23773 1 4
.... ...
L_ -=,,,,,,,.,. ''.,
DEBIT PURCHASING OF STORED VALUE CARD Fop USE BY AND/OR DELIVERY TO OTHERS
Field ofthe Invention
Lois invention relates to a system for purchasing or transferring of stored value or debit purchasing cards, which can be pre-a anged to be given as a gift to a designated recipient. 5 Background of the Invention
On many occasions, consumers, other bank customers, credit card holders, and other persons find it is desirable to arrange for another person, perhaps a relative, to have access to a specified sum of money. -For example, a parent mi,,ht want to arrange for a child to have access to money when the child is taking a trip or going away to college.
I o One may also find it desirable to mail a gin to another person who is geographically distant. In these and other cases, it is often undesirable to give away or send cash. If lost or stolen, cash is practically unrecoverable. Traveler's checks are also undesirable as they must be purchased at a bank and are not acceptable for mar y types of purchases. Gift certificates are also undesirable because they require the recipient to purchase from the 5 merchant that issued the gin certificate. These and other drawbacks exist to the aforementioned altematives.
Summary of the Invention
An object of the invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks in existing purchase schemes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for iss iLng a purchase card comprising: presenting a purchaser with the opportunity to buy the purchase card, determining whether Me purchaser has sufficient fiends to pay for the purchase card, creating a purchase card account for a recipient designated by the purchaser; and issuing s the purchase card.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the recipient activates the purchase card.
A further object ofthe invention is to provide a purchase card where the purchase card account contains a monetary amount determined by the purchaser of the purchase I o card.
A further object of+he invention is to provide a purchase card where money can be added to the balance of an issued purchase card account.
. A farther object of me invention is to provide a purchase card where the purchase card is activated when the issuer of the purchase card is notified that the recipient has 15 received the purchase card.
A farther object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the issuer of He purchase card notifies the purchase. a; tab recipient has received the purchase card.
A further object ofthe invention is to provide a purchase card where the purchaser may designate with which merchants the purchase card may be used.
20 A bother object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the purchase card is activated for a predetermined period of time.
- l Another object is to provide a method for issuing a purchase card as a rebate award comprising. issuing a credit card to a cardholder, said credit card being associated with a sponsor. calculating a rebate amount based upon cardholder purchases made with said credit card, issuing a purchase card to a cardholder or to a recipient designated by 5 said cardholder, said purchase card having a purchase value detennined by said rebate amount. A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the recipient of the purchase card activates the card.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the recipient lo - activates the purchase card by notifying the issuer that the recipient has received the purchase card.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the purchase card is activated for a predetermined period of time.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the rebate is 15 calculated based on all purchases made with He credit card.
A Further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the rebate is -maculated based on purchase Mom - e sponsor made winh The credit card.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the sponsor notifies the issuer ofthe amount of rebate due a credit card holder, and the issuer creates a To purchase card in that amount.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the rebate is based on the monetary value of the purchases.
...
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for converting a purchase card into a credit card comprising creating a purchase card account for a recipient designated by the purchaser, issuing the purchase card; receiving a request from the recipient to convert the purchase card into a credit card; determining whether the 5 recipient meets predetermined credit criteria to convert the purchase card into a credit card; creating a credit card account; and converting the purchase card into a credit card.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the balance of the purchase card account is transferred to the credit card account.
A further object of the invention is to provide a purchase card where the credit to cards is Mediately activated upon being converted from a purchase card.
Other objects and advantages exist for the present invention.
- Brief Description ofthe Drawings
Figure 1 shows a flow diagram for a portion of the purchase card system.
- Figure 2 shows a flow diagram for another portion of the purchase card system.
Is Detailed I:)escription of the Preferred Embodiments One embodunent ofthe purchase card system is shown in Fig. 1. In this embodunent the purchase card process begins with an offer to purchase a gift card at step 100. The offer may be in any suitable form that would notify prospective purchasers 105 ofthe availability of the purchase card. For example, a written solicitation may be mailed 20 or overwise distributed to potential purchasers 105. The offer may also be in the form of oral notification, for example, a telephone call to prospective purchasers 105.
Alternatively, the offer may be published over a computer network, for example, on an
Internet Web site. Other forms of offering the sale of a purchase card are also possible; one embodiment of the invention, offers are made to prospective purchasers who already have a financial relationship with the offeror. Other potential purchasers may also be offered the opportunity to obtain a purchase card.
s The offer may be accepted by a purchaser 105 by notifying a customer service center 110. The acceptance may be in any form acceptable to the customer service center I 10. For example, the purchaser may mail, fax, or otherwise transmit a written acceptance, telephone an acceptance, or electronically transrmt, for example, via Web Site, an acceptance by computer or other suitable device. At step 120, the customer 0 service center 1 10 receives pertinent infonnation to identify the purchaser 105 and the purchaser's desired spending limit for the purchase card. For example, the customer service center may identify the purchaser 105 by name, address, credit card account number, social security number, other unique identifiers or a combination of identifiers.
