said package includes obscuring the PIN number in a location spaced from said window.