Association of contactless payment card primary account number

• US 8,991,699 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Dixon, Philip B., Knauft, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US12/877,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20110220718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/492, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/382.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and machines are disclosed for enabling contactless devices, such as contactless payment cards and other devices having near-field communication (NFC) capabilities, for use as fare media in a transit and/or transportation system. Embodiments include reading contactless data from a contactless device and associating it with information received from another source on the device. For example, associating a primary account number (PAN) and/or other information received from a contactless payment card'"'"'s contactless interface with a PAN obtained from a magnetic stripe of the contactless payment card. The information can then be further associated with one or more products and/or a transit user account.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a first handheld media having near-field communication (NFC) capabilities for use as fare media in a transit system providing account-based products, the method comprising:

receiving a first account identifier from a first source of the first handheld media, wherein;

the first account identifier is unique to the first handheld media, the first account identifier including a primary account number (PAN); and

the first source comprises an NFC interface;

receiving a second account identifier from a second source of the first handheld media, wherein the second account identifier is different than the first account identifier;

responsive to receiving the first account identifier and the second account identifier from the first handheld media, creating a transit user account for managing transactional information of a user of the transit system, the transit user account having;

information including the first account identifier and second account identifier; and

information associating the account with a transit product;

enabling the first handheld media for use as fare media at one or more access control points of the transit system;

receiving, at an access point of the transit system, a third account identifier from an NFC interface of a second handheld media, the third account identifier including the PAN of the first account identifier;

determining that the second handheld media is not associated with the transit product associated with the first handheld media; and

denying a person the ability to use the transit product associated with the first handheld media based, at least in part, on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first account identifier further includes one or more of:

a sequence code;

a name of an account holder;

or

an expiry date.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second account identifier comprises one or more of:

a PAN;

a name of an account holder;

or

an expiry date.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the second account identifier comprises a PAN; and

the PAN of the second account identifier is different than the PAN of the first account identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second source of the first handheld media comprises one or more of:

a magnetic stripe;

a bar code;

or

a visible number or code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an activation code at a first location; and

receiving the activation code at a second location prior to the enabling the first handheld media for use as fare media at the one or more access control points of the transit system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from the user of the transit system; and

including at least a portion of the information received from the user of the transit system in the transit user account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first handheld media comprises:

a contactless payment card;

an identification card;

a mobile device with NFC capabilities;

or

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first handheld media comprises a contact less payment card; and

the method further comprises receiving payment for the transit product, wherein the payment is funded with a financial account associated with the payment card.

10. A machine for enabling a contactless device for use as fare media in a transportation system providing account-based products, the machine comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with a network;

a first input interface, the first input interface configured to receive information from radio frequency (RF) signals;

a second input interface configured to receive information;

a processor communicatively coupled with the network interface, the first and second input interfaces, and a memory; and

the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the machine to;

receive RF signals via the first input interface, the RF signals communicating a first account identifier from a first source of the contactless device, wherein the first account identifier includes data unique to the contactless device;

receive, via the second input interface, a second account identifier from a second source of the contactless device, wherein the second account identifier is different than the first account identifier;

send, via the network interface, information including the first account identifier and second account identifier;

upon sending the first account identifier and second identifier, receive, via the network interface, an activation code for enabling the contactless device for use as fare media at one or more access control points of the transportation system for creating a transit user account; and

provide the activation code to a user of the machine.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein the second input interface comprises:

a magnetic stripe reader;

a bar code reader;

a keyboard;

a keypad;

or

a touchscreen.

12. The machine of claim 11, further comprising a receipt printer, wherein the machine provides the activation code on a receipt.

13. The machine of claim 10, wherein the first account identifier, the second identifier, or both, comprises a primary account number (PAN).

14. The machine of claim 10, wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the machine to:

receive information from the user of the machine; and

send, with the network interface, at least a portion of the information from the user of the machine.

15. The machine of claim 14, further comprising a third input interface configured to receive the information from the user of the machine.

16. The machine of claim 14, wherein the information from the user of the machine includes one or more of:

a unique identifier of the user;

a passcode and/or personal identification number (PIN);

a funding source;

a payment amount;

a name;

an address;

a telephone number;

an indicator of an opt-in and/or opt-out selection;

an email address;

or

a product and/or service of the transportation system.

17. The machine of claim 10, wherein the contactless device comprises:

a payment card;

an identification card;

a mobile device with near-field communication (NFC) capabilities;

or

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein:

the contactless device comprises a payment card; and

the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the machine to receive payment for a transit product, wherein the payment is funded with a financial account associated with the payment card.

19. A method for enabling a payment card for use as fare media in a transit system providing account-based products, the method comprising:

creating a transit user account for managing transactional information of a user of the transit system, the transit user account having information associated with the user and a transit product;

receiving a first account identifier from the payment card, wherein;

the first account identifier includes data unique to the payment card; and

the first account identifier is stored on a first account information repository of the payment card and communicated with a contactless interface of the payment card;

receiving a second account identifier from a second account information repository of the payment card, wherein the second account identifier is different than the first account identifier;

responsive to receiving the first account identifier and the second account identifier from the first handheld media, associating the first and second account identifiers with the transit user account;

enabling the payment card for use as fare media at one or more access control points of the transit system;

receiving, at an access point of the transit system, the first account identifier from the contactless interface of the payment card; and

providing the user of the transit system the ability to use the transit product associated with the transit user account.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the payment card comprises a first payment card and the first account identifier comprises a primary account number (PAN), the method further comprising:

receiving, at an access point of the transit system, a third account identifier from a contactless interface of a second payment card, the third account identifier including the PAN of the first account identifier;

determining that the second payment card is not associated with the transit product; and

denying a person the ability to use the transit product associated with the first payment card based, at least in part, on the determination.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the second account information repository of the payment card comprises one or more of:

a magnetic stripe;

a bar code;

or

a visible number or code.