System and method for overloading an existing card

• US 6,427,909 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors, Barnes, Stacey Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US09/465,289
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/375, 235/440, 235/492, 235/494, 235/487, 705/41, 705/35, 705/39, 705/42
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• 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 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system and method of providing and using an overloaded card with overloaded card services. A card terminal reads a host card, and a server system determines whether or not to overload the host card with a card service of one other card. The server system overloads the host card with the other card services by associating the other card services with the host card within the server system such that no additional information must be encoded within or maintained by the host card.

Claims

1. A method of providing and using a card with a card service, comprising the steps of:

associating a host card with an associated card service that is used by a card user,

determining whether or not to overload the host card with at least one other card service of at least one other card,

setting up the host card with the at least one other card service by associating the at least one other card service with the host card if the host card is to be overloaded with the at least one other service of the at least one other card as managed by a networked server independent of altering any data stored on the host card; and

managing the host card with the at least one other card service within a networked server independent of altering any data on the host card, wherein said managing includes;

responsive to a specified vendor establishment being designated as associated with one of said at least one other card service, automatically charging said one of said at least one other card service when said host card is used at said specified vendor establishment, and

charging another of said at least one card service responsive to no specified vendor being designated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host card is read by a card terminal and wherein the card terminal is in communications with the at least one server system and wherein the at least one other card service is set up and provided by the at least one server system.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the card terminal is in communications with the at least one server system through a client system.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

programming various settings for the host card and the at least one other card service at the server system.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the programming step further comprises the step of:

programming a specified order of charging among the host card services at respective establishments that each has the card terminal if a specified card service to be charged is unable to be charged.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the programming step further comprises the steps of:

maintaining card information on the server system, and

sending desired data from the card information maintained in the server system to the card terminal of each of the respective establishments that requests the desired data.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the desired data further comprises card user address, card user telephone number, card user identification information, card expiration information, and card security information.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the host card is a subscriber to the at least one other card service,

receiving an indication of whether the card user wishes to modify the at least one other card service for the host card if the host card is a subscriber to the at least one other card service,

in response to an indication that the card user wishes to modify the at least one other card service for the card, modifying the at least one other card service,

in response to determining that the host card is not a subscriber to the at least one other card service, determining whether the card user wishes to subscribe and add the at least one other card service to the host card, and

in response to determining that the card user wishes to subscribe and add the at least one other card service, adding the at least one other card service to the host card within the server system.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the server system is a remote server that services various card terminals at a wide number of locations.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the server system is a local area server that services a number of card terminals within a local network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the server system and the card terminal are operated by a local networked vendor and further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a local card service of the local networked vendor has been associated with the host card within the server system,

in response to the local card service of the local networked vendor being associated with the host card within the server system, automatically utilizing the local card service when the host card is used at a location of the local networked vendor that has the card terminal,

in response to determining that the local card service has not been associated with the host card within the server system, receiving an indication of whether the card user wishes to set up and associate the local card service with the host card, and

in response to receiving an indication that the card user wishes to set up and associate the local card service with the host card, associating the local card service with the host card and automatically utilizing the local card service when the host card is used at a location of the local networked vendor that has the card terminal.

12. A system of providing and using a card with a card service, comprising:

means for associating a host card with an associated card service that is used by a card users,

means for determining whether or not to overload the host card with at least one other card service of at least one other card,

means for setting up the host card with the at least one other card service by associating the at least one other card service with the host card if the host card is to be overloaded with the at least one other service of the at least one other card as managed by a networked server independent of altering any data stored on the host card; and

means for managing the host card with the at least one other card service within a networked server independent of altering any data on the host card, wherein said managing includes;

responsive to a specified vendor establishment being designated as associated with one of said at least one other card service, automatically charging said one of said at least one other card service when said host card is used at said specified vendor establishment, and

charging another of said at least one card service responsive to no specified vendor being designated.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least one card terminal for reading said host card; and

at least one client system coupled between the at least one card terminal and the at least one server system wherein the at least one client system facilitates communications therebetween.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one server system is programmed with various settings for the card and the at least one other card service.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system is programmed to select among which of the host card services are to be charged when the host card is used at respective establishments that each has the at least one card terminal.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system is programmed with a specified order of charging among the host card services at respective establishments that each has the card terminal if a specified card service to be charged is unable to be charged.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system maintains card information and provides desired data from the card information to the card terminal of each of the respective establishments that requests the desired data.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the desired data further comprises card user address, card user telephone number, card user identification information, card expiration information, and card security information.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system:

determines whether the host card is a subscriber to the at least one other card service,

receives an indication of whether the card user wishes to modify the at least one other card service for the host card if the host card is a subscriber to the at least one other card service,

in response to an indication that the card user wishes to modify the at least one other card service for the host card, modifies the at least one other card service,

in response to determining that the host card is not a subscriber to the at least one other card service, determines whether the card user wishes to subscribe and add the at least one other card service to the host card, and

in response to determining that the card user wishes to add the at least one other card service, adds the at least one other card service to the host card within the server system.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system is at least one remote server that each provides services to various card terminals at a wide number of locations.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one server system is at least one local area server that each provides services to a number of card terminals within a local network.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the at least one server system and the at least one card terminal are operated by a local networked vendor and wherein the at least one server system:

determines whether a local card service of the local networked vendor has been associated with the host card within the server system,

in response to the local card service of the local networked vendor being associated with the host card within the server system, allows the local card service to be automatically utilized when the host card is used at a location of the local networked vendor that has the card terminal,

in response to determining that the local card service has not been associated with the host card within the server system, receives an indication of whether the card user wishes to set up and associate the local card service with the host card, and

in response to receiving an indication that the card user wishes to set up and associate the local card service with the host card, associates the local card service with the host card and allows the local card service to be automatically utilized when the host card is used at a location of the local networked vendor that has the at least one card terminal.

23. A program product for providing and using an existing card with a card service, comprising:

instruction means for associating a host card with an associated card service that is used by a card user,

instruction means for determining whether the host card is to be overloaded with at least one other card service of at least one other card,

instruction means for setting up the host card with the at least one other card service by associating the at least one other service of the at least one other card with the host card if the host card is to be overloaded with the at least one other service of the at least one other card as managed by a networked server independent of altering any data stored on the host card, and

instruction means for managing the host card with the at least one other card service within a networked server independent of altering any data on the host card, wherein said managing includes;

responsive to a specified vendor establishment being designated as associated with one of said at least one other card service, automatically charging said one of said at least one other card service when said host card is used at said specified vendor establishment, and

charging another of said at least one card service responsive to no specified vendor being designated, and

computer usable media bearing said instruction means.

24. The program product according to claim 23, wherein said computer usable media is a memory media.

25. The program product according to claim 23, wherein said computer usable media bearing is a floppy disk.