Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) Card

Abstract

The Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) card provides a customer with a primary use as a transaction card which can be further activated to have a secondary use as a credit card. The CAM card can be activated as a transaction card or as a transaction card with a credit card feature. Activation of the CAM card as a transaction card allows the customer to purchase goods and services from one specific vendor and to establish a relationship with that vendor for the goods or services rendered (for example, telephone calling card or gasoline product purchasing card) while enjoying reward benefits based on those purchases. Activation of the credit feature of the card allows the customer to interact with any merchant that accepts traditional credit cards such as VISA®, MASTERCARD®, AMERICAN EXPRESS®, or DISCOVER®. The combination of features allows a customer to purchase various goods and services from several different merchants. If the customer chooses to activate the CAM card as both a transaction card and a credit card, the customer is given the benefit of using the card in both manners described above.

1 . A method for conducting a purchase transaction using a Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) card, the method comprising: 
 receiving, by a merchant, CAM card information identifying a CAM card to be used to purchase an item or service, said CAM card information including a single account number identifying a single account associated with said CAM card;    determining, based on said single account number, that said single account number is a CAM card account number and that a purchase transaction using said CAM card is adapted to be processed over both a private label network and a bankcard network depending on an identity of said merchant;    determining an identity of said merchant; and    processing said purchase transaction and transmitting said single account number using one of said private label network and said bankcard network based on said identity of said merchant.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase transaction includes allowing for the purchase of the item from one specific merchant.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item to be purchased includes phone service.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item to be purchased includes gas.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item to be purchased includes an item from a catalog.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item to be purchased includes an item from a department store.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase transaction includes a user accruing at least one of reward points and reward offers with use of the CAM card.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bankcard network includes one or more of a network for a VISA® card, MASTERCARD® card, AMERICAN EXPRESS® card and a DISCOVER® card.  
     
     
         9 . A method for conducting a purchase transaction using a Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) card, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request to purchase an item or service from a merchant using a credit card, said credit card having a single account number identifying a single credit account associated with said credit card;    identifying, based on said single account number, that said credit card is a CAM card capable of being processed over both a private label network and a bankcard network depending on an identity of said merchant;    determining that said merchant is a private label merchant associated with said credit card; and    based on said determination that said merchant is a private label merchant and said determination that said credit card is a CAM card, processing said purchase transaction using said private label network.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the purchase transaction includes allowing for the purchase of the item from one specific merchant.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the item to be purchased includes phone service.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the item to be purchased includes gas.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the item to be purchased includes an item from a catalog.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the item to be purchased includes an item from a department store.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the purchase transaction includes a user accruing at least one of reward points and reward offers with use of the CAM card.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the bankcard network includes one or more of a network for a VISA® card, MASTERCARD® card, AMERICAN EXPRESS® card and a DISCOVER® card.