User communication device based card presence monitoring and account status control

Abstract

A sensor of a communication device detects whether a card associated with an account is present within a range. Responsive to the communication device detecting the card is outside the range of the sensor longer than a user specified time limit, the communication device sends a first communication to an account provider system via a network for the card to automatically place an account associated with the card on hold, wherein the account provider system blocks transactions to the account when the account is placed on hold. Responsive to the communication device detecting the card return within the range of the sensor, the communication device sends a second communication to the account provider system via the network to automatically reactivate the account associated with the card, wherein the account provider system allows transactions to the account when the account is reactivated.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A system for controlling a status of an account associated with a card, comprising:
 a communication device comprising a sensor;   the sensor, operative to detect whether a card associated with an account is present within a range;   the communication device, responsive to detecting the card outside the range of the sensor longer than a user specified time limit, operative to send a first communication from the communication device to an account provider system via a network for the card to automatically place an account associated with the card on hold; and   the communication device, responsive to detecting the card return within the range of the sensor, operative to send a second communication from the communication device to the account provider system via the network to automatically reactivate the account associated with the card.   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device operative to identify the card by a card identifier;   the communication device operative to send a request from the communication device to the account provider system to associate an identifier for the communication device with the account associated with the card;   the communication device, responsive to receiving an association confirmation from the account provider system indicating the identifier for the communication device is associated with the account, operative to update a status for the card as maintained by the communication device as associated; and   the communication device operative to synchronize the sensor of the communication device to detect the card when presence within the range.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device operative to receive a user selection of a particular distance limit in association with the card;   the communication device operative to specify the range by the particular distance limit; and   the communication device operative to select a particular sensor with a sensor range meeting at least the particular distance limit from among a plurality of sensors at the communication device each with a separate sensor range.   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device operative to receive a user selection of a particular frequency for detecting whether the card is present within the range; and   the communication device operative to check whether the card is present within the range at a frequency specified by the particular frequency.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device operative to receive a user selection of the user specified time limit for the card;   the communication device, responsive to detecting the card outside the range of the sensor, operative to start a first timer to count an away time for the card;   the communication device operative to compare the count in the first timer with the user specified time limit specified for the card; and   the communication device, responsive to the count in the first timer greater than the user specified time limited specified for the card, operative to trigger the first communication from the communication device to the account provider system for the card to automatically place the account associated with the card on hold.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device, responsive to detecting the card outside the range of the sensor, operative to detect a location of the communication device; and   the communication device, responsive to the time the card is outside the range of the sensor exceeding the user defined time limit, operative to output a map marking the detected location of the communication device.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the communication device, responsive to triggering the first communication from the communication device, operative to monitor for a hold confirmation from the account provider system;   the communication device, responsive to receiving the hold confirmation from the account provider system, operative to control output of an alert to a user specifying that the account associated with the card is placed on hold; and   the communication device, responsive to not receiving the hold confirmation from the account provider system, operative to control output of an alert to the user specifying that the request to place the account associated with the card on hold is not confirmed.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to claim  1 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving a reactivation confirmation from the account provider system specifying the account associated with the card is reactivated, resynchronizing the sensor of the communication device to detect whether the card associated with the account is present within the range.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product for controlling a status of an account associated with a card, said computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium and comprising computer executable instructions which cause a computer to:
 detect, by a communication device, whether a card associated with an account is present within a range;   responsive to detecting the card outside the range of the sensor longer than a user specified time limit, send, by the communication device, a first communication from the communication device to an account provider system via a network for the card to automatically place an account associated with the card on hold; and   responsive to detecting the card return within the range of the sensor, send, by the communication device, a second communication from the communication device to the account provider system via the network to automatically reactivate the account associated with the card.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product according to  claim 17 , further comprising computer executable instructions which cause the computer to:
 identify the card by a card identifier;   send a request from the communication device to the account provider system to associate an identifier for the communication device with the account associated with the card;   responsive to receiving an association confirmation from the account provider system indicating the identifier for the communication device is associated with the account, update a status for the card as maintained by the communication device as associated; and   synchronize the sensor of the communication device to detect the card when presence within the range.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product according to  claim 17 , further comprising computer executable instructions which cause the computer to:
 receive a user selection of a particular distance limit in association with the card;   specify the range by the particular distance limit; and   select a particular sensor with a sensor range meeting at least the particular distance limit from among a plurality of sensors at the communication device each with a separate sensor range.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product according to  claim 17 , further comprising computer executable instructions which cause the computer to:
 receive a user selection of the user specified time limit for the card;   responsive to detecting the card outside the range of the sensor, start a first timer to count an away time for the card;   compare the count in the first timer with the user specified time limit specified for the card; and   responsive to the count in the first timer greater than the user specified time limited specified for the card, trigger the first communication from the communication device to the account provider system for the card to automatically place the account associated with the card on hold.