System and method for transponder-enabled account transactions

• US 8,781,905 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Rau, Scott W., Bertetti, Scott Philp, Beechum, Gerald A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thein, M.
• Application Number:
  US11/437,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,979 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A transponder-initiated transaction system is electromagnetically coupled to an account transponder device at the point of sale. The account transponder device may be embedded within a watch, key chain or other personal article for convenience or affinity. The transponder device may communicate account information to an RF-enabled point of sale device, enabling transactions to take place without resort to remote data processing facilities. In other embodiments partial or complete account information may be accessed or stored at co-located or remote sources. New account registrants may access a Web site to enter a transponder ID and activate a new account, which may be a credit account, debit account, cash account, special purpose vending account, or other types of accounts.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of authorizing transponder-enabled transactions, comprising:

providing a RFID transponder to a user, for transmitting transponder identification information over a communications channel, the RFID transponder being configured for inclusion in or on a wireless communications device,

wherein the wireless communications device communicates independently of the RFID transponder;

receiving the RFID transponder identification information emitted from the RFID transponder, wherein the emission occurs upon presentation of the RFID transponder during a transaction at a point of sale device for payment of an amount;

retrieving financial account information from an account table, wherein the account table comprises financial account information linked to the RFID transponder identification information, and the financial account information comprises at least one of;

account number information, account type information, account balance information, and account limit information;

determining whether the transaction charging the payment amount to a financial account represented by the financial account information is authorized based on the retrieved financial account information;

communicating an authorization to the point of sale device and the transponder;

modifying the financial account information in the account table based on the authorization and the transaction;

wherein the RFID transponder identification information comprises information that is distinct from the financial account information, and

receiving registration information, at a registration server, from a workstation via a network registration interface, the registration information comprising the financial account information and the RFID transponder identification information, comprising a transponder identification number preprinted on a sticker associated with the RFID transponder, and wherein the registration information is received from the user;

linking, based on the registration information, the financial account information to the RFID transponder identification information in the account table.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the RFID transponder identification information at a transaction server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transaction server is coupled to the point of sale device by a communications link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a holder of the financial account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the account table is located remotely from the RFID transponder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account comprises at least one of:

a credit card account, a debit card account, a cash account, a special premises account for use by employees of an entity, a special purpose vending account, and a telephone card account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device comprises a pager.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is located at one or more of:

a restaurant, a grocery store, or a retail outlet.

9. A computer implemented system for authorizing transponder-enabled transactions, comprising:

a communications link;

a transaction server, programmed to receive RFID transponder identification information emitted from a RFID transponder, transmitted on a first communications channel, and communicatively coupled, over the communications link, to a point of sale device, wherein the RFID transponder identification information is emitted upon presentation of the RFID transponder for payment of an amount at the point of sale device and the RFID transponder is provided to a user for inclusion in a wireless communication device that communicates independently of the RFID transponder;

an account table, comprising stored financial account information linked to at least some of the RFID transponder identification information, communicatively coupled to the transaction server such that the account table is modified following an authorization for the transaction, wherein the transaction server is further programmed to search and retrieve from the account table financial account information linked to at least some of the received RFID transponder identification information, the account table, wherein the financial account information comprises at least one of;

account number information, account type information, account balance information, and account limit information;

an authorization unit programmed to authorize a charge for the payment amount to a financial account associated with the financial account information, wherein the authorization unit is in communication with the transaction server and wherein the RFID transponder identification information comprises information distinct from financial account information; and

a registration unit, programmed to register the financial account information via a network registration interface, in communication with the account table and at least one client workstation, the registration unit receiving the at least some financial account information and the at least some transponder identification information, comprising a transponder identification number preprinted on a sticker associated with the RFID transponder, from the at least one client workstation, and linking the received financial account information with at least some of the transponder identification information in the account table, wherein the at least some transponder identification information is received from the user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction server is further programmed to communicate an authorization over the communications link to the point of sale device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the financial account comprises at least one of:

a credit card account, a debit card account, a cash account, a special premises account for use by employees of an entity, a special purpose vending account, and a telephone card account.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a pager.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the point of sale device is located at one or more of:

a restaurant, a grocery store, or a retail outlet.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an RF receiver for receiving the RF transponder identification information from the RF transponder, wherein the RF receiver is communicatively coupled to the point of sale device.

15. A computer implemented method of authorizing transponder-enabled transactions, comprising:

providing a RFID transponder to a user, wherein the RFID transponder transmits information on a communications channel, wherein the wireless communications device communicates independently of the RFID transponder;

receiving an emission from the RFID transponder, wherein the emission occurs upon presentation of the RFID transponder to a receiver during a transaction for payment of an amount, wherein the receiver is linked to a point of sale device, the emission comprising information linked to a financial account;

retrieving financial account information from a transaction server based on the emitted information, the transaction server comprising storage, wherein the storage comprises financial account information, the financial account information comprising an account number;

determining whether the transaction charging the payment amount to the financial account represented by the account number is authorized based on the retrieved financial account information;

communicating an authorization to the point of sale device and the transponder;

modifying the financial account information in the account table based on the authorization and the transaction; and

linking financial account information that is associated with one or more financial accounts linked to the user with the RFID transponder through a server comprising a registration module configured to perform the linking, the registration module being communicatively coupled to a network registration interface and at least one client workstation and wherein the linking is performed following receipt of registration information from the user and the registration information comprises at least a transponder identification number that is preprinted on a sticker associated with the RFID transponder;

wherein the linking enables the RFID transponder to be used by the user to conduct transactions using the one or more financial accounts, and

wherein the financial account information comprises at least account number information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inclusion of the RFID device in the wireless communications device is performed by the user.

17. A computer implemented method of authorizing transponder-enabled transactions, comprising:

providing a RFID transponder to a user, for transmitting transponder identification information over a communications channel, the RFID transponder being configured for inclusion in or on a wearable personal article or the RFID transponder is integrated with the wearable personal article and is provided to the user with the wearable personal article;

receiving the RFID transponder identification information emitted from the RFID transponder at a transaction server, wherein the emission occurs upon presentation of the RFID transponder during a transaction at a point of sale device for payment of an amount;

retrieving financial account information from an account table, wherein the account table comprises financial account information linked to the RFID transponder identification information, and the financial account information comprises at least one of;

account number information, account type information, account balance information, and account limit information;

determining whether the transaction charging the payment amount to a financial account held by the user and represented by the financial account information is authorized based on the retrieved financial account information, wherein the financial account comprises;

a credit card account, a debit card account, a cash account, a special premises account for use by employees of an entity, a special purpose vending account, or a telephone card account;

communicating an authorization to the point of sale device and the transponder;

modifying the financial account information in the account table based on the authorization and the transaction;

wherein the RFID transponder identification information comprises information that is distinct from the financial account information, and

receiving registration information, at a registration server, from a workstation via a network registration interface, the registration information comprising the financial account information and the RFID transponder identification information, comprising a transponder identification number preprinted on a sticker associated with the RFID transponder, and wherein the registration information is received from the user;

linking, based on the registration information, the financial account information to the RFID transponder identification information in the account table.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least part of the account table is located remotely from the RFID transponder.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the wearable personal article comprises a watch or an article of clothing.