Method and system for managing token image replacement

• US 7,624,917 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US11/923,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/382, 235485-487, 707/8, 707/104, 707/200, 707/1, 705/204, 705/202
• 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 for using a portable token, the method comprising:

providing a portable token comprising loyalty program information to a token acceptance device, wherein the token acceptance device thereafter reads an update indicator on the portable token, the update indicator indicating if the portable token requires updating;

receiving at least a portion of a backup token image from a server at the portable token if the update indicator indicates that the portable token is to be updated; and

updating the portable token with at least a portion of the backup token image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising mutually authenticating the portable token with a remote server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the remote server comprises an open program engine.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the token acceptance device comprises a loyalty plug-in and wherein the method further comprises:

communicating with the loyalty plug-in using the portable token.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least a portion of the backup token image comprises an entire backup token image.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token is in the form of a smartcard.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the update indicator is reset after receiving the at least a portion of the backup token image.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the token acceptance device comprises a loyalty plug-in and wherein the method further comprises:

communicating with the loyalty plug-in using the portable token, wherein the loyalty plug-in detects whether an update of the portable token is needed.

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

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable token is in the form of a newly issued card.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the update indicator on the portable token is set by an issuer of the portable token prior to being sent to a user.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a server to provide at least a portion of a backup token image for a portable token comprising loyalty information and an update indicator the update indicator indicating if the portable token requires updating; and

sending the at least a portion of the backup token image from the server to the portable token via a token acceptance device;

wherein the token acceptance device updates the portable token with the at least a portion of the backup token image.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising mutually authenticating the portable token and a remote server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the remote server comprises an open program engine.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least a portion of the backup token image comprises an entire backup token image.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the update indicator is configured to be reset after receiving the at least a portion of the backup token image.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the token acceptance device updates the portable token with a subset of the least a portion of the backup token image.

18. A server configured to receive a request to provide at least a portion of a backup token image for a portable token comprising loyalty information and an update indicator, the update indicator indicating if the portable token requires updating;

and

send the at least a portion of the backup token image to the portable token from the server via a token acceptance device;

wherein the token acceptance device updates the portable token with the at least a portion of the backup token image.

19. The server of claim 18 wherein the server is further configured to mutually authenticate the portable token and a remote server.

20. The server of claim 19 wherein the remote server comprises an open program engine.

21. The server of claim 18 wherein the at least a portion of the backup token image comprises an entire backup token image.

22. The server of claim 18 wherein the update indicator is configured to be reset after receiving the at least a portion of the backup token image.