Method and device for generating a single-use financial account number

Abstract

A device for facilitating financial account transactions is described which includes a processing unit including a cryptographic processor. The device also includes an input unit, a display unit and a memory device connected to the processing unit. The memory device contains a private cryptographic key, a first data element and a second data element. The processing unit encrypts the first data element using the private cryptographic key and the second data element, modifies the second data element, combines the encrypted first data element and the second data element to generate a single-use financial account identifier, and displays the single-use financial account identifier. This identifier is then transmitted to a central processor for authorization of the transaction. The central processor extracts and decrypts data elements from the transmitted identifier using the private cryptographic key, compares those data elements with data elements stored in a memory, and verifies the single-use financial account identifier in accordance with the comparison.

1 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number, which is associated with a master account number of a customer and deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one limited use credit card number, a method of processing a transaction initiated by a customer presenting the limited use credit card number to a merchant, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving in a central processing system said limited use credit card number electronically routed from the merchant;   determining electronically whether said limited use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal to a central server of a facility which issued the limited use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the limited use credit card number remapped to be a master account number if the limited use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master account number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the limited use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the limited use credit card number.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting a signal to the merchant denying authorization if the limited use credit card number has been deactivated.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising authorizing the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising declining authorization of the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the limited use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         8 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one credit card number and which is associated with the master account number of a customer, a method of conducting a settlement transaction comprising the steps of:
 electronically receiving a signal transmitted from a merchant according to leading digits of the limited use card number;   electronically remapping the limited use credit card number with the master account number;   electronically transmitting said remapped master account number to a central server of an issuer processing facility which issued the master account number;   receiving payment for settling the transaction, if appropriate;   electronically remapping the master account number back to the limited use credit card number; and   electronically transmitting the limited use credit card number and payment information, if appropriate, to the merchant.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the limited use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         12 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number, which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one limited use credit card number and is associated with a master credit card number, a method of conducting a transaction involving the limited use credit card comprising the steps of:
 initiating a transaction by a customer presenting a limited use credit card number to a merchant electronically or in person;   electronically routing said limited use credit card number to a central processing system;   electronically determining whether said limited use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal to a central server of a master credit card issuing facility which issued the limited use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the limited use credit card number remapped to be the master credit card number if the limited use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master credit card number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the limited use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the limited use credit card number.   
     
     
         13 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number, which is associated with a master account number of a customer and deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one limited use credit card number, a method of processing a transaction initiated by a customer presenting the limited use credit card number to a merchant, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving in a central processing system said limited use credit card number electronically routed from the merchant;   determining electronically whether said limited use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal in a facility which issued the limited use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the limited use credit card number remapped to be a master account number if the limited use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master account number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the limited use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the limited use credit card number.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 transmitting a signal to the merchant denying authorization if the limited use credit card number has been deactivated.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising authorizing the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising declining authorization of the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the limited use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         20 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one credit card number and which is associated with the master account number of a customer, a method of conducting a settlement transaction comprising the steps of:
 electronically receiving a signal transmitted from a merchant according to leading digits of the limited use card number;   electronically remapping the limited use credit card number with the master account number;   electronically transmitting said remapped master account number to an issuer processing facility which issued the master account number;   receiving payment for settling the transaction, if appropriate;   electronically remapping the master account number back to the limited use credit card number; and   electronically transmitting the limited use credit card number and payment information, if appropriate, to the merchant.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the limited use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         24 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one limited use credit card number, which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one limited use credit card number and is associated with a master credit card number, a method of conducting a transaction involving the limited use credit card comprising the steps of:
 initiating a transaction by a customer presenting a limited use credit card number to a merchant electronically or in person;   electronically routing said limited use credit card number to a central processing system;   electronically determining whether said limited use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal in a master credit card issuing facility which issued the limited use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the limited use credit card number remapped to be the master credit card number if the limited use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master credit card number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the limited use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the limited use credit card number.   
     
     
         25 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number, which is associated with a master account number of a customer and deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one single use credit card number, a method of processing a transaction initiated by a customer presenting the single use credit card number to a merchant, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving in a central processing system said single use credit card number electronically routed from the merchant;   determining electronically whether said single use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal to a central server of a facility which issued the single use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the single use credit card number remapped to be a master account number when the single use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master account number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the single use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the single use credit card number.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 transmitting a signal to the merchant denying authorization when the single use credit card number has been deactivated.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising authorizing the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising declining authorization of the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the single use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         32 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one credit card number and which is associated with the master account number of a customer, a method of conducting a settlement transaction comprising the steps of:
 electronically receiving a signal transmitted from a merchant according to leading digits of the single use card number;   electronically remapping the single use credit card number with the master account number;   electronically transmitting said remapped master account number to a central server of an issuer processing facility which issued the master account number;   receiving payment for settling the transaction, when appropriate;   electronically remapping the master account number back to the single use credit card number; and   electronically transmitting the single use credit card number and payment information, when appropriate, to the merchant.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the single use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         36 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number, which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one single use credit card number and is associated with a master credit card number, a method of conducting a transaction involving the single use credit card comprising the steps of:
 initiating a transaction by a customer presenting a single use credit card number to a merchant electronically or in person;   electronically routing said single use credit card number to a central processing system;   electronically determining whether said single use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal to a central server of a master credit card issuing facility which issued the single use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the single use credit card number remapped to be the master credit card number when the single use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master credit card number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the single use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the single use credit card number.   
     
     
         37 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number, which is associated with a master account number of a customer and deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one single use credit card number, a method of processing a transaction initiated by a customer presenting the single use credit card number to a merchant, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving in a central processing system said single use credit card number electronically routed from the merchant;   determining electronically whether said single use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal in a facility which issued the single use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the single use credit card number remapped to be a master account number if the single use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master account number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the single use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the single use credit card number.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 transmitting a signal to the merchant denying authorization if the single use credit card number has been deactivated.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising authorizing the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising declining authorization of the transaction based on the results of the authorization determining step. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the single use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         44 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one credit card number and which is associated with the master account number of a customer, a method of conducting a settlement transaction comprising the steps of:
 electronically receiving a signal transmitted from a merchant according to leading digits of the single use card number;   electronically remapping the single use credit card number with the master account number;   electronically transmitting said remapped master account number in an issuer processing facility which issued the master account number;   receiving payment for settling the transaction, if appropriate;   electronically remapping the master account number back to the single use credit card number; and   electronically transmitting the single use credit card number and payment information, if appropriate, to the merchant.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the master account number is a master credit card account number. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the use triggered condition is satisfied when a predetermined number of uses of the single use credit card number is reached. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the predetermined number is one. 
     
     
         48 . In a financial transaction system capable of using at least one single use credit card number, which is deactivated upon a use triggered condition which occurs subsequent to assignment of the at least one single use credit card number and is associated with a master credit card number, a method of conducting a transaction involving the single use credit card comprising the steps of:
 initiating a transaction by a customer presenting a single use credit card number to a merchant electronically or in person;   electronically routing said single use credit card number to a central processing system;   electronically determining whether said single use credit card number has been deactivated because at least one use triggered condition has been satisfied;   electronically transmitting a signal in a master credit card issuing facility which issued the single use credit card number, the signal including original transaction details but with the single use credit card number remapped to be the master credit card number if the single use credit card number has not been deactivated;   electronically determining whether authorization can be obtained against the master credit card number;   electronically remapping the results of the authorization determining step to the single use credit card number for transmission to the merchant; and   electronically transmitting a signal to the merchant with the results of the authorization determining step for the single use credit card number.