Systems and methods to temporarily transfer funds to a member

• US 8,919,644 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Billman, Bradly J., Medina, Reynaldo III, Stotts, Benjamin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US13/770,210
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide a time-limited monetary value to a member of an organization, using a member card or member icon, which may be issued by other than a bank or brokerage institution. In embodiments, the monetary value may be restricted to a single transaction and a maximum amount. In other embodiments, purchases of authorized goods and services may be controlled by corresponding product codes. A password or biometric may be used to authenticate the intended purchaser to the organization and/or merchant.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an electronic identification associated with a user;

a security subsystem to identify the user based on the electronic identification and to allow a single purchase transaction having a single currency value,

wherein the security subsystem is responsive to a unique input on the device, and

wherein the input is made by the user and associated with a code identifying an intended purchase;

a memory to store the single currency value for enabling the single purchase transaction by the user; and

a subsystem to inhibit a transaction after the single purchase transaction.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes an embedded circuit to place over a corresponding reader at a point of sale.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the subsystem further inhibits an attempt to store additional currency value into the memory.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to store a time after which the single currency value cannot be spent.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a communications transmitter to transmit a user request to a communications receiver at a transaction server to store the single currency value in the device for a selected period.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique input is associated with an identity of the user.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes indicia on the device to identify an organization of which the user is a member.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to:

associate an electronic identification provided on a user device with a member of an organization;

identify the member through a security subsystem using the electronic identification to allow a transaction, wherein the user is identified responsive to a unique input made by the member directly on the device, and wherein the unique input is associated with a code identifying an intended purchase having a single currency value;

store the single currency value on a memory of the device for enabling the single purchase transaction by the member; and

inhibit a transaction attempted after the single purchase transaction through a memory on the device.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to allow the single purchase transaction for expenses associated with vehicular insurance, including at least one of a purchase of a vehicle, vehicular towing, vehicular repair, or medical expenses.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to allow the single purchase transaction for at least one of property or casualty expenses that have been approved for the member.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to store a time in the memory after which the single currency value cannot be spent.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to provide indicia on the device to identify the organization.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to allow the transaction if a unique input associated with at least one of the member or with the member'"'"'s intended purchase is authenticated by a security subsystem coupled to the memory.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to receive the unique input as a biometric input.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to:

associate an electronic identification provided on a mobile device with a user of the mobile device;

receive an identification of an intended purchase having a single currency value by the mobile device;

identify the user through a security subsystem using the electronic identification to allow a transaction, wherein the user is identified responsive to a unique input made by the user directly on the device, and wherein the unique input is associated with a code identifying an intended purchase having a single currency value;

store the single currency value on a memory of the mobile device for enabling the single purchase transaction by the user; and

inhibit a transaction attempted after the single purchase transaction through a subsystem on the mobile device.

16. The computer-readable instructions of claim 15, further comprising instructions executable to inhibit an attempt to store additional currency value into the memory.

17. The computer-readable instructions of claim 15, wherein the identification of the intended purchase includes a characteristic of the intended purchase.

18. The computer-readable instructions of claim 15, wherein the identification of the intended purchase includes a product code associated with the intended purchase.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to allow the card-readable transaction if a unique input associated with at least one of the member or with the member'"'"'s intended purchase is authenticated by a security subsystem coupled to the subsystem.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions include instructions executable to allow the transaction responsive to a determination that the user is insured for the transaction by an organization of which the user is a member.