Patents Assigned to Visa U.S.A. Inc.
  • Real-time balance on a mobile phone
    Patent number: 8170527
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Janine Granucci, Carrie Elaine Vriheas, Ayman A. Hammad
  • Incentive program awarding points per-mile-driven
    Patent number: 8170911
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, reward points can be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations, such as a dealership. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes the current vehicle odometer reading, and this odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading in turn serves as the basis for calculating the number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and for conversion of this mileage figure into loyalty points to be credited to the owner, lessor, or renter of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Frank R. Pender, Heather Cornwell Gray, Douglas C. Leighton
  • Method and system for generating and sharing customized portable consumer devices
    Patent number: 8162226
    Abstract: A method for receiving and presenting user-generated designs and sets of terms for portable consumer devices. The method provides for allowing a first person to create a customized design for a portable consumer device, and share the design with other consumers via a host site. Similarly, the method provides for allowing a first person to create and share a customized set of terms for the portable consumer device. Methods for receiving and distributing feedback for customized designs and sets of terms are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle Winters
  • Prepaid card fraud and risk management
    Patent number: 8165938
    Abstract: A method of monitoring fraud associated with prepaid devices includes configuring fraud platform parameters which comprise one or more limits defined by one or more values, each limit associated with a particular platform parameter, one or more thresholds defined by one or more values, each threshold associated with a particular platform parameter, and one or more rules that define restrictions for certain prepaid device activities. The method further includes applying the fraud platform parameters to prepaid device production data and determining whether to issue the prepaid device depending on whether any parameters were triggered by the production data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Justin T. Monk
  • Non-credit account credit rating
    Patent number: 8165940
    Abstract: A consumer's credit rating is derived from non-credit transactions on an account. Each transaction was a purchase by the consumer from a merchant using a pre-paid card. The derived consumer's credit rating can use a total of all of the transactions, totals for each merchant and/or for categories thereof. Here, the account is issued by an issuer to the consumer. Each merchant submits each non-credit transaction to an acquirer for processing by a transaction handler who requests the issuer to obtain payment for the transaction from the account. The issuer forwards the payment to the transaction handler who forwards the payment to the acquirer to pay the merchant for the purchase of the transaction. The derived credit rating can also consider prior credit ratings based upon prior credit transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Meimes, Chris Britt
  • Notification of resources of interest to members of a consumer group
    Patent number: 8160934
    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 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Carlson, May M. Mowzoon
  • Prepaid negative balance fee processing and fee diversion
    Patent number: 8146806
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a prepaid credit card processing system wherein components or entities such as the acquirer, issuer, or prepaid card processing network can dynamically determine, at the time of the transaction, whether a credit card transaction will be allowed—even where the fee associated with the transaction would cause the balance to fall below zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Justin T. Monk
  • Apparatus and method for preventing wireless interrogation of phones
    Patent number: 8145191
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided to prevent contactless portable electronic consumer devices such as an RF identification device (RFID), tokens, mini-cards, key fobs, cellular phones, smart card, etc. from being wirelessly interrogated. In one embodiment, a decoy circuit capable of detecting wireless interrogation signals transmitted to a contactless portable consumer device is used to prevent one or more interrogation devices from interrogating an authentic circuit in the contactless portable consumer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Ayman Hammad, Phil Dixon
  • Method and system using wildcard values
    Patent number: 8141777
    Abstract: A method of processing data on a server computer is disclosed. The method includes receiving data at the server computer, the data including a first data string including one or more wildcard values. The first data string is specifically associated with a customer, and the one or more wildcard values are associated with the purchase transaction. The method also includes comparing the first data string to a second data string by the server computer, and providing an output to the consumer based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Corinne Bortolin, Loc Duc Nguyen, Liane Redford
  • Field 55 data relationships
    Patent number: 8145550
    Abstract: A data mining device, method, and apparatus configured to associate customer exclusive data from a payment card or device after a financial transaction. A financial transaction processing system comprises a report distribution management system, a data relationship manager, and a customer exclusive data association database. The report distribution management system receives financial transaction data. The data relationship manager determines an issuer associated with the financial transaction data, queries a subscription database for subscription data associated with the issuer and a core database for the issuer processing parameters. The processing parameters are applied to the financial transaction data and the subscription data. A customer exclusive data association database is updated with the financial transaction data once the processing parameters are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Maw, Ayman Hammad
  • Systems and Methods to Present Triggers for Real-Time Offers
    Publication number: 20120066062
    Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to identify a set of users; identify a plurality of triggers, each of which corresponds to a set of one or more conditions which when satisfied by a transaction of a user from the set, as the transaction is being processed by the transaction handler, causes transmission of an advertisement to the user; provide a graphical representation of triggers; and provide data related to the triggers on the graphical representation, in response to user interaction with the graphical representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Jeanette Yoder, Leigh Amaro, Ryan Hagey, Michael James Gebbie, Michael Steven Bankston
