Method and apparatus for distributing currency

Abstract

A process which provides electronic access to pre-paid funds for cash or payment for goods and services. A card is issued to a customer with a value selectable by the customer. The card has a magnetic stripe with an encoded card number including a bank identification number (BIN) and an account number. The central card processor establishes a zero balance database including the card numbers, but with blank fields for the customer data and the value of the account. When a customer purchases a card, the sales agent transmits to the central database computer which fills in the blanks in the database, activating the account, and transmits an acknowledgement signal back to the sales agent. The customer can immediately use the card in ATM or other remote terminals to acquire cash or purchase goods and services. The customer inputs a PIN number which is provided with the card, or a customer selected alternative PIN number.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising the following steps: 
       generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number and a bank identification number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       creating a database on a central computer having at least a first field for said bank identification number, a second field for said account number, a third field for customer data, a fourth field for a currency amount, and a fifth field for a personal identification number (PIN);  
       loading said bank identification number and said account numbers into said database, leaving said third and fourth fields without customer data or currency amount;  
       receiving, at a subsequent time of card purchase, customer data, an ID number corresponding to a card number and a currency amount selected by a customer from a first remote terminal;  
       immediately entering said customer data and said currency amount into said third and fourth fields, respectively, of said database corresponding to a bank identification number and an account number included in said card number,  
       immediately entering a personal identification number (PIN) into a fifth field of said database corresponding to said customer;  
       subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a customer inputted PIN, a card number from a card for said customer and a debit currency amount;  
       subtracting said currency debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received customer card number and PIN and updating said currency amount in said database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for transferring said currency debit amount if said currency debit amount is not greater than said currency amount in the database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the transferring of currency if said currency debit amount is greater than the currency amount in the database.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
       transmitting, from said second remote terminal, a currency code indicating a currency type in said second remote terminal;  
       comparing said currency type to an issuance currency of said card indicated by said bank identification number; and  
       converting said debit currency amount of said currency type to said issuance currency.  
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
       printing a serial number different from said card number on each of said cards;  
       transmitting said serial number as said ID number, and converting said serial number into said card number.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of storing inventory control status information in said database to indicate the status of said cards; 
       receiving a sales agent ID with said ID number for said card;  
       comparing said sales agent ID with said inventory control status information;  
       returning an error message if said comparing step does not produce a match.  
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said inventory control status information includes first data indicating the ordering of cards by an issuer, second data indicating the shipment of cards by a card manufacturer and third data indicating the receipt of cards by said sales agent. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising changing said PIN according to the steps of: 
       receiving a new PIN and said ID number; locating a card number corresponding to said ID number in said database; and  
       replacing the PIN in said fifth field for said card number with said new PIN.  
     
     
       7. A method for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising the following steps: 
       generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number and a bank identification number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on magnetic stripes on a plurality of cards;  
       printing a visible serial number, different from, but related to, said card number, on each of said cards;  
       creating a database on a central computer having at least a first field for said bank identification number, a second field for said account numbers, a third field for customer data, and a fourth field for a currency amount;  
       loading said bank identification number and said account numbers into said database, leaving said third and fourth fields without customer data or currency amount;  
       storing inventory control status information in said database to indicate the status of said cards;  
       receiving, at a subsequent time, customer data, the serial number and a currency amount from a first remote terminal;  
       receiving a sales agent ED with said serial number for said card;  
       immediately translating said serial number into a card number;  
       immediately entering said customer data and said currency amounts into said third and fourth fields, respectively, of said database corresponding to a bank identification number and an account number included in said card number;  
       immediately entering a personal identification number (PIN) into a fifth field of said database corresponding to said customer;  
       comparing said sales agent ID with said inventory control status information;  
       returning an error message if said comparing step does not produce a match;  
       subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a customer inputted PIN, a card number from a card for said customer and a debit currency amount;  
       subtracting said currency debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received customer card number and PIN and updating said currency amount in said database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for transferring said currency debit amount if said currency debit amount is less than said currency amount in the database; and  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the transferring of currency if said currency debit amount is greater than the currency amount in the database.  
     
