Financial transaction processing system

An automated method of card acceptance for processing of financial transactions originating at a point of sale computer system of a store site and being approved by a computer system of a remote financial institute,

• said method comprising determining a primary account number of a financial transaction card presented for payment of the transaction,
• providing the primary account number to said point of sale computer system and comparing the primary account number with a database of card bank identification numbers and conducting a preliminary assessment whether the particular transaction is capable of being settled using a debit point of sale transaction network,
• requesting the entry of a PIN when the preliminary assessment indicates the capability of being settled as a debit transaction and upon entry of the PIN settling the transaction through a debit point of sale transaction network, and
• settling the transaction through a credit transaction network if the card is not debit capable.

An arrangement for identifying and processing transactions that may be capable of being settled using a debit protocol,

• said system comprising an onsite store computer system connected through an outside network to a financial transaction network;
• said store computer system including a series of terminals for the electronic payment of purchases, an onsite database computer connected to each terminal and communicating therewith;
• each terminal including a device for receiving a financial transaction card and determining a primary account number associated therewith, means for communicating said primary account number to said onsite database computer;
• said onsite database computer upon receiving a primary account number from any of said terminals evaluating said primary account number and providing a report to the respective terminal whether the primary account number is recognized by the onsite database computer as debit transaction capable;
• each terminal upon receipt of a report indicating that the primary account number is known to be debit transaction capable, producing a prompt for the cardholder to enter a PIN authorization and upon receipt of a PIN processing the transaction using a PIN based debit protocol, said terminal upon receipt of a signal indicating PIN authorization will not be completed by the cardholder providing other alternatives for completing authorization of the transaction.

An arrangement for identifying and processing transactions that are capable of being settled using a debit protocol,

• said system comprising a plurality of onsite store computer systems connected through an outside network to a remote computer system which is in communication with each store computer system;
• each store computer system including a series of terminals for the electronic payment of purchases which terminals cooperate with an onsite database computer;
• each terminal including a device for receiving a financial transaction card and determining a primary account number associated therewith, means for communicating said primary account number to said onsite database computer;
• said onsite database computer upon receiving a primary account number from any of said terminals evaluating said primary account number and providing a report to the respective terminal whether the primary account number is recognized by the onsite database computer as debit transaction capable;
• each terminal upon receipt of a signal indicating debit transaction capable producing a prompt for the cardholder to enter a PIN authorization and upon receipt of a PIN processing the transaction using a debit protocol, said terminal upon an indication PIN authorization will not be completed by the cardholder providing other alternatives for completing authorization of the transaction.