Abstract:
A system and method of configuring value cards which facilitates selection of personalized limits on value card use in transactions. The value card configuration system includes a display for displaying value card configuration options, an input device for recording customer selections of the value card configuration options, and a computer for controlling the display and the input device, for assigning a value card identification number to the value card, for dispensing the value card, for establishing a connection to a value card host computer, and for sending the selections to the value card host computer via the connection for later retrieval during a transaction in which the value card is used for payment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present invention is related to the following commonly assigned and co-pending U.S. application:
         “Transaction System and Method for Value Cards”, filed Sep. 28, 2001, invented by Goodwin, and having a Ser. No. 09/966,160.       

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to self-service terminals and more specifically to a system and method of configuring value cards. 
   Kiosks provide a publicly-accessible computing platform for displaying World Wide Web (WWW or “web”) pages and other web-delivered content from retailer web sites. Kiosks may be located within a retailer&#39;s transaction establishment or elsewhere, such as in shopping malls. Kiosks may be easily networked to retailer web sites using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Web pages from web sites may be displayed using known and available web software, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer software. 
   Value cards are an alternative payment vehicle to cash or credit cards. Value cards are typically provided by credit card companies. Value cards have monetary limits which decrease as the cards are used to pay for goods and services. The monetary limits of some value cards may be increased by making additional payments to the card provider. 
   Parents find value cards attractive because they teach their children responsible spending habits. However, value cards may still be used to buy items which parents would otherwise not approve of. 
   Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method of configuring value cards which allows parental control over the purchases made with value cards. It would also be desirable for such a system to allow parents to control value cards using a kiosk. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method of configuring value cards is provided. 
   The value card configuration system includes a display for displaying value card configuration options, an input device for recording customer selections of the value card configuration options, and a computer for controlling the display and the input device, for assigning a value card identification number to the value card, for dispensing the value card, for establishing a connection to a value card host computer, and for sending the selections to the value card host computer via the connection for later retrieval during a transaction in which the value card is used for payment. 
   Value card configuration options include total monetary value, payment amount limit at each transaction, individual goods and services, individual goods and services providers, categories of goods and services, categories of goods and services providers, and purchase times and dates. Other options which facilitate customer control over use of the value card are also envisioned. 
   It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of configuring value cards. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of configuring value cards which allows parents and other benefactors to issue and replenish value card limits. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of configuring value cards which allows parents and other benefactors to control limits on spending amounts, limits on goods and services, limits on goods and services providers, limits on purchase times and dates, and other types of limits. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of configuring value cards which allows parents and other benefactors to issue and replenish value cards using a kiosk. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a value card system; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a value card processing terminal; and 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of configuring a value card. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Turning now to  FIG. 1 , system  10  primarily includes value card processing terminal  12 , value card host system  14 , and transaction terminal  16 . 
   Value card processing terminal  12  executes value card management application  18 . Value card management application  18  manages sales and replenishments of value cards  30  in accordance with value card customer instructions. Value card processing terminal  12  dispenses new value cards  30  from value card dispenser  20  and reads old value cards  30  in need of replenishment using card reader  22 . 
   Value card management application  18  assigns a unique identification number to new value cards  30  in order to make them identifiable later if the customer wishes to replenish them. Value card management application  18  also preferably issues a customer password which must be provided by the customer at replenishment. The use of passwords allows parents and other benefactors to control replenishment. 
   Value card management application  18  records instructions such as limits on total monetary value, limits on spending amounts at each transaction, goods and services eligible for purchase via a value card  30 , individual goods and services providers where value card  30  may be used, categories of goods and services, and categories of goods and services providers where value card  30  may be used, purchase times and dates for using value card  30 , and combinations thereof. Value card management application  18  stores value card limits as value card configuration information  28 , which it sends to value card host provider system  14 . 
   For example, a customer may elect to purchase a value card  30  which can only be used at gasoline stations. 
   As another example, a customer may elect to purchase a value card  30  which can only be used at a particular name brand grocery store and which can only be used to pay for food items. 
   As yet another example, a customer may elect to purchase a value card  30  which can only be used to pay for clothing items, which can only be used to pay for transaction amounts of fifty dollars or less, and which can only be used once a month. 
   Value card processing terminal  12  may include a kiosk or other publicly accessible computer. As a publicly accessible computer, value card processing terminal  12  may be located at a value card provider&#39;s establishment or other public place. Public access provides payment options such as cash, credit card, debit card, smart card, electronic check (e-check), and conventional paper check. Value card processing terminal  12  may alternatively include a home or other personal computer. Home access may mean a delay between customer payment and delivery of a new value card. Payment options may be limited and include credit or debit card, e-check, or conventional paper check. Card and e-check payments may be recorded on-line, but conventional paper checks may have to be mailed to value card provider. 
   Value card management application  18  communicates with value card host system  14 . A suitable connection includes a network connection, such as one which uses the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Value card processing terminal  12  may be connected to the World Wide Web (WWW or “web”) and value card host system  14  may be a web server. Value card management application  18  may be a web application. The network connection may be wireless or may be via phone line or other type of cable connector. 
