Transaction card providing displayed information

• US 20040171406A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Purk, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Transaction cards useful for making purchases of goods and/or services are provided having a display for showing information thereon. More specifically, the transaction cards of the present invention provide information directly on the face of the transaction card that is received via a wireless chip and/or antenna embedded within the transaction card. The transaction cards may be “stored-value” cards, credit cards, debit cards, or other transaction cards. In addition, the transaction cards may store information thereon within one or more magnetic stripes and/or within microchips embedded within the transaction card. The information relates to credit limit information or balance information. Alternatively, the information may be displayed on means for holding the transaction card, such as a slipcover. In addition, the information may be requested and displayed on a portable communication device, such as a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, a personal computing device, or other like devices.

Claims

1. A transaction card comprising:

a wireless chip for receiving wireless information; and

a display coupled to the wireless chip for displaying the information received by the wireless chip.

2. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display.

3. The transaction card of claim 2 wherein said means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display means comprises a battery.

4. The transaction card of claim 2 wherein said means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display means comprises a solar cell or photocell.

5. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein said transaction card is a credit card and said information relates to credit limit information of said credit card.

6. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein said transaction card is a stored-value card and said information relates to balance information for said stored-value card.

7. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein said transaction card is a debit card and said information relates to balance information of a bank account linked with said debit card.

8. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

an antenna interconnected with the wireless chip for receiving information.

9. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein said wireless chip is buried within layers of the transaction card.

10. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein said wireless chip is on the surface of the transaction card.

11. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

means for recording data relating to the transaction card within the transaction card.

12. The transaction card of claim 11 wherein said means for recording data comprises a magnetic stripe.

13. The transaction card of claim 11 wherein said means for recording data comprises a microchip.

14. A transaction card system comprising:

a transaction card; and

means for holding the transaction card, wherein said means comprises;

a wireless chip for receiving wireless information; and

a display coupled to the wireless chip for displaying the information received by the wireless chip.

15. The transaction card system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display.

16. The transaction card system of claim 15 wherein said means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display comprises a battery.

17. The transaction card system of claim 15 wherein said means for powering the wireless chip and/or the display comprises a solar cell or photocell.

18. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said transaction card is a credit card and said information relates to credit limit information of said credit card.

19. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said transaction card is a stored-value card and said information relates to balance information for said stored-value card.

20. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said transaction card is a debit card and said information relates to balance information of a bank account linked with said debit card.

21. The transaction card system of claim 14 further comprising:

an antenna interconnected with the wireless chip for receiving the information.

22. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said wireless chip is contained within the means for holding the transaction card.

23. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said wireless chip is on the surface of the means for holding the transaction card.

24. The transaction card system of claim 14 wherein said transaction card further comprises means for recording data relating to the transaction card within the transaction card.

25. The transaction card system of claim 24 wherein said means for recording data comprises a magnetic stripe.

26. The transaction card of claim 24 wherein said means for recording data comprises a microchip.

27. A method of using a transaction card comprising the steps of:

providing a transaction card wherein said transaction card comprises a wireless chip for receiving wireless information and a display coupled to the wireless chip for displaying the information received by the wireless chip;

receiving a communication with the wireless chip wherein said communication relates to information; and

displaying the information on the display.

28. The method of using the transaction card of claim 27 wherein the transaction card is a credit card and said information relates to a credit limit associated with said credit card.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the transaction card is a debit card and said information relates to an account balance associated with said debit card.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the transaction card is a stored-value card and said information relates to a balance associated with said stored-value card.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

adding money to the stored value card.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

providing a database for storing the information relating to the transaction card; and

receiving the information displayed on the transaction card from the database.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein said signal is sent to the transaction card via a cellular telephone network.

34. A method of using a transaction card system comprising the steps of:

providing a transaction card system wherein said transaction card system comprises a transaction card and a means for holding the transaction card wherein said means for holding said transaction card comprises a wireless chip for receiving wireless information and a display coupled to the wireless chip for displaying the information received by the wireless chip;

receiving a communication with the wireless chip wherein said communication relates to information; and

displaying the information on the display.

35. The method of using the transaction card of claim 34 wherein the transaction card is a credit card and said information relates to a credit limit associated with said credit card.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the transaction card is a debit card and said information relates to an account balance associated with said debit card.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the transaction card is a stored-value card and said information relates to a balance associated with said stored-value card.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising the step of:

adding money to the stored value card.

39. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of:

providing a database for storing the information relating to the transaction card; and

receiving the information displayed on the means for holding the transaction card from the database.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein said signal is sent to the means for holding the transaction card via a cellular telephone network.

41. A method of receiving information relating to a transaction card providing the steps of:

providing a portable communication device;

using a transaction card; and

automatically receiving information relating to the transaction card on the portable communication device.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the portable communication device is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a personal computer.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising the step of:

receiving a message on the portable communication device relating to the information.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the message is a text message.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the message is a verbal message.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the message is a graphical message.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein the information relates to credit limit information of a credit card.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the information relates to balance information of a debit card.

49. The method of claim 41 wherein the information relates to balance information of a stored-value card.