Method, apparatus, and code for issuing a dual credit card

Abstract

A method for issuing a dual credit card includes receiving information regarding an applicant and assigning a credit line to a dual credit card for the applicant.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for issuing a dual credit card, comprising: 
 receiving information regarding an applicant; and    assigning a credit line to a dual credit card for said applicant, said dual credit card being associated with a first merchant, said credit line including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being available only for use in transactions involving said first merchant and said applicant, and said second portion being available for use in transactions involving merchants other than said first merchant.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second portion is available for use in transactions involving said first merchant.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 associating an identifier with said dual credit card, wherein said identifier is capable of identifying said dual credit card as a private label card associated with said first merchant when said dual credit card is used in a transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said dual credit card as a bank card when said dual credit card is used in a transaction involving a second merchant.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said identifier includes a BIN.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 associating an identifier with said dual credit card, wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a first transaction involving said dual credit card and said first merchant should be processed via a first card processing network, and wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a second transaction involving said dual credit card but not said first merchant should be processed via a second processing network.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information regarding said applicant includes at least one of the following: 
 credit information regarding said applicant;    employment information regarding said applicant; and    personal information regarding said applicant.    
     
     
         7 . A method for issuing a dual credit card, comprising: 
 receiving information regarding an applicant; and    associating a dual credit card with said applicant, said dual credit card having an associated credit line and an associated identifier, said identifier being capable of identifying said dual credit card as a private label card associated with a first merchant when said card identifier is used in a first transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said dual credit card as a bank card when said card identifier is used in a second transaction involving a second merchant.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , said identifier being capable of indicating that said first transaction should be processed via a private label network and of indicating that said second transaction should be processed via a bank card network.  
     
     
         9 . A method for issuing a dual credit card, comprising: 
 receiving information regarding an applicant; and    associating a dual credit card with said applicant, said dual credit card having an associated credit line and an associated identifier, said identifier being capable of indicating that a first transaction using said dual credit card should be processed via a private label network and of indicating that a second transaction involving said dual credit card should be processed via a bank card network.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said first transaction is a transaction that involves said applicant and a first merchant and said second transaction is a transaction that involves said applicant and a merchant other than said first merchant.  
     
     
         11 . A method for issuing a dual credit card, comprising: 
 receiving an application for a dual credit card, said application being associated with an applicant;    associating an interest rate with said dual credit card;    associating a credit line with said dual credit card, said credit line including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being available only for use in transactions involving a first merchant and said applicant, and said second portion being available for use in transactions involving merchants other than said first merchant.    associating an identifier with said dual credit card, said identifier being capable of identifying said dual credit card as a private label card associated with said first merchant when said card identifier is used in a first transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said dual credit card as a bank card when said card identifier is used in a transaction involving a second merchant, and said identifier being capable of indicating that said first transaction should be processed via a private label network and of indicating that said second transaction should be processed via a bank card network    issuing said dual credit card to said applicant.    
     
     
         12 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a credit card associated with a single account, said credit card having an associated credit line and an associated identifier, wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a first transaction involving said credit card and a first merchant should be processed via a private label network, and wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a second transaction involving said credit card and a merchant other than said first merchant should be processed via a bank card network.    
     
     
         13 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a credit card associated with a single account, said credit card having an associated credit line and an associated identifier, wherein said identifier is capable of identifying said credit card as a private label credit card associated with said first merchant when said credit card is used in a transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said credit card as a bank card when said credit card is used in a transaction involving a merchant other than said first merchant.    
     
     
         14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein a portion of said credit line is available only for use in transactions involving said first merchant.  
     
     
         15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein a portion of said credit line is available only for use in transactions involving said first merchant, and said credit card's remaining credit line is available for use in transactions involving merchants other than said first merchant.  
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , said identifier being capable of indicating that a first transaction involving said credit card and said first merchant should be processed via a private label network, and said identifier being capable of indicating that a second transaction involving said credit card and a merchant other than said first merchant should be processed via a bank card network.  
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein said identifier includes a BIN.  
     
     
         18 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a credit card associated with a single account and an associated credit line, wherein said credit card is associated with a first merchant, a portion of said credit line is available only for use in transactions involving said first merchant, and said credit card's remaining credit line is available for use in transactions involving merchants other than said first merchant.    
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 18 , wherein said credit card has an associated identifier, said identifier being capable of indicating that a first transaction involving said credit card and said first merchant should be processed via a private label network, and said identifier being capable of indicating that a second transaction involving said credit card and a merchant other than said first merchant should be processed via a bank card network.  
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 19 , said identifier being capable of identifying said credit card as a private label credit card associated with said first merchant in a transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said credit card as a bank card in a transaction involving a merchant other than said first merchant.  
     
     
         21 . The article of manufacture of  claim 18 , wherein said credit card's remaining credit line is available for use in transactions involving said first merchant.  
     
     
         22 . The article of manufacture of  claim 17 , wherein said credit card has one associated interest rate.  
     
     
         23 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:    receiving of information regarding an applicant; and    assigning of a credit line to a dual card for said applicant, said dual card being associated with a first merchant and said credit line including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being available only for use in transactions involving said first merchant and said applicant, and said second portion being available for use in transactions involving merchants other than said first merchant.    
     
     
         24 . The article of manufacture of  claim 22 , wherein said storage medium includes instructions stored thereon that when executed result in the following: 
 associating an identifier with said dual card, wherein said identifier is capable of identifying said dual card as a private label card associated with said first merchant when said dual card is used in a transaction involving said first merchant and of identifying said dual card as a bank card when said dual card is used in transaction involving a second merchant.    
     
     
         25 . The article of manufacture of  claim 22 , wherein said storage medium includes instructions stored thereon that when executed result in the following: 
 associating an identifier with said dual card, wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a first transaction involving said dual card and said first merchant should be processed via a first card processing network, and wherein said identifier is capable of indicating that a second transaction involving said dual card but not said first merchant should be processed via a second processing network.