Systems, methods, and devices for selling transaction instruments
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a computer for adjusting a balance of a transaction account, a request to debit a purchase amount from the balance of the transaction account, wherein an account code is associated with the transaction account, wherein a tracking code is associated with at least one of;
a transaction instrument, the package, and another item within the package, wherein the transaction instrument is configured to be directly accessible by a consumer, and wherein the transaction instrument is associated with the transaction account and the account code, wherein the account code corresponds to a tracking code, and wherein the package contains the transaction instrument;
verifying, by the computer, that the account code associated with the transaction instrument is a valid account code;
verifying, by the computer, that the balance of the transaction account associated with the transaction instrument is at least equal to the purchase amount; and
reducing, by the computer, the balance by the purchase amount.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for distributing an open transaction instrument. The system includes the steps of: accessibly offering for sale, in a retail environment, the open transaction instrument; selling a selected open transaction instrument; and enabling the use of the open transaction instrument. The transaction instrument may be, for example, an open pre-paid card. Furthermore, accessibly offering the open pre-paid card for sale, in one exemplary embodiment, is performed by hanging the pre-paid card on a rack. The distribution of the open transaction instrument may also comprise the step of sending a message, in substantially real time, causing the pre-paid open transaction instrument to be funded but not activated. Also, in accordance with further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an issuer system is suitably configured to leverage existing infrastructure for inventory and related processes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving, by a computer for adjusting a balance of a transaction account, a request to debit a purchase amount from the balance of the transaction account, wherein an account code is associated with the transaction account, wherein a tracking code is associated with at least one of;
a transaction instrument, the package, and another item within the package, wherein the transaction instrument is configured to be directly accessible by a consumer, and wherein the transaction instrument is associated with the transaction account and the account code, wherein the account code corresponds to a tracking code, and wherein the package contains the transaction instrument;verifying, by the computer, that the account code associated with the transaction instrument is a valid account code; verifying, by the computer, that the balance of the transaction account associated with the transaction instrument is at least equal to the purchase amount; and reducing, by the computer, the balance by the purchase amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with a processor for adjusting a balance of a transaction account, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising; receiving, by the processor, a request to debit a purchase amount from the balance of the transaction account, wherein an account code is associated with the transaction account, wherein a tracking code is associated with at least one of;
a transaction instrument, the package, and another item within the package, wherein the transaction instrument is configured to be directly accessible by a consumer, and wherein the transaction instrument is associated with the transaction account and the account code, wherein the account code corresponds to a tracking code, and wherein the package contains the transaction instrument;verifying, by the processor, that the account code associated with the transaction instrument is a valid account code; verifying, by the processor, that the balance of the transaction account associated with the transaction instrument is at least equal to the purchase amount; and reducing, by the processor, the balance by the purchase amount.
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20. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for adjusting a balance of a transaction account, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, by the computer-based system, a request to debit a purchase amount from the balance of the transaction account, wherein an account code is associated with the transaction account, wherein a tracking code is associated with at least one of;
a transaction instrument, the package, and another item within the package, wherein the transaction instrument is configured to be directly accessible by a consumer, and wherein the transaction instrument is associated with the transaction account and the account code, wherein the account code corresponds to a tracking code, and wherein the package contains the transaction instrument;verifying, by the computer-based system, that the account code associated with the transaction instrument is a valid account code; verifying, by the computer-based system, that the balance of the transaction account associated with the transaction instrument is at least equal to the purchase amount; and reducing, by the computer-based system, the balance by the purchase amount.
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Specification