  • Prepaid payment device admission ticketing
    Patent number: 8132719
    Abstract: A prepaid payment device is used to by a consumer as a ticket to a future performance event as well as to conduct a transaction with a merchant. The consumer operates a user interface of a kiosk to select admission to the future performance event and a monetary amount to be added thereto. Payment is submitted to the kiosk for both the admission price and the monetary amount. The prepaid payment device is associated with an account that is credited with the payment. Stored on the prepaid payment device is information which includes the associated account and authorization for admission to the selected future performance event. The payment credited to the account can be for both the transaction with the merchant offering admission to the future performance event and also for an additional transaction with another merchant who may be at the venue of the future performance event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Andrew Walker
  • Consumer authentication system and method
    Patent number: 8135647
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a consumer. The method includes receiving an authorization request message associated with a consumer conducting a transaction with a portable consumer device. A challenge message is sent to the consumer, where the challenge message is dynamic or semi-dynamic. A challenge response message is received from the consumer, and an authorization response message is sent to the consumer. The authorization response message indicates whether or not the transaction is authorized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Ayman Hammad, Patrick Faith
  • Wireless mobile communicator for contactless payment on account read from removable card
    Patent number: 8127999
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Diamond
  • Systems and methods for secure and transparent cardless transactions
    Patent number: 8121942
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for handling and/or authorizing payment requests by a consumer for a transaction are provided. Payment information can be sent directly from a consumer to a non-merchant, thereby allowing no new entities to obtain the payment information. Transaction identifiers can be used to facilitate communications among the entities. The payment information can be sent to the non-merchant via a merchant application with a submit payment button directed to the non-merchant so little or no deviations from standard practices are required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Carlson, Surendra Keshan, Patrick Faith
  • Cardless challenge systems and methods
    Patent number: 8121956
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for handling and/or authorizing payment requests by a consumer for a transaction are provided. Challenge questions may be presented from the non-merchant to the consumer after receiving the payment information, thereby allowing a judicious determination of when to ask such challenge questions and allowing complex and probative questions. The time limit for such challenge questions may advantageously be unconstrained, while still preserving security. Also, a risk analysis may be started prior to the consumer submitting payment information, thus allowing an efficient and complex risk analysis. Information about an access device used by the consumer may be obtained at the non-merchant from the access device with code sent to the access device from the merchant, and the device information may be used in the risk analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Carlson, Surendra Keshan, Patrick Faith
  • Smart sign mobile transit fare payment
    Patent number: 8118223
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the payment and collection of transit system fares using a mobile device utilizes a smart sign including near field communication (NFC) devices that communicate with a contactless element embedded within a mobile wireless device. Each NFC device is associated with a different transit location. The NFC devices may be included on the same smart sign located at one transit location or on different smart signs located at different transit locations. Alternatively, one NFC device may be included on a smart sign at a departure location and another NFC device may be activated when or after the user enters the transit system to provide proof of fare purchase. The mobile device is positioned proximate the NFC devices to activate the NFC devices and access fare and/or schedule information or purchase a fare.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Ayman Hammad, Phil Dixon
  • Credit card imaging for mobile payment and other applications
    Patent number: 8103249
    Abstract: A mobile payment device includes a contactless payment module, a processing module, and a display module. The contactless payment module is coupled to execute a credit payment transaction. The processing module is coupled to detect the executing of the credit payment transaction and retrieve credit image data based on the detecting. The display module is coupled to process the credit image data into a displayed credit image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy W. Markison
  • Wireless portable consumer electronics device facilitating multi-range transactions
    Patent number: 8096468
    Abstract: A method for conducting a transaction is disclosed. The method includes using a first portable electronic device, and directly transmitting a request for payment to a second portable electronic device through a wireless link. Then, the second portable electronic device transmits an approval of the request for payment to the first portable electronic device. One of the first and the second portable electronic devices then sends the request for payment to a payment hub service. The payment hub service then facilitates the transfer of funds from a payer institution to a payee institution to complete the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Joan Myers, Sara Garrison
  • Systems and Methods to Optimize Media Presentations
    Publication number: 20120005019
    Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to profile the spending distribution of users who have made purchases from a merchant and who have paid for the purchases via a transaction handler (e.g., using credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards). The spending distribution is determined based on transaction data of the users, where the transaction data records the transactions of the users for purchases from various merchants. The spending distribution is profiled to indicate the preference of the customers of the merchant as a whole and thus can be used to customize the ratio of media content provided to the customers of the merchant, such as the presentation ratio of advertisements from different merchants, or from merchants of different categories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Diane LeBlanc, Diane C. Salmon