Cash card system

Abstract

A method includes entering transaction data into a point of sale (POS) terminal. The POS terminal is operable with a number of payment applications. An integrated circuit (IC) card is interfaced to the POS terminal. The IC card stores data objects that correspond to the payment applications in the POS terminal. The POS terminal retrieves the data objects from the IC card and selects a payment application to be used for the transaction based on the data objects indicated as present in the IC card and/or based on the information related to the transaction.

1 . A method comprising:
 entering transaction data into a point of sale (POS) terminal, the point of sale terminal operable in accordance with a plurality of payment applications, the transaction data indicative of a purchase transaction to be consummated at the POS terminal;   interfacing an integrated circuit (IC) payment card to the POS terminal, the IC payment card storing a plurality of data objects, each of said data objects corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of payment applications, each of said data objects including a respective account number associated with the respective one of the plurality of payment applications;   the POS terminal retrieving from the IC payment card indications of said plurality of data objects stored in said IC payment card;   the POS terminal selecting among said plurality of payment applications to determine a selected one of the payment applications, the selecting based at least in part on said transaction data and based at least in part on said indications received from said IC payment card; and   the POS terminal interacting with the IC payment card in accordance with the selected one of the payment applications, wherein the POS terminal retrieves from the IC payment card the respective account number associated with the selected one of the payment applications.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting among said plurality of payment applications includes comparing a total amount of the purchase transaction with a transaction type floor limit applicable to at least one of said plurality of payment applications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the IC payment card operates in accordance with the EMV standard. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of payment applications include at least two of: (a) a pre-authorized payments application; (b) a credit card payment application; (c) a debit card payment application; and (d) a transit system access application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the payment applications is constituted by executable program code instructions stored in the POS terminal. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 providing an integrated circuit (IC) payment card which stores status data, the status data indicative of a type of transaction that the IC payment card is configured to engage in;   interfacing the IC payment card to a first terminal to perform a transaction of said type using the IC payment card;   interfacing the IC payment card to a second terminal to provide a communication path between the IC payment card and a remote computer;   exchanging data communications between the IC payment card and the remote computer via the second terminal, the data communications including a script generated in the remote computer and transmitted from the remote computer to the IC payment card; and   the IC payment card executing the script to update the status data stored in the IC payment card.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the type of transaction is a linked load transaction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the type of transaction is defined in terms of one or more categories of merchant. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the type of transaction is defined in terms of one or more categories of merchandise. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the type of transaction is defined in terms of an amount to be paid for the transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the IC payment card operates in accordance with the EMV standard. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the remote computer is operated by or on behalf of an issuer of the IC payment card. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 interfacing an integrated circuit (IC) card to a point of sale terminal in relation to a purchase transaction;   the POS terminal determining a transaction amount for the purchase transaction;   the POS terminal determining that a pre-authorized funds balance stored in the IC payment card is less than the transaction amount; and   the POS terminal automatically initiating an online load transaction wherein the IC payment card is loaded with additional pre-authorized funds.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the load transaction includes:
 the IC payment card receiving a script generated by a remote computer and transmitted from the remote computer to the IC payment card via the POS terminal; and   the IC payment card executing a script to increase the pre-authorized funds balance stored in the IC payment card.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the load transaction is a linked load transaction wherein the IC payment card is loaded with additional pre-authorized funds with funding from a debit or credit account that is linked to the IC payment card. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the load transaction is an unlinked load transaction. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the IC card is interfaced to the POS terminal via a contactless interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the IC card is interfaced to the POS terminal via a contact interface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the IC payment card operates in accordance with the EMV standard. 
     
     
         20 . A point of sale (POS) terminal, comprising:
 a processor;   a card interface component coupled to the processor for interfacing the POS terminal to an integrated circuit (IC) payment card;   a memory in communication with the processor and storing a plurality of programs, the plurality of programs including a cash card application program and a plurality of payment profile subprograms, each of said subprograms certified as compliant with a payment processing standard that applies to the POS terminal, a first one of said subprograms for handling an offline purchase transaction without requiring cardholder verification, a second one of said subprograms for handling an online load transaction requiring entry of a personal identification number (PIN) and verification of the PIN by a remote computer;   wherein the processor is operative with the cash card application program to switch among the plurality of payment profile subprograms while the IC payment card is interfaced to the card interface component of the POS terminal.   
     
     
         21 . The POS terminal of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of subprograms includes said first one of said subprograms, said second one of said subprograms, and a third one of said subprograms, said third one of said subprograms for handling an online load transaction that does not require entry of a PIN. 
     
     
         22 . The POS terminal of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operative with the cash card application program to:
 initiate an offline purchase transaction with the IC payment card interfaced to the card interface component and using the first one of the subprograms;   determine that a pre-authorized balance stored in the IC payment card is less than a total amount for the purchase transaction;   store a context for the purchase transaction, the context including the total amount for the purchase transaction and a payment card account number associated with and retrieved from the IC payment card;   discontinue execution of the first one of the subprograms;   initiate execution of the third one of the subprograms;   transfer at least part of the stored context to the third one of the subprograms;   execute an online load transaction using the third one of the subprograms, the online load transaction for increasing the pre-authorized balance stored in the IC payment card using a script received from a remote computer;   establish a first clearing record, the first clearing record for clearing the online load transaction;   discontinue execution of the third one of the subprograms;   resume execution of the first one of the subprograms;   provide at least part of the stored context to the first one of the subprograms after resuming execution thereof;   complete the offline purchase transaction using the first one of the subprograms;   establish a second clearing record, the second clearing record for clearing the offline purchase transaction; and   discontinue execution of the first one of the subprograms.   
     
     
         23 . The POS terminal of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operative with the cash card application program to:
 initiate an offline purchase transaction with the IC payment card interfaced to the card interface component and using the first one of the subprograms;   determine that a pre-authorized balance stored in the IC payment card is less than a total amount for the purchase transaction;   store a context for the purchase transaction, the context including the total amount for the purchase transaction and a payment card account number associated with and retrieved from the IC payment card;   discontinue execution of the first one of the subprograms;   initiate execution of the second one of the subprograms;   transfer at least part of the stored context to the second one of the subprograms;   execute an online load transaction using the second one of the subprograms, the online load transaction for increasing the pre-authorized balance stored in the IC payment card using a script received from a remote computer, funding for the online load transaction being obtained from a debit or credit account linked to the IC payment card;   establish a first clearing record, the first clearing record for clearing the online load transaction;   discontinue execution of the second one of the subprograms;   resume execution of the first one of the subprograms;   provide at least part of the stored context to the first one of the subprograms after resuming execution thereof;   complete the offline purchase transaction using the first one of the subprograms;   establish a second clearing record, the second clearing record for clearing the offline purchase transaction; and   discontinue execution of the first one of the subprograms.   
     
     
         24 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a cash card computer, a cryptogram in a clearing message submitted by an acquirer financial institution, the cryptogram having been generated by an integrated circuit (IC) payment card in connection with a purchase transaction represented by the clearing message, the cryptogram containing information indicative of a balance of pre-authorized funds stored in the IC payment card after completion of the purchase transaction; and   storing the cryptogram in association with an account maintained relative to the IC payment card in the cash card host computer, the stored cryptogram evidencing proof of payment for the purchase transaction.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 using the stored cryptogram to reconstruct a transaction history relative to the IC payment card.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 making an adjustment to the account based on the transaction history.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the IC payment card operates in accordance with the EMV standard. 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 providing an integrated circuit (IC) card, the IC card storing at least one indicator;   interfacing the IC card to a first terminal to perform a transaction, the transaction including reading the at least one indicator;   interfacing the IC card to a second terminal to provide a communication path between the IC card and a remote computer;   exchanging data communications between the IC card and the remote computer via the second terminal, the data communications including a script generated in the remote computer and transmitted from the remote computer to the IC card; and   the IC card executing the script to change a state of the at least one indicator stored in the IC payment card.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the changing of the state of the at least one indicator includes at least one of:
 changing a value of a flag from “0” to “1”;   changing the value of the flag from “1” to “0”;   changing the value of the flag from “true” to “false”; and   changing the value of the flag from “false” to “true”.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the IC card is a transit access card; and   said at least one indicator indicates that the IC card has risk mitigation information associated therewith.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the IC card is a payment card; and   said at least one indicator indicates a type of transaction that the IC card is configured to engage in.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the remote computer is operated by or on behalf of an issuer of the IC card. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the IC card is interfaced to the first or second terminal via a contact interface or a contactless interface.