Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium for sending notification messages to a notification device and associating a fee for sending the notification message. The notification message is associated with a portable consumer device issued by an issuer and associated with an account of a consumer operated by the issuer. The fee is obtained by the issuer or a payment brand organization associated with the portable consumer device.

Abstract: Portable Consumer Payment Devices (PCPDs), such as gift cards, can be bulk activated and thereby be made ready to use in a commercial transaction. The bulk activation is provided through a web service giving a user experience that includes an online interactive user interface that receives an order for PCPDs and a request to activate all PCPDs in the order. The respective accounts of the PCPDs in the order are funded upon activation and a fee is assessed for the activations. Thereafter, each activated PCPD can be used in a transaction with a merchant who submits the transaction to an acquirer for processing by a transaction handler who requests an issuer of the account of the PCPD to obtain payment for the transaction from the account corresponding to the PCPD.

Abstract: A transaction handler receives, for forwarding to a sponsor account's issuer, a coupon authorization request message from a merchant's acquirer that identifies the sponsor account and a coupon for an item being purchased by a consumer in a transaction with the merchant. The issuer determines eligibility of the coupon for use by the consumer, and sends an authorization response message to the merchant via its acquirer and the transaction handler for the application of a corresponding discount for the item when the coupon is eligible. One or more coupon eligibilities for the purchase of the item by the consumer from the merchant can be derived from comparisons of the transaction to predetermined times, geographies, jurisdictions, sets of merchants, and/or the number of times that coupons have been used in other transactions. The transaction handler can further process the transaction for authorization the consumer's account to pay of the transaction.

Abstract: A wireless mobile communications apparatus reads removable cards and can communicate an account corresponding to the removable card in order to conduct a wireless transaction with a merchant on the account with the wireless mobile communications apparatus. A total currency amount for the transaction, and remaining balance in the account after the transaction, can be displayed on a display screen of the wireless mobile communications apparatus. The removable card can be a gift card bearing a magnetic strip having an identifier for the account encoded thereto that will be read when inserted into the wireless mobile communications apparatus which can be a cellular telephone or Web enabled portable device. The magnetic strip gift card can be substantially composed of paper so as to be intended for disposable after use.

Abstract: A system, method and prepaid payment mobile phone configured to display a current prepaid balance. The prepaid payment mobile phone receives a debit balance request from input on the mobile phone. After retrieving an encoded current balance, the mobile phone displays the amount. The current balance may be calculated by the phone after a transaction, or the phone may receive a debit balance via a short message service notification.

Abstract: At each of a plurality of point of sale terminals (POS) of a transit system, for each of a plurality of riders, each seeking access to a facility of the transit system by using a payment device issued by an issuer in a payment system, data is read from the payment device, where the data includes an identifier for an account issued by an issuer. For each such access, a communication including the identifier is addressed to a network address of a system remote from the payment processing system and each of POS terminals. A response to the communication is received including information regarding whether access is granted based upon the identifier being on a list keep by the remote system. If access is granted, the rider is permitted access to the facility and the payment device is unchanged for the fare.

Abstract: A system and method to provide food stamp benefits to recipients. The state agency responsible for distributing food stamp benefits to eligible recipients employs an issuer to produce consumer access devices for distribution to the recipients. The consumer access device is encoded with information enabling the food stamp recipients to purchase specified items from merchants. By imprinting the consumer access device with indicia identifying a commercial payment processing network and employing the commercial payment processing network to process the transactions, transaction funded by the food stamp program will appear to be credit or debit transactions personally funded by the food stamp recipient.

Abstract: An announcement distributor distributes, or auctions an opportunity to distribute, an announcement to an announcement recipient such as a consumer, issuer, merchant, or acquirer within a payment processing system. The announcement is formed when there has been a satisfaction of an announcement condition, such as the consumer being determined to be located within a predetermined spatial zone. The content of the announcement may, in turn, facilitate a subsequent cashless transaction for resources of merchants. Implementations describe various permutations of the content of the announcement, the announcement condition, and the announcement recipient.

Abstract: A method begins by generating, for each of a plurality of merchant devices, an offer data file to produce a plurality of offer data files. The method continues by: compiling, for one issuer device, an options data file for a group of credit cards based on at least one of the plurality of offer data files; transmitting the options data file to the issuer device; receiving, from the issuer device, at least one selection from the options data file to produce an options program file for the group of credit cards; receiving, from a card holder device associated with one of the group of credit cards, a selection of at least one option from the options program file to produce at least one selected option; and processing transactions of the one of the group of credit cards in accordance with the at least one selected option.

Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured with a configurable, generic, data-driven model, in which properties of social networking sites/applications are stored and used in communicating offer-related messages via social networking sites.

