Multifunction card system
DC CAFCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A multifunction card system, comprising:
- a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to the multifunction card system;
b. means for receiving electronic gift certificate card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said electronic gift certificate card is swiped through the point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data comprising the unique identification number of the electronic gift certificate card and an electronic gift certificate activation amount;
c. means for activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card with a balance equal to the electronic gift certificate activation amount;
d. means for allowing a user of the electronic gift certificate card to purchase goods and services having a value up to the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card; and
e. means for decreasing the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card by the value of the goods and services purchased.
4 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a multifunction card system which provides a multifunction card capable of serving as a prepaid phone card, a debit card, a loyalty card, and a medical information card. Each card has an identification number comprising a bank identification number which assists in establishing communications links. The card system can be accessed from any existing point-of-sale (POS) device. The POS device treats the card as a credit or debit card and routes transaction data to a processing hub using the banking system. The processing hub coordinates the various databases corresponding to the various functions of the card.
766 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A multifunction card system, comprising:
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a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to the multifunction card system; b. means for receiving electronic gift certificate card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said electronic gift certificate card is swiped through the point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data comprising the unique identification number of the electronic gift certificate card and an electronic gift certificate activation amount; c. means for activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card with a balance equal to the electronic gift certificate activation amount; d. means for allowing a user of the electronic gift certificate card to purchase goods and services having a value up to the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card; and e. means for decreasing the balance of the account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card by the value of the goods and services purchased. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A prepaid phone card system, comprising:
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a. at least one phone card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to the prepaid phone card system; b. means for receiving phone card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said phone card is swiped through the point-of-sale device, said phone card activation data comprising the unique identification number of the phone card and a phone card activation amount; c. means for activating an account corresponding to the phone card with a balance equal to the phone card activation amount; d. means for allowing a user of the phone card to obtain long distance telephone calling time having a value up to the balance of the account corresponding to the phone card; and e. means for decreasing the balance of the account corresponding to the phone card by the value of the long distance telephone calling time obtained. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A loyalty card system, comprising:
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a. at least one loyalty card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to the loyalty card system; b. means for receiving loyalty data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device when said loyalty card is swiped through the point-of-sale device, said loyalty data comprising the unique identification number of the card and purchase data; and c. means for crediting an account corresponding to the loyalty card with loyalty points based upon the purchase data. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of activating or recharging a prepaid card having a unique identification number encoded on it, the identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to a prepaid card system, comprising the steps of:
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a. swiping the card through an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device; b. entering an amount into the point-of-sale device; c. transmitting the identification number and the amount from the point-of-sale device to a processing hub; d. crediting an account balance in a database with the amount; e. allowing a user of the card to purchase goods and services using the card; and f. allowing a user of the card to obtain long distance telephone calling time using the card; g. wherein the total of the value of the goods and services purchased and the long distance telephone calling time obtained using the card cannot exceed the account balance. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of activating or recharging a prepaid phone card having a unique identification number encoded on it, the identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to a prepaid phone card system, comprising the steps of:
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a. swiping the phone card through an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device; b. entering an amount into the point-of-sale device; c. transmitting the identification number and the amount from the point-of-sale device to a processing hub; d. transmitting the identification number and the amount from the processing hub to a prepaid phone card issuer hub; e. crediting an account balance in a phone card database with the amount; and f. allowing a user of the phone card to obtain long distance telephone calling time having a value up to the account balance. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method of adding points to a loyalty card having a unique identification number encoded on it, the identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, said identification number corresponding to a loyalty card system, comprising the steps of:
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a. swiping the loyalty card through an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device; b. entering purchase data into the point-of-sale device; c. transmitting the identification number and the purchase data from the point-of sale device to a processing hub; and d. crediting an account in a database with loyalty points based upon the purchase data. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A multifunction card system comprising:
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a. at least one debit/medical services card having a unique identification number encoded on it comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving card data from an unmodified existing standard point-of-sale device, said card data including a unique identification number; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said card data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub accessing a first database when the card functions as a debit card and said processing hub accessing a second database when the card functions as a medical card. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A system comprising:
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a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having an electronic gift certificate card unique identification number encoded on it, said electronic gift certificate card unique identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving electronic gift card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data including said unique identification number and an electronic gift certificate card activation amount; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said activation data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card unique identification number with a balance corresponding to the electronic gift certificate activation amount. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A multifunction card system comprising:
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a. at least one electronic gift certificate card having an electronic gift certificate card unique identification number encoded on it, said electronic gift certificate card unique identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving electronic gift card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said electronic gift certificate card activation data including the electronic gift certificate card unique identification number and an electronic gift certificate card activation amount; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said activation data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub activating an account corresponding to the electronic gift certificate card unique identification number with a balance corresponding to the electronic gift certificate activation amount. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A multifunction card system comprising:
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a. at least one card having a unique identification number encoded on it, said identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network; b. a transaction processor receiving card activation data from an unmodified existing standard retail point-of-sale device, said card activation data including said unique identification number; c. a processing hub receiving directly or indirectly said activation data from said transaction processor; and d. said processing hub activating an account corresponding to the unique identification number, thereby permitting later access to said account. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. A method of activating a prepaid card having a unique identification number encoded on it, the identification number comprising a bank identification number approved by the American Banking Association for use in a banking network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. swiping the card through an unmodified existing standard point-of-sale device; b. transmitting the identification number and an activation amount from the point-of-sale device to a processing hub; and c. activating an account in the processing hub corresponding to the identification number. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification