Systems, methods, and devices for selling transaction accounts

• US 8,046,299 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Scovel, Scott, Rose, John, Philpott, Caroline, Peterson, Jeffrey, Lamb, Dave, Howland, Stephen, Heitz, Rachel
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola, Olabode
• Application Number:
  US10/707,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,843 Days
• Field of Search: 705 38- 41
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are configured to facilitate the distribution of transaction accounts through distributors. An exemplary method includes the steps of: issuing a transaction account to a distributor, receiving information from the distributor via the MICR protocol used by the banking and financial services industries, wherein the information reports the distribution of the transaction account, and processing the information via a Travelers Cheque infrastructure. The transaction account may be a pre-paid card and the distributor may be a seller of pre-paid cards. Distribution of the transaction account may be facilitated by use of a sequential number, such as a Travelers Cheque number. Thus, the system may be configured to be compatible with existing Travelers Cheque communication systems already in place. Furthermore, a financial transaction device may include a card that bears a serialized number, such as a Travelers Cheque number, in a manner that can be read by MICR technology.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating distribution of a transaction account card through a distributor, said method comprising:

issuing, by a computer-based system for facilitating said distribution of said transaction account card through said distributor, transaction account cards in groups to said distributor, wherein each of said transaction account cards include a different randomized transaction account code associated with a respective transaction account, and a serialized tracking code which conforms to a MICR communication protocol;

receiving, by said computer-based system, information from said distributor via said MICR communication protocol, wherein said MICR communication protocol includes rules governing syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication, and wherein said information includes said transaction account codes and said serialized tracking codes which indicate said transaction account cards that have been distributed by said distributer;

processing, by said computer-based system, said information via a pre-established Travelers Cheque infrastructure; and

transmitting, by said computer-based system, said processed information to a non-Travelers Cheque transaction account infrastructure; and

approving, by said computer-based system, of said serialized tracking code to enable a purchase of said transaction account card.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of activating said distributed transaction account card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a purchase agreement is associated with said transaction account card and bears indicia of said serialized tracking code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said indicia of said serialized tracking code is embodied in a MICR line visible on said purchase agreement form.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising paying a third party seller a commission for said sale of said transaction account card based on at least a portion of the information received from said third party seller.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising confirming that activation is appropriate by confirming at least one of information received from a third party distributor:

a purchase location, said serialized tracking code and said transaction account code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said MICR communication protocol further includes at least one of message formats, a description of message formats, rules for exchanging messages, signaling, authentication, error detection, and correction capabilities.

8. A transaction account distribution device for facilitating distribution of transaction account cards by a distributor, said transaction account distribution device configured to:

facilitate issuing transaction account cards in groups to said distributor, wherein each of said transaction account cards include a different randomized transaction account code associated with a respective transaction account, and a serialized tracking code which conforms to a MICR communication protocol;

receive information from said distributor via said MICR communication protocol, wherein said MICR communication protocol includes rules governing syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication, and wherein said information includes said transaction account codes and said serialized tracking codes which indicate said transaction account cards that have been distributed by said distributer;

process said information via a pre-established Travelers Cheque infrastructure;

transmit said processed information to a non-Travelers Cheque transaction account infrastructure; and

receiving approval of said serialized tracking code to enable a purchase of said transaction account card.

9. A system for facilitating distribution of a transaction account through a third party distributor comprising:

a network interface communicating with a memory;

said memory communicating with a processor; and

said processor, when executing a computer program, is configured to perform a method comprising;

facilitating issuing transaction account cards in groups to said distributor, wherein each of said transaction account cards include a different randomized transaction account code associated with a respective transaction account, and a serialized tracking code which conforms to a MICR communication protocol;

receiving information from said distributor via said MICR communication protocol, wherein said MICR communication protocol includes rules governing syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication, and wherein said information includes said transaction account codes and said serialized tracking codes which indicate said transaction account cards that have been distributed by said distributer;

processing said information via a pre-established Travelers Cheque infrastructure;

transmitting said processed information to a non-Travelers Cheque transaction account infrastructure; and

transmitting approval of said serialized tracking code to enable a purchase of said transaction account card.

10. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause said computing device to perform operations comprising:

facilitating issuing transaction account cards in groups to said distributor, wherein each of said transaction account cards include a different randomized transaction account code associated with a respective transaction account, and a serialized tracking code which conforms to a MICR communication protocol;

receiving information from said distributor via said MICR communication protocol, wherein said MICR communication protocol includes rules governing syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication, and wherein said information includes said transaction account codes and said serialized tracking codes which indicate said transaction account cards that have been distributed by said distributer;

processing said information via a pre-established Travelers Cheque infrastructure;

transmitting said processed information to a non-Travelers Cheque transaction account infrastructure; and

approving of said serialized tracking code to enable a purchase of said transaction account card.