1620results about "Pre-payment schemes" patented technology

A fleet management system for managing a fleet of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals can comprise one or more computers, a fleet management software module, and a payment processing software module in communication with the fleet management software module. The fleet management software module can be configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by the payment processing software module. The unlocking message can be provided by a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, or by a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via network. Each EIR terminal can be configured to perform not more than a pre-defined number of EIR operations responsive to receiving the unlocking message.

A disclosed cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse provides clearinghouse server including a network interface allowing the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse to communicate with a number of gaming properties and a processor configured to enable the validation of cashless instruments at a gaming property different from where the cashless instrument was generated. Methods are provided that allow a plurality of cashless gaming devices located at different gaming properties to communicate with one another via the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse in a secure manner using symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques. Further, to reduce the possibilities of theft and fraud, the methods allow a receiver of a message to authenticate an identity of a sender of a message.

A surrogate system for the transparent control of electronic commerce transactions is provided through which an individual without a credit card is enabled to shop at online merchant sites. Upon opening an account within the surrogate system, the account can be funded using numerous fund sources, for example credit cards, checking accounts, money orders, gift certificates, incentive codes, online currency, coupons, and stored value cards. A user with a funded account can shop at numerous merchant web sites through the surrogate system. When merchandise is selected for purchase, a purchase transaction is executed in which a credit card belonging to the surrogate system is temporarily or permanently assigned to the user. The credit card, once loaded with funds from the user's corresponding funded account, is used to complete the purchase transaction. The surrogate system provides controls that include monitoring the data streams and, in response, controlling the information flow between the user and the merchant sites.

Systems and methods are described for redeeming rewards at a merchant's point-of-sale. The reward redemption takes place in real time and can be accomplished without the active participation of the merchant. A single credit card with no additional information may be used with a single swipe from the consumer to access both credit and rewards accounts, such that a single authorization request is made to encompass both rewards and credit. Merchants can be fully compensated for transactions by the issuer despite the customer's choice to redeem rewards.

A credit card system is provided which has the added feature of providing additional limited use credit card numbers and / or cards. These numbers and / or cards can be used for a single or limited use transaction, thereby reducing the potential for fraudulent reuse of these numbers and / or cards. The credit card system finds application to “card remote” transactions such as by phone or Internet. Additionally, when a single use or limited use credit card is used for “card present” transactions, so called “skimming” fraud is eliminated. Various other features enhance the credit card system, which will allow secure trade without the use of elaborate encryption techniques. Methods for limiting, distributing and using a limited use card number, controlling the validity of a limited use credit card number, conducting a limited use credit card number transaction and providing remote access devices for accessing a limited use credit card number are also provided.

A disclosed cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse includes a network interface allowing the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse to communicate with a number of gaming properties and a processor configured to enable the validation of cashless instruments at a gaming property different from where the cashless instrument was generated. Methods are provided at the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse and at the gaming properties that enable cashless instrument transactions across multiple gaming properties including multi-site promotions. In addition, methods are provided at the cashless instrument transaction clearinghouse that allow 1) a transfer of resources from an account at a first gaming property to an account or device at a second gaming property, 2) account information access, 3) generation of cashless transaction threads comprising a plurality of related cashless transaction, 4) awards and services based upon properties of a cashless transaction thread and 5) local resource accounts maintained at the clearinghouse.

A system and method for performing an on-line transaction, such as making a payment, with a single-use payment instrument makes use of computer hardware and software, such as the computing device of a customer, the customer's bank's home banking server, the bank's card authorization server, a vendor's website server, and the vendor's credit card acquirer, coupled to one another over a network. The customer is issued a single use payment instrument through the bank, the bank debits an account nominated by the customer for the requested value of the payment instrument and may also specify an expiry for the payment instrument. The customer is able to nominate a particular source of funds for each transaction from among various accounts of the customer. The payment instrument settles and clears through existing credit card payment mechanisms without a need for special accommodation with the Internet vendor.

A electronic monetary system comprising a mobile communication unit as an electronic wallet for transactions including electronic payments, money transfer, and recharging the electronic account. The security of the electronic transactions is confirmed by circulating a confirmation number through a loop formed by an E-wallet managing server through the wireless network to the mobile communication unit of the user.

Electronic payment card money laundering detection includes receiving real-time payment card transaction data from ingress channels and an egress channels of at least one payment card system through a first API; generating transactional profiles for each of at least payment cards, the ingress channel, the egress channels, and funding sources of the payment cards; in response to receiving transaction data for a current payment card transaction, evaluating the transaction data using a predictive algorithm that compares the transaction data to the transactional profiles to calculate a probabilistic money laundering score for the current transaction; evaluating the probabilistic money laundering score and current transaction data based on a set of rules to generate a suspicious activity report that recommends whether to approve or report the current transaction; and transmitting the suspicious activity report back to the payment card system and transmitting the suspicious activity report to an identified regulatory body.

