Pre-paid purchasing card and method

• US 7,134,594 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alessandra Coradeschi, Daniel Thompson
• Original Assignee: Alessandra Coradeschi, Daniel Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Daniel, Coradeschi, Alessandra
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/221,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20040011864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/379, 235/375, 235/487, 235/492, 235/493, 283/57, 902/25, 902/26
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• 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 pre-paid purchasing system comprises a pre-paid purchasing card and a plurality of single use access codes on the card. Each access code is usable to authorize one payment of an amount which is subtracted from the pre-paid amount of the card. After use, an access code becomes null and void. Moreover, a method for managing purchases of goods and services from the Internet, mail-order catalogs, any merchant, etc. is proposed.

Claims

1. A pre-paid purchasing system comprising:

a pre-paid purchasing card comprising a pre-paid balance; and

a plurality of single use access codes on the card, wherein each access code is usable to authorize one payment in one transaction for any amount up to the pre-paid balance, and wherein the amount of the one payment is subtracted from the pre-paid balance of the card after use of the access code, and the used access code is rendered null and void.

2. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a security code is associated with the plurality of access codes and the security code is supplied or combined with each access code for authorizing said payment.

3. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security code is at least one of stored and printed on another support.

4. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the other support is a second card.

5. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transfer code on the card exists for authorizing transfer of a remaining pre-paid balance from the card to another card carrying another pre-paid balance with which the remaining pre-paid balance is combined.

6. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each access code is printed on the card and shadowed by a layer of removable scrape paint.

7. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a transaction system receiving said codes from the card via a transaction terminal, the transaction system comprising a computerized archive in which a table for each card is stored, the table comprising at least the card security code, the remaining amount of the card, all card access codes, and a flag associated with each access code, wherein after use of an access code for a payment, the amount of the payment being decreased from the remaining amount in the table and the flag corresponding to the used access code being are marked to indicate that the access code has become null and void.

8. The pre-paid purchasing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the table comprises a transfer code for enabling transfer of the remaining amount to another card and a flag associated with the transfer code, wherein after transfer said flag is being marked to indicate that the card has become null and void.

9. A method for activating a transaction for purchasing goods and services from the Internet, mail-order catalogs, or any merchant, comprising the steps of:

supplying a security code and at least one single use access code selected from a plurality of single use access codes provided on a pre-paid card comprising a pre-paid amount representing an initial pre-paid balance, wherein each of the at least one single-use access code can authorize one payment in one transaction for any amount up to a pre-paid balance remaining;

asking for said single use access code and said security code or a combination of them following a request of payment transaction for a purchase, the request including a transaction amount;

authorizing said purchase payment if the single use access code and the security code are associated with a pre-paid balance remaining that is equal to or higher than the payment transaction amount required for the purchase;

decreasing the pre-paid balance remaining by the payment transaction amount associated with said single-use access code and security code; and

marking the single use access code after use thereof to indicate that said access code has become null and void.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the single use access codes associated with a same security code are a plurality and wherein the security code becomes null and void after all access codes of the plurality have been used or after the pre-paid amount associated with said security code has become zero.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a transfer code is associated with the security code and the method further comprises:

checking the reception of a transfer code together with the security code and, upon receipt thereof;

adding the pre-paid amount associated with the security code to an amount associated with another security code, and

annulling the amount associated with the security code whose transfer code is received.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the single use access code is printed on the pre-paid card and the security code is on another support.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the said support is a second card.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the single use access code is shadowed by a layer of removable scrape paint.

15. A pre-paid purchasing system comprising:

a pre-paid purchasing card comprising a pre-paid balance; and

a plurality of single use access codes on the card, wherein each single use access code is usable to authorize one payment in one transaction for any amount up to the pre-paid balance, and wherein the amount of the one payment is subtracted from the pre-paid balance of the card after use the single use access code, and the used single use access code is rendered null and void;

the pre-paid purchasing system executing a method comprising;

supplying a security code and at least one single use access code associated with a pre-paid amount representing an initial pre-paid balance, wherein each of the at least one single-use access code can authorize one payment in one transaction for any amount up to a pre-paid balance remaining;

asking for said single use access code and said security code or a combination of them following a request of payment transaction for a purchase, the request including a transaction amount;

authorizing said purchase payment if the single use access code and the security code are associated with a pre-paid balance remaining that is equal to or higher than the payment transaction amount required for the purchase;

decreasing the pre-paid balance remaining by the payment transaction amount associated with said single-use access code and security code; and

marking the single use access code after use thereof to indicate that said access code has become null and void.