System and method for debit account transactions

• US 7,249,054 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airtime Technologies, Inc. (Millennium Prime, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Airtime Technologies, Inc. (Millennium Prime, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keil, Dean S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/839,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 705/21, 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/40 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: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment

Abstract

A system and method for establishing a debit account via a point of sale transaction terminal which is in communication with a secure host server. The transaction terminal includes an operating program for initiating a point of sale transaction to accept funds from a customer to be deposited into a debit account; transmitting the amount of the funds to the secure host server, receiving a debit account number and personal identifier number (PIN) unique to the transaction from the secure host server; and providing a printed receipt to the customer with the debit account number and PIN. The secure host server creates a debit account having a unique debit account number specific to the transaction, stores a electronic representation of currency equivalent to the input value into the debit account; and associates a personal identification number (PIN) with the debit account. The invention further includes a database for storing the debit account number and PIN number which also maintains account balance information associated with the debit account number. The funds can then be withdrawn from the debit account by a customer using the debit account number and PIN. Personal identification data from the customer is not required to establish the account, and the account holder identity can remain anonymous.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a debit account via a point of sale transaction comprising:

(a) a transaction terminal, said terminal including input means, display means, and processing means;

(b) printing means operatively coupled to said transaction terminal;

(c) communications means integral to said transaction terminal;

(d) a secure host server in communication with said transaction terminal;

(e) said transaction terminal including;

means for initiating said point of sale transaction to accept funds from a customer to be deposited into a debit account;

means for accepting an input value representing funds to be deposited into said debit account;

means for accessing said secure host server via said communications means;

means for transmitting said input value to said secure host server;

means for receiving a debit account number unique to said transaction;

means to assign a customer selected personal identification number (PIN) to said debit account number during said transaction; and

means for providing said debit account number and said PIN to said customer in readable format.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said secure host server is operatively coupled to a processing means;

said processing means including;

means for creating a debit account specific to said transaction, means for assigning a unique debit account number to said debit account; and

means for storing an electronic representation of currency equivalent to the input value into said debit account; and

means for associating said personal identification number (PIN) with said debit account.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said debit account is indexed in said database by said debit account number and said PIN.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database for storing said debit account number, said database further including account balance information associated with said debit account number, wherein said funds can be withdrawn from said debit account by a customer using said debit account number and said PIN.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said debit account is indexed in said database by said debit account number and said customer selected PIN.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said printing means generates a printed receipt specific to said transaction containing said account number and said PIN.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said means to assign a customer-selected PIN to said debit account number comprises a keypad operatively connected to said transaction terminal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said means to assign a customer-selected PIN to said debit account number comprises a biometric scanning apparatus.