Prepayment wristband and computer debit system

• US 6,352,205 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seaworld Parks & Entertainment (Busch Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Busch Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Mullins, Joseph M., Mills, Donald W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/694,616
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/472.03
• US Class Current: 235/472.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A financial transaction system that does not require the need for cash, checks or credit cards to carry out financial transactions. In return for prepayment of specified sum, a bar coded wristband is issued to a customer. On issuance of the wristband, a data base record is created that is cross-referenced with the bar code number, as well as an account number, an issue date and a present balance of the account. When the user wishes to purchase goods or services, the bar code of the wristband is scanned, and the amount of the transaction is then placed into the system. The corresponding account is debited. The wristband is constructed so as to be waterproof, and includes an adhesive strip with small tear strips for fastening around the user'"'"'s wrist. An attempted removal of the wristband is effective to substantially destroy it and render it unusable to other persons.

Claims

1. A transaction system, comprising:

a wristband having

at least one bar code formed thereon,

an attaching system thereon for connecting the two ends of the wristband

around the wrist of a person,

a computer accounting system including

a data base for storing financial and associated data,

an initialization station for issuing wristbands to users in exchange for

prepayment amounts, and for associating in the data base the bar codes and the prepayment amounts,

a transaction station for scanning the bar codes of wristbands attached to users in response to financial transactions, and forwarding to the data base the bar code number scanned, and a transaction amount,

a computer associated with the data base for subtracting the transaction amount from the prepayment amount and providing a resulting balance.

2. The transaction system of claim 1, wherein said wristband is constructed of a waterproof material.

3. A transaction system, comprising:

plurality of attachable articles, each article bearing a unique identification, said articles being usable for financial transactions to purchase goods or services;

said attachable articles being issued to a user in exchange for a prepaid amount of money;

a computerized accounting system programmed to initialize an account associated with an attachable article identification only if said prepaid amount is credited to the account, said accounting system being programmed to associate said prepaid amount with both said account and said attachable article identification;

said computerized accounting system being programmed to accept said attachable article identification and a monetary value of a transaction involving a purchase of goods or services, and programmed to arithmetically deduct the monetary value of the purchase from the account associated with the attachable article identification; and

said computerized accounting system being programmed to prevent a purchase of goods or services using said attachable article identification if an associated account does not have a credit balance.