Method and system for authorizing card account transactions by geographic region

• US 7,857,212 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEDEKEL, TABITHA F
• Application Number:
  US12/031,446
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 705/38, 705/39
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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 20/4015 using location information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing

Abstract

A method and system for authorizing card account transactions by geographic region by providing data for a user interface displaying geographic regions and merchant locations each corresponding to the location of a merchant where a transaction using a card account may be initiated, receiving a user interface selection representing a request to authorize or restrict card account transactions, receiving authorization requests for desired transactions, and authorizing or restricting the transactions in accordance with the request.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing card account transactions by geographic region comprising:

receiving account information associated with a card account held by a user;

using one or more computer processors, providing data for a user interface, the user interface operable to display a plurality of geographic regions and a plurality of merchant locations in a map image, each merchant location corresponding to the location of a merchant where a transaction using the card account may be initiated, each merchant location displayed at its respective location in the map image;

determining an authorization status for each of the plurality of geographic regions and plurality of merchant locations;

receiving a user interface selection representing a request to adjust the authorization status for a selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

adjusting the authorization status for the selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

receiving an authorization request for a desired transaction using the card account; and

providing authorization information for the desired transaction in accordance with the adjusted authorization status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization status is adjusted to restricted if the authorization status was allowed prior to the adjustment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization status is adjusted to allowed if the authorization status was restricted prior to the adjustment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays the plurality of geographic regions at the street, neighborhood, zip code, county, state, province, country, or continent level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of merchant locations further corresponds to the location of a merchant with which a transaction using the card account has previously been performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions above a specified dollar amount at the selected merchant location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated during a specified time period at the selected merchant location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated by a specified user at the selected merchant location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of cards are associated with the card account and the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated using one of the plurality of cards.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the user interface in accordance with the user interface selection to display the geographic regions and merchant locations for which the corresponding authorization status is authorized and the geographic regions and merchant locations for which the corresponding authorization status is restricted.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving address information for the plurality of merchant locations; and

storing cartographic information and the received address information in a database for generating the user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is displayed on a web page, mobile device screen, automated teller machine, or branch terminal.

13. A system for authorizing card account transactions by geographic region comprising:

a communication module operable to receive account information associated with a card account held by a user;

an interface module operable to provide data for a user interface, the user interface operable to display a plurality of geographic regions and a plurality of merchant locations in a map image, each merchant location corresponding to the location of a merchant where a transaction using the card account may be initiated, each merchant location displayed at its respective location in the map image;

a processing module operable to determine an authorization status for each of the plurality of geographic regions and plurality of merchant locations;

a user interface communication module operable to receive a user interface selection representing a request to adjust the authorization status for a selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

an adjustment module operable to adjust the authorization status for the selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

a transaction processing module operable to receive an authorization request for a desired transaction using the card account; and

an authorization module operable to provide authorization information for the desired transaction in accordance with the adjusted authorization status.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the authorization status is adjusted to restricted if the authorization status was allowed prior to the adjustment.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the authorization status is adjusted to allowed if the authorization status was restricted prior to the adjustment.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface displays the plurality of geographic regions at the street, neighborhood, zip code, county, state, province, country, or continent level.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of merchant locations further corresponds to the location of a merchant with which a transaction using the card account has previously been performed.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions above a specified dollar amount at the selected merchant location.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated during a specified time period at the selected merchant location.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated by a specified user at the selected merchant location.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein a plurality of cards are associated with the card account and the request is to adjust the authorization status for the selected merchant location to restricted for card account transactions initiated using one of the plurality of cards.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface module is further operable to modify the user interface in accordance with the user interface selection to display the geographic regions and merchant locations for which the corresponding authorization status is authorized and the geographic regions and merchant locations for which the corresponding authorization status is restricted.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an address information receipt module operable to receive address information for the plurality of merchant locations; and

a database module operable to store cartographic information and the received address information in a database for generating the user interface.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is displayed on a web page, mobile device screen, automated teller machine, or branch terminal.

25. A computer-accessible medium encoded with computer program code effective to perform the following:

receive account information associated with a card account held by a user;

provide data for a user interface, the user interface operable to display a plurality of geographic regions and a plurality of merchant locations in a map image, each merchant location corresponding to the location of a merchant where a transaction using the card account may be initiated, each merchant location displayed at its respective location in the map image;

determine an authorization status for each of the plurality of geographic regions and plurality of merchant locations;

receive a user interface selection representing a request to adjust the authorization status for a selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

adjust the authorization status for the selected geographic region or selected merchant location;

receive an authorization request for a desired transaction using the card account; and

provide authorization information for the desired transaction in accordance with the adjusted authorization status.