Public/private dual card system and method

• US 7,172,112 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Sharp, Ray, Reilly, Mary Ann Fitzmaurice, Nanton, Jason E., Freud, Aliza, Bonalle, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US10/709,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/384
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• 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 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• 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 for providing a multiple-service card is disclosed. A card member 108 is provided with a single card that serves as both an open transaction instrument and a private retailer transaction instrument. This multiple-service card may have the traditional credit card data on one side of the card, including, for example, the account number, name of the account holder, and the expiration date. The other side of the card may include a magnetic stripe that contains the account information in machine readable form as well as private retailer transaction instrument information. In the system, the primary party and the service partner participants cooperate to complete the processes associated with the provision of the combined card services, including a new account process, card replacement and renewal processes, a service partner cancellation process, and a process for cancellation and/or transfer by a primary party.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multiple-service card, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a service partner an application for a multiple-service card from a consumer, said application comprising fields which include credit card application information for a particular credit card and service partner information, said service partner information related at least in part to a private retailer transaction instrument associated with said service partner;

extracting said service partner information from said application;

communicating said service partner information to said service partner to determine if said service partner desires to provide access into an establishment of said service partner and to allow purchase of goods and services from said service partner using said particular credit card;

extracting said credit card application information from said application for the multiple-service card;

communicating said credit card application information to a provider of credit services, said provider of credit services thereafter determining whether it desires to extend credit to the consumer;

if said provider of credit services desires to extend credit to the consumer, establishing an account associated with said consumer, and sending the multiple-service card to the consumer, wherein said multiple-service card is configured for providing a primary party'"'"'s services and a service partner'"'"'s services, and

transferring the account to a second service partner, wherein said step of transferring comprises transmitting a file comprising indicia of a service partner account.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising replacing the multiple-service card, wherein said step of replacing comprises:

a. requesting a card replacement administrator to create a replacement card;

b. in response to said step of requesting, said card replacement administrator communicating with a card service engine;

c. said card service engine communicating account information to a card generator;

d. said card generator communicating the account information to the service partner; and

e. said service partner communicating the account information to the card replacement administrator.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising canceling a service partner private retailer transaction instrument, wherein said step of canceling comprises:

a. transmitting a file comprising indicia of an account to be canceled,

b. producing a cancellation report, and

c. producing a balancing report.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising canceling a primary party account, wherein said step of canceling comprises:

a. transmitting a file comprising indicia of an account to be canceled,

b. producing a cancellation report, and

c. producing a balancing report.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating and issuing a rebate on said credit card, wherein said rebate is based upon purchasing products and services at said service partner.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a product control number to said application.

7. A transferable, multiple-service card associated with a service partner, a primary party, and a holder, the card comprising:

a first side and a second side,

the first side having first indicia associated with said primary party,

the second side having second indicia associated with said service partner,

wherein said multiple service card is obtained by;

receiving at said service partner an application for the multiple-service card from a consumer, said application comprising fields which include credit card application information for a particular credit card and service partner information, said service partner information related at least in part to a private retailer transaction instrument associated with said service partner;

extracting said service partner information from said application;

communicating said service partner information to said service partner to determine if said service partner desires to provide access into an establishment of said service partner and to allow purchase of goods and services from said service partner using said particular credit card;

extracting said credit card application information from said application for a multiple-service card;

communicating said credit card application information to a provider of credit services, said provider of credit services thereafter determining whether it desires to extend credit to the consumer;

if said provider of credit services desires to extend credit to the consumer, establishing an account associated with said consumer, and sending the multiple-service card to the consumer, wherein said multiple-service card is configured for providing a primary party'"'"'s services and a service partner'"'"'s services; and

transferring the account to a second service partner by transmitting a file comprising indicia of a service partner account.

8. The multiple-service card of claim 7, said first indicia including an account number, a name of the holder, and an expiration date.

9. The multiple-service card of claim 7, said second indicia including a service partner information.

10. The multiple-service card of claim 7, said second indicia including at least one of a magnetic stripe that accesses an account information, signature block, customer service number, private retailer transaction instrument and an image of the card holder.

