Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
DUAL CARD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to payment cards, and more
particularly, to
payment cards that can be used for both on an open network and a closed
network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A payment card is a flat, stiff, usually small, and rectangular piece of
plastic
material bearing financial information that can be processed to pay for goods
or services.
In the 1960s, charge cards allowed cardholders to charge obtained goods or
services to
charge accounts, accumulating balances to be paid in full by the end of the
month. In the
1970s, a bank executive in Seattle, Washington, created a reliable system of
payment
cards that provides credit privileges to cardholders so that account balances
need not be
paid in full each month, but in increments over time with interest. These
credit cards are
now known as Visa cards.. In the 1980s, MasterCard, a major competitor to
Visa,
developed debit cards, which are payment cards that allow purchases to be paid
with
money ~ withdrawn directly from cardholders' bank accounts without the payment
of
interest associated with credit cards. In the 1990s, a combination
crcdit/debit card 102a
was developed.
To purchase goods or services, such as a purchased product 106a (e.g., a
sweater),
a cardholder presents the credit/debit card 102a to a clerk who swipes the
credit/debit
card 102a through an open network card reader 104a. See FIGURE lA. The
financial
information obtained from the swiping process causes a charge to appear on
either a
credit account or a bank account to pay for the purchased product 106a. Given
the
pervasiveness of charge cards, credit cards, debit cards, and credit/debit
cards (over one
billion issued), the financial transaction interchange to which charge cards,
credit cards,
debit cards, and creditldebit cards belong can be considered an open network.
Charge cards, credit cards, debit cards, and credit/debit cards are issued by
banks.
These payment cards are typically embellished with the brand name of the
issuing bank.
Banks, like other businesses, rely on advertising to publicly promote the sale
of specific
goods or services. A brand name affixed to a payment card is a form of
advertising called
institutional advertising, which is designed to build prestige and public
respect for a
particular business concern (and form in the minds of the consuming public
that such a
business is an important institution). This type of commercial persuasion
mentions
-1-
CONFIRMATION COPY
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
products or services for sale by the institution only incidentally because the
focus is on
the institution itself. When people use charge cards, credit cards, debit
cards, or
credit/debit cards, the resulting goodwill with which they form in their minds
is closely
connected to the banks that issued these payment cards instead of to the
businesses that
actually provide the goods or services.
FIGURE 1B illustrates an entirely different payment card that is not issued by
a
bank, but by a business that sponsors a payment card called a stored value
card 102b.
The sponsor business can adorn its own brand name on the stored value card
102b to
create its own institutional advertising so as to build prestige and public
respect for the
sponsor business. Unlike other.payment cards, the stored value card 102b is a
card that
allows payments to be withdrawn for the cost of purchases from a cardholder's
stored
value account which the cardholder has pre-loaded with a certain amount of
money.
Unlike a debit card, no cash can be withdrawn from the stored value account.
The stored
value card 102b can be used to procure products or services, such as a
purchased
product 106b (e.g. coffee), offered by the sponsor (e.g., Starbucks
Corporation, which
was started in Seattle, Washington, by a retailing executive) of the stored
value card 102b
(Starbucks card) . The stored value card 102b is recognized by a closed
network card
reader 104b available in the stores or licensed stores of the sponsor
business. When the
stored value card 102b is recognized by the closed network card reader 104b,
an amount
for the purchased product 106b is decremented from a corresponding stored
value
account associated with the stored value card 102b.
Although operating in a closed network, certain stored value cards become so
widely adopted by consumers that it would be convenient for the consumers if
the stored
value card 102b were to be accepted on the open network presently accessible
by charge
cards, credit cards, debit cards, and credit/debit cards. The problem is that
the open
network is maintained by banks whereas the closed network is maintained by the
sponsor
business of the stored value account. Stored value cards are not recognized by
the open
network card reader 104a because they are not issued by banks and because the
stored
value accounts corresponding to these stored value cards are not maintained by
banks.
