Restricted use currency

Abstract

A first method comprises receiving at a computer apparatus an authorization request message comprising a first merchant identifier. The request message may also comprise an account identifier associated with an account and a first transaction amount for a first transaction conducted with a first merchant. The first method further comprises determining, by the computer apparatus, if an account comprises merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant that may be used to conduct the first transaction. It may then be determined if there is sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant in the account to pay for the first transaction amount. If there is insufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for the first transaction amount, then non-specific currency in the account is applied automatically to a remainder of the first transaction amount.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving at a computer apparatus an authorization request message comprising a first merchant identifier, an account identifier associated with an account, and a first transaction amount for a first transaction conducted with a first merchant;   determining, by the computer apparatus, if the account comprises merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant that may be used to conduct the first transaction; and   determining if there is sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant in the account to pay for the first transaction amount;   wherein if there is not sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for the first transaction amount, then automatically applying non-specific currency in the account to a remainder of the first transaction amount.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically applying merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for at least a portion of the first transaction amount.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically applying non-specific currency comprises sending an authorization request message to an issuer of the account for the remainder of the first transaction amount. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is insufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for the first transaction amount, the method further comprises determining if there is sufficient non-specific currency in the account to pay for the remainder of the first transaction amount. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is insufficient non-specific currency in the account to pay for the remainder of the first transaction, then sending an authorization response message to the first merchant denying the first transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account identifier is a merchant account identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account identifier is an issuer account identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account is a payment account. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the payment account includes any one of:
 a credit card account;   a debit account;   a bank account; and   a pre-paid account.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving from an indication that the payment account is to be automatically applied as payment for a remainder of a transaction if the merchant specific currency is insufficient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a first request at the computer apparatus to add a first amount of merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to the account; and   adding the first amount of merchant specific currency to the account.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first request originates from any one of:
 the first merchant;   an issuer of the account; and   a user, wherein the user is not involved in the first transaction.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a second request at the computer apparatus to add a second amount of merchant specific currency associated with a second merchant to the account; and   adding the second amount of merchant specific currency to the account;   wherein the second request originates from any one of:
 the second merchant; 
 an issuer of the account; and 
 a user, wherein the user is not involved with the first transaction. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a third request at the computer apparatus to add a first amount of non-specific currency to the account; and   adding the first amount of non-specific currency to the account;   wherein the third request originates from any one of:
 the first merchant; 
 an issuer of the account; and 
 a user, wherein the user is not associated with the first transaction. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first request, the second request, and the third request comprise the same request. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first request is based at least in part on the initiation of a payment account. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving at a computer apparatus an authorization request message comprising a second merchant identifier, the account identifier associated with an account, and a second transaction amount for a second transaction conducted with a second merchant;   determining, by the computer apparatus, if the account comprises merchant specific currency associated with the second merchant that may be used to conduct the second transaction; and   determining if there is sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the second merchant in the account to pay for the second transaction amount;   wherein if there is not sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the second merchant to pay for the second transaction amount, then automatically applying non-specific currency in the account to a remainder of the second transaction amount.   
     
     
         18 . A first computer apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method comprising:   receiving at a computer apparatus an authorization request message comprising a first merchant identifier, an account identifier associated with an account, and a first transaction amount for a first transaction conducted with a first merchant;   determining, by the computer apparatus, if the account comprises merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant that may be used to conduct the first transaction; and   determining if there is sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant in the account to pay for the first transaction amount;   wherein if there is not sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for the first transaction amount, then automatically applying non-specific currency in the account to a remainder of the first transaction amount.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein automatically applying non-specific currency comprises sending an authorization request message to an issuer of the account for the remainder of the first transaction amount. 
     
     
         20 . A computer readable medium comprising code executable by a processor, for implementing a method comprising:
 receiving at a computer apparatus an authorization request message comprising a first merchant identifier, an account identifier associated with an account, and a first transaction amount for a first transaction conducted with a first merchant;   determining, by the computer apparatus, if the account comprises merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant that may be used to conduct the first transaction; and   determining if there is sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant in the account to pay for the first transaction amount;   wherein if there is not sufficient merchant specific currency associated with the first merchant to pay for the first transaction amount, then automatically applying non-specific currency in the account to a remainder of the first transaction amount.