Medical devices including a substrate that are expandable from a compressed state to an expanded state; a coating on the substrate, the coating having a drug agent incorporated therein; and a sheath over the coating. The sheath is expandable from a compressed state to an expanded state and has at least one perforation therein. The medical devices are configured such that when the substrate is in a compressed state, the sheath is also in a compressed state and the perforation is substantially closed. When the substrate is in an expanded state, the sheath is also in an expanded state and the perforation is substantially open. The invention also includes a method of using the medical devices for the controlled, localized delivery of a drug agent to a target location within a mammalian body.

A method is disclosed for authorizing a prepaid network service in a data network. A network end station issues a request for a prepaid network service. At a network node, such as a router serving as a gateway for selecting services, a determination is made about whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service. Network traffic from the end station is forwarded to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service. Specific embodiments provide message flows among a mobile station, gateway support node, router, and authentication server that support providing prepaid services in a packet-switched network for mobile communication. In certain embodiments, a connection is held open for an end station while a prepaid quota value is refreshed at a portal, thereby reducing overhead and precluding the need to repeat user logon steps. Further, unused quota amounts can be returned to the authentication server for use in association with multiple concurrent connections of the same device.

A system and a method for money sharing are provided. The system includes a processor configured to receive a deposit amount and assign an account value to a stored-value account. The stored-value account is stored in a storage device. The processor then dispenses two or more stored-value cards associated with the stored-value account. The stored-value cards can be distributed among two or more cardholders who may withdraw money from the stored-value account at a remote access unit configured to accept any of the distributed stored-value cards associated with the same account. Additional deposit amount can be received into the stored-value account from a cardholder of any distributed stored-value cards associated with the same account. The remote access unit can be unattended. The cards can be ATM-enabled.

Systems and methods for accepting payments for goods and services provided by a consumer provider. The methods can include associating consumers and consumer providers with a payment provider. The payment provider can receive payments destined for the consumer provider, associate the payments with one or more identifiers, and transfer at least portions of the receive payments to the consumer provider. The systems can include a point-of-sale device configured to accept payments from consumers on behalf of consumer providers. In some cases, the systems include a plurality of such point-of-sale devices in communication with a payment provider control. The payment provider control can be in communication with one or more consumer provider controls.

A method and apparatus for providing roaming and hand-off support for prepaid billing for wireless prepaid services on a data network may be provided by a first-network-access device carrying on session activity of a wireless communication session with a wireless-mobile node within a first coverage area. The first-network-access device receives blocks of credits drawn from a user account having a cache of available credits for the prepaid-services.The first-network-access device periodically measures usage of the session activity in terms of a first of a plurality of measurement-method parameters. The first-network-access device debits the usage of the session activity from the blocks of credits.After entering its coverage area, the second-network-access device establishes connectivity with the wireless-mobile node. The first-network-access device tunnels to the second-network-access device the session activity and any unused credits. The second-network-access device periodically measures usage of the tunneled session activity in terms of tunneled measurement-method parameters. The second-network-access device debits the usage of the tunneled session activity from the tunneled unused credits.The second-network-access device then establishes independent network access for the session activity. The second-network-access device receives blocks of credits. The second-network-access device periodically measures the usage of the session activity in terms of another of the plurality of measurement-method parameters. The second-network-access device debits the usage of the session activity from the blocks of credits it receives.After hand-off, the first-network-access device may receive from indications to terminate session activity, to stop debiting the usage of the session activity, and / or to return unused credits.

A method and apparatus for providing roaming and hand-off support for prepaid billing for wireless prepaid services on a data network may be provided by a first-network-access device carrying on session activity of a wireless communication session with a wireless-mobile node within a first coverage area. The first-network-access device receives blocks of credits drawn from a user account having a cache of available credits for the prepaid-services. The first-network-access device periodically measures usage of the session activity in terms of a first of a plurality of measurement-method parameters. The first-network-access device debits the usage of the session activity from the blocks of credits. After entering its coverage area, the second-network-access device establishes connectivity with the wireless-mobile node. The first-network-access device tunnels to the second-network-access device the session activity and any unused credits. The second-network-access device periodically measures usage of the tunneled session activity in terms of tunneled measurement-method parameters. The second-network-access device debits the usage of the tunneled session activity from the tunneled unused credits. The second-network-access device then establishes independent network access for the session activity. The second-network-access device receives blocks of credits. The second-network-access device periodically measures the usage of the session activity in terms of another of the plurality of measurement-method parameters. The second-network-access device debits the usage of the session activity from the blocks of credits it receives. After hand-off, the first-network-access device may receive from indications to terminate session activity, to stop debiting the usage of the session activity, and / or to return unused credits.

