Abstract: A method of conducting a financial transaction by a purchaser over a communications network is provided where the purchaser does not transmit his or her “real” payment card information over the network but instead secure payment application software is provided which allows for the transmission of a pseudo account number that is cryptographically processed for purposes of responding to an authorization request based on the real account number.

Abstract: There is provided a financial transaction payment method and system for processing a transaction conducted using a financial transaction card. The financial transaction card has associated therewith a financial account in a financial institution and one or more transaction criteria. The financial transaction payment system includes a processing unit and an application program for execution on the processing unit. The method includes the step of determining by the application program whether a transaction activates an installment loan on the financial account based on the one or more transaction criteria.

Abstract: A proximity device transmits a first dynamic authentication value contactlessly to a terminal. The first authentication value is included in a discretionary data field of message data arranged in an ISO Track 1 and/or ISO Track 2 format. Message data is sent from the terminal to an issuer. The issuer separately derives a second authentication value and compares it with the first authentication value. An identifier associated with the primary account number (PAN) is also used and transmitted instead of the PAN.

Abstract: A proximity device transmits a first dynamic authentication value contactlessly to a terminal. The first authentication value is included in a discretionary data field of message data arranged in an ISO Track 1 and/or ISO Track 2 format. Message data is sent from the terminal to an issuer. The issuer separately derives a second authentication value and compares it with the first authentication value.

Abstract: Techniques for defining and customizing payment rules and automatically paying charges in accordance with the rules is described. A charge is settled and the charge is posted to an account, for example a credit card account, in the form of a settlement record. An automated payments engine compares the settlement record against payment conditions of one or more payment rules. If a payment condition is satisfied, the automated payments engine initiates a payment according to a payment method associated with the satisfied payment condition.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting a financial transaction by a purchaser with a merchant having an acquirer bank, over a communications network. The method includes the steps of sending a first authorization request using a pseudo account number associated with a real account number to a service provider which forwards a second authorization request to the issuer using the real account number and preferably a pseudo acquirer code associated with the service provider such that the response to the second request is based on the real account number and sent back to the service provider who preferably forwards a response to the first request preferably to the “real” acquirer. A message authentication code is further provided which includes transaction data, and where the authorization request is formatted as a standard payment card track having one or more fields including a discretionary field in which the message authentication code is placed.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting an electronic transaction with a payment account number having a certain amount of available funds, using a payment network and a “check site”. The method comprises the following steps: (a) generating a secret key associated with the payment account number; (b) using the secret key to generate a message authentication code (“MAC”) specific to the transaction; (c) generating an authorization request message including the message authentication code; (d) forwarding the authorization request message over the payment network to the check site for verifying the authenticity of the MAC; (e) verifying the message authentication code by the check site using the secret key; (f) responding to the authorization request message over the payment network based on the available funds and the transaction amount.

Abstract: A secure method of conducting an electronic transaction over a public communications network is provided which utilizes a pseudo-expiration date in the expiration date field of an authorization request. One of the preferred methods comprises: generating a per-card key associated with an account number; generating a message authentication code using the per-card key; converting the message authentication code into a pseudo expiration date; generating an authorization request for the transaction, the request having an expiration date field containing the pseudo expiration date; and verifying the message authentication code based on the pseudo expiration date.

Abstract: There is provided a financial transaction payment method and system for processing a transaction conducted using a financial transaction card. The financial transaction card has associated therewith a financial account in a financial institution and one or more transaction criteria. The financial transaction payment system includes a processing unit and an application program for execution on the processing unit. The method includes the step of determining by the application program whether a transaction activates an installment loan on the financial account based on the one or more transaction criteria.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting an electronic transaction with a payment account number having a certain amount of available funds, using a payment network and a “check site”. The method comprises the following steps: (a) generating a secret key associated with the payment account number; (b) using the secret key to generate a message authentication code (“MAC”) specific to the transaction; (c) generating an authorization request message including the message authentication code; (d) forwarding the authorization request message over the payment network to the check site for verifying the authenticity of the MAC; (e) verifying the message authentication code by the check site using the secret key; (f) responding to the authorization request message over the payment network based on the available funds and the transaction amount.