   Value card host system  14  is associated with a value card provider, such as Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Value card host system  14  receives value card configuration information  28  from value card processing terminal  12 . If payment is made over the connection between value card processing terminal  12  and value card host system  14 , value card host system  14  also receives payment information from value card processing terminal  12  and reports successful receipt of payment information to value card management application  18 . 
   Transaction terminal  16  is located at a transaction establishment, such as a grocery store or other retail goods or services provider. Transaction terminal  16  reads value cards  30  using card reader  26 . Transaction terminal  16  communicates with value card host system  14  over a suitable connection, such as a network connection. 
   Transaction terminal  16  executes transaction software  24  which tallies purchased items and collects payment. When value card  30  is used to pay for goods or services, transaction software  24  obtains value card identification information and contacts value provider host system  14  to obtain value card configuration information  28  associated with value card  30 . Transaction software  24  compares the terms of the transaction with the limits in value card configuration information  28  to determine whether any of the limits have not been met. If any limitations have not been met, transaction software  24  alerts the operator and rejects all or part of the transaction which was to be paid for using value card  30 . For those goods or services that meet the limitations in value card configuration information  28 , transaction software  24  accepts payment. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an example value card processing terminal  12  is shown in detail. In this example, value card processing terminal  12  is a publicly accessible terminal, such as a kiosk, which communicates with value card provider host system  14  over the World Wide Web. Value card processing terminal  12  may include an NCR  7401  computer. 
   Value card processing terminal  12  additionally includes processor  32 , display  34 , input device  36 , memory  38 , storage medium  40 , card reader  42 , printer  44 , cash acceptor  46 , change dispenser  48 , check reader  50 , personal identification number (PIN) keypad  52 . Input device  36  and display  34  may be combined as a touch screen. 
   Processor  32  executes value card management  18  and web browser software  54 . Web browser software  54  allows a customer to view information in a format established by the World Wide Web. Value card management application  18  may be written as a web application which displays value card configuration information in the form of web pages  56 , although value card management application  18  may also be a non-web application and operate without web browser software  54 . Web pages  56  may be written using hypertext markup language (HTML) or other suitable web page language. Web browser software  54  may include commercially available web browser software, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser software. 
   If value card processing terminal  12  is configured as a kiosk, processor  32  also preferably executes web wrapper software  58 . Web wrapper software  58  provides security functions. During operation, web wrapper software  58  prevents an operator from accessing kiosk files, or other applications, or the operating system software, or basic input-output system (BIOS) firmware, and prevents the operator from causing value card processing terminal  12  to reboot. Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser software uses a “−k” command line option during kiosk operation to hide toolbars and menu bars to prevent operator access to those functions. Web browser software  54  may also display a start or “home” page within web pages  56  which operates as a default page from which kiosk operation begins and to which operation returns when an operator is finished using value card processing terminal  12 . 
   Input device  36  records customer selections during a value card transaction. 
   Display  34  displays information provided by value card management application  18 . 
   Storage medium  40  stores value card configuration information  28  and may store some web pages  56 . 
   Memory  38  is used by processor  32  to store executed program information. 
   Card reader  42  reads credit, debit, smart, value and/or other types of cards carried by a value card customer. 
   Printer  44  prints receipt information. 
   Cash acceptor  46  accepts cash in multiple denominations. 
   Change dispenser  48  dispenses change. 
   Check reader  50  reads checks and includes a magnetic ink character (MICR) reader. 
   PIN keypad  52  records PIN numbers for debit card transactions. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the method of configuring a value card is illustrated beginning with START  60 . 
   In step  62 , value card management application  18  waits for a customer. 
   In step  64 , value card management application  18  determines whether the customer has selected either a new card or to replenish an old card. If the customer has selected a new card, operation proceeds to step  66 . Otherwise, operation proceeds to step  70 . 
   In step  66 , value card management application  18  assigns a value card identification number to a new value card. Value card management application  18  may also assign or record a password to prevent card recipient modification of limits and to control card replenishment. 
   In step  68 , value card management application  18  dispenses the new value card from value card dispenser  20 . Operation proceeds to step  76 . 
   In step  70 , value card management application  18  prompts the customer to insert the old value card into card reader  42 . 
   In step  72 , value card management application  18  determines the card identification number from card reader  22 . 
   In step  74 , value card management application  18  obtains value card configuration information, including a password, associated with the card identification number from value card host system  14 . 
   In step  76 , value card management application  18  displays a password prompt and waits for password entry. 
   In step  78 , value card management application  18  records a password. 
   In step  80 , value card management application  18  determines whether the password is correct. If so, operation proceeds to step  82 . Otherwise, operation returns to step  62 . A loop allowing several password entry attempts is also envisioned. 
   In step  82 , value card management application  18  displays value card configuration options on display  34 . Value card management application  18  displays current selections for value card configuration options for the old value card. 
   In step  84 , value card management application  18  records customer selection of value card options via input device  36 . 
   In step  86 , value card management application  18  records an indication that the customer is finished making selections. 
   In step  88 , value card management application  18  stores the selections as value card configuration information  28 . 
   Operation returns to step  62  to await for another customer. 
   Advantageously, value card management application  18  facilitates selection of personalized limits on value card use in transactions. 
   Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.