Method and apparatus for associating identification and personal data for multiple magnetic stripe cards or other sources

• US 20020139849A1
• Filed: 01/17/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-Micro Corporation
• Inventors: Gangi, Frank J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,938,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification

Abstract

A method and apparatus for warehousing information in a wallet consolidator, including personal identification data for facilitating a transaction. The wallet consolidator includes a controller for controlling operation of the wallet consolidator, a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing magnetic stripes, a bar code scanner for scanning bar codes, a keypad for inputting user selections and commands, a memory for storing information provided to the wallet consolidator, a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card and a display screen for displaying text and graphics, the display screen further for displaying a bar code pattern capable of being scanned by a bar code reader. To store information in the wallet consolidator, or alternatively in a smart card interfaced to the wallet consolidator, information is read from magnetic stripes on various types of cards such as, but not limited to, credit, debit and identification cards. Additionally, images of the cards including, but not limited to, signatures and portraits are downloaded and stored. A user retrieves the information from any of the stored magnetic stripes and writes the information to a single magnetic stripe for use in a point of sale transaction. Similarly, stored images are retrieved and displayed on a display screen including a bar code which can be scanned by a bar code scanner.

Claims

1. A wallet consolidator for facilitating a transaction, said consolidator comprising:

a controller for controlling operation of said consolidator;

a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing magnetic stripes;

means for inputting user selections and commands;

a memory for storing information provided to the wallet consolidator including personal identification data for facilitating a transaction; and

a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card.

2. The wallet consolidator, as recited in claim 1, wherein said personal identification data includes drivers license data.

3. The wallet consolidator, as recited in claim 1, wherein said personal identification data includes checking account data.

4. The wallet consolidator, as recited in claim 1, wherein said personal identification data includes scanned personal image.

5. The wallet consolidator, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for effectuating communication between said consolidator and computing devices for facilitating a transaction.

6. The wallet consolidator, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a data interface for effectuating communication between said consolidator and computing devices for facilitating a transaction.

7. A wallet consolidator for facilitating a transaction, said consolidator comprising:

a controller for controlling operation of said consolidator;

a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing magnetic stripes;

a keypad for inputting user selections and commands;

a memory for storing information provided to the wallet consolidator including personal identification data for facilitating a transaction;

a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card; and

a display screen for displaying text and graphics, the display screen further for displaying a bar code pattern capable of being scanned by a bar code reader.