Consumers can purchase neither goods nor services with their stored value
cards on the
open networlc. Modified stored value cards, which work on the open network,
present a
new problem in that they may force the sponsor business to modify all of its
closed
network card readers in its sponsor stores. This can be cost prohibitive,
especially if all
_2_
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
of the closed network card readers have to be replaced. Thus, there is a need
for a
payment card, system, and method for paying for goods or services on both an
open
network associated with a credit card account and a closed network associated
with a
stored value account while avoiding or reducing the foregoing and other
problems
associated with existing systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention
will
become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by
reference to
the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIGURE lA is a block diagram illustrating a system for paying for goods or
services using a conventional creditldebit card;
FIGURE 1B is a block diagram illustrating a system for paying for goods or
services using a conventional stored value card;
FIGURE 2A is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system for processing a
dual card that operates on both an open network and a closed network,
according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 2B is a block diagram illustrating pieces of a system for processing a
dual card as both a credit card and a stored value card through a closed
network,
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 2C is a block diagram illustrating pieces of a system for creating a
dual
card, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURES 3A-3C are process diagrams illustrating a method for creating and
activating a dual card for a customer, according to one embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIGURES 4A-4D are process diagrams illustrating a method for adding value to
the stored value account of a dual card, according to one embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIGURE 5 is a process diagram illustrating a method for merging dual cards,
according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGURES 6A-6C are process diagrams illustrating a method for making payment
transactions via a dual card, according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
-3-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A dual card 202, which facilitates payment for goods or services from either a
credit account or a stored value account, is illustrated at FIGURE 2A. The
dual card 202
is a payment card that integrates the ability to provide credit privileges and
stored value
privileges to a cardholder of the dual card 202. The features, benefits, and
advantages of
a stored value card are integrated with the credit card aspects of the dual
card 202. The
benefits, features, and advantages of a credit card are integrated with a
stored value card.
The dual card 202 is sponsored by a sponsor business, which can emboss the
dual card
202 with its brand name and earn favor and prestige from the cardholder beyond
the mere
value of what the sponsor business sells. The dual card 202, unlike a credit
card or a
stored value card, can be used on both an open network 206 and a closed
network 210 in
a system 200. When used on the open network 206, the dual card 202 can be
accepted
anywhere in the world where a credit card is accepted as payment for goods or
services.
When the dual card 202 is used in the third-party store 204a, credit
privileges are
extended to the cardholder of the dual card 202. Credit payment transactions
are
communicated from the third-party store 204a to a credit card processor via
the open
network 206, which is a system of computers, terminals, and databases
connected by
communication lines to reliably exchange credit payment information. The third-
party
store 204a is a retail business establishment that sells goods or provides
services directly
to consumers. The third-party store 204a is neither associated with the
sponsor business
nor licensed by the sponsor business to use the dual card 202.
The sponsor business has a number of sponsor stores 204b-204c, which are
business establishments where goods of a particular theme are kept for retail
sale or
services of a similar theme are provided to consumers. When the dual card 202
is used at
sponsor stores 204b-204c, both credit privileges and stored value privileges
are extended
to the cardholder of the dual card 202. In other words, the cardholder of the
dual 202 can
use the dual card 202 as a credit card or as a stored value card in the
sponsor stores 204b-
204c. Sponsor stores 204b-204c not only include business establishments of the
sponsor
business in which the dual card 202 is accepted, but also other business
establishments
that are licensed to sell goods or provide services created by the sponsor
business.
Payment transactions generated from the use of the dual card 202 in the
sponsor
stores 204b-204c are communicated to a dual card support center 212 via the
closed
network 210. The closed network 210 consists of many small and large computers
-4-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
distributed over a vast geographic area (WAN or wide area network). One
exemplary
implementation of a WAN is the Internet, which is a worldwide collection of
networks
and gateways that use the TCPIIP suite of protocols to communicate with one
another. At
the heart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines
between
major nodes or host computers, including thousands of commercial, government,
educational, and other computer systems that route data and messages.
The dual card support center 212 is preferably maintained by the sponsor
business
to house a number of computers to provide support services, such as access to
account
files associated with cardholders of dual cards or routing of payment
transactions to the
credit card processor 208 or to a stored value processor 214. Whereas the
credit card
processor 208 processes credit payment transactions connected with the credit
account of
the dual card 202, the stored value processor 214 processes stored value
payment
transactions connected with the stored value account of the dual card 202.
