Transaction systems and associated methods for enhanced account balance and status management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10049348-B2
Application number	US-201414497072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Oct 2, 2013
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method of using a payment card network to rapidly update a payment account deny list, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, by a payment account manager (PAM) processor, a first message directly 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 by the PAM processor based on information in the first message;
receiving by the PAM processor, directly from a first terminal, an authorisation or pre-authorisation request and commencing a funds aggregation responsive to the authorisation or pre-authorisation request;
receiving by the PAM processor, directly from the first terminal, a second message indicating a pre-defined amount of funds which may be used in the transaction;
blocking by the PAM processor an amount of the funds limit of the payment account equivalent to the pre-defined amount;
sending an authorisation response by the PAM processor directly to the first terminal;
placing the payment account on a deny list at the first terminal by the PAM processor when an unblocked amount of the funds limit is less than a minimum possible actual amount of funds used;
sending an additional message directly from the top up terminal to the first terminal and to the PAM processor, indicating that further funds have been transferred to the payment account; and
removing the payment account from the deny list at the first terminal in response to the additional message.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving a third message from a second terminal indicating an actual amount of funds used; and
adjusting the blocked amount of the funds limit of the payment account if the actual amount of funds used differs from the pre-defined amount.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
sending a message to the first terminal indicating an updated, unblocked amount of the funds limit.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the message indicating the updated, unblocked amount of the funds limit is only sent if the unblocked funds limit falls below or rises above a threshold amount.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
continuing with the funds aggregation following removal of the payment account from the deny list.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the funds limit of the payment account is set based on information detailing any existing funds in the payment account as well as information in the first message.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined blocked amount of the funds limit is equivalent to either an average value or a maximum value or a typical maximum value for the actual amount of funds used at the first terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of setting or adjusting the funds limit additionally takes into account any deposit that may previously have been paid into the payment account.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
sending the funds aggregation and clearing the payment account of any remaining blocked funds and adjusting the funds limit accordingly.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorisation or pre-authorisation request and the second message comprise a single message.

Assignees

• Mastercard International Inc

Inventors

• Noe James
• Cowen Michael J
• Field Jason
• George Sagitha
• Roberts David A

Classifications

• G06Q20/10 Primary

  specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems · CPC title

• G06Q20/352

  Contactless payments by cards · CPC title

• G06Q20/40

  Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists · CPC title

• G06Q20/4037

  Remote solvency checks · CPC title

• G06Q20/023 Primary

  the neutral party being a clearing house · CPC title