Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for facilitating financial transactions using an IC type financial card presented at a terminal. A requested transaction for monetary value is processed via a first transaction type. If the transaction is successful, monetary value is dispensed to the user. If unsuccessful, the card is not ejected and the transaction is processed via a second transaction type. The first transaction type might be a PIN based ATM transaction and the second transaction type might be a signature based transaction.

The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to provide a user-expandable memory space. In examples described herein, a customer may choose to purchase access to only a portion of the total available memory space of a consumer device, such as a smartphone. Later, the customer may expand the user-accessible memory space. In one example, the customer submits suitable payment via a communication network to a centralized authorization server, which returns an unlock key. Components within the data storage controller of the consumer device then use the key to unlock additional memory space within the device. In this manner, if the initial amount of memory the consumer paid for becomes full, the consumer may conveniently expand the amount of user-accessible memory.

Described is an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), and related systems (and methods), that allows for applications (or “Apps”) to be accessed on the ATM. The system allows for a third-party application to be verified and installed on ATMs to provide users with additional services. The application may access peripherals of the ATM via an Application Programming Interface (API) provided as part of a Software Development Kit (SDK). Accordingly, the system may provide a secure mechanism for ATM providers to provide users with the benefits of accessing third-party applications. Moreover, these applications may leverage specialized ATM peripherals and provide functionality that may not otherwise be available on other types of devices.

An apparatus including processing circuitry and a method are described. When receiving a cross-chain transaction request to transfer a resource from a first account to a second account, the processing circuitry is configured to generate a task corresponding to the first account. The task can indicate conditions for implementing events in transferring the resource. A first blockchain system provides services for the first account, and a second blockchain system different from the first blockchain system provides services for the second account. The processing circuitry transfers the resource to the second account based on the task when a first plurality of first nodes in the first blockchain system reaches a consensus on a generation event of the task and updates a task status of the task to being finished when a plurality of second nodes in the second blockchain system reaches a consensus on a transfer event of the resource.

Methods, computer program products, and apparatus for open tab transactions. A customer device, e.g., a smart phone, can generate an order for purchasing one or more goods or services from a merchant. A list of the items can be stored in a data structure designated as a tab. The list is routed to a merchant device, e.g., a tablet computer. The customer device can be carried by a user to the merchant. When the user reaches the merchant, the customer device or merchant device can receive a request to add an additional item to the list. The tab remains open and modifiable until the customer device or merchant device receives an input to close it. Payment for the goods or services listed in the modified tab is processed upon closing of the tab.

A user can associate a digital asset corresponding to a value with a transaction device to be used by another user. For example, a first user can load a digital asset corresponding to a cryptocurrency amount onto a transaction device, where the first user then provides the transaction device to a second user. The second user can utilize the cryptocurrency amount on the transaction device to conduct a transaction. The generation and use of digital assets can be managed using ledgers that store data in the form of block chains.

A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device.

In a method for instantly issuing a personalized financial transaction card to a customer a bank employee receives customer information and card information from the customer at a branch location. The card information may include a card personal identification number (PIN) selected by the customer. The operator inputs the customer information and at least some the card information into a data processing terminal at the branch. The customer information and the card information are communicated from the branch across a network to a card services provider. At the card services provider, the PIN is entered into a PIN database and a reference number associated with the customer and a PIN offset is generated. The reference number and at least some of the customer data and card data may be stored in a card file associated with the customer. The reference number is used to retrieve the PIN from the PIN database. The retrieved PIN is then used to apply calculations to the card file. The card file is securely sent from the card services provider across the network to the branch location. Using information from the card file, the financial transaction card is printed for the customer at the branch location. In a preferred embodiment, the personalized card is instantly issued while the customer is present at the branch location.

A system and method for distributing incentives via mobile devices is described. One embodiment, a computer-server-based method, receives a request from a merchant to generate an incentive which incentive is funded and initiated by the merchant, receives the incentive, associates the incentive with a recipient's phone number, and transmits a notification of the incentive to a mobile device associated with the recipient's phone number, the computer server acting as a server-side wallet for the incentive, the incentive being usable, through interaction with the computer server, by the recipient for the purchase of goods or services from the merchant associated with the incentive.

A service voucher processing method, device, and system, and a storage medium are disclosed. The method includes: obtaining information about a candidate service, and loading a virtual identifier of the candidate service in a graphical interface; initiating, if a target service reserved by the reservation instruction is detected, a reservation request; obtaining a service voucher corresponding to the target service based on permission corresponding to the target service, and activating the service voucher when an instruction for using the target service is detected; performing authentication on the permission, a verification request carrying permission information, and a serial communication method being used for the verification request; and providing the permission when the authentication passes, determining that the target service is used, and cancelling the permission. The present disclosure can support, in a high-efficient and convenient manner, a user to use services such as taking a bus/metro/train or the like.