Personally customizable credit card accounts

Abstract

A method for managing charging transactions enables, within a data processing system, a designation, by an owner of a chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified allowed vendor within an allowed vendors listing and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor. The method determines whether the allowed vendors listing specifies that a charge authorization request from all vendors not identified within the allowed vendors listing are to be declined. The method determines whether a charging vendor for a current charging transaction is identified on the allowed vendors listing. If the charging vendor is not on the allowed vendors listing, method declines the current charging transaction. If the charging vendor is on the allowed vendors listing, the method determines, by the data processing system, whether the current charging transaction for a specified amount by the charging vendor to the chargeable account number is within the designation.

1 . A method for managing charging transactions, comprising:
 enabling, within a data processing system, a designation, by an owner of a chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified allowed vendor within an allowed vendors listing and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor; and   determining whether the allowed vendors listing specifies that a charge authorization request from all vendors not identified within the allowed vendors listing are to be declined;   determining whether a charging vendor for a current charging transaction is identified on the allowed vendors listing;   if the charging vendor is not on the allowed vendors listing, declining the current charging transaction;   if the charging vendor is on the allowed vendors listing, determining, by the data processing system, whether the current charging transaction for a specified amount by the charging vendor to the chargeable account number is within the designation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprises:
 enabling specification of the corresponding amount limit as a specified amount within a defined duration of time.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprises:
 enabling specification of a number of times which the at least one specified allowed vendor is permitted to make a charging transaction within the corresponding amount limit on the chargeable account number.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling a designation, by the owner of the chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified excluded vendor.   
     
     
         5 . A system for managing charging transactions, comprising:
 means for enabling, within a data processing system, a designation, by an owner of a chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified allowed vendor within an allowed vendors listing and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor; and   means for determining whether the allowed vendors listing specifies that a charge authorization request from all vendors not identified within the allowed vendors listing are to be declined;   means for determining whether a charging vendor for a current charging transaction is identified on the allowed vendors listing;   means for if the charging vendor is not on the allowed vendors listing, declining the current charging transaction;   means for if the charging vendor is on the allowed vendors listing, determining, by the data processing system, whether the current charging transaction for a specified amount by the charging vendor to the chargeable account number is within the designation.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the means for enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprises:
 means for enabling specification of the corresponding amount limit as a specified amount within a defined duration of time.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the means for enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprises:
 means for enabling specification of a number of times which the at least one specified allowed vendor is permitted to make a charging transaction within the corresponding amount limit on the chargeable account number.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 means for enabling a designation, by the owner of the chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified excluded vendor.   
     
     
         9 . A computer program product within a computer usable medium for managing charging transactions, comprising:
 instructions for enabling, within a data processing system, a designation, by an owner of a chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor within an allowed vendors listing; and   instructions for determining whether the allowed vendors listing specifies that a charge authorization request from all vendors not identified within the allowed vendors listing are to be declined;   instructions for determining whether a charging vendor for a current charging transaction is identified on the allowed vendors listing;   instructions for if the charging vendor is not on the allowed vendors listing, declining the current charging transaction;   instructions for if the charging vendor is on the allowed vendors listing, determining, by the data processing system, whether the current charging transaction for a specified amount by the charging vendor to the chargeable account number is within the designation.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprise:
 instructions for enabling specification of the corresponding amount limit as a specified amount within a defined duration of time.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for enabling a designation of at least one specified allowed vendor and a corresponding amount limit chargeable by the specified allowed vendor further comprise:
 instructions for enabling specification of a number of times which the at least one specified allowed vendor is permitted to make a charging transaction within the corresponding amount limit on the chargeable account number.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 instructions for enabling a designation, by the owner of the chargeable account number and in association with the chargeable account number, of at least one specified excluded vendor.