Mass transit fare processing system

• US 9,218,600 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smart Systems Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Smart Systems Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Silbernagl, Martin Friedrich Ludwig
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US14/316,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/451, 235/492, 235/449, 235/493
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0658 e-cash managed locally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]

Abstract

An implementation of a system and method for using existing identification token infrastructures for mass transit fare product entitlement and payment is provided. The system and method make use of tokens—usually issued by a third party—for identification purposes and optionally for settlement purposes. The system does not store information on the tokens and instead maintains access control data (i.e., “white” and “black” lists). This implementation differs from known systems that require specially issued credit cards that have dedicated mass transit functionality.

Claims

1. A method for gating entry into a first transit system, the method comprising:

receiving a set of records, wherein each includes an index representative of an individual token, and wherein the set of records includes a set of records representing black-listed tokens wherein a black-listed token will be denied access to the first transit system;

sequentially reading, at a token terminal, and processing token data from a plurality of tokens, wherein a first token of the plurality of tokens is issued by a first issuer and a second token of the plurality of tokens is issued by a second issuer separate and distinct from the first issuer, and wherein the first issuer and the second issuer are separate from the first transit system;

processing a third token comprising;

(a) reading, at the token terminal, token data from the third token;

(b) determining an index representative of the third token;

(c) searching for the index representative of the third token in the set of records to determine a status of the third token;

(d) setting the status of the third token to indicate the third token is an unknown token; and

(e) allowing access into the first transit system and entering, to a transaction history database, an indication of access into the first transit system by a holder of the third token;

providing, to a processing system, entries from the transaction history database for remote determination of a transaction amount for each entry; and

receiving an update to the set of records.

2. A method for authorizing a bankcard transaction, the method comprising:

downloading a first set of records comprising at least a bankcard identifier, the first set of records representing known invalid bankcards;

receiving a first authorization request, referencing a first bankcard;

checking if the first bankcard matches a known invalid card;

denying the first authorization request, if the first bankcard matches the known invalid card;

receiving a second authorization request, referencing a second bankcard, the second authorization request comprising at least the bankcard identifier of the second bankcard, wherein the bankcard identifier comprises an unknown bankcard identifier;

checking if the second bankcard matches the known invalid card; and

approving the second authorization request, if the first bankcard does not match any known invalid cards, and is an unknown bankcard.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first authorization request and second authorization request respectively comprises at least the bankcard identifier of the first bankcard and the second bankcard.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first authorization request and second authorization request respectively comprises bankcard data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of records is published by at least one card network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of records is published by a transit processor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second set of records is published by a transit processor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second set of records is published by a bankcard issuer.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of records is derived from successful bankcard registrations.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first authorization request and second authorization request are made by a fare processor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fare processor issues the first authorization request and second authorization request in response to a bankcard presentation at a bankcard reader, coupled to the fare processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bankcard reader is located in a public transit system.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the second authorization request is made in response to bankcard presentation at a registration system.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a third authorization request, referencing a third bankcard;

checking if the third bankcard matches the known invalid card;

using information about the third bankcard as an input to an authorization function; and

approving the third authorization request based on a result of the authorization function, if the third bankcard does not match any known invalid cards.

15. A fare processing system associated with a set of public transit systems, the fare processing system comprising:

a first interface to receive a plurality of presentation records from at least one of the set of public transit systems, wherein the presentation records are derived from bankcard data, and wherein the presentation records comprise an indication of an unknown token;

record memory to hold received presentation records;

rule memory to hold fare rules;

account memory to store a state of one or more transit accounts;

a second interface connected to a payment gateway to settle the one or more transit accounts; and

one or more processors, coupled to the first interface and second interface and to the record memory, the rule memory and the account memory, to apply the fare rules held in the rule memory to presentations records held in presentation record memory.

16. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the first interface is a TCP/IP socket.

17. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the first interface is a serial transceiver.

18. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the record memory is a database.

19. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the rule memory is a rule base.

20. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the rule memory is RAM containing machine readable instructions.

21. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein coupling between the one or more processors and the rule memory is a computer bus.

22. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein coupling between the one or more processors and the record memory is a socket.

23. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the second interface is a computer bus.

24. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the record memory and the rule memory share a same physical memory and a distinction between the record memory and the rule memory is through a data structure.

25. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the fare processing system interfaces indirectly with gates.

26. The fare processing system of claim 15, wherein the fare processing system interfaces directly with gates.