Stored value cards and methods for their issuance
First Claim
1. A method for issuing both a non-physical virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder, wherein both the virtual card and the physical card may be used for conducting transactions against a funded value, the method comprising:
- receiving at a processing system a request to receive both a physical card and a virtual card, along with a funded value that is associated with both the physical card and the virtual card;
using the processing system to first electronically issue a virtual card to a cardholder, the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value, wherein the virtual card is active upon issuance; and
transmitting from the processing system to a physical card issuing system information used to issue a physical card to the cardholder, wherein the physical card includes a card body and an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and wherein the physical card is in an inactive state until the physical card is activated by linking of the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value;
whereby the virtual card may be used for transactions by the cardholder prior to receipt and activation of the physical card, and whereby once activated, the physical card shares attributes, including any unused funded value, with the virtual card.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for issuing both a virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder comprises issuing a virl card to a cardholder, with the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value. A physical card is also issued to the cardholder. The physical card includes an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and the physical card is in an inactive state until the physical card is activated by linking of the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value.
151 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for issuing both a non-physical virtual card and a physical card to a cardholder, wherein both the virtual card and the physical card may be used for conducting transactions against a funded value, the method comprising:
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receiving at a processing system a request to receive both a physical card and a virtual card, along with a funded value that is associated with both the physical card and the virtual card; using the processing system to first electronically issue a virtual card to a cardholder, the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value, wherein the virtual card is active upon issuance; and transmitting from the processing system to a physical card issuing system information used to issue a physical card to the cardholder, wherein the physical card includes a card body and an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and wherein the physical card is in an inactive state until the physical card is activated by linking of the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value; whereby the virtual card may be used for transactions by the cardholder prior to receipt and activation of the physical card, and whereby once activated, the physical card shares attributes, including any unused funded value, with the virtual card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for issuing both a non-physical virtual card and a physical card-that may each be used for conducting transactions against the account of a cardholder, the method comprising:
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receiving at a processing system a request to receive both a physical card and a virtual card, along with a funded value that is associated with both the physical card and the virtual card; issuing a virtual card to a cardholder, the virtual card comprising an identifier and an associated database record of a stored value, wherein the virtual card is in an active state upon issuance; physically producing and issuing a physical card to the cardholder, wherein the physical card is issued after the virtual card is issued and includes a card body and an identifier that is different from the virtual card identifier, and wherein the physical card is in an inactive state; receiving a request to activate the physical card, wherein the request includes the physical card identifier; and in response to the request, linking the physical card identifier to the database record of the stored value; wherein the linking step comprises providing two pointers in the database to the record of the stored value, and wherein the two pointers comprise the virtual card identifier and the physical card identifier; whereby the virtual card may be used for transactions by the cardholder prior to receipt and activation of the physical card, and whereby once activated, the physical card shares attributes, including any unused funded value, with the virtual card. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computerized system for linking a non-physical virtual card with a physical card for the same cardholder, the system comprising:
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a physical card comprising a card body having an identifier; a processing system; and a database having a record of a stored value, a virtual card identifier that comprises a first pointer to the stored value record, and the physical card identifier; wherein the processing system is configured to transmit to a physical card issuing system information used by the physical card issuing system to produce and issue the physical card upon receipt of a request to receive both the physical card and a virtual card that comprises the virtual card identifier; wherein the physical card is in an inactive state while the virtual card is in an active state; wherein the processing system is configured to link the physical card identifier to the stored value record after receipt of the physical card by a cardholder and to allow access to the stored value record using either card identifier once linked, thereby activating the physical card; wherein the processing system is further configured to link the physical card identifier to the stored value record after receipt of the physical card by the cardholder and upon a request by the cardholder to activate the physical card, and wherein the request includes the physical card identifier, the physical card identifier comprising a second pointer to the stored value record; and whereby the virtual card may be used for transactions by the cardholder prior to receipt and activation of the physical card, and whereby once activated, the physical card shares attributes, including any stored value record, with the virtual card. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification