Combined payment/access-control instrument

1. A method of monitoring behavior of a holder of a multifunction presentation instrument suitable for presentation by the holder in support of payment transactions and access transactions, wherein a payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder using funds identified by the multifunction presentation instrument and an access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter a restricted area, the method comprising;

receiving a first communication at a host system, the first communication comprising transaction details of an attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder;

receiving a second communication at the host system, the second communication comprising transaction details of an attempted access transaction initiated by the holder;

storing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction in a data store; and

performing an analysis of data comprising the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction to identify potentially suspicious behavior by the holder;

wherein performing the analysis of the data comprises:

retrieving transaction details of other past payment transactions attempted by the holder from the data store; and

correlating the details of the attempted payment transaction, the attempted access transaction, and the other past payment transactions with information received from one or more intelligence agencies or with information received from one or more infrastructure entities responsible for power generation or water supply distribution, to identity a pattern that indicates potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the first communication includes an indication that the attempted payment transaction was executed by providing funds to support a purchase by the holder.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the first communication includes an indication that the attempted payment transaction was denied.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the second communication includes an indication that the attempted access transaction was authorized by granting authorization to the holder to enter a restricted area.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the second communication includes an indication that the attempted access transaction was denied.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the attempted payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder for access to a particular restricted area; and

the attempted access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter the particular restricted area.

7. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a third communication at the host system, the third communication comprising transaction details of a second attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder, wherein:

the first communication specifies a type of the attempted payment transaction;

the third communication specifies a second type of the second attempted payment transaction different from the type of the attempted payment transaction; and

the type of the attempted payment transaction and the second type of the second attempted payment transaction are each selected from the group consisting of a credit transaction, a debit transaction, and a stored-value transaction.

8. The method recited in claim 1 wherein performing the analysis of the data comprises:

receiving nontransaction information; and

analyzing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and attempted access transaction in combination with the nontransaction information to identify the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

9. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising initiating a response to the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the funds identified by the multifunction presentation instrument are maintained in an account by a financial institution; and

the attempted payment transaction comprises a request for approval of the attempted payment transaction from the financial institution.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the attempted payment transaction is initiated by the holder through an exchange of radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction presentation instrument.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the attempted access transaction is initiated by the holder through an exchange of radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction presentation instrument.

13. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction comprise an identification number unique to the holder; and

the transaction details of the attempted access transaction comprise the identification number.

14. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the attempted access transaction comprises attempted access to a particular restricted area, and wherein the attempted payment transaction does not comprise a purchase by the holder for access to the particular restricted area.

15. A method of monitoring behavior of a holder of a multifunction presentation instrument suitable for presentation by the holder in support of payment transactions and access transactions, wherein a payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder using funds identified by the multifunction presentation instrument and an access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter a restricted area, the method comprising:

receiving a first communication at a host system, the first communication comprising transaction details of an attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder;

receiving a second communication at the host system, the second communication comprising transaction details of an attempted access transaction initiated by the holder;

storing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction in a data store;

retrieving transaction details of payment transactions attempted by a second holder of a second multifunction presentation instrument from the data store, wherein the second holder is different from the holder and the second multifunction presentation instrument is different from the multifunction presentation instrument; and

correlating the details of the attempted payment transaction, the attempted access transaction, and the payment transactions attempted by the second holder of the second multifunction presentation instrument with information received from one or more intelligence agencies or with information received from one or more infrastructure entities responsible for power generation or water supply distribution, to identify the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

16. A method of monitoring behavior of a holder of a multifunction presentation instrument suitable for presentation by the holder in support of payment transactions and access transactions, wherein a payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder using funds identified by the multifunction presentation instrument and an access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter a restricted area, the method comprising:

receiving payment-transaction information for an attempted payment transaction and an identification number unique to the holder at a merchant system;

identifying a financial institution using the identification number;

transmitting a request for approval of the attempted payment transaction from the merchant system to the financial institution;

receiving a response to the request from the financial institution at the merchant system;

determining whether to approve the attempted payment transaction from the response with the merchant system;

generating a first communication at the merchant system, the first communication comprising at least a portion of the payment-transaction information and an indication whether the attempted payment transaction was approved;

transmitting the first communication from the merchant system to a host system;

receiving access-transaction information for an attempted access transaction and the identification number at an access system;

determining whether to authorize the attempted access transaction by granting access to a restricted area from the access-transaction information and the identification number with the access system;

generating a second communication at the access system, the second communication comprising at least a portion of the access-transaction information and an indication whether the attempted access transaction was authorized;

transmitting the second communication from the access system to the host system; and

performing an analysis of data comprising the at least a portion of the payment-transaction information and the at least a portion of the access-transaction information with the host system to identify potentially suspicious behavior by the holder;

wherein performing the analysis of the data comprises:

retrieving transaction details of past payment transactions attempted by the holder from a data store; and

correlating the details of the attempted payment transaction, the attempted access transaction, and the past payment transactions with information received from one or more intelligence agencies or with information received from one or more infrastructure entities responsible for power generation or water supply distribution, to identify a pattern that indicates potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein:

the attempted payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder for access to a particular restricted area; and

the attempted access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter the particular restricted area.

18. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the attempted payment transaction is initiated by the holder through an exchange of radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction presentation instrument.

19. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the attempted access transaction is initiated by the holder through an exchange of radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction instrument.

20. The method recited in claim 16 , wherein the attempted access transaction comprises attempted access to a particular restricted area, and wherein the attempted payment transaction does not comprise a purchase by the holder for access to the particular restricted area.

21. A system for monitoring behavior of a holder of a multifunction presentation instrument suitable for presentation by the holder in support of payment transactions and access transactions, wherein a payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder using funds identified by the multifunction instrument and an access transition comprises an authorization for the holder to enter a restricted area, the system comprising:

a communications device;

a processor;

a storage device; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the processing system to monitor behavior of the holder, the computer-readable program including:

instructions for receiving, with the communications device, a first communication comprising transaction details of an attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder;

instructions for receiving, with the communications device, a second communication comprising transaction detail of an attempted access transaction initiated by the holder;

instructions for storing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction on the storage device; and

instructions for performing, with the processor, an analysis of data comprising the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction to identify potentially suspicious behavior of the holder;

wherein performing the analysis of the data comprises:

retrieving transaction details of past payment transactions attempted by the holder from the storage device; and

correlating the details of the attempted payment transaction, the attempted access transaction, and the other past payment transactions with information received from one or more intelligence agencies or with information received from one or more infrastructure entities responsible for power generation or water supply distribution, to identify a pattern that indicates potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

22. The system recited in claim 21 further comprising:

a merchant system in communication with the communications device, the merchant system having instructions for processing the attempted payment transaction; and

an access system in communication with the communications device, the access system having instructions for processing the attempted access transaction.

23. The system recited in claim 22 wherein the instructions for processing the attempted payment transaction comprise instructions for requesting approval of the attempted payment transaction from a financial institution identified by the multifunction instrument.

24. The system recited in claim 22 further comprising a point-of-sale device in communication with the merchant system, the point-of-sale device including a radio-frequency transceiver adapted to exchange radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction instrument.

25. The system recited in claim 22 further comprising an access interface in communication with the access system, the access device including a radio-frequency transceiver adapted to exchange radio-frequency electromagnetic signals with the multifunction instrument.

26. The system recited in claim 21 wherein:

the attempted payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder for access to a particular restricted area; and

the attempted access transaction comprises an authorization for the holder to enter the particular restricted area.

27. The system recited in claim 21 wherein:

the computer-readable program further includes instructions for receiving, with the communications device, a third communication comprising transaction details of a second attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder;

the first communication specifies a type of the attempted payment transaction;

the third communication specifies a second type of the second attempted payment transaction; and

the type of the attempted payment transaction and the second type of the second attempted payment transaction are each selected from the group consisting of a credit transaction, a debit transaction, and a stored-value transaction.

28. The system recited in claim 21 wherein the instructions for performing the analysis of the data comprise:

instructions for receiving nontransaction information; and

instructions for analyzing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and attempted access transaction in combination with the nontransaction information to identify the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

29. The system recited in claim 21 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for initiating a response to the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.

30. The system recited in claim 21 the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction comprise an identification number unique to the holder; and

the transaction details of the attempted access transaction comprise the identification number.

31. The system recited in claim 21 , wherein the attempted access transaction comprises attempted access to a particular restricted area, and wherein the attempted payment transaction does not comprise a purchase by the holder for access to the particular restricted area.

32. A system for monitoring behavior of a holder of a multifunction presentation instrument suitable for presentation by the holder in support of payment transactions and access transactions, wherein a payment transaction comprises a purchase by the holder using funds identified by the multifunction instrument and an access transition comprises an authorization for the holder to enter a restricted area, the system comprising:

a communications device;

a processor;

a storage device; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the processing system to monitor behavior of the holder, the computer-readable program including:

instructions for receiving, with the communications device, a first communication comprising transaction details of an attempted payment transaction initiated by the holder;

instructions for receiving, with the communications device, a second communication comprising transaction detail of an attempted access transaction initiated by the holder;

instructions for storing the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction on the storage device; and

instructions for performing, with the processor, an analysis of data comprising the transaction details of the attempted payment transaction and the transaction details of the attempted access transaction to identify potentially suspicious behavior of the holder;

instructions for retrieving transaction details of payment transactions attempted by a second holder of a second multifunction presentation instrument from the storage device, wherein the second holder is different from the holder and the second multifunction presentation instrument is different from the multifunction presentation instrument; and

instructions for correlating the combined details of the attempted payment transaction, the attempted access transaction, and the payment transactions attempted by the second holder of the second multifunction presentation instrument with information received from one or more intelligence agencies or with information received from one or more infrastructure entities responsible for power generation or water supply distribution, to identify the potentially suspicious behavior by the holder.