A dual card, which facilitates payment for goods or services from either a credit account or a stored value account, operates on both an open network and a closed network. The dual card is a payment card that integrates the ability to provide credit privileges and stored value privileges to a cardholder of the dual card. The features, benefits, and advantages of a stored value card are integrated with the credit card aspects of the dual card. The benefits, features, and advantages of a credit card are integrated with a stored value card.

A grocery store or retail establishment easy-pass (E-Z) lane system for enabling express non-contact payment of a plurality of items is presented including an E-Z pass express checkout lane having at least a scanner for scanning the plurality of items and provided exclusively to preferred members pre-registered with the grocery store or retail establishment. The system includes an RFID antenna positioned about the E-Z pass express checkout lane for communicating with an RFID transponder issued to a preferred member when the RFID transponder is in close proximity to the RFID antenna. The E-Z pass checkout lane is activated thereafter for use by the preferred member for express checkout without the preferred member furnishing direct payment at the E-Z pass express checkout lane via a personal payment account that is separate and distinct from a prepaid vendor-established and maintained purchasing account.

A computerized system and method for managing stored-value card data over a communications network between a plurality of terminals and a central processor is provided. Each of the terminals is accessible to respective users and is located in a respective location generally remote relative to the central processor. The stored-value card data is configured to securely process in real time stored-value cards transacted by respective users to enable charging prepaid stored-value services to a recipient of the transacted stored-value card. The method allows for providing a database coupled to the central processor. The method further allows for storing in the database a plurality of records comprising stored-value card data for each stored-value card. An associating step allows for associating in each stored record respective identifiers to uniquely match a respective stored-value card and a respective terminal. The associating step is enabled by assigning a “setup” card to the location and capturing the terminal information when a transaction utilizing that card is made. A transmitting step allows for transmitting a request of stored-value card activation to the central processor from a respective requesting terminal, the central processor configured to accept said activation request based on whether the associated identifiers for the stored-value card to be activated match identifiers actually transmitted by the requesting terminal for that stored-value card and terminal.

A method for creating and managing a stored value account associated with a client device is disclosed and may include receiving one of a merchant identifier and an unbranded place holder to associate with the stored value account, receiving an amount of value to assign to the stored value account, and creating a virtual token for the stored value account that is associated with the client device. The method may further include creating a unique identifier associated with a client device, if a stored value account is associated with a merchant identifier, then creating an account number, and if a stored value account is associated with a merchant identifier, then creating an association between the account number and the unique identifier and between the account identifier and the merchant identifier in a database.

Systems, methods and computer readable media are disclosed for prioritizing tasks associated with a group of first users based on number of times the first users have monitored the status of a task. In addition to the general system, systems, methods and computer readable media for task prioritizing, the tasks may be prioritized based on the number of first users associated with a task, the importance of each first user associated with a task, and the way the task was identified.

A virtual card management system including one or more servers having memory executable via a processor is provided. The virtual card management system including a virtual card manager executable on the one or more servers having an integration connector engine configured to communicatively link at least one card service provider and the virtual card manager. The virtual card management system may further include a virtual card management platform configured to communicatively link the virtual card manager with at least one virtual card engine, each virtual card engine including one or more virtual cards, the virtual card management platform including an enablement module configured to selectively enable a virtual card transaction between at least one virtual card and a corresponding card service provider based on a set of predetermined authentication rules.

Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce using electronic tokens are described. The electronic tokens are issued and maintained by a vendor, who also provides products and services that can be purchased or rented using the electronic tokens. The electronic tokens may be purchased from the vendor either on-line, using a credit card, or off-line, using a check, money order, purchase order, or other payment means. Because the vendor is the issuer of the electronic tokens, there is no need for transactions to be handled by a third party, such as a bank or other organization. This reduces the overhead involved in conducting electronic commerce, and provides the vendor with a greater amount of control. Additionally, the vendor maintains total control over the price of the electronic tokens at any time. For vendors who offer software products for sale or rental, use of electronic tokens makes a variety of rental arrangements practical. Additionally, a user registers and purchases electronic tokens at the vendor. The user may purchase products at any other vendors who conduct electronic commerce using electronic tokens.