Transit card credit authorization

US8181867B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, L.P. · US

Inventors

• Christopher J. Bierbaum · Overland Park, US
• Robin D. Katzer · Louisburg, US
• Todd N. Koellner · Overland Park, US
• Kevin Zhu · Overland Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 6, 2009
• Grant date: May 22, 2012
• Expiry date: Jan 28, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F7/127
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system is provided for transit card credit authorization. An authorization component on a mobile device determines whether a balance on a transit card application on the mobile device is below a threshold, and determines whether a communication signal is too weak to request an approval for a balance increase from a server in response to a determination that the balance on the transit card application is below the threshold. The authorization component also determines whether credit data on the mobile device authorizes increasing the balance in response to a determination that the communication signal is too weak to request the approval for the balance increase from the server, and authorizes increasing the balance in response to a determination that the credit data authorizes increasing the balance. A fare gate enables access for the mobile device at the fare gate in response to the authorization component authorizing increasing the balance.