Method and system for managing token image replacement

• US 7,374,078 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gordon, James G., Black, Marc, Salters, Michael, Spaeth, Paul, Mazour, James, Madore, Kim, Shimko, Bryan, Jones, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze; Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/540,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20070023498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/382, 235485-487, 235/380, 707/8, 707/104, 707/200, 707/1, 707/204, 707/202, 705/204, 705/202, 705/17, 705/39, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• 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 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system for managing token image replacement is provided. The system includes a remote server, a personal computer (PC) connected to the remote server, a smartcard that can be read by the PC, and a card image server. Using application logic and rules, the remote server is able to read the card image on the smartcard and determine if the card image on the smartcard needs to be updated. If an indicator on the smartcard is set to “update”, the remote server then retrieves a backup card image that corresponds to the card from the card image server. The remote server forwards the backup card image to the PC which, in turn, writes the backup card image including transaction information to the smartcard. Once the backup card image is written onto the smartcard, the indicator in the smartcard is then reset to ensure that subsequent interactions with the system would not initiate an update.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating with a portable token, said portable token containing an image corresponding to a first date;

sending information about the portable token to a server in communication with a host comprising loyalty or reward information to retrieve a backup token image, said backup token image corresponding to a second date;

receiving the backup token image; and

updating the portable token with the backup token image that was sent from the server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token is in the form of a card.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the backup token image includes only selected transaction information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token and the server engage in a mutual authentication process.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token also comprises loyalty or reward information.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the portable token is in the form of a card.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token comprises loyalty information.

8. A token acceptance device configured to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A token acceptance device configured to perform the method of claim 2.

10. A method comprising:

communicating with a portable token, said portable token containing an image corresponding to a first date;

sending information about the portable token to a server to retrieve a backup token image, said backup token image corresponding to a second date;

receiving the backup token image from the server; and

updating the portable token with the received backup token image that was sent from the server, wherein the backup token image includes selected transaction information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable token is in the form of a card.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable token and the server engage in a mutual authentication process.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable token also comprises loyalty or reward information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the portable token is in the form of a card.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the portable token comprises loyalty information.

16. A token acceptance device configured to perform the method of claim 10.

17. A token acceptance device configured to perform the method of claim 11.