Point-of sale machines, located at sponsor stores 204b-204c, can detect
whether a
credit payment transaction or a stored value payment transaction is desired by
a customer.
If a payment transaction is a credit payment transaction, the credit payment
transaction
will be transmitted from a point-of sale machine located in one of the sponsor
stores 204b-204c to the dual card support center 212 via the closed network
210. The
dual card support center 212 communicates with the credit card processor 208
to obtain
authorization for the credit payment transaction. Approval or rejection of the
credit
payment transaction is communicated from the credit card processor 208 to the
dual card
support center 212. The dual card support center 212 communicates the approval
or
rejection of the credit payment transaction to the point-of sale machine at
the sponsor
stores 204b-204c from which the credit payment transaction originated.
Settlement of
credit payment transactions is preferably done at the end of a business day to
credit or
debit/credit accounts of cardholders of dual cards and the sponsor business.
If a payment transaction is a stored value payment transaction, the stored
value
payment transaction is transmitted from a point-of sale machine located in one
of the
sponsor stores 204b-204c to the dual card support center 212 via the closed
network 210.
The dual card support center 212 communicates with the stored value processor
208 to
obtain authorization for the stored value payment transaction. Approval or
rejection of
the stored value payment transaction is communicated from the stored value
processor 208 to the dual card support center 212. The dual card support
center 212
-5-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
communicates the approval or rejection of the stored value payment transaction
to the
point-of sale machine at the sponsor stores 204b-204c from which the stored
value
payment transaction originated.
FIGURE 2B illustrates in greater detail the use of the dual card 202 at a
point-of
sale machine 204b-1 located in the sponsor store 204b. Payment transactions
are
transmitted from the point-of sale machine 204b-1 through the closed network
210 to a
transaction router 212a located at the dual card support center 212. The
transaction muter
212a comprises one or more intermediary devices on the closed network that
expedites
delivery of credit payment transactions and stored value payment transactions.
On a
single network linking many point-of sale machines through a mesh of possible
connections, the transaction router 212a receives transmitted payment
transactions and
forwards them to their correct destinations. Depending on whether a payment
transaction
is a credit payment transaction or a stored value payment transaction, the
transaction
router 212 routes the payment transaction to the credit card processor 208 or
to the stored
value processor 214.
Prior to making a payment transaction, the cardholder informs a clerk at the
sponsor store 204b that the dual card 202 is to be used for a credit payment
transaction or
a stored value payment transaction. The clerk actuates buttons on the point-of
sale
machine 204-1 to indicate the type of payment transaction desired and swipes
the dual
card 202 through the point-of sale machine 204b-1. The payment transaction is
communicated from the point-of sale machine 204b-1 as discussed above. The
point-of
sale machine 204b-1 can also be used to replenish the stored value account of
the dual
card 202 with a credit card account, such as with the credit aspect of the
dual card 202; or
cash tendered by the cardholder of the dual card 202.
With a change in software, the point-of sale machine 204b-1 can be programmed
to recognize that a payment card is a dual card based on the identification of
the dual
card. For example, if the identification number of the dual card is within a
certain
numerical range, the point-of sale 204b-1 concludes whether the payment card
is a dual
card. When the point-of sale machine 204b-1 recognizes that the dual card 202
is being
used for payment transactions, one of two payment transactions can occur,
credit or
stored value. This information can be used to prompt a clerk to request from
the
cardholder of the dual card 202 the desired payment transaction or information
to
facilitate a particular payment transaction. The numerical range of the dual
card 202
-6-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
allows the point-of sale machine 204b-1 to distinguish the dual card 202 from
a credit
card or other stored value cards. Preferably, the identification number of the
dual
card 202 is stored on the second track of a magnetic strip on the back of the
dual
card 202.
