`
`PTO/SB/16 (11-95)
`Approved for use through 01/31/98. OMB ~1-00E:
`Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF CO~ER~_~
`q..
`fIi~:
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`::J~
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`ca-
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`This is a request for flling a PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT under 37 CFR 1.53(c).
`
`I Docket
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`Number
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`I 032376-003.2..
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`inside this box
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`-
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`"
`eslIl -9.- --
`I Type a plus sign (+) =F
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`== t-.
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`0
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`0 ~
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`LAST NAME
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`."
`.....
`~
`ITCROFT
`
`O'CONNELL
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`INVENTOR(s)!APPLICANT(s)
`
`FIRST NAME
`
`MIDDLE INITIAL
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`RESIDENCE (CITY AND EITHER STATE OR FOREIGN
`COUNTRY)
`
`Daniel
`
`Graham
`
`I.
`
`Dublin, Ireland
`
`Dublin, Ireland
`
`TITLE OF THE INVENTION (280 characters max)
`
`CREDIT CARD SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`
`Ronald L. Grudziecki
`BUR;,\;S, DOAl\'E, SWECKER & MATHIS, L.L.P.
`P.O. Box 1404
`Alexandria,
`
`STATE
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`I Virginia
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`I ZIP CODE
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`I 22313-1404
`
`I COUNTRY
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`I United States of America
`
`ENCLOSED APPLICATION PARTS (check all that apply)
`
`[]]
`Specification
`[]] Drawing(s)
`
`Number of Pages
`
`Number of Sheets
`
`48
`
`4
`
`D Small Entity Statement
`D Other (specify)
`
`METHOD OF PAYMENT OF FILING FEES FOR THIS PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT (check one)
`
`•
`
`•
`
`[]] A check or money order is enclosed to cover the Provisional filing fees
`[]]
`The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any deficiency
`in filing fees or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account Number
`02-4800. This paper is submitted in triplicate.
`
`PROVISIONAL
`FILING FEE
`AMOUNT(S)
`
`$ D $75.00
`$ ~ $150.00
`
`..
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`No.
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`The invention was made by an agency of the United States Government or under a contract with an agency of the United States Government.
`[8J
`o Yes, the name of the U.S. Government agency and the Government contract number are:
`-Respectfully submitted,
`/J
`SIGNATURE I~ ,n. ,I-~~. #c.
`TYPED or PRINTED NAM.J...,...:,Charles F. w~
`Registration No. ----=:;;33:::..;,""0"'-9.:::.6
`d' .....
`(if appropriate)
`D Additional inventors are being named on separately numbered sheets attached hereto
`
`Y~jd')
`Date Se~tembe, 9, 1998
`
`_
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`(10/97)
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`
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`-1-
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`CREDIT CARD SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.
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`601
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`(our reference number 032376-003) filed August 26, 1998, U.S.
`
`Provisional Application No. 601092,500 (our reference number 032376-003) filed on
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`5
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`July 13, 1998, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
`
`This Application also claims the benefit of Irish Patent Application Nos. S98 0223,
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`filed March 25, 1998, 5980346, filed May 7, 1998, and S98 0458, filed June 15,
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`1998, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein.
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`10
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`BACKGROUND
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`This invention relates to a credit card system and method, and more
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`particularly, to a credit card system and method offering reduced potential of credit
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`card number misuse.
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`2. Related Art
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`15
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`The development of retail electronic commerce has been relatively slow in
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`spite of the perceived demand for such trade. The single greatest deterrent to the
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`expansion of retail electronic commerce is the potential for fraud. This potential for
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`fraud has been a major concern for the credit card companies and financial institutions
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`as well as the customers and the providers of the goods and services.
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`20
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`The former are concerned about fraud because essentially the financial
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`institutions have to bear the cost of the fraud. Additionally, the credit card companies
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`have an efficient credit card system which is working well for face to face
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`transactions, i.e., "card present" transactions where the credit card is physically
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`presented to a trader and the trader can obtain the credit card number, compare
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`25
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`signatures and in many cases photographs before accepting a particular credit card.
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`-2-
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`The latter are equally concerned about fraud being well aware that ultimately
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`the user must pay for the fraud. However, there are particular personal concerns for
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`the consumer in that the fraudulent use of the credit card by misuse of the credit card
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`number by a third party may not become apparent for some time. This can happen
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`5
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`even if the card is still in his or her possession. Further, when fraud does occur the
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`consumer has the task of persuading the credit card provider that fraud by another did
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`indeed occur.
