# US 2014/0194187 A1 · Game card including payment identifier

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- Number: US 2014/0194187 A1
- Document ID: US20140194187A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/075,977
- Filed: 2013-11-08
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-08
- Assignees: Visa International Service Association
- Inventors: Robert Lewis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194187A1

## CPC

- A63F 13/792: for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
- G06Q 20/28: Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
- G06Q 20/347: {Passive cards}
- A63F 2300/205: for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A payment card is disclosed. The payment card may comprise a substrate, and an issuer identifier, and a game code printed on the substrate. The payment card may be a stored value card or a gift card, and can be used in an open loop payment system. A removable layer can be present over the game code.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A portable consumer device comprising:
a substrate;
a financial account identifier on the substrate, wherein the financial account identifier is from an issuer; and
a game code on the substrate, wherein the game code represents a value in an electronic game.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The portable consumer device of claim 1 wherein the portable consumer device is a prepaid card.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The portable consumer device of claim 1 further comprising a data storage medium wherein the financial account identifier is stored in the data storage medium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The portable consumer device of claim 1 wherein the portable consumer device is in the form of a card.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The portable consumer device of claim 1 further comprising a removable layer covering the game code.

### Claim 6

A method comprising:
receiving a portable consumer device, the portable consumer device comprising a substrate, a financial account identifier on the substrate, wherein the financial account identifier is from an issuer, and a game code on the substrate, wherein the game code represents a value in an electronic game;
selecting one or more goods or services for purchase using a computer;
providing, by the computer, the financial account identifier to a merchant for purchasing the one or more goods or services;
after providing the financial account identifier, receiving the one or more goods or services;
providing the game code to a game server; and
after providing the game code, receiving a game element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the financial account identifier represents a financial account at the issuer, and the game code represents a value stored at a game code database.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the value represented by the game code comprises an amount of real-world currency or game credit that can be used to purchase game elements at a game server.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the value represented by the game code comprises at least one of an item, an amount of in-game currency, play time, a character attribute, experience points, and access to a game level or game area.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the financial account identifier and the game code are activated for use after the substrate is received.

### Claim 11

A method comprising:
receiving, by a game element store server, a request from a user to purchase a game element;
prompting, by the game element store server, the user to provide payment information;
receiving, by the game element store server, a financial account identifier from the user;
sending, by the game element store server, an authorization request message to an issuer, the authorization request message comprising transaction information and the financial account identifier;
receiving, by the game element store server, an authorization response message from the issuer;
identifying, at an account link database, a game code corresponding to the financial account identifier; and
sending, by the game element store server, a message to a game server, the message comprising the identified game code and information about the purchased game element;
wherein the game code is stored at the game server, the game server associates the game code with a game user account, and the game server attributes the purchased game element to the game user account.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the financial account identifier represents a financial account at the issuer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
receiving, at the game element store server, a message from the game server, wherein the message comprises the game code and updated information about a game element inventory of the game user account that is associated with the game code; and
storing, at the account link database, information about the game element inventory of the game user account associated with the game code.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the game element store server is located at a payment processor network, wherein the authorization request message is sent to directly to the issuer.

### Claim 15

A server computer comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the processer, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method comprising:
receiving a request from a user to purchase a game element;
prompting the user to provide payment information;
receiving a financial account identifier from the user;
sending the authorization request message comprising transaction information and the financial account identifier;
receiving an authorization response message from the issuer;
identifying a game code corresponding to the financial account identifier; and
sending a message to a game server, the message comprising the identified game code and information about the purchased game element;
wherein the game code is stored at the game server, the game server associates the game code with a game user account, and the game server attributes the purchased game element to the game user account.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The server of claim 15 wherein the financial account identifier represents a financial account at the issuer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The server of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, at the game element store server, a message from the game server, wherein the message comprises the game code and updated information about the game element inventory of the game user account associated with the game code; and
storing, at the account link database, information about the game element inventory of the game user account associated with the game code.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The server of claim 15 wherein the game element store server is located at a payment processor network, wherein the authorization request message is sent to directly to the issuer.