The creation of the dual card 202 is illustrated at FIGURE 2C. A customer 222
can apply for the dual card 202 by filling out a dual card application 216
online at a Web
site associated with the sponsor business or by filling out a printed
application. The dual
card application 216 can also be filled out by a customer service
representative of the
sponsor business when the customer 222 calls over the telephone and wishes to
apply for
the dual card 202. After the dual card application 216 is filled out, it is
transmitted or
sent to a credit card issuing bank 209. Unlike a credit card where the credit
card issuing
bank 209 affixes its own brand name, the dual card 202 is affixed with a brand
name of
the sponsor business. On the dual card application 216, the customer 222 can
indicate an
initial amount to be loaded on the stored value account associated with the
dual card 202.
If an initial load amount is specified by the customer 222, the specified
amount is placed
on the stored value account when the dual card 202 is activated by the
customer 222.
After the credit card issuing bank 209 receives the dual card application 216,
the
credit card issuing bank 209 processes the dual card application 216 and
determines
whether the customer 222 is creditworthy to obtain the credit privileges
associated with
the dual card 202. If the creditworthiness of customer 222 justifies the
extension of credit
privileges, the credit card issuing bank 209 produces a new account file among
dual card
data files 218 indicating that a new account connected with the customer 222
has been
created. Preferably, the new account file among the dual account files 218
includes the
name, address, and account number of the customer 222. A vendor produces the
dual
card 202, as a flat, stiff, usually small, and rectangular piece of plastic
material, which is
embossed with the brand name of the sponsor business. The dual card 202 is
then sent to
the customer 222.
Preferably at the end of the business day, the dual card support center 212
pulls
the new account file from among the dual card data files 218 and updates a
database at
the dual card support center 212 to reflect the new dual card account that has
been
approved by the credit card issuing banlc 209. For an approved account, the
dual card
support center 212 produces a stored value data file 220, which includes a new
account
number associated with the dual card 202; a transaction type (e.g., activation
of the new
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
account, maintenance of the account, or closure of -the account); and an
initial load
amount previously specified by the customer 222. After processing the stored
value data
file 220, the stored value processor 214 notifies the dual card support center
212 that a
stored value account associated with the dual card 202 is active. In turn, the
dual card
support center 212 notifies the credit card issuing bank 209 that the dual
card 202 is
active and can be activated by the customer 222.
If the stored value processor 214 declines the creation of a stored value
account
associated with the dual card 202, the dual card 202 provides only credit
privileges
approved by the credit card issuing bank 209. If the stored value processor
214 declines
the creation of a credit account associated with the dual card 202, the dual
card 202
provides only stored value privileges .approved by the stored value processor
214. When
the customer 222, the credit card issuing bank 209, or the sponsor business
decides to
close the account associated with the dual card 202, the credit card issuing
bank 209
produces a closed account file among the dual card data files 218. The dual
card support
center 212 processes the closed account file and notifies the stored value
processor 214.
The stored value processor 214 freezes the stored value account connected with
the dual
card 202 and communicates a remaining amount to the dual card support center
212,
which issues a stored value card to the customer 222.
When the customer 222 uses the dual card 202 for the first time in a credit
payment transaction for procured goods or services, the credit card issuing
bank 209
preferably issues a bounty, reward, premium, subsidy, or grant to encourage
the sponsor
business to promote the adoption of dual caxds by additional customers.
Additionally, a
bounty, reward, premium, subsidy, or grant of a certain amount of money is
preferably
paid to the sponsor business by the credit card issuing bank 209 at a renewal
anniversary
of the dual card 202 by the customer 222. These amounts of money constitute a
stream of
revenue for the sponsor business along with the favor or prestige that the
sponsor
business has earned by the customer's use of the dual card beyond the mere
value of what
it sells or provides.
FIGURES 3A-3C illustrate a method 300 for creating and activating the dual
card 202 for the customer 222. From a start block (FIGURE 3A), the method 300
proceeds to block 302 where the customer 322 completes the dual card
application 216.
When the dual card application 216 is sent to the credit card issuing bank
209, the credit
card issuing bank 209 processes the dual caxd application 216. See block 304.
At
_g_
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
block 306, the credit card issuing bank 209 generates a dual card data file.
The method
then proceeds to another continuation terminal ("terminal Al ").
From terminal Al (FIGURE 3B), the method 300 proceeds to block 308 where
the dual card support center 212 of the sponsor business retrieves the dual
card data file.
