Patents Assigned to American Express Travel Related Services
  • Transparent/translucent financial transaction card
    Patent number: 6986465
    Abstract: A financial transaction card is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment. The card includes a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge. The material sheet has one or more areas that are at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing. A filter associated with at least one of the areas provides sufficient opacity to light used by card sensors in the automated card processing equipment to render the card detectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventor: John H. Kiekhaefer
  • EXCEPTION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20060004671
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing prepaid cash alternatives and resolving exceptions related to the sale of prepaid cash alternatives such as traveler's cheques or prepaid cards. Reports of sales may be reviewed to identify exceptions, and information explaining the exceptions may be made available electronically. Sellers may be notified of exceptions by e-mail, which may include a link or address to information explaining the exceptions. The information may be provided in real time through a secure site on a network, such as the Internet. A company may contract with business partners to sell the prepaid cash alternatives to customers, and the business partners may report the sales to the company via reports. After being notified of exceptions, business partners may provide corrected information or new information to resolve the exceptions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Greg Webb, Jennifer Sauvageau, Carol Breinholt, Sabina Sweat
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FINGERPRINT BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000894
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using fingerprint biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a fingerprint sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a fingerprint sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a fingerprint sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing fingerprint samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACIAL RECOGNITION BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000895
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using facial scan biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a facial scan sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a facial scan sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a facial scan sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing facial scan samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SIGNATURE RECOGNITION BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000897
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using signature recognition biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a signature scan sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a signature scan sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a signature scan sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing signature samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VOICE RECOGNITION BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000896
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using voice recognition biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a voice print sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a voice print sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a voice print sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing voice print samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • SYSTEM FOR BIOMETRIC SECURITY USING A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000891
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a biometric sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a biometric sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a biometric sensor. The device for verifying samples compares the biometric samples with information stored on databases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD FOR BIOMETRIC SECURITY USING A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000892
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for facilitating biometric security in a smartcard-reader transaction system by proffering a biometric. The biometric may be proffered to a biometric sensor communicating with the smartcard-reader system. Proffering the biometric initiates verification of the biometric sample and facilitates authorization of a transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD FOR BIOMETRIC SECURITY USING A SMARTCARD-READER
    Publication number: 20060000893
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for facilitating biometric security in a smartcard-reader system. The method includes detecting biometrics using a biometric sensor in order to obtain a biometric sample. In one embodiment, the biometric sensor communicates with the smartcard-system and is configured with a smartcard. In another embodiment, the biometric sensor communicates with the smartcard-system and is configured with a reader. The invention also discloses methods for verifying a biometric sample and for authorizing a transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VASCULAR PATTERN RECOGNITION BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000898
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using vascular pattern recognition biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a vascular scan sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a vascular scan sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a vascular scan sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing vascular scan samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DNA RECOGNITION BIOMETRICS ON A SMARTCARD
    Publication number: 20060000899
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using DNA recognition biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a DNA scan sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with a DNA scan sensor. In another embodiment, the system includes a reader configured with a DNA scan sensor. In yet another embodiment, the present invention discloses methods for proffering and processing DNA scan samples to facilitate authorization of transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Bonalle, Glen Salow
  • TRAVEL SERVICE BROKER SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20050288974
    Abstract: An integrated travel service broker for facilitating transactions between travel inventory suppliers and buyers is disclosed. The system comprises a network with hub sites that provide a centralized connection for travel office point of service terminals and travel vendor databases and inventories. A user may purchase travel inventory by browsing a travel service broker database and a travel history database for travel itineraries, then selecting one of the travel itineraries and placing an order for travel services. The user also browses opaque bids placed in response to the order and selects one of the bids for purchase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: James Baranowski, Michael Laughlin, Mark McCulloch, Andrew Winterton
