Patents by Inventor Michael J. Cowen
Michael J. Cowen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Method, apparatus, and computer program product for topping up prepaid payment cards for offline use
Patent number: 11238438Abstract: A card holder carries out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card. The prepaid payment card is configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in the infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of the balance. Contemporaneously with the initial top-up, the card holder registers risk mitigation information in association with the pre-paid payment card. Subsequent to the initial top-up, an indicator is written to the pre-paid payment card during a transaction with the pre-paid payment card outside the infrastructure. The indicator identifies the pre-paid payment card as having the risk mitigation information associated therewith. During subsequent presentation of the pre-paid payment card to the infrastructure, the pre-paid payment card is treated as a token backed up by the risk mitigation information, based on presence of the indicator on the pre-paid payment card.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventor: Michael J. Cowen -
Patent number: 10956899Abstract: At a terminal assembly associated with a physical access point, payment device data is obtained from a reduced-functionality payment device, and the data is identified as emanating from such a device. In response, the payment device data emanating from the reduced-functionality payment device is converted into an authorization request or an access request, of a format consistent with full-functionality payment devices. The authorization request or access request is dispatched into a payment infrastructure which is configured to handle same, but is not configured to handle the reduced-functionality payment device.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2012Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: Colin Tanner, Michael J. Cowen, James D. Sinton
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Patent number: 10521797Abstract: A predetermined amount, which may, in general, be zero, less than, the same as, or greater than a (yet-to-be-determined) final transaction amount, is charged upon first presentation of a payment device to a merchant. A final transaction amount is calculated, preferably at a central server, subsequent to the first presentation. A variable adjustment value is calculated, preferably at the central server, by comparing the predetermined amount already charged with the final transaction amount. A new predetermined amount charged, upon a subsequent presentation of the payment device, is modified by the variable adjustment value.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2015Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED PURCHASEInventor: Michael J. Cowen
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METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR TOPPING UP PREPAID PAYMENT CARDS FOR OFFLINE USE
Publication number: 20190370784Abstract: A card holder carries out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card. The prepaid payment card is configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in the infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of the balance. Contemporaneously with the initial top-up, the card holder registers risk mitigation information in association with the pre-paid payment card. Subsequent to the initial top-up, an indicator is written to the pre-paid payment card during a transaction with the pre-paid payment card outside the infrastructure. The indicator identifies the pre-paid payment card as having the risk mitigation information associated therewith. During subsequent presentation of the pre-paid payment card to the infrastructure, the pre-paid payment card is treated as a token backed up by the risk mitigation information, based on presence of the indicator on the pre-paid payment card.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventor: Michael J. Cowen -
Patent number: 10460397Abstract: Transaction data is gathered for a plurality of successful payment device transactions in a first environment. The transaction data is filtered to identify successful payment device transactions associated with payment devices for which offline authentication is not supported, to obtain a whitelist. The whitelist is made available to at least one of (1) a merchant in a second, different environment, and (2) a third party acting on behalf of such a merchant.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: Michael J. Cowen, James Noe, Mark Lulic
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Method, apparatus, and computer program product for topping up prepaid payment cards for offline use
Patent number: 10255596Abstract: A card holder carries out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card. The prepaid payment card is configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in the infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of the balance. Contemporaneously with the initial top-up, the card holder registers risk mitigation information in association with the pre-paid payment card. Subsequent to the initial top-up, an indicator is written to the pre-paid payment card during a transaction with the pre-paid payment card outside the infrastructure. The indicator identifies the pre-paid payment card as having the risk mitigation information associated therewith. During subsequent presentation of the pre-paid payment card to the infrastructure, the pre-paid payment card is treated as a token backed up by the risk mitigation information, based on presence of the indicator on the pre-paid payment card.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventor: Michael J. Cowen -
Publication number: 20180268394Abstract: A method for performing a cash card transaction. The process includes a point of sale (POS) terminal and an associated reader interfacing with an integrated circuit (IC) card, transmitting a request for a cash card balance stored in the IC payment card, and receiving the cash card balance from the IC card. When the POS terminal determines that the cash card balance is insufficient to cover the transaction amount, it automatically initiates an online load transaction to increase the cash card balance, determines successful completion of the online load transaction, and then requests a transaction certificate to cover the transaction amount from the IC card. The POS terminal completes the purchase transaction upon receipt of the transaction certificate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Robert White, Robert K. Walls, Shuan Ghaidan, Michael J. Cowen
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Patent number: 10062077Abstract: A first request for a transfer of data is transmitted in response to the use of a user device; it is determined that the first request for the transfer of data has been declined; an event is detected that indicates that the transfer of data in response to the use of the user device can be accepted; and a second request for the transfer of data is transmitted in dependence on detecting that the event has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: Edward W. Judge, Anouska Ladds, Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Patent number: 10049348Abstract: A computer implemented method of performing a transaction using a payment account, typically handled by a payment account manager (PAM), comprises the steps of: receiving a first message from a top up terminal indicating that funds have been transferred to the payment account; setting or adjusting a funds limit of the payment account based on information in the first message; receiving an authorization or pre-authorization request from a first terminal and commencing a funds aggregation; receiving a second message indicating a pre-defined amount of funds which may be used in the transaction; blocking an amount of the funds limit of the payment account equivalent to the pre-defined amount; and sending an authorization response to the first terminal.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2014Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: James Noe, Michael J. Cowen, Jason Field, Sagitha George, David A. Roberts