11. A method for facilitating management of a plurality of data sets on a transaction instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

enrolling a first data set owner associated with an open transaction instrument and a second data set owner associated with a private retailer transaction instrument in multiple transaction accounts on a transaction instrument program;

adding to a database on the transaction instrument, a first data set of a first format, before issuance of the transaction instrument by an issuer, wherein said first data set is owned by said first data set owner;

adding to a database on the transaction instrument, a second data set of a second format, after issuance of the transaction instrument, wherein said second data set is owned by said second data set owner, said first owner is distinct from said second owner, and said first format is different from said second format, said first data set is stored in accordance with said first format, and said second data set is stored in accordance with said second format; and

modifying at least one of said first and second data set in said database.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein said database is a remote database remote from said transaction instrument.

13. A method of claim 11, wherein said database is a radio frequency database.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising adding of a first condition header to at least one of said first and second data sets, said header added independent of said first or second format.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising modification of at least one of said first and second data sets in accordance with said condition header.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of deleting of said second data set in accordance with said condition header.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

updating of said first data set; and

deleting of said first data set from the transaction instrument.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said first data set is stored in a first memory area and wherein said first memory area is reusable by a third data set after said first data set is deleted from said first memory area.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of adding of a third data set to the transaction instrument, wherein said third data set is stored, at least partially, in at least a portion of a data storage space that was used to store said second data set.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising adding, by an interaction device, of a third data set of a third format to the transaction instrument, wherein said third data set is owned by said first owner.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said first and second data sets are each stored as a block of binary.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each of said first and second blocks of binary are annotated with at least one status indicator for indicating an action to be taken with the blocks of binary.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said updating and said deleting of said first data set is accomplished without involving an issuer of the transaction instrument and is independent of any other data set owner.

24. A system for facilitating management of a plurality of data sets stored on a radio frequency transaction instrument, said transaction instrument comprising:

at least one data storage area configured to store a first data set in a first format and a second data storage area configured to store a second data set in a second format different from said first format,

said first data set associated with a first owner, wherein said first owner is associated with an open transaction instrument and said data storage area configured to store said first data set in said first format independent of said second data set, and,

said second data set associated with a second owner, wherein said second owner is associated with a private retailer transaction instrument and said data storage area configured to store said second data set in said second format independent of said first data set;

a remote database configured to store a duplicate of information in said first data storage area and said second data storage area; and

an interaction device configured to read and write data to said transaction device storage area, said interaction device configured to receive said first and second data sets from said remote data base, and to provide said first and second data sets to said transaction instrument data base,

wherein at least one of said first and second data sets stored in said remote database is annotated with a condition header.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein at least one of said first and second data sets in said remote database is modified in accordance with said condition header.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein at least one of said first and second data sets in said RF transaction database is modified in accordance with said condition header.

27. The transaction instrument of claim 24, wherein said condition header identifies at least one of the following status conditions:

loaded, initialized, ready, blocked, removable, and deleted.

28. The transaction instrument of claim 24, further comprising a first data storage area, wherein said first data storage area is configured to receive data of any format.

29. The transaction instrument of claim 24, wherein said transaction instrument includes a radio frequency operable transponder.

30. A data management system comprising:

a transaction instrument associated with a first data set of a first format and a second data set of a second format, wherein said first data set is owned by a first owner associated with an open transaction instrument and said second data set is owned by a second owner different from the first owner and said second data set is associated with a private retailer transaction instrument, and wherein said transaction instrument is configured to facilitate at least one of a first data set owner and a user of said transaction instrument in managing said first data set without involvement of an issuer of said transaction instrument, and wherein at least one of said first and second data sets is annotated with a condition header;

a database configured to store said first and second data sets, said first data set having a format different from said second format, said database configured to store said first data set in accordance with said first format, and said database configured to store said second data set in accordance with said second format; and

an interaction device configured to communicate with said transaction instrument and said database, said interaction device configured to receive said first and second data sets and to provide said first and second data to said transaction instrument.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said first and second data sets are managed via a self-service user interaction device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said interaction device is configured to modify at least one of said first and second data sets according to at least one of the following management actions:

adding, updating, and deleting said first data set.