  • CALENDAR AUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20050283420
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates a calendar auction over a computerized network wherein consumers of professional services may bid on calendar timeslots for needed professional services. A provider creates an account and manages an online calendar to facilitate actions for defined timeslots. A consumer also creates an account and manages an online calendar to solicit calendar auctions for specific needed professional services over defined times-lots. Both provider and consumer manage their calendar auction accounts and calendar over a computerized network such as the internet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: William Bailey, Jeffrey Fehlhaber, Marla Flatbush
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING RECOMMENDED CHARGE LIMITS
    Publication number: 20050279824
    Abstract: The invention facilitates the compilation of client-imposed charge or credit limit reports based on declined purchase and/or payment transactions. The invention provides a system and method by which an account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator company may perform analysis of spending patterns for cardmembers in order to determine an optimal client-imposed credit limit in order to reduce the occurrences of declined charge or credit transactions. An account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator may use the limits report to persuade a cardmember to increase the client-imposed credit limit to a recommended level, thereby reducing the cardmember's inconvenience cased by declined purchase transactions while recapturing lost revenues by the card issuer also resulting from declined purchase transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Gordon Anderson, Catherine Campanaro, William Coomer, Michael James, Aniruddha Khandekar, Sangarsh Nigam, Gary West
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUILDING FULL BATCH TEST ENVIRONMENTS
    Publication number: 20050283667
    Abstract: The invention includes an integrated toolset of software development aids for testing of software systems directed toward the production, access, management, and retrieval of stored data by providing a fast and efficient means for a developer to recreate production data within a testing environment. The toolset consists of components which, when combined, provide an interactive on-line system where a developer is provided with access to low volume, high-quality, depersonalized, and targeted data with referential integrity and is suitable for most testing needs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David Batten, Derek Eastwood, Stuart Wilson
  • TRANSACTION AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20050269398
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for authorizing billing files at a substantially real-time batch authorization rate. The invention comprises a poller configured for queuing billing transaction files in real-time. In one embodiment, the invention uses advanced logic to split transactions into multiple subsets and it uses a plurality of different sized data streams to facilitate processing transactions. A card authorization system is used to process the transaction subsets. The card authorization may have one or more sockets to facilitate processing different-sized data streams. In another embodiment, the invention uses a merger to reconstruct the subsets into a billing transaction file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Robinson, Greg Garrison
  • DETERMINATION OF RISK FACTORS FOR USE IN A CARD REPLACEMENT PROCESS
    Publication number: 20050261997
    Abstract: Processing requests for financial-related transactions. Upon receiving a communication from a caller, wherein the communication includes a request for a particular financial card, information is obtained from the customer for use in processing the request. A first set of criteria related to the information is evaluated to determine if the request involves potential fraud. Based upon the evaluation of the first set of criteria, a second set of criteria related to the information is selectively evaluated to determine if the request involves potential fraud. An indication of the evaluation is output and used to determine whether to issue the requested financial card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth Austin, Thomas Callaghan, Ravinder Dhamija, Deborah Dierker, Beth Gallagher, Jeffrey Gass, Tod Johnston, Marcel Leyva, Sedettra Rankin, Guruprasad Shenoy, Mzilikazi Whitfield
  • TICKET TRACKING AND REFUNDING SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20050256750
    Abstract: An automated method and system for refunding the unused portion of an electronic ticket are provided. In accordance with the method, an aging period is set and is added to the scheduled departure date of the issued ticket. If the scheduled departure date plus the aging date is earlier than the current date, a determination is made as to whether the ticket has been used. If the ticket has not been used, the residual value of the ticket is calculated and a refund is issued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Hand, Wendy Levitt, David Pereira, Anna Austin, Gregory Coles, Duane Jacobsen, Vinny Khosla, Thomas Lunsford, Renee Richards, Leigh Tomaski
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC SECURITY PROVISIONING OF COMPUTING RESOURCES
    Publication number: 20050251573
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates the dynamic provisioning of computing and data assets in a commodity computing environment. The invention provides a system and method for dynamically provisioning and deprovisioning computing resources based on multi-dimensional decision criteria. By employing specialized computing components configured to assess an asset and requestor of an asset, a provisioning engine is able to transform the input from the computing components into a specific configuration of computing resource provisioning and security controls. According to the rules and policies applying to a security domain, the provisioning engine may dynamically allocate computing resources in a manner that is both safe and efficient for the asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Merkow, James Petrone
  • Card with an antenna and a blue rectangle
    Patent number: D512095
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Allard, David Bonalle, Gail Francolini, Pam Kornfeld, Leigh Malnati, Sue Mueller, Zarita Norcross, Danielle Nulle, Steve Rank, Lisa Skilling-Belmond, Lisa Webb