METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A TRAVEL-RELATED MULTI-FUNCTION FOB

• US 20050038741A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• 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., Saunders, Peter D., Larkin, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3263 characterised by activation or deactivation of payment capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and methods for a radio frequency identification (RFID) system which securely and conveniently integrates important travel-related applications. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an RFID system comprises a transponder identification application and various additional applications useful in particular travel contexts; for example, airline, hotel, rental car, and payment-related applications. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an RFID system further comprises space and security features within specific applications which provide partnering organizations the ability to construct custom and secure file structures.

Claims

1. A transponder configured to communicate with a transponder-reader to perform a transaction, said transponder comprising:

a database configured to store travel-related information, wherein said travel-related information comprises;

a transponder user ID application; and

at least one second application for storing travel related information, said second application comprising a common file structure and at least one partner file structure.

2. A transponder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second application comprises at least one of a payment system application, an airline application, a hotel application, a rental car application, an activity application, a transportation application and a restaurant application.

3. A transponder configured to communicate with a transponder-reader to perform a transaction, said transponder comprising:

a database configured to store travel-related information and configured to communicate with said transponder-reader;

wherein said travel-related information comprises;

a transponder user ID application and a second application, said second application being configured to store travel-related information associated with a transponder user; and

said second application comprising a common file structure and a partner file structure, wherein said partner file structure provides write access to a field within said partner file structure for a first partnering organization and denies write access to said field for a second partnering organization, and said common file structure provides write access for both said first and second partners to at least one field in said common file structure.

4. A transponder in accordance with claim 3, wherein said second application comprises at least one of a payment system application, an airline application, a hotel application, a rental car application, an activity application, a transportation application and a restaurant application.

5. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said second application comprises a payment system application, and wherein said payment system application is configured to store an account number and an expiration date associated with a payment account.

6. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said second application comprises an airline application, and wherein said airline application is configured to store an electronic ticket.

7. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said second application comprises a hotel application, and wherein said hotel application is configured to store data associated with a hotel reservation.

8. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said second application comprises a rental car application, and wherein said rental car application is configured to store data associated with a car preference.

9. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said transponder user ID application comprises an application configured to store indicia of said transponder user'"'"'s identity, and wherein said indicia of said transponder user'"'"'s identity includes a name and an address.

10. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said second application comprises an airline application.

11. The transponder of claim 3, wherein said transponder user ID application provides general read access.

12. A distributed transaction method comprising:

receiving transponder user ID and travel-related information at a transponder-reader configured for communicating with a transponder;

transmitting said transponder user ID and travel-related information on a network to a partnering organization having an associated partnering organization server, said partnering organization server being configured to facilitate sending and receiving said transponder user ID and travel-related information over said network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of receiving transponder user ID and information and travel-related information comprises receiving transponder user ID and travel-related information, and wherein transponder user ID comprises at least one of:

a transponder user name, a transponder user address, a transponder user account number and a transponder identifier, and wherein travel-related information comprises at least one of airline information, rental car information, hotel information, activity information, restaurant information, and transportation information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of transmitting transponder user ID and travel-related information further comprises transmitting said transponder information and travel-related information in a common file structure and a partner file structure format, wherein said partner file structure provides write access to a field within said partner file structure for a first partnering organization and denies write access to said field for a second partnering organization, and said common file structure provides write access for both said first and second partners to at least one field in said common file structure.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein step of transmitting transponder user ID and travel-related information further comprises transmitting at least one of said transponder user ID and travel-related information in track 1/track 2 International Standards Setting Organization format.