US 9,077,828 B1Granted

Using two-dimensional barcodes with general purpose reloadable cards to facilitate access to a contact center

AssigneeNoble Systems Corporation

InventorKarl H. Koster

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In various embodiments, two-dimensional (“2D”) barcodes are used in conjunction with a general purpose reloadable debit card (“GPR card”) to facilitate various user administration and management actions. The 2D barcode allows a user to easily perform various actions without having to enter account information. The actions may be initiated upon reading the 2D barcode, and may include accessing a web site, initiating a voice call, sending a text message, or sending an email message. The communications may include indication of the account number, so that a contact center, upon receiving the communication, can quickly ascertain the balance. In addition, a destination address encoded in the 2D barcode may be used to uniquely identify the brand of GPR card and/or type of card within a brand. An originating address associated with the communication may be verified against address information associated with the account number.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A contact center system for processing communication requests associated with a general purpose reloadable (“GPR”) card comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of data structures for linking a destination address and a GPR card provider;
and
a processor configured to:
receive an activation communication from the user requesting activation of the GPR card,
determine whether the GPR card has not been previously activated,
after determining the GPR card has not been previously activated, record an originating address, wherein the originating address comprises a telephone number, and wherein the telephone number is associated with the activation communication,
receive a GPR card-related communication directed to the destination address initiated in response to a mobile device reading a quick response (“QR”) code on the GPR card thereby transmitting a request comprising a SMS text message for an account balance of a GPR card account, the GPR card-related communication including an account number, wherein the account number is associated with the GPR card and encoded by the QR code, the GPR card-related communication further including the originating address comprising the telephone number associated with the mobile device,
retrieve information from the GPR card account comprising a user originating address,
compare the user originating address with the originating address conveyed by the GPR card-related communication,
determine the originating address is equal to the user originating address,
generate a response communication including the account balance of the GPR card account, and
provide the response communication to the mobile device.

9 more elements

A method for integrating use of a two-dimensional barcode (“2D barcode”) on a general purpose reloadable (“GPR”) card comprising:

providing a user with the GPR card, the GPR card comprising indicia indicating an GPR card account and a 2D barcode, the 2D barcode indicating an account number associated with both the user and the GPR card account and a destination address, the destination address configured to receive requests for particular account information for the GPR card account, wherein the 2D barcode encodes an action to initiate a communication comprising a SMS text message by a mobile device to the destination address after the user scans the 2D barcode using the mobile device;
receiving the communication comprising the SMS text message from the mobile device at a computer, wherein the communication comprises a request for an account balance associated with the GPR card account and includes the account number and wherein the communication is associated with an originating address comprising a telephone number of the mobile device;
retrieving, by the computer, the account balance associated with the GPR card account;
and
providing, by the computer, a response communication directed to the originating address, the response communication conveying the account balance to the mobile device.

2 more elements

A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive an activation communication from the user requesting activation of the GPR card;
determine whether the GPR card has not been previously activated;
after determining the GPR card has not been previously activated, record an originating address, wherein the originating address comprises a telephone number, and wherein the telephone number is associated with the activation communication;
receive a general purpose reloadable card management related (“GPRCMR”) communication from a user, the GPRCMR communication having a first form comprising a first SMS text message and initiated after a two-dimensional barcode on a general purpose reloadable (“GPR”) card is scanned using a mobile device, the GPRCMR communication conveying an account number identifying a GPR card account and the originating address comprising the telephone number;
use the account number to retrieve GPR card account data;
determine a user originating address indicated in the GPR card account data;
determine the originating address in the GPRCMR communication is equal to the user originating address associated with the GPR card account data;
determine the GPRCMR communication includes a request for an account balance of the GPR card account;
retrieve the account balance of the GPR card account;
generate a response communication to the user comprising the account balance;
and
transmit the response communication to the mobile device.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/525,994Filed 18 Jun 2012
Granted: 7 Jul 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

G06Q 20/349
Using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards: rechargeable cards
G06K 7/10821
By scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum: further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
G06K 7/1417
The method being specifically adapted for the type of code: 2D bar codes
G06K 7/1439
Methods for optical code recognition: including a method step for retrieval of the optical code