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`There is also the additional fear of being overcharged on a credit card. There
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`are thus particular risks for those credit card holders who have relatively high
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`10
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`spending limits, in that if fraud should occur, it may be some considerable time
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`before it is detected. One particular form of fraud referred to as "skimming" is
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`particularly difficult to control. What happens is that the card holder proffers his or
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`her card at an establishment to make a transaction, the relevant information is
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`electronically and/or physically copied from the card and the card is subsequently
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`15
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`reproduced. This can be a particular problem with travelers particularly during an
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`extensive period of travel as the fraudulent card may turn up in other places and it
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`may be some considerable time before the fraud is detected.
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`For remote credit card use, the credit card holder has to provide details of
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`name, master credit card number, expiration date and address and often many other
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`20
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`pieces of information for verification; the storing and updating of the information is
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`expensive but necessary. This of itself is a considerable security risk as anybody will
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`appreciate that this information could be used to fraudulently charge goods and
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`services to the card holder's credit card account. Such fraudulent use is not limited to
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`those people to whom the credit card information has been given legitimately, but
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`25
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`extends to anybody who can illegitimately obtain such details. A major problem in
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`relation to this form of fraud is that the credit card may still be in the possession of
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`the legitimate holder as these fraudulent transactions are taking place. This is often
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`referred to as "compromised numbers" fraud.
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`Indeed all this fraud needs is one
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`-3-
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`dishonest staff member, for example in a shop, hotel or restaurant, to record the
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`credit card number.
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`It is thus not the same as card theft.
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`The current approaches to the limiting of credit card fraud are dependent on
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`the theft of a card being reported and elaborate verification systems whereby altered
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`5
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`patterns of use initiate some enquiry from the credit card company. Many users of
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`credit cards have no doubt received telephone calls, when their use of the card has
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`been exceptional, or otherwise unusual in the eyes of the organization providing the
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`verification services.
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`Thus, there have been many developments in an effort to overcome this
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`10
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`fundamental problem of fraud, both in the general area of fraud for ordinary use of
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`credit cards and for the particular problems associated with such remote use.
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`One of the developments has been the provision of smart cards which are
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`credit card devices containing embedded electronic circuitry that can either store
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`information or perform computations. Generally speaking they contribute to credit
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`15
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`card security systems by using some encryption system. A typical example of such a
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`smart card is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,317,636 (Vizcaino).
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`Another method used is the Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) protocol
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`which represents the collaboration between many leading computer companies and the
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`credit card industry which is particularly related to electronic transmission of credit
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`20
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`card details and in particular via the Internet.
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`It provides a detailed protocol for
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`encryption of credit card details and verification of participants in an electronic
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`transaction.
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`There are then specific electronic transaction systems such as "Cyber Cash,"
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`"Check Free" and "First Virtual." Unfortunately, there are serious problems with
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`25
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`what has been proposed to date. Firstly, any form ofreliance on encryption is a
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`challenge to those who will then try to break it. The manner in which access has been
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`gained to extremely sensitive information in Government premises, would make even
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`the most foolhardy wary of any reliance on an encryption system. Secondly, a further
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`-4-
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`problem is that some of the most secure forms of encryption system are not widely
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`available due to government and other security requirements. Limiting the electronic
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`trading systems and security systems for use to the Internet is of relatively little use.
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`While electronic commerce is perceived to be an area of high risk, in practice to date
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`5
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`it is not.
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`Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-282556 discloses a one time credit card
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`settlement system. This system employs a credit card which can be used only once in
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`which various information such as specific personal information, use conditions, and
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`an approved credit limit identical to those of the original credit card are recorded on a
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`10
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`data recording element and displayed on the face of the card. The one-time credit
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`card contains the same member number, expiration date, card company code, and the
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`like as on existing credit card, as well as one-time credit card expiration date not
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`exceeding the expiration date of credit card, available credit limit, and the like. The
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`one-time credit card makes use of the same settlement means as the conventional
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`15
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`credit card. However, the system also requires use permission information to be
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`recorded on the credit card, the information permitting the credit card to be used only
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`once or making it impossible to use the credit card when the credit limit has been
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`exceeded. A special card terminal device checks the information taken from the card
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`for correctness and imparts use permission information for when the card is not
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`20
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`permitted to be used on the transmission to the credit card issuing company. The use
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`permission information takes the form of a punched hole on the card itself. This
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`system has obvious flaws, such as the card terminal having to be modified for
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`additional functions (e.g., punching holes, detected punched holes, imparting
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`additional information, etc.). Also, such a system offers little additional security
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`25
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`insofar as fraud can still be practiced by covering the holes or otherwise replacing the
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`permission use information on the credit card. Such a system would require a change
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`in nearly all card terminal equipment if it were adopted.