At step 130, the customer service center 120 is checked to verify that the caller or I s purchaser was included in the solicitations for this program. If the caller or purchaser was not originally solicited, customer service 120 determines whether to extend an offer in step 135.
If the caller or purchaser was solicited 130, certain purchaser 105 infonnation may be accessed at 140. If, for exernple, Me purchaser wishes to pay for the purchase card zo with a credit card, the purchaser's credit card account information may be accessed For example, the purchaser's available credit lit may be accessed at 145 to verify that sufficient credit is available to cover the spending amount of the purchase card. If the
available credit is ins cient, the purchaser 105 may be so informed at lSO The purchaser 10 may be given the opportunity to modify the purchase card spending amount, at 155, ire order to ensure that the purchase amount does not exceed the available credit The process may terrnin.ate at 160 if, for example, the purchaser 105 does not wish to modify the purchase amount.
After it has been determined that the purchaser's available credit is sufficient, a transaction may be posted to the purchaser's credit card for the amount of the purchase at 170. In another embodiment of the present invention, a purchaser may use a check, cash, 0 or other financial methods to obtain a purchase card. Regardless ofthe purchasing method, the issuer ofthe purchase card must determine whether the purchaser has.
sufficient fimds to purchase the card.
.. When: the purchase card is paid for by credit or bank account, the purchaser's account balance is updated at 175 to reflect the purchase. The account balance i 1: information, as well as information identifying the purchaser 105 and the recipient, may be stored in a retrievable and accessible fashion. For example, the information may be stored in computer database 18C. After the purchaser iO5 has paid for authorized payment) for the purchase card, and it is posted to a credit card account, the acceptance process is complete and the acceptance process terminates at 160.
20 An account for the purchase card is created at 190. This may be performed by a third party processor that establishes and manages purchase card accounts. for example, at 200. Creation of the purchase card account may comprise various actions, such as,
- recording the recipients 215 name, address and phone number, imprinting a card with an accost number, a recipient name and an expiration date, encoding the card to record the purchase value stored thereon, and other actions, such as, for example, preparing account fi'lfillment documents (e.g card carrier activation, etc.).
i When the purchase card account is complete, the card is delivered In one embodiment of the invention, card may be affiliated with a particular network, such a credit net vorlc, or debit network. For example, a card may be affiliated with the VISAS network. The delivery may be to the purchaser 105 or to the recipient 215, as shown at 210. The place of delivery may be arranged during the initial purchase of the card or lo other suitable time before delivery.
Information regarding an account is sent to account file 220, where an account can be monitored. In one embodiment, account file 220 allows monitoring of the current balance of an account, any activity in the account, Including debits and credits, transaction updates, and the like. Other infonnation about an account, such as purchase 15 dispute resolutions, the history provided by the customer, and account status, may also be monitored. Before Me purchase card can be u sed to make purchases, it must be activated as shown in Fig. 2 at 230. Activation may be accomplished in any suitable manner. For example, the recipient 215 ofthe card may place a telephone call to an activation center 20 240. Activation center 240 may act as a telemarketing vendor by verifying information about the recipient (i.e. name, address, telephone number, etc.) before the purchase card is activated. The activation center 240 may then transmit the data about the recipient to
Data Service 200 to activate the purchase card for use Activation center 240 may also modify information about a recipient, such as, for example, a change of address Other forms of activation, such as by computer network may also be used.
Dunng activation certain verifications may be made at 250 to ensure that the untended recipient 215 is the person attempting to activate the purchase card. These security checks 250 may entail questions about personal ir fonnation (e.g. name, address, telephone number, etc.) or may utilize other well known methods of authenticating the recipient 215. If the person attempting to activate the purchase card does not pass the security check 2 0, the purchase card will be denied activation at 255 and the activation o process may tenninate at 260 If the person attempting to activate the purchase card passes the security check 250, they may be prompted at 252 for more information. Me information may be used for subsequent security checks, should they be required, or to verify or complete E-purchase card account information. --
After activation the purchase card is ready for use. In some embodiments of the 5 - invention the activation process will end at this point. The recipient 215 may now use the purchase card to make purchases where ever, for example, VISAS cards are accepted.
Each 'iune a purchase is made usmg We card, Me amount of the purchase will be debited Tom the card's available balance. The purchase card will continue to operate as long as a positive balance remains on the card. Some embodiments of the purchase card may have 20 the capacity to have additional purchase value added to them after they have been activated.