The method 300 proceeds to block 312 where the dual card support center 212
builds a
new dual card account. The dual card support center 212 generates a stored
value data
file 220. See block 314. At block 316, the stored value processor 214
retrieves and
processes the stored value data file 220. The method 300 proceeds to block 320
where
the stored value processor 214 produces an exception file. The method 300 then
enters
another continuation terminal ("terminal A2").
From terminal A2 (FIGURE 3C), the method 300 proceeds to block 322 where
the dual card support center 212 retrieves the exception file and builds a
dual card
confirmation file. The credit card issuing bank 209 retrieves and processes
the dual card
confirmation file. See block 324. At block 326, the credit card issuing bank
209 sends
the dual card 202 to the customer 222. The method 300 proceeds to block 328,
where the
customer 222 activates the dual card 202 by calling a phone number printed on
a
removable adhesive label affixed to the dual card 202. A decision block 330 is
entered
by the method 300 where a test is made to determine whether the customer 222
specifies
an initial stored value load to the stored value account connected with the
dual card 202.
If the answer to the test at decision block 330 is NO, the method 300
terminates
execution. Otherwise, the answer to the test at decision block 330 is YES, and
at
block 332, the dual card support center 212 performs an initial stored value
load with an
amount of money as specified by the credit card issuing bank 209 or by the
sponsor
business of the dual card 202.
FIGURES 4A-4D illustrate a method 400 for adding value to the stored value
account of the dual card 202. From a start block (FIGURE 4A), the method 400
proceeds
to decision block 402 where a test is made to determine whether to load the
stored value
account via a Web site associated with the sponsor business. If the answer to
the test at
decision block 402 is NO, the method 400 proceeds to another continuation
terminal
("terminal B2").
If the answer to the test at decision block 402 is YES, the method 400
proceeds to
block 404 where the customer 222 goes to a reload on a Web page on the Web
site of the
sponsor business. The customer 222 provides the dual card number, an amount to
be
-9-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
loaded, and an access code on the reload Web page. See block 406. At block
408, the
customer 222 provides a payment account number, such as a credit card number,
on the
reload Web page. The method 400 then enters another continuation terminal
("terminal B 1 ").
From terminal B 1 (FIGURE 4B), the method 400 proceeds to block 422 where the
dual card sponsor Web site forwards the dual card number and a CVN ("card
verification
number") number to the credit card processor 208 for verification. The credit
card
processor 208 validates the dual card number and communicates the fording to
the dual
card sponsor Web site. See block 424. At block 430, the dual card sponsor Web
site
submits the dual card number, the access number, and the reload amount to the
stored
value processor 214. The method 400 then proceeds to block 432 where the
stored value
processor 214 updates a stored value account connected with a dual card 202 by
the load
amount. The dual card sponsor Web site submits a payment authorization request
to the
credit card processor 208. See block 426. At block 428, the credit card
processor 208
processes the payment. The method 400 then ternlinates execution.
From terminal B2 (FIGURE 4C), the method 400 proceeds to block 410 where the
customer 222 asks a clerk, such as a barista in a coffee store, to load the
stored value
account of the dual card 202 with an amount of money. The clerk selects a
reload
transaction at a point-of sale machine, such as the point-of sale machine 204b-
1. See
block 412. At block 414, the clerk enters an amount to be loaded using the
point-of sale
machine 204b-1. 'the method 400 then proceeds to block 416 where the clerk
swipes the
dual card 202 through the point-of sale machine 204b-1.
A test is made to determine whether the dual card 202 number is within a valid
range associated with dual cards. See decision block 418. If the answer to the
test at
decision block 418 is NO, at block 420, the point-of sale machine 204b-1
notifies the
clerk that the dual card 202 is not valid for loading the amount of money. The
method 400 then loops back to block 410 where the above-identified processing
steps are
repeated. If the answer to the test at decision block 418 is YES, another
continuation
terminal ("terminal B3 ") is entered by the method 418.
From terminal B3 (FIGURE 4D), the method 400 proceeds to block 422 where
the point-of sale machine 204b-1 forwaxds the load transaction to the stored
value
processor 214 for processing. The customer 222 pays for the load transaction
by having
the clerk swipe the dual caxd 202 or via any other payment types at the point-
of sale
-10-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
machine 204b-1. See block 424. At block 426, the payment is processed. (If the
payment is by a credit card, the payment is processed by the credit card
processor 208.)