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`
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`-5-
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`Another system is a type of smart card in which a plurality of pin numbers are
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`added to a credit card number on an electronic display, such as disclosed in U.S.
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`Patent Nos. 5,627,355 and 5,478,994 (Rahman et at). For instance, U.S. Patent No.
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`5,627,355 discloses a credit card having a memory element containing a series of
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`5
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`passwords in a predetermined sequence. These passwords are identical to another
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`sequence stored in a memory of a host control computer. Further, the card contains a
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`first fixed field containing an account number (e.g., "444222333").
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`In operation,
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`the memory element of the credit card device provides a unique password from the
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`sequence with each use of the credit card device. This permits verification by
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`10
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`comparing the account number and the password provided with each use of the device
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`with the account number and the next number in sequence as indicated by the host
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`computer. The host computer deactivates the password after the transaction. Among
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`the problems with this type of system is the need for a power supply, a display, a
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`memory device, a sound generator and the need to recycle a limited sequence of pin
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`15
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`numbers. Such a system is not readily adapted to current credit card transactions
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`because it lacks the ability of providing a check sum of the card number and cannot be
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`read by a standard card reader. Also, if the card is lost or stolen, there is little to
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`prevent a person from using the card until it is reported to be lost or stolen by the
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`correct holder. See, also, U.S. Patent No. 5,606,614 (Brady et al.).
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`20
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`Other attempts have been made, such as issuing temporary PINs for one time
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`or limited time and limited credit access to an account at an ATM as disclosed in U. S.
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`Patent Nos. 5.350,906 (Brody et al.) and 5,326,960 (Tannenbaum et al). These
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`patents disclose a currency transfer system and method for an ATM network.
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`In this
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`system, a main account holder (i.e., the sponsor) sets up a subaccount that can be
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`25
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`accessed by a non-subscriber by presenting a fixed limit card associated with the
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`subaccount and by entering a password corresponding to the subaccount. Once the
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`fixed limit is reached, the card can no longer be used. The fixed limit card contains
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`information on its magnetic stripe pertaining to the sponsor account.
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`-6-
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`One of the problems with all these systems is that there are many competing
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`technologies and therefore there is a multiplicity of incompatible formats which will
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`be a deterrent to both traders and consumers. Similarly, many of these systems
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`require modifications of the technology used at the point of sale, which will require
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`5
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`considerable investment and further limit the uptake of the systems.
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`OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`Many solutions have been proposed to this problem. However, none of them
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`allow the use of existing credit cards.
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`Ideally, as realized by the present inventors,
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`the solution would be to obtain the functionality of a credit card, while never in fact
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`10
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`revealing the master credit card number. Unfortunately, the only way to ensure that
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`master credit card numbers cannot be used fraudulently is to never transmit the master
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`credit card number by any direct route, i.e. phone, mail, Internet or even to print out
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`the master credit card number during the transaction, such as is commonly the case at
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`present.
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`15
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`According to exemplary embodiments, the present invention is directed
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`towards improving the existing credit card system by providing a more secure way of
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`using existing credit cards and in particular to providing an improved way of using
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`existing credit cards in remote credit card transactions. The present invention is
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`further directed towards providing a more secure way of using existing credit cards
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`20
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`generally which will not require any major modifications to existing credit card
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`systems.
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`It is further directed towards providing an improved credit card system that
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`will be more user friendly and will provide customers with a greater confidence in the
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`security of the system.
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`Further the invention is directed towards providing an improved credit card
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`25
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`system that will not, in one embodiment, necessarily require the use of expensive
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`encryption systems. The present invention is also directed towards providing an
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`
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`-7-
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`improved credit card system which will enable a user to obtain the functionality of a
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`credit card while never revealing the master credit card number.
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`Further the invention is directed towards overcoming as far as possible the
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`incidence of skimming and compromise numbers frauds.
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`5
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`These and other objects of the present invention are satisfied by a first
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`exemplary embodiment, which pertains to a credit card technique involving:
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`maintaining a pool of credit card numbers which share identical formatting; assigning
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`at least one credit card number from the pool of credit card numbers to be a master
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`credit card number; assigning at least one credit card number from the pool of credit
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`10
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`card numbers to be a limited-use credit card number which is deactivated upon a use(cid:173)
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`triggered condition subsequent; and associating the master credit card number with
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`the limited-use credit card number, while ensuring that the master credit card number
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`cannot be discovered on the basis of the limited-use credit card number.
