Cardless payment system

Details Cardless payment system Cardless payment system

1999-05-10

2001-05-08

Pitts, Harold I. (Department: 2876)

Registers

Systems controlled by data bearing records

Credit or identification card systems

C235S382000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06227447

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a system and method for assigning an alias, such as a phone number and a Personal Identification Number (“PIN”), to a credit card so as to eliminate the need for the physical presence of the card during a transaction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are literally thousands of different credit cards available. Some provide frequent flier miles, others give you free gas. Still other credit cards offer low interest rates and even insurance for your purchases. Out of all the credit cards that exist, none of them offer the ability to go to a store and make purchases without the actual card. While it is possible to place an order over the phone to a catalog company, it is still generally required to have the card in your hand to read the card number to the sales person and provide some additional information such as the expiration date. Perhaps a trivial number of people have memorized their credit card number and expiration date, but most people have yet to commit these seldom used 20-digits to memory.
Additionally, those with an active lifestyle will find it burdensome to carry many credit cards with them during their everyday lives. The risk of losing one's wallet or purse, or having it stolen is an ongoing problem. The replacement process for most credit cards is long and burdensome. If a credit card is stolen and unauthorized charges are discovered on the account, the process to rectify the situation is both time consuming and exhausting, often involving sworn affidavits by the cardmember.
These and other drawbacks of current credit cards exist.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of existing credit cards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for assigning an alias for a cardholder's credit card number using an easy to remember number.
A further object of the present invention is a system and method for enabling a cardholder to use his or her credit card without actually having the card present at the time of purchase. This is accomplished by cross-linking the cardholder's phone number to the credit card number and providing the customer with a corresponding PIN that can be changed immediately upon receipt so that it is a number that the cardmember can easily remember. The PIN can also be selected by the cardmember from his or her home phone. As one method of authentication, the bank can verify the identity of the caller by their phone number using an Automatic Number Identification (“ANI”) system which ensures a secure registration of the PIN. The customer can then self-select the PIN he or she wishes to use.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follows.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3896266 (1975-07-01), Waterbury
patent: 3938091 (1976-02-01), Atalla et al.
patent: 4582985 (1986-04-01), Lofberg
patent: 4672377 (1987-06-01), Murphy et al.
patent: 4797913 (1989-01-01), Kaplan et al.
patent: 5023904 (1991-06-01), Kaplan et al.
patent: 5180901 (1993-01-01), Hiramatsu
patent: 5181238 (1993-01-01), Medamana et al.
patent: 5336870 (1994-08-01), Hughes et al.
patent: 5450479 (1995-09-01), Alesio et al.
patent: 5465290 (1995-11-01), Hampton et al.
patent: 5479494 (1995-12-01), Clitherow
patent: 5513250 (1996-04-01), McAllister
patent: 5550358 (1996-08-01), Tait et al.
patent: 5675607 (1997-10-01), Alesio et al.
patent: 5708422 (1998-01-01), Blonder et al.
patent: 5715314 (1998-02-01), Payne et al.
patent: 5715399 (1998-02-01), Bezos
patent: 5724424 (1998-03-01), Gifford
patent: 5770843 (1998-06-01), Rose et al.
patent: 5787154 (1998-07-01), Hazra et al.
patent: 5883810 (1999-03-01), Franklin et al.
patent: 6000832 (1999-12-01), Franklin et al.
patent: 6029890 (2000-02-01), Austin
patent: 6042006 (2000-03-01), Van Tilburg
www.echarge.com web site;1999 eCharge Corporation, Seattle, WA (Info@eCharge.com); publication date unknown, web site last updated on Nov. 18, 1999.
International Search Report PCT/US00/12633 mailed Aug. 1, 2000.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Cardless payment system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Cardless payment system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cardless payment system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2557256