System and method for interactive secure dialog between card holder and issuer

• US 7,143,069 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Vallat, Brent, Sacheti, Sandeep, Mulder, Michael, Marshall, Vernon, Mansell, Michael, Lacivita, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/155,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• 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 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A computer implemented method and apparatus for ensuring secured dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network is provided. The system facilitates real-time communicate between a card provider virtual agent and a card holder using a card holder interface operating via a network. In a typical arrangement, the card holder requests completion of a transaction from a merchant system via a network. The upon receiving notification that the transaction request has been denied by the card provider system, the card holder is provided real-time access to the card provider virtual agent. The virtual agent may then send a transaction approval code to the card provider system overriding any transaction denial and permitting the card holder to resubmit the transaction request to the merchant system for subsequent approval.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for facilitating secure dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network, comprising:

a card provider server including a database of information having a plurality of card holder accounts data, the account data including at least a card holder status, the card provider server configured to manipulate the database;

a computer network;

a remote card holder interface for providing card holder access to the network;

a card provider virtual agent for communicating with the card holder interface and the card provider server to facilitate authorization of transactions; and

a merchant processing system for communicating with the card holder interface and the card provider server, the merchant processing system for receiving a transaction request from the card holder interface, sending a transaction authorization request to the card provider server, and receiving a transaction authorization notice from the card provider server, the transaction authorization notice comprising an approval notice or a denial notice from the card provider server,

wherein, in response to a denial notice from the card provider server, the merchant processing system provides a notification, in accordance with the transaction authorization notice, to the card holder interface, and the notification includes a linking means configured to enable the card holder to establish communication with the virtual agent through the card holder interface regarding the denied transaction request by selecting the linking means, which selection transmits information relating to the customer and the denied transaction to the virtual agent.

2. A computer implemented system for ensuring secure dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the linking means is provided to a card holder message account for receiving messages via a network, wherein the card holder message account is provided notification of the authorization notice in accordance with the authorization notice received from the card provider server.

3. A computer implemented system for ensuring secured dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the virtual agent sends a transaction approval code to the card provider server, the transaction approval code for establishing a transaction approval status for a transaction based on the card holder status.

4. A computer implemented system for ensuring secured dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the virtual agent provides the card holder approval status to the card holder interface.

5. A computer implemented system for ensuring secure dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the linking means provides means for ensuring authorized use of a card holder account by the card holder interface during the communications between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

6. A computer implemented system for ensuring secure dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the virtual agent ensures authorized use of a card holder account by the card holder interface during the communications between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

7. A computer implemented system for ensuring secured dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 3, wherein the transaction authorization notice includes an approval notice.

8. A computer implemented system for ensuring secured dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network according to claim 1, wherein the virtual agent sends a transaction denial code to the card provider server, the transaction denial code for establishing a transaction denial status for the card holder status.

9. A computer implemented method for facilitating secure dialog between a card holder and a card provider via a network, comprising:

accepting a transaction request from a card holder interface at a merchant transaction processing system via a network;

requesting a card provider server to provide a transaction authorization of the transaction request;

receiving a transaction authorization notice from the card provider server in response to the transaction authorization request, wherein the transaction authorization notice comprises an approval notice or a denial notice;

sending to the card holder interface, in response to a denial notice, a notification in accordance with the transaction authorization notice, the notification including a means for enabling the card holder to establish communication with the virtual agent via the network regarding the denied transaction request by selecting the linking means, which selection transmits information relating to the customer and the denied transaction to the virtual agent.

10. A method according to claim 9 further including the step of allowing authorized account access during communication between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

11. A method according to claim 9 further including the step of allowing authorized account access prior to the communication between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the means for enabling the card holder to establish communication with the card provider virtual agent via the network is received at a network based message account accessible by the card holder interface.

17. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of providing the means for enabling the card holder to establish communication with the card provider virtual agent via the network to a network based message account accessible by the card holder interface.

18. A method according to claim 9, further comprising receiving a transaction authorization code from the virtual agent at the card provider server in response to the communication between the card holder interface and the virtual agent, the transaction authorization code establishing a transaction approval status or a transaction denial status for a card holder account.

13. A computer implemented method of facilitating approval of a transaction using a secured dialog system allowing communication between a card holder and a card provider via a network, comprising:

receiving a first transaction request at a merchant transaction processing system via a network;

requesting from a card provider server a transaction authorization of the first transaction request;

receiving a transaction authorization notice from the card provider server in response to the first transaction authorization request;

providing, to a card holder interface, the transaction authorization notice, wherein the transaction authorization notice comprises an approval notice or a denial notice;

providing to the card holder interface, in response to a denial notice, a means for enabling the card holder to establish communication with a card provider virtual agent via the network, regarding the denied transaction request by selecting the linking means, which selection transmits information relating to the customer and the denied transaction to the virtual agent, the virtual agent configured to provide a transaction authorization code to the card provider server;

receiving the transaction authorization code at the card provider server, the transaction code establishing a transaction approval status or a transaction denial status for a card holder account;

receiving a second transaction request from the merchant transaction processing system re-requesting a transaction authorization notice from the card provider server; and

approving the transaction request, and forwarding a transaction request approval notice from the card provider server.

14. A method according to claim 13 further including the step of facilitating authorized account access during communication between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

15. A method according to claim 13 further including the step of facilitating authorized account access prior to the communication between the card holder interface and the virtual agent.

16. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of providing the means for communicating between the card holder interface and a card provider virtual agent via the network to the card holder interface during a transaction request process.