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`The technique further comprises: receiving notification that the limited-use
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`15
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`credit card number has been used in a credit card transaction; determining whether a
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`limited-use event has occurred based on the notification, and if so, generating a
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`deactivation command; and deactivating the limited-use credit card if a limited-use
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`event has occurred, based on the deactivation command which is generated upon a
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`use-triggered condition subsequent.
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`In one embodiment, the limited-use event is
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`20
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`satisfied when the limited-use credit card is used only once.
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`In another embodiment,
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`the limited-use event is satisfied when the limited-use credit card is used to accrue
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`charges which are greater than a prescribed monetary amount, which are greater than
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`a prescribed frequency of use, and/or a combination of use frequency, individual
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`transaction amount and total amount.
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`25
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`In one embodiment of the invention, the additional limited-use credit card
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`numbers are allocated automatically as soon as the credit card holder uses more than a
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`preset amount of limited-use credit card numbers. The advantage of this is that the
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`-8-
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`master credit card holder does not have to request the credit card numbers each time
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`they are required.
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`In another embodiment, a technique for performing a credit card transaction
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`based on one of a master credit card number or a limited-use credit card number is
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`5
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`provided, wherein the limited-use credit card number is randomly chosen with respect
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`to the master credit card number, but the limited-use credit card number includes
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`identical formatting to the master credit card number and is associated with the master
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`credit card number. The technique comprises: entering a transaction on the basis of
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`the master credit card number or the limited-use credit card number to generate a
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`10
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`transaction message; and receiving the transaction message and processing the
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`transaction. The step of processing the transaction includes: authorizing or denying
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`the transaction; determining whether to deactivate the limited-use credit card number
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`when the limited-use credit card number was used to perform the transaction, and
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`generating a deactivation command in response thereto, wherein the determining step
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`15
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`determines whether to deactivate the limited-use credit card number based on whether
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`a limited-use event pertaining to the use of the limited-use credit card number has
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`occurred, and if so, generates the deactivation command when the limited-use event
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`has occurred; and deactivating the limited-use credit card number based on the
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`deactivation command.
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`20
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`One advantage of the above-described techniques is that the credit card holder
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`obtains the functionality of a credit card without ever in fact revealing the master
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`credit card number in the course of a transaction. More specifically, according to a
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`preferred embodiment, there is no mathematical relationship between the limited-use
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`credit card number and the master credit card number. This is attributed to the fact
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`25
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`that the numbers are randomly selected from a queue of available single use credit
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`card numbers based upon the requests and/or needs of different customers.
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`It is thus
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`virtually impossible to predict which customers are looking for numbers at any time
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`or how they will be allocated.
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`-9-
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`Further, the technique can use a single use credit card number, and hence the
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`possibility of compromised numbers credit card fraud may be eliminated or at least
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`greatly reduced. Additionally, in one embodiment of the credit card technique, a
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`preset credit limit, etc. is allocated.
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`Irrespective of how the trader behaves (for
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`5
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`example, by fraudulently overcharging or providing additional goods) the total risk to
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`the credit card holder is directly related to the preset credit limit, and thereby can be
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`minimized.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`10
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`The foregoing, and other, objects, features and advantages of the present
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`invention will be more readily understood upon reading the following detailed
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`description in conjunction with the drawings in which:
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`Fig. I shows an exemplary system for implementing the present invention;
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`Fig. 2 shows, in high-level form, the operation of the central processing
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`15
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`station shown in Fig. 1;
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`Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process flow for a transaction;
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`and
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`Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating another exemplary process flow for a
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`transaction.
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`20
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`In this specification the term "credit card" refers to credit cards (MasterCard®,
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`Visa®, Diners Club®, etc.) as well as charge cards (e.g., American Express®, some
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`department store cards), debit cards such as usable at ATMs and many other
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`locations, and hybrids thereof (e.g., extended payment American Express®, bank
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`25
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`debit cards with the Visa® logo, etc.). Also, the terms "master credit card number"
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`and "master credit card" refer to the credit card number and the credit card as
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`generally understood, namely, that which is allocated by the credit card provider to
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`
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`-10-
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`the customer for his or her account.
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`It will be appreciated that an account may have
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`many master credit cards in the sense of this specification. For example a corporation
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`may provide many of its employees with credit cards but essentially each of these
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`employees holds a master credit card even if there is only one customer account.