If the recipient of a purchase card is someone other than the purchaser, the issuer of the card may notify the purchaser regarding various aspects of the card. For example, in one embodunent of the invention, the issuer could notifier the purchaser that the purchase card has been received and activated by the intended recipient. An issuer may 5 also notify a purchaser where the purchase card is being used, or what products are being purchased with the purchase card.
Some embodiments of the purchase card will include an-expiration date. After the - ' expiration date has passed the purchase card unit be deactivated and cease to operate. In Another embodiment ofthe present invention, a recipient or a purchaser of a purchase '' ' ' to, card may add to the balance ofthe purchase card account. This may take place in a: ' ' manner substantially similar to the original purchasing of the purchase card. For example, a recipient of a purchase card may request that an amount be posted to the recipient's credit card and that the same amount then be credited to the recipient's purchase card account., C)ther, methods of adding to the balance of a purchase card' is account may also be used. -:' Another embodLrnent of the invention allows the recipient 215 to convert the purchase card into a credit card. Conversion may be accomplished in the following manner. The recipient 215 calls the activation center 240 to activate the purchase card and the security check 250 may be performed in the usual manner. After passing the 20 security check, the age ofthe recipient215 is deterznined at 270. If the recipient 215 is an adult (e.g., over the age of 18) an offer to convert the purchase card into a credit card may be extended at 271. At step 275 the recipient 215 may decline the offer to convert, in
l which case the process may terminate at 280. If the recipient 215 elects to convert the purchase card to a credit card the activation center 240 may capture additions data 285 from recipient 21 S. in order to complete a credit card application. At step 2gO the credit card application data is forwarded to a credit decisioning office 300 The credit decision ng office 300 may make inquiries to a credit bureau 305, for example, obtaining a credit report on the recipient 215. At 310 the decision is rendered whether to approve the credit card application. If the application for a credit card is declined at 315, the - recipient 215 may be notified at 320. Notification may be in any suitable form, for ' example, a letter explaining the declined application may be mailed at 320 to the"recipient lo 215. Other forms of notification may also be used to notify recipient 215 of the declined application Even though the credit card application is declined at 310, the 'purchase card is -. '. activated for use. At330, the account settings allowing a card to be used at merchants -are - -
-.. sent to the data service 200;and e card mill be activated as a purchase card account.
Is l fonnation pertaining to the purchase card account is stored in a retrievable and - -
accessible manner. For example, the purchase card account information may be stored in a computer 3 '2.
If the decision at 310 is to accept the application for a credit card, the recipient 215 may be notified at 40. Again, notification may be in any suitable form, for example, 20 a letter or other suitable notification Regardless of the decision whether to convert the purchase card Onto a credit card, the purchase card is activated at Me end of We activation call. If the purchase card is not already active, it may be activated at 345. At 350 the
- 1, purchase card is converted to a credit card. The credit card will function in a manner usual for such credit instruments. For example, a credit limit may be assigned, periodic account activity statements may be generated and finance charges may be applied to any
outstanding balance. In one embodiment, any remaining balance from the purchase card 5 account may be transferred and applied to the credit card account. At 355 an update is sent to a retrievable data storage system for example, computer 360. The update 355 sends credit card application decisions into a database.
In another embodiment of Me purchase cards a financial institution (e.g., a bank) issues a credit card to a cardholder. The card may be a cobranded card issued in: lo cooperation With a sponsor. - In..this embodiment, the sponsor offers: a rebate-to the Cardholder based upon thedollar-value.amount of purchases made with the co-branded credit card. The rebate may apply to all purchases made orjust to-p.urchases made from the sponsor. The rebate may be calculated in a mower specified by the teens of the ! ',!. cardholder agreement or other disclosures to the cardholder. In one embodiment of the i
A invention, disclosure about the rebate is provided.to the cardholder in a separate form
included win the cardholder agreement. For example, the sponsor may offer a flat percentage rebate for purchases made. In one embodiment ofthe invention, We card issuer calculates the rebate due the cardholder based on the balance paid.
another embodiment, the sponsor notifies the financial institution of the amount 20 of rebate to be awarded to the cardholder. The financial institution will then issue a purchase card for the amount of the rebate. The purchase card may be used for purchases in the above described manner, for example, everywhere VISAS) is accepted, or the
l ! purchase card may be used for purchases solely win the sponsor or other designated entities. Other embodiments and uses of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art Tom consideration of Me specification and practice of the invention disclosed
s herein. The specification and examples should be considered exemplary only. Lee scope
of We invention is only [united by the claims appended hereto.