Abstract: Systems and methods of converting transactions to a new currency and tax processing based on the location of the mobile communication device. The systems and methods send transaction information including a transaction amount associated with a transaction conducted between a merchant and a consumer at an access device, to a server computer. The server computer determines a location of a mobile communication device operated by the consumer and converts an transaction amount to a currency based on a conversion rate based on the location of the mobile communication device or determines a tax amount based on the transaction amount and based on the location of the mobile communication device. The method also receives the converted transaction amount or the tax amount.

Abstract: There is provided a card or token for use in financial transactions. The financial transaction token or card has an onboard energy storage device that enables onboard electronics to operate when the card is not in the proximity of a merchant Point-Of-Service (POS) terminal. In one implementation, the onboard energy storage device includes a capacitor such as a thin-film capacitor that stores sufficient energy to power onboard electronics without the need for an onboard battery. The card may be incorporated within various conventional apparatus such as a see-through and/or protective substrate, an item of clothing, an item of jewelry, a cell phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a credit card, an identification card, a money holder, a wallet, a personal organizer, a keychain payment tag, and like personality.

Abstract: Devices and methods for signature authentication of a bearer of a payment processing device during financial transactions are provided. The payment processing device is provided with a signature input panel configured to receive user input signature information for the purpose of authenticating the signature. After the bearer of the payment processing device writes her signature into the signature input panel, the input signature information is compared to a pre-stored signature profile stored in the payment processing device for authentication.

Abstract: A portable prescription sample transaction payment device has a substrate with a surface rendering corresponding to a prescription medical supply sample. Memory, in contact with the substrate, stores an identifier for the prescription medical supply sample, a quantity for the prescription medical supply sample, a dosage for the prescription medical supply sample, and an identifier for a patient. The memory also stores a pharmaceutical company account for a dispensing pharmacist to charge the cost of the prescription medical supply sample for payment to a dispensing pharmacist account to reimburse the dispensing pharmacist for the prescription medical supply sample. An image corresponding to the prescription medical supply sample is stored in the memory, as is an identifier for a prescribing medical practitioner prescribing the prescription medical supply sample to the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing finance-related services such as electronic payment delivery are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a payment system is configured to receive a payment message including a type of information, and to add an identification number to the message. The type of information is removed from the payment message, and the revised payment message is forwarded on to an entity responsible for payment. Particular embodiments in accordance with the present invention are suited for removing personal patient information from a HIPAA-compliant payment message, prior to forwarding the revised message over an electronic payment network.

Abstract: At each of a plurality of transit readers of a transit system, for each of a plurality of riders, where each rider seeks to conduct an access transaction with the transit system for access into the transit facility by using a payment device issued by an issuer in a payment system, data is read from the payment device. The data includes an encryption code that uniquely corresponds to the payment device and was created by the issuer using one or more encryption keys and a predetermined algorithm. A check will be performed, remotely and/or locally, of one or more lists of other encryption codes to determine if the encryption code is on the list. On the basis of whether the encryption code is on the list, the rider is permitted access to the facility of the transit system. The payment device need not be changed for the rider's fare. Decryption of the encryption code read from the payment device is not required to complete the access transaction.

Abstract: A card can be used to make a payment or to gain access to a secure facility. The card embeds a chip, a passive circuit, and an antennae that receives frequencies upon which the chip executes corresponding payment and access applications. The passive circuit powers the chip upon being energized by an external circuit that emits the frequencies. The card docks into a card dock having a user interface. The user interface has buttons which, when particularly engaged, permits reception of one of the frequencies that energizes the passive circuit to power the chip for the execution of the corresponding application.

Abstract: At each of a plurality of merchant Point Of Service terminals (POS), for each of a plurality of consumers, where each consumer seeks to conduct a transaction with the merchant for a good or service by using a payment device issued by an issuer in a payment system, data is read from the payment device. The data can include an identifier for an account issued by an issuer. The consumer is permitted to receive the good or service from the merchant prior to validating the account with the issuer. Transaction information for each transaction is stored during a predetermined aggregation criteria, such as time period, number of transactions, monetary volume, etc., into an aggregation set of said transactions. During the predetermined aggregation criteria, an evaluation is made, by communication with the corresponding issuer, whether the accounts in the aggregation set of transactions are valid.

Abstract: A system for managing reward reversal is provided. The system includes a device that is capable of adjusting the accumulation and redemption levels of rewards after a purchase or return transaction.

Abstract: Financial transaction data comprising payment on any one of multiple financial transaction types are processed with an adapter layer that receives an incoming data message relating to a financial transaction initiated by a payer and operates on the incoming data message to produce adapted data relating to the financial transaction, and a processor that receives the adapted data and determines transaction routing to direct the adapted data to a processing network module that requests authorization by an issuer, responds to authorization by initiating request for settlement and payment on the financial transaction to a transaction payee, and responds to payee query requests by providing non-payment data to an external payee.