Visa Inc.

About: Visa Inc. is a company organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Database transaction & Transaction data. The organization has 1031 authors who have published 1076 publications receiving 36053 citations. The organization is also known as: Visa & Visa Inc.

Electronic funds confirmation at point of transaction

Abstract: A real-time point of transaction funds confirmation system is provided whereby a draft is presented by a payor to a payee and a bank identifier and an account identifier are electronically read off the draft and used as part of a funds confirmation request. The funds confirmation request is submitted to a network where a plurality of payees and a plurality of payor banks are connected. The payor bank identified on the draft verifies the account identifier and compares the amount of the transaction to an amount of funds available in the account corresponding to the account identifier. The payor bank processor then returns a response message indicating whether or not sufficient funds were available. If the request is a funds guarantee request, then the payor bank will generally place a halt on funds sufficient to cover the draft. Otherwise, if the request is merely a funds verification request, the payor bank may choose not to place a hold on the funds.

Loyalty file structure for smart card

Abstract: A loyalty file structure for a smart card (104) includes any number of loyalty files (106-112) preinstalled by a card manufacturer. Each loyalty file (300) has a password (302), a file number (304), a label (306), an indicator of whether or not the file is currently being rented by a merchant (308), a length indicator (310), a data format indicator (312), and a data region (314). An issuer (102) creates a unique password for each loyalty file on a card and then issues cards to customers (514). For customer enrollment at a point-of-sale, a merchant determines if a loyalty file is available (FIG. 8A). The merchant password is sent to the issuer on-line in real time (FIG. 8B) and is returned along with authorization from the issuer to replace the password of the loyalty file with the merchant password (FIG. 8C). The file label (306) is changed to a merchant identifier and the file (300) is indicated as being rented. The merchant sends payment or a credit transaction to the issuer (102) for use of the loyalty file (300). For use with a loyalty program, a merchant terminal (202) finds the loyalty file (300) of a customer's card (104) for that merchant and reads or updates information within that file. The loyalty file on a card (926) is also used with electronic ticketing to store information pertaining to a purchased ticket. Upon later presentation of the card (926) at an airline boarding gate (930), stored information in the loyalty file is compared with the same information downloaded from the airline host computer (910). A match indicates a valid purchase and a boarding pass is issued.

Transaction approval system

Abstract: A transaction approval system (10) is disclosed which includes various enhancements to existing systems. For example, the transaction limit (30) stored in the terminal can by dynamically adjusted to vary the level of risk at the terminal to be closer to the desired level of risk. The terminal will also generate and store a list of account numbers (44,46) which might be invalid and should provode an on-line request for authorization.

Systems and methods to identify payment accounts having business spending activities

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to generate tools to evaluate the probability of an account being actually used by a business rather than an individual. In one aspect, a computing apparatus includes: a data warehouse configured to store transaction data of accounts issued by a plurality of issuers; and at least one processor configured to calculate values of a first plurality of variables for each of the accounts using the transaction data of the accounts issued by the plurality of issuers. The accounts include business accounts and non-business accounts. The at least one processor is further configured to identify a second plurality of variables from the first plurality of variables for a classification model to distinguish, using the values and logistic regression, the business accounts from the non-business accounts.

Card activation at point of distribution

Abstract: Secure activation of stored value cards (30) at a point of distribution uses a portable activation secure application module (ASAM) (208) within the card dispensing machine (24) to activate each card. Each card has a standard user mode and a security user mode. In the standard user mode the card is activated and ready for use. In the security user mode the card is not active and cannot be used to make a purchase. An issuer (20) supplies an issuer activation key (40) to a card supplier (22) who produces a security code (72) which is stored on a stored value card (30). Cards are supplied to the issuer (20) in security user mode, and stored in a dispensing machine (24). The issuer activation key (40) is also relayed to the dispensing machine and stored on the ASAM (208). Upon purchase by a customer (26), the issuer activation key (40) is used within the machine (24) by the ASAM (208) to reproduce the security code (72) and to activate a card. An activation control counter (ACC) is stored within the ASAM and is decremented for every attempt at activation of a card. ASAMs are maintained in the field using a dial-up connection to a central computer (202) with a control secure application module (CSAM) (206), or using a field secure application module (FSAM) (502) that is created at a central location using the CSAM (206). Each FSAM is able to update a limited number of ASAMs. A hierarchy of keys (600) is used by the CSAM, the FSAMs and ASAMs to ensure security.