The method 400 then proceeds to block 428 where the point-of sale machine 204b-
1
prints a receipt. The clerk gives the customer 222 the receipt, which shows
the new value
of the stored value account connected with a dual card 202. See block 432. The
method 400 then terminates execution.
FIGURE 5 illustrates a method 500 for providing a merging service for the dual
card 202. From a start block (FIGURE 5), the method 500 proceeds to decision
block 502 where a test is made to determine whether the customer 222 wishes to
merge
multiple dual cards. If the answer to the test at decision block 502 is NO,
the method 500
terminates execution. Otherwise, if the answer to the test at decision block
502 is YES,
the customer 222 goes to a merge Web page on the Web site of the sponsor
business and
provides multiple dual card numbers to be merged. See block 504. At block 506,
the
dual card sponsor Web site submits the merged transaction to the stored value
processor 214. . The store value processor 214 merges the dual cards and sends
a
confirmation response back to the dual card sponsor Web site. See block 512.
The
method 500 then terminates execution.
FIGURES 6A-6C illustrate a method 600 for making payment transactions via the
dual card 202. From a start block (FIGURE 6A), the method 600 proceeds to
block 602
where the customer 222 presents the dual card 202 as payment for goods or
services to a
clerk. The clerk swipes the dual card 202 on the point-of sale machine 204b-1
in the
sponsor store 204b. See block 604. At block 606, the point-of sale machine
204b-1
recognizes the dual card 202 from its identification number. The method 600
proceeds to
block 608 where the point-of sale machine 204b-1 prompts the clerk to confirm
a credit
or stored value transaction as payment. The clerk confirms payment selection
with a
customer 222. See block 610. At decision block 612, a test is made to
determine whether
the stored value transaction was selected. If the answer to the test at
decision block 612 is
NO, the method 600 enters another continuation terminal ("terminal C 1 ").
Otherwise, the
answer to the test at decision block 612 is YES, and the method 600 enters
another
continuation terminal ("terminal C2").
From terminal C1 (FIGURE 6B), the method 600 proceeds to block 614 where the
dual card support center 212 receives the credit transaction and sends the
credit
transaction to the credit card processor 208. The dual card support center 212
receives
-11-
CA 02517103 2005-08-24
WO 2005/048145 PCT/IB2003/004512
the processed credit transaction from the credit card processor 208 and sends
the credit
transaction to the point-of sale machine 204b-1. See block 620. The method 600
proceeds to block 616 where the customer 222 receives a receipt from the clerk
(and
signs the receipt if needed). The method 600 terminates execution.
From terminal C2 (FIGURE 6B), the method 600 proceeds to block 618 where the
dual card support center 212 receives the stored value transaction and sends
the stored
value transaction to the stored value processor 214. The dual card support
center 212
receives the processed stored value transaction from the stored value
processor 214 and
sends the stored value transaction to the point-of sale machine 204b-1. See
block 620.
At decision block 622, a test is made to determine whether there are
sufficient funds. If
the answer to the test at decision block 622 is NO, the method 600 enters
another
continuation terminal ("terminal C3 "). Otherwise, the answer to the test at
decision
block 622 is YES, and the method 600 proceeds to another continuation terminal
("terminal C4").
From terminal C3 (FIGURE 6C), the method 600 continues to block 624 where
the point-of sale machine 204b-1 displays amounts still owed. The customer
tenders
another type of payment, such as a credit card, to pay for the amount owed.
See
block 626. The method 600 then terminates execution.
From terminal C4 (FIGURE 6C), the point-of sale machine 204b-1 prints a
receipt and displays the balance of the stored value account. See block 628.
At
block 630, the point-of sale machine 204b-1 prompts for a reload transaction
if the
balance is under a threshold, such as five dollars. See block 630. The method
600
proceeds to block 632 where the customer 222 receives from the clerk a receipt
showing
the balance of the stored value account. The method 600 then terminates
execution.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and
described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
-12-
