Customer activated multi-value (CAM) card

• US 7,707,111 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Jennifer, Brake, Francis B. Jr., Schwartz, Deborah
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Application Number:
  US10/917,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/35, 705/39, 705/41, 705/42, 705/44, 705/38, 705/40, 235380-383
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• 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 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• 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 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• 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: 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

The Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) card provides a customer with a primary use as a transaction card which can be further activated to have a secondary use as a credit card. The CAM card can be activated as a transaction card or as a transaction card with a credit card feature. Activation of the CAM card as a transaction card allows the customer to purchase goods and services from one specific vendor and to establish a relationship with that vendor for the goods or services rendered while enjoying reward benefits based on those purchases. Activation of the credit feature of the card allows the customer to interact with any merchant that accepts traditional credit cards. The combination of features allows a customer to purchase various goods and services from several different merchants.

Claims

1. A multi-feature device comprising:

at least one primary feature, wherein the at least one primary feature comprises a transaction feature; and

at least one secondary feature, wherein the at least one secondary feature comprises a credit, debit, transaction, stored value, identification, or rewards feature, or any combination thereof;

wherein a device holder activates the primary and secondary features subsequent to receipt of the device from an issuer, wherein further, with the transaction feature, the device holder is able to purchase goods or services, or any combination thereof, from at least one merchant, wherein further the device holder selects the primary feature for use at a merchant point-of-sale, wherein further the multi-feature device uses a one-way only transfer of information from the device to the merchant;

wherein all information stored on the device that identifies the at least one primary and the at least one secondary feature is contained only in a magnetic strip, an embossment or visible printing on the multi-feature device, or any combination of a magnetic strip, an embossment and visible printing on the multi-feature device.

2. The multi-feature device of claim 1, wherein the multi-feature device comprises a card or device.

3. The multi-feature device of claim 2, wherein the merchant point-of-sale comprises a store, a telephone, a computer terminal, a television set, or correspondence that travels by U.S. mail or any private delivery service.

4. The multi-feature device of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary feature is different from the at least one primary feature.

5. The multi-feature device of claim 4, wherein the at least one secondary feature is a credit feature.

6. The multi-feature device of claim 1, wherein the merchant point of sale communicates with a central processor over a network.

7. A multi-feature device comprising:

at least one primary feature, wherein the at least one primary feature comprises a transaction feature; and

at least one secondary feature, wherein the at least one secondary feature comprises a credit, debit, transaction, stored value, identification or rewards feature, or any combination thereof;

the multi-feature device being issued to a device holder by an issuer, wherein the device holder activates each primary feature and secondary feature subsequent to receipt of the device from the issuer, wherein further, with the transaction feature, the device holder is able to purchase goods or services, or any combination thereof, from at least one merchant point of sale, wherein further the multi-feature device uses one-way only transfer of information from the device to the merchant;

wherein all information stored on the device that identifies the at least one primary and the at least one secondary feature is contained only in a magnetic strip, an embossment or visible printing on the multi-feature device, or any combination of a magnetic strip, an embossment and visible printing on the multi-feature device.

8. The multi-feature device of claim 7, wherein the multi-feature device comprises a card or device.

9. The multi-feature device of claim 8, wherein the merchant point-of-sale comprises a store, a telephone, a computer terminal, a television set, or correspondence that travels by U.S. mail or any private delivery service.

10. The multi-feature device of claim 9, wherein the primary or secondary feature to be used at the merchant point-of-sale is selected according to one or more predetermined factors, the factors based on the merchant point-of-sale.

11. The multi-feature device of claim 10, wherein the predetermined factors comprise one or more of merchant, amount of transaction, primary and secondary features available for the multi-feature device, payment history of the device holder, income of the device holder, credit rating of the device holder, geographic location of merchant point-of-sale, and credit line provided by the device issuer to the device holder.

12. The multi-feature device of claim 11, wherein the device holder selects the predetermined factors.

13. The multi-feature device of claim 11, wherein the device issuer selects the predetermined factors.

14. The multi-feature device of claim 7, wherein the at least one secondary feature is different from the at least one primary feature.

15. The multi-feature device of claim 14, wherein the at least one secondary feature is a credit feature.

16. The multi-feature device of claim 7, wherein the merchant point of sale communicates with a central processor over a network.

17. A multi-feature device, comprising:

at least one primary feature, wherein the at least one primary feature is capable of being activated by a device holder; and

at least one secondary feature, wherein the at least one secondary feature is capable of being activated by the device holder,

wherein the device holder activates each primary and secondary feature subsequent to receipt of the device from an issuer, wherein further at least one of the at least one primary or secondary feature is a transaction feature enabling the device holder to purchase goods or services, or any combination thereof, from at least one merchant, wherein further the device holder is provided the option to activate at least one of the at least one primary or secondary feature at a merchant point-of-sale to purchase goods or services, or any combination thereof, wherein further the multi-feature device uses a one-way only transfer of information from the device to the merchant;

wherein all information stored on the device that identifies the at least one primary and the at least one secondary feature is contained only in a magnetic strip, an embossment or visible printing on the multi-feature device, or any combination of a magnetic strip, an embossment and visible printing on the multi-feature device.

18. The multi-feature device of claim 17, wherein the multi-feature device comprises a card or device.

19. The multi-feature device of claim 18, wherein the at least one primary feature comprises a credit, debit, transaction, stored value, identification or rewards feature, or any combination thereof.

20. The multi-feature device of claim 19, wherein the at least one secondary feature comprises a credit, debit, transaction, stored value, identification or rewards feature, or any combination thereof.

21. The multi-feature device of claim 20, wherein the at least one secondary feature is different from the at least one primary feature.

22. The multi-feature device of claim 21, wherein the at least one primary or secondary feature is a credit feature.

23. The multi-feature device of claim 17, wherein the merchant point of sale communicates with a central processor over a network.

24. The multi-feature device of claim 18, wherein the merchant point-of-sale comprises a store, a telephone, a computer terminal, a television set, or correspondence that travels by U.S. mail or any private delivery service.

25. The multi-feature device of claim 18, wherein the device holder selects which primary feature or secondary feature to activate.

26. The multi-feature device of claim 18, wherein the device issuer selects which primary feature or secondary feature to activate.