Systems and methods for providing a RF transaction device operable to store multiple distinct calling card accounts

• US 20050004866A1
• Filed: 03/27/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bonalle, David S., Fehlhaber, Jeff, Saunders, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards

Abstract

A RF transaction device is provided, which is operable to store multiple distinct calling card accounts associated with a calling card account. The multiple calling card accounts may be provided by one or more calling card carrier. The invention further includes a RF operable reader in communication with a telephonic call enabling device. The RF transaction device communicates with the reader to provide calling card account information. Since the RF device has multiple distinct credit card account numbers stored on the transaction device, the RF transaction device may be used to effectuate a calling card call on different call carrier systems using differently formatted call authorizing systems.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a transaction using a plurality of calling card issuer owned data sets on a transaction instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

facilitating enrollment of a first call carrier data set owner and a second call carrier data set owner into a RF transaction instrument program;

facilitating adding to a database, a first calling card data set of a first format at the transaction instrument, wherein said first data set is owned by said first call carrier data set owner;

facilitating adding to a database, a second calling card data set of a second format at the transaction instrument, wherein said second data set is owned by said second call carrier data set owner, wherein said first owner is distinct from said second owner, and said first format is different from said second format,

wherein said first call carrier data set is stored in accordance with said first format, and said second call carrier data set is stored in accordance with said second format; and

wherein said transaction instrument is operable to complete a calling card call in accordance with at least one of said first and second format.

2. A method of claim 1, further including the step of providing at least one of said first and second call carrier data set is formatted to communicate with a RFID reader via RF communications.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein said RFID reader is operable to receive at least one of said first and second call carrier data in magnetic stripe format.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one of said first and second call carrier data is in magnetic stripe format.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a calling card transaction account associated with at least one of said first and second call carrier data, said calling card transaction account having a value associated with transaction account usage, said first and second call carrier having no value related for use in satisfying a transaction account, and wherein said calling card transaction results in a depletion of value of the calling card account.

6. A system for a transaction device for storing multiple calling card accounts numbers distinctly stored on a RF operable transaction instrument,

said RF transaction instrument comprising

at least a first data storage area configured to store a first calling card number in a first format and a second data storage area configured to store a second calling card number in a second format different from said first format,

said first calling card number associated with a first owner and said data storage area configured to store said first calling card number in said first format independent of said second data set.

7. A system according to claim 6, further including

a remote calling card validation database for authorizing calling card account transactions, said validation database in communication with a rating database for use in determining cost associated with completing a calling card transaction request.