Secure card

• US 8,376,225 B1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Hopkins, John Chandler III
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US13/294,637
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/381, 235/379, 705/1, 705/39
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination

Abstract

Systems and methods for monetary cards are described. The cards are free from personally identifiable data, e.g., no name or embossment. In an example, the card includes a first number that activates the card and a second number written to the card at activation away from the card manufacturer. This helps prevent theft at the manufacturer. This second account is a bearer account where anyone who knows the account number can withdraw the funds from the account. The account may be funded with either the account number or the authentication number.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, to a user, a financial transaction card that includes a first account number, wherein the first account number is not associated with an account from which the financial transaction card draws funds;

receiving, electronically from a financial transaction terminal, the first account number, security information, and funding information;

verifying the received first account number and the received security information;

generating, based on the verification of the received first account number and the received security information, a second account number associated with a second account from which the financial transaction card draws funds;

funding the second account based on the funding information; and

transmitting, to the financial transaction terminal, the second account number and instructions to write the second account number to the financial transaction card.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the funding information includes a funding amount provided by the user; and

funding the second account based on the funding information includes transferring the funding amount from a funding source to the second account.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the funding information further includes identification of the funding source.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a transaction request to perform the financial transaction using the financial transaction card, wherein the transaction request includes a transaction amount;

debiting the second account by at least the transaction amount; and

transmitting an approval in response to the transaction request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction card includes a magnetic strip and the instructions direct the financial transaction terminal to write the second account number to the magnetic strip.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second account number is geo-encrypted to limit use of the financial transaction card to a specified geographic area.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the security information is associated with the user and includes one or more of:

a user name, a password, a personal identification number (PIN), and a biometric identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction terminal is one of:

an automated teller machine (ATM), an at-home automated banking device, and a point of sale (POS) terminal.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting instructions to erase the second account number from the financial transaction card when a balance of the second account reaches zero.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

providing, to a user, a financial transaction card that includes a first account number, wherein the first account number is not associated with an account from which the financial transaction card draws funds;

receiving, electronically from a financial transaction terminal, the first account number, security information, and funding information;

verifying the received first account number and the received security information;

generating, based on the verification of the received first account number and the received security information, a second account number associated with a second account from which the financial transaction card draws funds;

funding the second account based on the funding information; and

transmitting, to the financial transaction terminal, the second account number to be written to a non-viewable storage location on the financial transaction card.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 wherein:

the funding information includes a funding amount provided by the user; and

funding the second account based on the funding information includes transferring the funding amount from a funding source to the second account.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the funding information further includes identification of the funding source.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a transaction request to perform the financial transaction using the financial transaction card, wherein the transaction request includes a transaction amount;

debiting the second account by at least the transaction amount; and

transmitting an approval in response to the transaction request.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises deactivating the second account when a balance of the second account upon occurrence of a pre-determined event.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises transmitting instructions to erase the second account number from the financial transaction card in response to the deactivating.

16. A computerized transaction card management system comprising:

a card configuration module configured for associating a first account number with a financial transaction card, wherein the first account number is not associated with an account from which the financial transaction card draws funds;

an interface module configured for receiving, from a financial transaction terminal, input from a user including the first account number, security information, and funding information;

an account setup module configured for;

verifying the received first account number and the received security information;

generating, based on the verification of the received first account number and the received security information, a second account number associated with a second account from which the financial transaction card draws funds; and

funding the second account based on the funding information; and

wherein the interface module is further configured for transmitting, to the financial transaction terminal, the second account number and instructions to write the second account number to the financial transaction card.

17. The computerized transaction card management system of claim 16 wherein:

the funding information includes a funding amount provided by the user and an identification of a funding source; and

funding the second account based on the funding information includes transferring the funding amount from the funding source to the second account.

18. The computerized transaction card management system of claim 16 wherein the interface module is further configured for:

receiving a transaction request to perform the financial transaction using the financial transaction card, wherein the transaction request includes a transaction amount; and

transmitting an approval in response to the transaction request after the second account has been debited by at least the transaction amount.

19. The computerized transaction card management system of claim 16 wherein:

the financial transaction terminal is one of;

an automated teller machine (ATM), an at-home automated banking device, and a point of sale (POS) terminal; and

the interface module receives the input from the financial transaction terminal in a secure electronic communication.

20. The computerized transaction card management system of claim 16 wherein the interface module is further configured for transmitting instructions to erase the second account number from the financial transaction card when a balance of the second account reaches zero.