Geographic area multiple service card system

• US 7,163,145 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Nanton, Jason, Sharp, Ray, Vosburgh, Scott, Wood-Kulko, Penelope, Cohagan, Perry A., Fitzmaurice, Mary Ann, Freud, Aliza, Mayer, Birgitta, Menichilli, Julia
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US10/708,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383, 235/384, 705/39, 705/41
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The invention provides consumers with the services of multiple cards or accounts while allowing consumers to carry a single card, transponder, code and/or other access device. Because the card may access combined services such as financial transaction services and transportation services, the system may facilitate charging the financial account for the transportation services. The system may allow the consumer to use loyalty points or geographic based loyalty points to pay for the transportation services. The system may also limit the use of certain loyalty points based upon the geographic area for certain transportation services in certain geographic areas.

Claims

1. A multiple service transaction device configured to:

access financial services provided by a provider of financial services via a financial account, wherein said financial account is associated with said multiple service transaction device;

access transportation services provided by a service partner via a service partner account, wherein said service partner account is associated with said multiple service transaction device;

provide, based on a location identifier received from said service partner, a consumer access to a transportation system provided by said service partner in exchange for loyalty points, wherein said loyalty points are exchanged for access to said transportation system when said loyalty points exist and when said service partner resides within a predefined geographical area; and

,

provide a consumer access to said transportation system provided by said service partner upon payment of a fee, wherein said fee associated with said transportation system is transferred from said financial account to said service partner account when a balance of said loyalty points is not sufficient to pay said fee.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said transportation system includes at least one of a bus, subway and train.

3. A method for obtaining access to a transportation system by using a multiple service transaction device to charge a fee related to said access to a financial account, said method including:

providing said multiple service transaction device to a consumer, wherein said multiple service transaction device is configured to provide fluids from said financial account to a service partner account;

maintaining, by a provider of credit services, said financial account corresponding to said multiple service transaction device of said consumer;

receiving a request to charge said fee from said service partner, wherein said request includes location data indicative of a geographic location of said transportation system;

determining tat said service partner is at least one of located within a predefined geographic location and affiliated with said provider of credit services;

adjusting at least one of a loyalty account and said financial account based upon said request and said fee; and

,

crediting said service partner account.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of adjusting is done in at least one of substantially real-time, batch mode, periodically, upon request and based on an algorithm.

5. A method for obtaining service partner services by using a multiple service transaction device to redeem loyalty points, said method including:

providing said multiple service transaction device to a consumers, wherein said multiple service transaction device is configured to provide funds from said financial account to a service partner account;

maintaining, via a provider of credit services, a database for storing loyalty points in a loyalty account corresponding to said consumer;

receiving a request to redeem an amount of said loyalty points to obtain a service of said service partner, wherein said request includes location data indicative of a geographic location of said service partner;

determining that said service partner is at least one of located within a predefined geographic location and affiliated with said provider of credit services;

adjusting said loyalty account based upon said amount of said loyalty points redeemed; and

,

crediting said service partner account.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said crediting said service partner account includes at least one of crediting said account of said service partner with said loyalty points, and converting said loyalty points to a monetary value and crediting said monetary value to said account of said service partner.

7. A method for obtaining service partner services by redeeming loyalty points, wherein said loyalty points are associated with a geographic area, said method including:

issuing, via a provider of credit services, geographic area loyalty points when a consumer conducts purchases within a geographic area;

maintaining, via a provider of credit services, a database for storing said geographic area loyalty points in a loyalty account corresponding to said consumer;

receiving a request to redeem an amount of said geographic area loyalty points to obtain a service of said service partner in said geographic area, wherein said request includes location data indicative of a geographic location of said service partner;

determining that said service partner is within a redemption area associated with said geographic area loyalty points based on said location data;

adjusting said loyalty account based upon said amount of said geographic area loyalty points; and

,

crediting an account of said service partner.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said crediting said account of said service partner includes at least one of crediting said account of said service partner with said loyalty points, and converting said loyalty points to a monetary value and crediting said monetary value to said account of said service partner.

9. A method for providing a multiple service transaction device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an application for a multiple service transaction device from a consumer, said application comprising transaction account application information and service partner information;

communicating said transaction account information to a provider of credit services to determine, by considering said transaction account information, that said provider of credit services desires to extend credit to said consumer;

causing a multiple service transaction device to be sent to said consumer, wherein said multiple service transaction device includes a financial account which is configured to provide funds to a service partner account;

receiving a request from said service partner to debit said financial account in the amount of a fee when said consumer utilizes a service of said service partner, wherein said request includes location data indicative of a geographic location of said service partner;

debiting said financial account associated with said multiple service transaction device; and

,

crediting said service partner account associated with said multiple service transaction device when said financial account is debited.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said receiving an application includes receiving an application at, at least one of, a service partner establishment and a transaction account establishment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of debiting said financial account comprises adjusting in at least one of substantially real-time, batch mode, periodically, upon request, and based on an algorithm.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of debiting said financial account comprises adjusting loyalty points in said financial account.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of debiting said financial account comprises adjusting geographic area loyalty points in said financial account.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of communicating said transaction account information further comprises considering anti-terrorism information.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising replacing a multiple service transaction device, wherein said replacing comprises:

requesting a transaction device replacement administrator to create a replacement transaction device;

in response to said request, said transaction device replacement administrator communicating with a transaction device service engine;

said transaction device service engine communicating account information to a transaction device generator;

said transaction device generator communicating said account information to said service partner; and

said service partner communicating said account information to said transaction device replacement administrator.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising canceling a service partner services, wherein said canceling comprises:

transmitting a file comprising indicia of an account to be canceled,

producing a cancellation report, and

producing a balancing report.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising canceling a primary party account, wherein said canceling comprises:

transmitting a file comprising indicia of an account to be canceled,

producing a cancellation report, and

producing a balancing report.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising transferring an account to a second service partner, wherein said transferring comprises:

transmitting a file comprising indicia of a service partner account,

producing a transferring account report, and

producing a balancing report.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein, said financial account is configured to provide funds to said service partner account through at least one of real-time, batch mode, periodically, upon request and an algorithm.