     
       8. A system for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising: 
       means for generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number and a bank identification number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       a database on a central computer having at least a first field for said bank identification number, a second field for said account numbers, a third field for customer data, and a fourth field for a currency amount, said bank identification number and said account numbers being loaded into said database, leaving said third and fourth fields without customer data or currency amount, and a fifth field for a personal identification number (PIN);  
       a first remote terminal for transmitting customer data, and ID number corresponding to a card number and a currency amount;  
       means for entering said customer data and said currency amounts into said third and fourth fields, respectively, of said database corresponding to a bank identification number and an account number included in said card number and entering the PIN into said fifth field of said database corresponding to said customer;  
       a second remote terminal for transmitting a customer inputted PIN, a card number from a card for said customer and a debit currency amount;  
       means for subtracting said currency debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received customer card number and PIN and updating said currency amount in said database;  
       means for transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for transferring said currency debit amount if said currency debit amount is not greater than said currency amount in the database;  
       means for transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the transferring of currency if said currency debit amount is greater than the currency amount in the database.  
     
     
       9. A method for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising the following steps: 
       generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number and a bank identification number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       creating a database on a central computer having at least a first field for said bank identification number, a second field for said account number, a third field for customer data, a fourth field for a currency amount, and a fifth field for a person identification number (PIN);  
       loading said bank identification number and said account number into said database, leaving said third and fourth fields without customer data or currency amount;  
       receiving at a subsequent time of card purchase, customer data, an ID number corresponding to a card number and a currency amount selected by a customer from a first remote terminal;  
       immediately entering said customer data and said currency amount into said third and fourth fields, respectively, of said database corresponding to a bank identification number and an account number included in said card number;  
       immediately entering a personal identification number (PIN) into a fifth field of said database corresponding to said customer;  
       subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a customer inputted PIN, a card number from a card for said customer and a debit currency amount;  
       subtracting said currency debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received customer card number and PIN and updating said currency amount in said database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for dispensing said currency debit amount to the customer if said currency debit amount is less than said currency amount in the database:  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the dispensing of currency if said currency debit amount is greater than the currency amount in the database; and  
       disposing of said card when the currency amount in the database is depleted and deactivating the account corresponding to said card number.  
     
     
       10. A method for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising the following steps: 
       generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number and a bank identification number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       creating a database on a central computer having at least a first field for said bank identification number, a second field for said account number, a third field for customer data, a fourth field for a currency amount, and a fifth field for a personal identification number (PIN);  
       loading said bank identification number and said account numbers into said database;  
       loading customer data and a fixed currency amount into said third and fourth fields, respectively, of said database corresponding to a bank identification number and an account number included in said card number;,  
       entering a personal identification number (PIN) into a fifth field of said database corresponding to said customer;  
       subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a customer inputted PIN, a card number from a card for said customer;  
       subtracting a currency debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received customer card number and PIN and updating said currency amount in said database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for transferring said currency debit amount if said currency debit amount is in the database;  
       transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the transferring of currency if said currency debit amount is not in the database.  
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of dispensing currency to said customer if said currency debit amount is in the database. 
     
     
       12. A method for creating a customer account for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising: 
       
         generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       
       
         loading said account number into a database having a plurality of fields, including fields for said account number and for currency amount, leaving said fields for currency amount without currency amount;  
       
       
         receiving, at a subsequent time of card purchase, an ID number corresponding to a card number and a currency amount selected by a customer, from a first remote terminal; and  
       
       
         entering said currency amount into said field of said database for said currency amount corresponding to an account number included in said card number. 
       
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
       
         subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a card number from a card for a purchaser and a debit amount;  
       
       
         transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for authorizing a purchase by the purchaser if said debit amount is not greater than said currency amount in said database corresponding to an account number included in the received purchaser card number; and  
       
       
         subtracting said debit amount from said currency amount in said database corresponding to the received purchaser card number, thereby updating said currency amount in said database. 
       
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  wherein said card number comprises a bank identification number. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12  wherein said plurality of fields of said database includes a field for a bank identification number. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12  wherein said step of receiving from a second remote terminal a card number and a debit amount includes the step of receiving a personal identification number from said second remote terminal. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13  further comprising: 
       
         transmitting, from said second remote terminal, a currency code indicating a currency type in said second remote terminal;  
       
       
         comparing said currency type to an issuance currency of said card;  
       
       
         converting said debit amount of said currency to said issuance currency. 
       
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
       
         printing a serial number different from said card number on each of said cards;  
       
       
         transmitting said serial number as said ID number  
       
       
         converting said ID number to said card number. 
       
