Temporary Virtual Card Number Control for E-Commerce Fraud Exposure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ecommerce transactions using payment cards are increasingly risky due to unscrupulous vendors delaying delivery, using card information, and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions, leading to temporary holds or new card issuance.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for creating and managing a database of temporary virtual card numbers, allowing users to generate temporary numbers with time limits, vendor restrictions, and transaction caps, which can be transferred back to the active card.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a user provides their active payment card account number for ecommerce transactions, then the transaction can be processed, but the user is exposed to fraud risk from unscrupulous vendors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction securityVSAvoidfraud exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the payment card functionality by creating temporary virtual card account numbers that are separate from the user's primary account number. Each temporary number can be configured with specific parameters (expiration date, spending limits, vendor restrictions) and is stored as an individual record in the database, allowing granular control and isolation of fraud risk to specific temporary instances rather than the primary account

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces temporary virtual card account numbers as intermediary elements between the user's primary payment card and vendors. These temporary numbers act as mediators that can be configured with specific parameters (expiration dates, spending limits, vendor restrictions) to control and limit exposure to fraud while still enabling legitimate transactions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a user obtains a new payment card after fraud incidents, then fraud exposure is reduced, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud exposureVSAvoidcard management convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables users to self-generate temporary virtual card account numbers through a database system accessible via computing devices. Users can independently create, configure, and manage multiple temporary numbers with specific parameters (expiration dates, spending limits, vendor restrictions) without needing to contact the financial enterprise or receive physical cards, making the process convenient and immediate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies of payment card functionality in the form of temporary virtual card account numbers stored in a database. These digital copies replicate the essential payment card functions but with configurable limitations and parameters, allowing users to have multiple instances without needing physical cards for each scenario

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a user uses a temporary virtual card number, then fraud exposure is limited, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud exposureVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal database system that can generate and manage multiple types of temporary virtual card account numbers with various configurations (different expiration dates, spending limits, vendor restrictions). This single multi-functional system handles all temporary card needs through one interface and database structure, preventing the need for separate specialized systems for each type of temporary card scenario

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260017646A1Creating and managing a data base of temporary files within data base file environments

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 TRUIST BANK

AI summary

A system and a method for creating and managing a data base of temporary files includes: an input device operated by a user; a processor and a non-transitory storage device operatively coupled for communication with the input device; and a temporary file number application stored in the storage device. The application causes the processor to: receive a temporary number request from the input device; set a time period; generate a temporary number that expires at an end of the time period; store the temporary number and the time period as a temporary file in a data base in the storage device and associate the temporary file with an account number of the user; and send an expiration message to the user before the end of the time period identifying the temporary number and the time period. The temporary number can be a virtual payment card temporary account number.