Prepayment wristband and computer debit system

• US 6,663,006 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• 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:
  US10/246,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.03, 235/487, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/472.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• 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:

at least one article capable of being used in transactions for goods or services upon issuance to a user;

said article bearing an identification associated with data in a computerized accounting system prior to issuance of said article for use in transactions;

said article being attachable to a user;

said computerized accounting system programmed to read said identification of said issued article; and

said system being further programmed to accept said article identification to process transactions.

2. The transaction system of claim 1, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user'"'"'s clothing.

3. The transaction system of claim 1, wherein said article is constructed so as to be capable of being applied to said users body.

4. The transaction system of claim 1, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user and not reusable by another person once removed from said user.

5. The transaction system of claim 2, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user'"'"'s clothing and not reusable by another person once removed from said user'"'"'s clothing.

6. The transaction system of claim 3, wherein said article is constructed so as to be applied to said user and not reusable by another person once removed from said user.

7. The transaction system of claim 1 wherein said identification associated with said article is associated with a credit card number.

8. The transaction system of claim 1 wherein said article identification is only accepted by said system in response to transactions for goods or services for a specified time after being issued.

13. The method of claim 1 further including associating a plurality of different articles with a single credit card number.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said articles associated with said credit card number are further associated with a maximum value.

9. A method of carrying out transactions, comprising the steps of:

issuing an article bearing an identification thereon, said article being attachable to a user; and

associating said article with at least one of a value or a credit card number in a computerized accounting system prior to issuing said article, said article being usable for transactions for goods or services after being issued.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said article is associated with a value.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said article is associated with a credit card number.

12. The method of claim 10 further including adjusting said value associated with said article by an amount of said requested goods or services.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said article is associated with a credit card number and said article is associated with a maximum value.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein said article is only active for a specified time period after being issued.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user'"'"'s clothing.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein said article is constructed so as to be cap able of being applied to said user'"'"'s body.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user and not reusable by another person once removed from said user.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said article is constructed so as to be attachable to said user'"'"'s clothing and not reusable by another person once removed from said user'"'"'s clothing.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said article is constructed so as to be applied to said user and not reusable by another person once removed from said user.

22. The method of claim 10, further including prohibiting purchase transactions of goods or services when a requested purchase amount is greater than said value associated with said article.

23. The method of claim 10, further including associating a threshold amount in association with said value of said article, and accepting said article for said transaction if said transaction amount is less than a sum of said value associated with said article and said threshold amount.