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`5
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`Each of these master credit cards will have a unique master credit card number, which
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`set of master credit card numbers will be linked to the account. Similarly, in
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`families, various members of the family may hold a master credit card all of which
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`are paid for out of the one customer account.
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`The term "limited-use" credit card number is used to encompass at least both
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`10
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`the embodiment in which the credit card is designated for a single use, and the
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`embodiment in which the credit card is designated for multiple uses providing that the
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`charges accrued do not exceed a prescribed threshold or thresholds, such a total
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`charges, total charges over a limited time period, total charge in a single transaction,
`
`etc. A common feature is that the limitation is based on a use-triggered, condition
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`15
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`subsequent, and not just the expiration date of the card.
`
`1. Overview of System Features
`
`There are at least two basic different ways of carrying out the present
`
`invention.
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`In summary, they are the allocation of additional credit card numbers for
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`remote trade and secondly the provision of what are effectively disposable credit cards
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`20
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`for remote and card present trade, both of which have the feature of in the case of
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`single use or in the case of multiple use, protecting against the worst effects of
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`compromised numbers fraud or skimming.
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`In a refinement of the invention, it is possible to control the manner in which
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`an actual transaction is carried out as a further protection against unscrupulous
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`25
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`providers of goods and services.
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`Essentially, there are certain matters that will be considered in relation to this
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`invention. They are firstly the operational or functional features in so far as they
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`
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`-11-
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`affect customers, and then there are the technical features, namely how the invention
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`is implemented, how the invention is provided to the customers, and finally, how the
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`invention is handled by the providers of goods and services and the processors of the
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`credit cards, i.e., the financial institutions and/or their service providers.
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`5
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`The operational or functional features of this invention will be discussed first
`
`in the context of a standard credit card system.
`
`One basic feature of the invention is to provide in a credit card system such
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`that each master credit card holder could be provided with one or more of the
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`following: 1) additional single use credit card numbers for remote transactions; 2)
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`10
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`multiple use credit card numbers for remote transactions; 3) single use additional
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`credit cards for remote and card present transactions; and 4) multiple use credit cards
`
`for remote and card present transactions.
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`It is also envisaged that in certain situations credit cards can be provided to
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`people who do not have an account with any credit card company. This latter feature
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`15
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`will be described in more detail below. Various other features may be provided in the
`
`above situations which will further improve the security of credit card transactions.
`
`Dealing firstly with the situation where a master credit card holder has an
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`additional credit card number allocated to him or her for a single use, it will be
`
`appreciated that since the number can only be used for one single remote transaction,
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`20
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`the fact that the number is in anybody else I s hands is irrelevant as the master credit
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`card number is not revealed to the third party. Various other features may be added
`
`to such single use credit card numbers, for example, the value of the transaction can
`
`be limited, thus the master credit card holder can have a plurality of single use credit
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`card numbers of differing values. For example, when a remote trade is carried out,
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`25
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`the master credit card holder will use a credit card number which has a credit card
`
`limit only marginally above or equal to that of the value of the transaction. This
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`would prevent any unscrupulous trader using the credit card number to supply
`
`additional goods or services over those ordered or to increase the agreed charge.
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`
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`-12-
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`A second embodiment of the invention provides the master credit card holder
`
`with an additional credit card number for use in remote trade, which credit card
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`number could have, as in the previous example of the invention, a credit limit for
`
`each specific transaction or a credit limit such that when the aggregate amount of a
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`5
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`series of transactions exceeded a specific credit limit that the credit card number
`
`would be canceled, invalidated or in some other way deactivated. Similarly, the
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`multiple use credit card number could be limited to, for example, five uses with a
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`credit limit not exceeding $100 in each transaction and an aggregate credit limit not
`
`exceeding $400. Similarly a time restriction could be put on such a credit card
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`10
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`number in that it would be deactivated if it was used more, for example, than once a
`
`week.
`
`It will be appreciated that the limits that can be placed on the use of a single
`
`use credit number or a multiple use credit card number are almost limitless and those
`
`having skill in the art will consider other ways in which the use of the credit card
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`number could be limited, whether it be by time, by amount, by geographical region,
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`or by purpose or use (such as limited to Internet trade and so on), or by some
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`combination of these separate criterion.
