Distribution and enablement of reloadable prepaid cards in transit
First Claim
1. A vending machine providing concurrent distribution of reloadable prepaid cards and enablement of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of a transit system, the vending machine comprising:
- a network interface configured to communicate with a network;
a payment interface configured to collect one or more forms of payment;
a card dispenser configured to provide a first reloadable prepaid card to a user of the vending machine;
a storage unit coupled with the card dispenser and adapted to store reloadable prepaid cards for distribution;
an input interface configured to receive input from the user of the vending machine;
a processor communicatively coupled with the network interface, the payment interface, the card dispenser, the input interface, and a memory;
the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vending machine to;
obtain, with the input interface, information from the user of the vending machine;
collect, with the payment interface, a first payment from the user of the vending machine;
communicate, with the network interface, information for activating a first reloadable prepaid card, including;
an identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card;
at least a portion of the information obtained from the user; and
a value of at least a portion of the first payment;
provide, with the card dispenser, the first reloadable prepaid card to the user of the vending machine, wherein;
the first reloadable prepaid card has a payment brand;
the first reloadable prepaid card may be used for purchases at retailers outside the transit system that accept payments from payment cards having the payment brand;
purchases made with the first reloadable prepaid card are funded by a first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card, the first prepaid account maintained by the first card issuer, wherein the first prepaid account comprises information including at least a portion of the obtained information associated with a user of the transit system; and
the transit system can determine a value of the first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and
communicate, with the network interface, information for creating, prior to the distribution of the first reloadable prepaid card, a transit user account for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system, further providing for the enablement of the first reloadable prepaid card for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system, the information for creating a transit user account including;
at least a portion of the information obtained from the user of the vending machine; and
the identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for concurrent distribution of reloadable prepaid cards and enablement of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of a transit system. Techniques of enabling of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of the transit system can include obtaining user information, payment, and communicating card information to a card issuer for activation of the first reloadable prepaid card. A transit user account for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system is also created, reloadable prepaid card is enabled for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system. Thus, once distributed, the prepaid reloadable cards may be used as fare media in the transit system as payment for transit fare, as well as for purchases at locations outside the transit system.
152 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A vending machine providing concurrent distribution of reloadable prepaid cards and enablement of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of a transit system, the vending machine comprising:
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a network interface configured to communicate with a network; a payment interface configured to collect one or more forms of payment; a card dispenser configured to provide a first reloadable prepaid card to a user of the vending machine; a storage unit coupled with the card dispenser and adapted to store reloadable prepaid cards for distribution; an input interface configured to receive input from the user of the vending machine; a processor communicatively coupled with the network interface, the payment interface, the card dispenser, the input interface, and a memory; the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vending machine to; obtain, with the input interface, information from the user of the vending machine; collect, with the payment interface, a first payment from the user of the vending machine; communicate, with the network interface, information for activating a first reloadable prepaid card, including; an identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; at least a portion of the information obtained from the user; and a value of at least a portion of the first payment; provide, with the card dispenser, the first reloadable prepaid card to the user of the vending machine, wherein; the first reloadable prepaid card has a payment brand; the first reloadable prepaid card may be used for purchases at retailers outside the transit system that accept payments from payment cards having the payment brand; purchases made with the first reloadable prepaid card are funded by a first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card, the first prepaid account maintained by the first card issuer, wherein the first prepaid account comprises information including at least a portion of the obtained information associated with a user of the transit system; and the transit system can determine a value of the first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and communicate, with the network interface, information for creating, prior to the distribution of the first reloadable prepaid card, a transit user account for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system, further providing for the enablement of the first reloadable prepaid card for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system, the information for creating a transit user account including; at least a portion of the information obtained from the user of the vending machine; and the identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for concurrently distributing reloadable prepaid cards and enabling the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of a transit system, the method comprising:
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obtaining, at a vending machine, information associated with a user of the transit system; receiving a first payment, at the vending machine; communicating at least a portion of the information associated with the user of the transit system and information regarding a first reloadable prepaid card from the vending machine to a first card issuer for activation of the first reloadable prepaid card, wherein the information regarding the first reloadable prepaid card includes; an identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and a value of at least a portion of the first payment; distributing the first reloadable prepaid card from the vending machine, wherein; the first reloadable prepaid card has a payment brand; the first reloadable prepaid card may be used for purchases at retailers outside the transit system that accept payments from payment cards having the payment brand; purchases made with the first reloadable prepaid card are funded by a first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card, the first prepaid account maintained by the first card issuer, wherein the first prepaid account comprises information including at least a portion of the obtained information associated with a user of the transit system; and the transit system can determine a value of the first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; creating, prior to the distribution of the first reloadable prepaid card, a transit user account with the vending machine for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system, the transit user account comprising information including; at least a portion of the information associated with a user of the transit system; and the identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and enabling the first reloadable prepaid card for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. One or more machine-readable, non-transitory media having instructions stored thereon for enabling concurrent distribution of reloadable prepaid cards and enablement of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of transit system, the instructions causing one or more machines to:
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obtain information associated with a user of the transit system; receive a first payment; communicate at least a portion of the information associated with the user of the transit system and information regarding a first reloadable prepaid card to a first card issuer for activation of the first reloadable prepaid card, wherein the information regarding the first reloadable prepaid card includes; an identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and a value of at least a portion of the first payment; distribute the first reloadable prepaid card, wherein; the first reloadable prepaid card has a payment brand; the first reloadable prepaid card may be used for purchases at retailers outside the transit system that accept payments from payment cards having the payment brand; purchases made with the first reloadable prepaid card are funded by a first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card, the first prepaid account maintained by the first card issuer, wherein the first prepaid account comprises information including at least a portion of the obtained information associated with a user of the transit system; and the transit system can determine a value of the first prepaid account associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; create, prior to the distribution of the first reloadable prepaid card, transit user account for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system, the transit user account comprising information including; at least a portion of the information associated with a user of the transit system; and an identification code associated with the first reloadable prepaid card; and enable the first reloadable prepaid card for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification