Patents by Inventor Stephen Howland

Stephen Howland 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).

  • Systems, methods, and devices for selling transaction accounts
    Patent number: 8046299
    Abstract: Systems and methods are configured to facilitate the distribution of transaction accounts through distributors. An exemplary method includes the steps of: issuing a transaction account to a distributor, receiving information from the distributor via the MICR protocol used by the banking and financial services industries, wherein the information reports the distribution of the transaction account, and processing the information via a Travelers Cheque infrastructure. The transaction account may be a pre-paid card and the distributor may be a seller of pre-paid cards. Distribution of the transaction account may be facilitated by use of a sequential number, such as a Travelers Cheque number. Thus, the system may be configured to be compatible with existing Travelers Cheque communication systems already in place. Furthermore, a financial transaction device may include a card that bears a serialized number, such as a Travelers Cheque number, in a manner that can be read by MICR technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Rachel Heitz, Stephen Howland, Dave Lamb, Jeffrey Peterson, Caroline Philpott, John Rose, Scott Scovel
  • SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR SELLING TRANSACTION ACCOUNTS
    Publication number: 20050154670
    Abstract: Systems and methods are configured to facilitate the distribution of transaction accounts through distributors. An exemplary method includes the steps of: issuing a transaction account to a distributor, receiving information from the distributor via the MICR protocol used by the banking and financial services industries, wherein the information reports the distribution of the transaction account, and processing the information via a Travelers Cheque infrastructure. The transaction account may be a pre-paid card and the distributor may be a seller of pre-paid cards. Distribution of the transaction account may be facilitated by use of a sequential number, such as a Travelers Cheque number. Thus, the system may be configured to be compatible with existing Travelers Cheque communication systems already in place. Furthermore, a financial transaction device may include a card that bears a serialized number, such as a Travelers Cheque number, in a manner that can be read by MICR technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Applicant: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Rachel Heitz, Stephen Howland, Dave Lamb, Jeffrey Peterson, Caroline Philpott, John Rose, Scott Scovel