Abstract: A secure method of conducting an electronic transaction over a public communications network is provided which utilizes a pseudo-expiration date in the expiration date field of an authorization request.

Abstract: A method is provided for conducting a financial transaction by a purchaser with a merchant having an acquirer bank, over a communications network. The method includes the steps of sending a first authorization request using a pseudo account number associated with a real account number to a service provider which forwards a second authorization request to the issuer using the real account number and preferably a pseudo acquirer code associated with the service provider such that the response to the second request is based on the real account number and sent back to the service provider who preferably forwards a response to the first request preferably to the “real” acquirer. A message authentication code is further provided which includes transaction data, and where the authorization request is formatted as a standard payment card track having one or more fields including a discretionary field in which the message authentication code is placed.

Abstract: A method of conducting a financial transaction by a purchaser over a communications network is provided where the purchaser does not transmit his or her “real” payment card information over the network but instead secure payment application software is provided which allows for the transmission of a pseudo account number that is cryptographically processed for purposes of responding to an authorization request based on the real account number.

Abstract: There is provided a financial transaction payment method and system for processing a transaction conducted using a financial transaction card. The financial transaction card has associated therewith a financial account in a financial institution and one or more transaction criteria. The financial transaction payment system includes a processing unit and an application program for execution on the processing unit. The method includes the step of determining by the application program whether a transaction activates an installment loan on the financial account based on the one or more transaction criteria.

Abstract: There is provided a financial transaction payment method and system for processing a transaction conducted using a financial transaction card. The financial transaction card has associated therewith a financial account in a financial institution and one or more transaction criteria. The financial transaction payment system includes a processing unit and an application program for execution on the processing unit. The method includes the step of determining by the application program whether a transaction activates an installment loan on the financial account based on the one or more transaction criteria.

Abstract: In a commercial transaction system, a system user uses a card device to interact with sales or transaction terminals to conduct cashless transactions. Each terminal processes data including a balance stored on the card device and updates the stored data at the end of the transaction. The system is specially designed for purchases of items or transactions of relatively small monetary value, where purchases are generally unattended by salespersons. In this manner, the amount of the transaction is deducted from the balance on the card device. When the existing balance associated with the card does not cover the price of the transaction, the system provides an automatic renewal feature which automatically increases the balance of the card device by a predetermined amount. Such a feature allows the purchase to be made without inconveniencing the card user to increase the balance.

Abstract: In a bill delivery and payment system, users are able to access a server computer on a communications network to obtain bill information and pay bills. For example, such a communications network may be the Internet or the World Wide Web thereof. Using a personal computer, a user can access a Web site provided by the server computer to view the bill information and instruct the server computer as to the details of the bill payment. In a second embodiment, without visiting the web site, users are provided with electronic bills containing bill information in the form of electronic mail (e-mail) at their e-mail addresses. After opening an electronic bill, a user can make the bill payment by replying to the electronic bill.

Abstract: In a commercial transaction system, a system user uses a personal computer to interact with merchant computers over the Internet to conduct cashless transactions. Each system user computer processes data including a balance stored in the computer's memory and updates the stored data at the end of the transaction. The system is specially designed for purchases of items or transactions of relatively small monetary value. In this manner, the amount of the transaction is deducted from the balance on the computer. In accordance with the invention, when the existing balance associated with the computer does not cover the price of the transaction, the system provides a reload feature which gives the user an option to increase the balance of the computer. Such a feature allows the purchase to be made without inconveniencing the user to increase the balance by other means. Each time the balance is increased by a reload, the user's issuer bank bills the user for the reload amount.

Abstract: In a commercial transaction system, a system user uses a card device to interact with sales or transaction terminals to conduct cashless transactions. Each terminal processes data including a balance stored on the card device and updates the stored data at the end of the transaction. The system is specially designed for purchases of items or transactions of relatively small monetary value, where purchases are generally unattended by salespersons. In this manner, the amount of the transaction is deducted from the balance on the card device.In accordance with the invention, when the existing balance associated with the card does not cover the price of the transaction, the system provides an automatic renewal feature which automatically increases the balance of the card device by a predetermined amount. Such a feature allows the purchase to be made without inconveniencing the card user to increase the balance by other means.