# US 8,464,940 B2 · Consumer self-activated financial card > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,940 B2 - Document ID: US8464940B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/157,571 - Filed: 2011-06-10 - Published: 2012-02-09 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-13 - Applicants: Sean MacGuire - Inventors: Sean MacGuire - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464940B2 ## CPC - G06Q 40/02: Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03) - G06Q 20/105: {involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"} - 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 pre-encoded financial card is disclosed along with a system and method allowing a user to attach it to pre-existing accounts and activate it instantly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for obtaining a new financial card for a user, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the user with a pre-encoded card wherein a number of the pre-encoded card is associated with a pre-existing unactivated account; b) having the user provide sufficient identification information about the user and on the pre-existing account; c) providing the financial institution controlling the pre-existing account with the identification information collected in step b), and having the financial institution evaluate this information; and, d) activating the new card upon acceptance by the financial institution, and wherein in step c), the financial institution provides a card number different from the originally submitted card number associated with the new card selected in step a), and wherein in such a case, the card number provided by the financial institution is associated with the originally submitted card number. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the new card selected in step a) is pre-encoded with a unique identifier, and wherein in step c) the unique identifier is provided to the financial institution. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the new card selected in step a) has a pre-allocated number. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the new card selected in step a) is pre-printed with information relating to the financial institution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein between steps a) and c), the user provides information on the financial institution. ### Claim 6 A method for obtaining a new financial card for a user, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the user with a pre-encoded card wherein a number of the pre-encoded card is associated with a pre-existing unactivated account; b) having the user provide sufficient identification information about the user and on the pre-existing account; c) providing the financial institution controlling the pre-existing account with the identification information collected in step b), and having the financial institution evaluate this information; and d) activating the new card upon acceptance by the financial institution, and wherein in cases where the new card is not provided with a pre-allocated account number assigned by the financial institution, the new card is encoded with pre-allocated numbers issued by an operator of the service supplying the new card. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the new card selected in step a) is pre-encoded with a unique identifier, and wherein in step c), the unique identifier is provided to the financial institution. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the new card selected in step a) has a pre-allocated number. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the new card selected in step a) is pre-printed with information relating to the financial institution. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A method as defined in claim 6, wherein between steps a) and c), the user provides information on the financial institution. ### Claim 11 A system for providing a new financial card to a user upon a user's request therefor, comprising a series of pre-encoded cards wherein numbers of the pre-encoded cards are associated with pre-existing unactivated accounts, means for collecting sufficient identification information about the user and on a pre-existing account of the user, a financial transaction system capable of receiving the identification information, of transmitting the identification information to a financial institution and, where the financial institution has approved the request, of providing an activated new card from the series of cards, the new card being associated with the existing account at the financial institution, the financial transaction system comprising a terminal and a communicating device for allowing the terminal to communicate with the financial institution over at least one communication network, and wherein a card-providing means is provided at the terminal such that the activated new card is dispensed to the user by the terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the financial transaction system is adapted to receive at the terminal and to transmit to the financial institution information provided at the terminal by the user for the identification of the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the information includes at least one of information on the financial institution and a selection by the user of the account to be accessible via the new card. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the terminal is adapted to relay from the financial institution to the user restriction(s) imposed thereby on the use of the new card. ### Claim 15 A system for providing a new financial card to a user upon a user's request therefor, comprising a series of pre-encoded cards wherein numbers of the pre-encoded cards are associated with pre-existing accounts, means for collecting sufficient identification information about the user and on a pre-existing account of the user, a financial transaction system capable of receiving the identification information, of transmitting the identification information to a financial institution and, where the financial institution has approved the request, of providing an activated new card from the series of cards, the new card being associated with the existing account at the financial institution, the financial transaction system comprising a terminal and a communicating device for allowing the terminal to communicate with the financial institution over at least one communication network, and wherein the series of new cards are provided at the terminal and are pre-encoded with a unique identifier, and wherein the financial transaction system is capable of receiving the unique identifier and of transmitting the unique identifier to the financial institution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A system as defined in claim 15, wherein the financial transaction system is adapted to receive at the terminal and to transmit to the financial institution information provided at the terminal by the user for the identification of the user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A system as defined in claim 16, wherein the information includes at least one of information on the financial institution and a selection by the user of the account to be accessible via the new card. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A system as defined in claim 15, wherein the terminal is adapted to relay from the financial institution to the user restriction(s) imposed thereby on the use of the new card. ### Claim 19 A system for providing a new financial card to a user upon a user's request therefor, comprising a series of pre-encoded cards wherein numbers of the pre-encoded cards are associated with pre-existing unactivated accounts, means for collecting sufficient identification information about the user and on a pre-existing account of the user, a financial transaction system capable of receiving the identification information, of transmitting the identification information to a financial institution and, where the financial institution has approved the request, of providing an activated new card from the series of cards, the new card being associated with the existing account at the financial institution, the financial transaction system comprising a terminal and a communicating device for allowing the terminal to communicate with the financial institution over at least one communication network, and wherein the series of new cards are provided at the terminal and have pre-allocated numbers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A system as defined in claim 19, wherein the financial transaction system is adapted to receive at the terminal and to transmit to the financial institution information provided at the terminal by the user for the identification of the user. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A system as defined in claim 20, wherein the information includes at least one of information on the financial institution and a selection by the user of the account to be accessible via the new card. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) A system as defined in claim 19, wherein the terminal is adapted to relay from the financial institution to the user restriction(s) imposed thereby on the use of the new card. ### Claim 23 A system for providing a new financial card to a user upon a user's request therefor, comprising a series of pre-encoded cards wherein numbers of the pre-encoded cards are associated with pre-existing unactivated accounts, means for collecting sufficient identification information about the user and on a pre-existing account of the user, a financial transaction system capable of receiving the identification information, of transmitting the identification information to a financial institution and, where the financial institution has approved the request, of providing an activated new card from the series of cards, the new card being associated with the existing account at the financial institution, the financial transaction system comprising a terminal and a communicating device for allowing the terminal to communicate with the financial institution over at least one communication network, and wherein the series of new cards are provided at the terminal and have pre-printed information thereon related to the financial institution. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A system as defined in claim 23, wherein the financial transaction system is adapted to receive at the terminal and to transmit to the financial institution information provided at the terminal by the user for the identification of the user. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A system as defined in claim 24, wherein the information includes at least one of information on the financial institution and a selection by the user of the account to be accessible via the new card. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) A system as defined in claim 23, wherein the terminal is adapted to relay from the financial institution to the user restriction(s) imposed thereby on the use of the new card.