     
     
       19. A system for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising: 
       
         means for generating a plurality of card numbers, each card number including an account number, corresponding to card numbers encoded on a plurality of cards;  
       
       
         a database on a central computer having a plurality of fields, including fields for said account number and for currency amount, said account number being loaded into said database, leaving said field for currency amount without currency amount;  
       
       
         a first remote terminal for transmitting an ID number corresponding to a card number and a currency amount;  
       
       
         means for entering said currency amount into said fields of said database for said currency amount corresponding to an account number included in said card number. 
       
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  further comprising: 
       
         a second remote terminal for transmitting a card number from a card for a purchaser and a debit amount;  
       
       
         means for subtracting said debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the received purchaser card number and updating said currency amount in said database. 
       
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20  further comprising: 
       
         means for transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for authorizing a purchase by the purchaser if said currency debit amount is not greater than said currency amount in the database. 
       
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 19  wherein said card number comprises a bank identification number. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 19  wherein said plurality of fields of said database includes a field for a bank identification number. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 20  wherein said second remote terminal comprises means for transmitting a purchaser inputted personal identification number. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 20  wherein said second remote terminal comprises means for transmitting a currency code indicating a currency type in said second remote terminal. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 25  further comprising: 
       
         means for converting said debit currency amount from said currency type to an issuance currency of said card. 
       
     
     
       27. A computer readable medium including computer program code for creating an account for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services using cards, each card having a card number printed on or encoded in the card, said computer readable medium comprising: 
       
         computer program code for loading an account number for a card into a database having a plurality of fields, including fields for said account number and for currency amount, leaving said fields for customer data and currency amount without customer data or currency amount, said account number being associated with said cardnumber;  
       
       
         computer program code for receiving, at a subsequent time of purchase of the card, said card number and a currency amount, from a first remote terminal; and  
       
       
         computer program code for determining an account number from said card number and for entering said currency amount into said field of said database for said currency amount corresponding to said account number. 
       
     
     
       28. The computer readable medium of  claim 27  wherein said computer readable medium further comprises: 
       
         computer program code for subsequently receiving, from a second remote terminal, a card number from a card and a debit amount associated with a purchase of goods or services;  
       
       
         computer program code for transmitting to said second remote terminal an authorization message for authorizing the purchase if said debit amount is not greater than said currency amount in said database corresponding to the account number associated with the card number; and  
       
       
         computer program code for subtracting said debit amount from the currency amount in said database corresponding to the account number, thereby updating said currency amount in said database. 
       
     
     
       29. The computer readable medium of  claim 28  wherein said computer readable medium further comprises: 
       
         computer program code for transmitting to said second remote terminal a message denying the purchase if said currency debit amount is greater than the currency amount in the database. 
       
     
     
       30. The computer readable medium of  claim 28  wherein said computer readable medium further comprises: 
       
         computer program code for transmitting, from said second remote terminal, a currency code indicating a currency type in said second remote terminal;  
       
       
         computer program code for comparing said currency type to an issuance currency of said card; and  
       
       
         computer program code for converting said debit amount to said issuance currency. 
       
     
     
       31. The computer readable medium of  claim 27  wherein at least one of the card number and the account number are encoded. 
     
     
       32. A method for activating a financial card for distributing currency or purchasing goods and services, comprising: 
       
         providing card activating locations with a plurality of financial cards, each of the financial cards being unactivated and having a magnetic stripe containing at least a unique card identifier;  
       
       
         receiving a request to activate a particular one of the financial cards, the request indicating an initial currency amount to be associated with the particular one of the financial cards; and  
       
       
         associating the initial currency amount with the particular one of the financial cards in a central database, thereby activating the particular one of the financial cards. 
       
     
     
       33. A method as recited in  claim 32 , within a customer purchases the particular one of the financial cards from a sales agent. 
     
     
       34. A method as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said method further comprises: 
       
         subsequently receiving the unique card identifier from the particular one of the financial cards for a user and a debit amount associated with a currency withdraw or a purchase of goods or services;  
       
       
         transmitting to the second remote terminal an authorization to permit the currency withdraw or the purchase when the debit amount is not greater than a currency amount in the central database for the particular one of the financial cards; and  
       
       
         updating the currency amount in the central database for the particular one of the financial cards by subtracting the debit amount from the currency amount when the currency withdraw or the purchase has been authorized.