Systems and methods of payment account activation

• US 7,885,878 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Newbrough, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US12/128,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 235/375, 380 23- 24
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/355 Personalisation of cards for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for activating a payment account. The payment account is associated with two identifiers. A payment instrument is provided as having the two identifiers. A first identifier is read at a first point of sale device to activate the payment account. A second identifier is read by a radio frequency identification reader at a second point of sale device to access funds in the payment account. The first point of sale device may not be capable of reading the second identifier.

Claims

1. A method for activating a payment account at a point of sale device, the method comprising:

providing a payment instrument having a first identifier, a second identifier, at least one storage device, and a radio frequency device, wherein;

the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with an unique account record in a database;

the first identifier is physically stored on the at least one storage device selected from a group consisting of;

a magnetic strip,

a bar code, and

both the magnetic stripe and the barcode;

the second identifier is physically stored on the radio frequency device;

the first identifier is not associated with the second identifier; and

the first identifier cannot be used to access funds in the payment account;

receiving from the point of sale device an activation request at a processing system to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier that was read from the at least one storage device by the point of sale device;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the first identifier;

updating the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated; and

transmitting from the processing system an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

wherein the unique account record is also determinable using the second identifier;

receiving from another point of sale device a request to debit an amount from the payment account, the request comprising the second identifier that was read from the radio frequency device using the other point of sale device;

wherein the first identifier is accessible through a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader; and

wherein the second identifier is accessible through a radio frequency identification reader.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading the first identifier at the point of sale device, the point of sale device comprising the reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader;

transmitting the activation request to activate the payment account from the point of sale device to the processing system; and

receiving at the point of sale device the activation response that the payment account has been activated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is a first point of sale device, the method further comprising:

reading the second identifier at a second point of sale device, the second point of sale device comprising the radio frequency identification reader;

transmitting a debit request to debit the payment account from the second point of sale of device to the processing system; and

receiving at the second point of sale device a debit response that the payment account has been debited;

wherein the first point of sale device is incapable of reading the second identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is a first point of sale device, the method further comprising:

receiving from a second point of sale device a debit request to debit the payment account, the debit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

debiting an account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the debit request; and

transmitting from the processing system a debit response that the payment account has been debited.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first point of sale device is a same point of sale device as the second point of sale device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the unique account record using the first identifier comprises searching for a mapping from the first identifier to the unique account record in a mapping database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the mapping database is a first mapping database;

the mapping from the first identifier to the unique account record is a first mapping; and

the unique account record is also determinable using the second identifier by searching for a second mapping from the second identifier to the unique account record in a second mapping database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mapping database is a same database as the second mapping database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment account is associated with a stored value account.

10. A system for activating a payment account at a point of sale device, the system comprising:

a database having a unique account record associated with the payment account;

a payment instrument having a first identifier, a second identifier, a storage device, and a radio frequency device, wherein;

the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with the unique account record,

the first identifier is physically stored on the storage device selected from a group consisting of;

a magnetic stripe,

a bar code, and

both the magnetic stripe and the barcode;

the second identifier is stored on the radio frequency device;

the first identifier is not associated with the second identifier; and

the first identifier cannot be used to access funds in the payment account;

a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader, wherein the first identifier is accessible through the reader;

a radio frequency identification reader, wherein the second identifier is accessible through the radio frequency identification reader; and

a processing system configured to;

receive from the point of sale device an activation request to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier that was read from the payment instrument using the reader;

determine the unique account record using the first identifier;

update the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated; and

transmit an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

wherein the processing system is also configured to receive from the radio frequency identification reader the second identifier that was read from the radio frequency device and to determine the unique account record using the second identifier to permit the unique account to be debited by a payment amount.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein

the radio frequency device is removably coupled with the payment instrument.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency device is attachable to a surface other than of the payment instrument after the radio frequency device is decoupled with the payment instrument.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the payment instrument comprises a bar code and a magnetic strip, wherein the bar code comprises the first identifier and the magnetic stripe also comprises the first identifier.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first point of sale device comprising the reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader; and

a second point of sale device comprising the radio frequency identification reader.

15. A method for providing a payment account, the method comprising:

providing a payment instrument having a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein;

the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with a unique account record in a database;

the first identifier is not associated with the second identifier; and

the first identifier cannot be used to access funds in the payment account;

reading the first identifier at a first point of sale device, the first point of sale device comprising a reader selected from the group consisting of a magnetic stripe reader and a bar code reader;

transmitting an activation request to activate the payment account from the first point of sale device to a processing system;

receiving from the first point of sale device the activation request at the processing system to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the first identifier;

updating the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated;

transmitting from the processing system an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

receiving at the first point of sale device the activation response that the payment account has been activated;

reading the second identifier at a second point of sale device, the second point of sale device comprising a radio frequency identification reader;

transmitting a debit request to debit the payment account from the second point of sale of device to the processing system;

receiving from the second point of sale device the debit request to debit the payment account, the debit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

debiting an account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the debit request;

transmitting from the processing system a debit response that the payment account has been debited; and

receiving at the second point of sale device the debit response that the payment account has been debited;

wherein the first point of sale device is incapable of reading the second identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a credit request to credit the payment account, the credit request comprising the second identifier;

determining the unique account record associated with the payment account using the second identifier;

crediting the account balance in the unique account record in accordance with the credit request; and

transmitting from the processing system a credit response that the payment account has been credited.

17. A method for activating and using a payment account, the method comprising:

providing a payment instrument having a first identifier, a second identifier, a storage device, and a radio frequency device, wherein;

the first identifier and the second identifier are both associated with a unique account record in a database,

the first identifier is physically stored on the storage device,

the storage device is selected from a group consisting of;

a bar code, and a magnetic stripe;

the second identifier is physically stored on the radio frequency device;

the first identifier is not associated with the second identifier; and

the first identifier cannot be used to access funds in the payment account;

receiving at a processing system from a first point of sale device an activation request to activate the payment account, the activation request comprising the first identifier that was read from the storage device by the first point of sale device;

determining by the processing system the unique account record associated with the payment account using the first identifier;

updating the unique account record to indicate that the payment account has been activated; and

transmitting from the processing system to the first point of sale device an activation response that the payment account has been activated;

receiving from a second point of sale device a request to debit an amount from the payment account, the request comprising the second identifier that was read from the radio frequency device using the second point of sale device;

identifying by the processing system the unique account using the second identifier;

debiting the payment account by the debit amount; and

transmitting a confirmation of the debit amount to the second point of sale device.