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`The third way in which the invention could be carried out is by providing
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`additional single use credit cards each of which would have a unique additional credit
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`card number. Such additional single use credit cards could then be used both for
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`remote trade by using the additional credit card numbers for respective transactions,
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`and for "card present" trade where each card would be "swiped" in the normal
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`manner. Such a disposable credit card could be made from a relatively inexpensive
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`material, such as cardboard or thin plastic, with the relevant information entered into
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`it in magnetic form, as is already the case with many forms of tickets for use in public
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`transport and the like. Again, substantially the same features as with the credit card
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`number could be provided. Thus, for example, the disposable credit card could be
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`limited to use geographically, to use, to amount, to an expiration date, and so on.
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`Again, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many variations to this
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`concept.
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`Another way of carrying out the invention is to provide a master credit card
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`holder with a multiple use additional credit card, which additional credit card
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`provides any features that may be desired.
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`Ideally, irrespective of the manner in which the invention is carried out, the
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`master credit card holder would be provided with either a plurality of single use
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`additional credit card numbers or multiple use credit card numbers or single and
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`multiple use credits cards.
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`Generally, it will be appreciated that with either single use credit card
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`numbers or single use additional credit cards, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the
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`risk of credit card number fraud. Further, depending on the credit limit imparted to
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`the particular credit card number or additional credit card number or single use
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`additional credit card, it is possible to further limit the possibilities of fraud in any
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`remote transaction and that with the use of a disposable single use credit card it is
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`possible to eliminate or reduce the risk of skimming.
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`With multiple use additional credit card numbers and multiple use additional
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`credit cards, the above-identified problems may not be totally eliminated due to
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`preferences of the user. This is because, in certain circumstances, credit card users
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`may prefer to have, for example, an additional credit card number for remote trade
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`with a specific credit limit that they use all the time and are willing to take the risk of
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`compromised number fraud, in the sense that they can control the severity of this
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`misuse. This would be particularly the case where some of the various credit limits
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`or use limits suggested above are used with the additional credit card number.
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`Substantially the same criteria would apply to an additional multiple use credit card.
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`Effectively, the present invention solves the problem by obtaining the
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`functionality of a credit card while never in fact revealing the master credit card
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`-14-
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`number as the master credit card number need never be given in a remote transaction.
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`Further, the master credit card itself need never be given to a trader.
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`In another embodiment of the invention, it is envisaged that people who do not
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`hold master credit cards could purchase disposable credit cards which would have a
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`credit limit for the total purchases thereon equal to the amount for which the credit
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`card was purchased. These could then be used for both card present and card remote
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`trade, the only proviso being that if the credit limit was not reached it will then be
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`necessary for a refund to be given by the financial institution or credit card provider.
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`An obvious way of obtaining such a refund would be through an automatic teller
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`machine (ATM).
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`As an alternative, the above-discussed cards could be, in effect, debit cards in
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`the true sense, in which funds are withdrawn against a customer's account.
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`In this
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`case, the "credit card" issued, whether it be a one time use card or multi-use card,
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`and whether have a credit limit or not, would be used to debit the account
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`immediately. Preferably, the credit card issued in these circumstances would be
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`single use with or without a transaction limit which would be used and processed by
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`the customer and merchant for a transaction as if it were a credit card, while in the
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`customer's bank it would be treated like any other debit to the account.
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`2. Exemplary Implementation
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`2.1 Implementation overview
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`Fig. 1 shows an exemplary overview of a system for implementing the limited(cid:173)
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`use credit card system of the present invention.
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`The system 100 comprises a central processing station 102, which,
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`accordingly to exemplary embodiments, may be operated by the credit card provider.
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`Generally, this station 102 receives and processes remotely generated credit card
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`transactions. The credit card transactions can originate from a merchant in the
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`conventional manner, e.g., by swiping a credit card through a card swipe unit 106.
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`Alternatively, the credit card transaction requests can originate from any remote
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`computer device, such as device 104. These remote devices can interface with the
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`central processing station 102 through any type of network, including any type of
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`public or propriety networks, or some combination thereof. For instance, the
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`personal computer 104 interfaces with the central processing station 102 via the
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`Internet 112. Actually, there may be one or more merchant computer devices (not
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`shown) which receive credit card transactions from the remote computer 104, and
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`then forward these requests to the central processing station 102. The central
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`processing station 102 can also interface with other types of remote devices, such as
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`device 140, via radiocommunication using transmitting/receiving antenna 138.
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`The central processing station 102 itself may include a central processing unit
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`120, which interfaces with the remote units via network I/O unit 118. The central
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`processing unit 120 has access to a database of credit card numbers