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Patent number: 9916696Abstract: A method of inspecting a user device of a user of a transport system includes obtaining, by a portable inspection device, identification data of a user device of a user of a transport system; generating an inspection result of the user device, by an inspection system, in dependence on the read identification data and an item in a record within a database, wherein the record comprises a plurality of items each relating to entry data of a respective user device of a respective of users of the transport system; and conveying, by the portable inspection device, the result of the inspection.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED PURCHASEInventors: Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Publication number: 20180047112Abstract: Transaction data is gathered for a plurality of successful payment device transactions in a first environment. The transaction data is filtered to identify successful payment device transactions associated with payment devices for which offline authentication is not supported, to obtain a whitelist. The whitelist is made available to at least one of (1) a merchant in a second, different environment, and (2) a third party acting on behalf of such a merchant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2017Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Michael J. Cowen, James Noe, Mark Lulic
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Publication number: 20170316413Abstract: A first request for a transfer of data is transmitted in response to the use of a user device; it is determined that the first request for the transfer of data has been declined; an event is detected that indicates that the transfer of data in response to the use of the user device can be accepted; and a second request for the transfer of data is transmitted in dependence on detecting that the event has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Edward W. Judge, Anouska Ladds, Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Patent number: 9747644Abstract: Transaction data is gathered for a plurality of successful payment device transactions in a first environment. The transaction data is filtered to identify successful payment device transactions associated with payment devices for which offline authentication is not supported, to obtain a whitelist. The whitelist is made available to at least one of (1) a merchant in a second, different environment, and (2) a third party acting on behalf of such a merchant.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: Michael J. Cowen, James Noe, Mark Lulic
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Patent number: 9727865Abstract: A first request for a transfer of data is transmitted in response to the use of a user device; it is determined that the first request for the transfer of data has been declined; an event is detected that indicates that the transfer of data in response to the use of the user device can be accepted; and a second request for the transfer of data is transmitted in dependence on detecting that the event has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated PurchaseInventors: Edward W. Judge, Anouska Ladds, Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Publication number: 20170092016Abstract: A method of inspecting a user device of a user of a transport system includes obtaining, by a portable inspection device, identification data of a user device of a user of a transport system; generating an inspection result of the user device, by an inspection system, in dependence on the read identification data and an item in a record within a database, wherein the record comprises a plurality of items each relating to entry data of a respective user device of a respective of users of the transport system; and conveying, by the portable inspection device, the result of the inspection.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Patent number: 9520003Abstract: A method of inspecting a user device of a user of a transport system includes obtaining, by a portable inspection device, identification data of a user device of a user of a transport system; generating an inspection result of the user device, by an inspection system, in dependence on the read identification data and an item in a record within a database, wherein the record comprises a plurality of items each relating to entry data of a respective user device of a respective of users of the transport system; and conveying, by the portable inspection device, the result of the inspection.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATEDInventors: Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Publication number: 20160071100Abstract: Methods and systems for processing transactions initiated at unattended terminals using user devices without visible credentials, and providing services concerning such transactions, are disclosed. A first party issues a set of pseudo credentials for a user device responsive to authorisation request data concerning a transaction initiated with a second party using the user device and provides the pseudo credentials to the second party, who maps such pseudo credentials to real credentials of the user device acquired from the user device during the transaction. The pseudo credentials are also provided to a user of the user device who submits such pseudo credentials to the second party during a subsequent enquiry concerning the transaction. To authenticate the user device, the second party requests authorisation from the first party using the pseudo credentials.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: James C. Noe, Michael J. Cowen, Sagitha George, David A. Roberts, Anouska Ladds
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Publication number: 20150332268Abstract: A predetermined amount, which may, in general, be zero, less than, the same as, or greater than a (yet-to-be-determined) final transaction amount, is charged upon first presentation of a payment device to a merchant. A final transaction amount is calculated, preferably at a central server, subsequent to the first presentation. A variable adjustment value is calculated, preferably at the central server, by comparing the predetermined amount already charged with the final transaction amount. A new predetermined amount charged, upon a subsequent presentation of the payment device, is modified by the variable adjustment value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2015Publication date: November 19, 2015Inventor: MICHAEL J. Cowen
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Publication number: 20150269572Abstract: A first request for a transfer of data is transmitted in response to the use of a user device; it is determined that the first request for the transfer of data has been declined; an event is detected that indicates that the transfer of data in response to the use of the user device can be accepted; and a second request for the transfer of data is transmitted in dependence on detecting that the event has occurred.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Inventors: Edward W. Judge, Anouska Ladds, Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe
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Publication number: 20150269786Abstract: A method of inspecting a user device of a user of a transport system includes obtaining, by a portable inspection device, identification data of a user device of a user of a transport system; generating an inspection result of the user device, by an inspection system, in dependence on the read identification data and an item in a record within a database, wherein the record comprises a plurality of items each relating to entry data of a respective user device of a respective of users of the transport system; and conveying, by the portable inspection device, the result of the inspection.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Inventors: Michael J. Cowen, James C. Noe