Multi-account card with magnetic stripe data and electronic ink display being changeable to correspond to a selected account

• US 20050247797A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Natarajan
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A multifunction card includes a programmable memory, a magnetic stripe, and an electronic ink display. The programmable memory is able to store corresponding account data and image data for a plurality of different accounts. The card holder is able to use a portable terminal to select one of the accounts stored in memory. The terminal is able to write account data corresponding to the selected account to the magnetic stripe of the card. The terminal is also able to electronically change the electronic ink display to the image corresponding to the selected account. Thus, a single multifunction card, with the ability to have both its magnetic stripe data and appearance changed in accordance with a selected account, can substitute for many different cards.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a card,

wherein the card includes memory,

wherein the memory is operative to store data associated with at least one account,

wherein the card includes at least one display device,

wherein the at least one display device is operative to electronically display an image corresponding to an account associated with the data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one display device includes a reflective electronic display, wherein the reflective electronic display is operative to display different electronically overwritten images in a same display area.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one display device includes electronic ink.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the electronic ink is operative to display a stripe having magnetic properties.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the memory includes a magnetic strip, wherein the magnetic strip is adapted to store magnetic strip data associated with the account.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at least one display device is operative to display an image corresponding to the account associated with the magnetic strip data.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6

wherein the memory includes a programmable memory,

wherein the programmable memory includes data corresponding to a plurality of accounts,

wherein each of the plurality of accounts has at least one respective image corresponding thereto,

wherein the at least one display device is operative to selectively display each respective image.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7

wherein the card comprises a financial transaction card,

wherein the financial transaction card enables a user thereof to carry out a financial transaction therewith,

wherein the programmable memory includes first data associated with a first financial account having a first image associated therewith,

wherein the programmable memory includes second data associated with a second financial account having a second image associated therewith,

wherein the magnetic strip stores one of the first data and second data,

wherein the at least one display device displays the image corresponding to the data stored in the magnetic strip.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the magnetic strip stores the first data associated with the first financial account, and wherein the at least one display device displays the first image.

10. Apparatus comprising:

an account card,

wherein the card includes memory,

wherein the memory is operative to store account data corresponding to a plurality of accounts,

wherein the account data includes first account data corresponding to a first account,

wherein the first account is associated with a first image,

wherein the account data includes second account data corresponding to a second account,

wherein the second account is associated with a second image,

wherein the second image differs from the first image,

wherein the card includes an electronic display device,

wherein the display device is operative to display each of the first and second images,

wherein the display device is operative to selectively display in a same display area only one of the first and second images.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each account has an account image corresponding thereto, wherein the display device is operative to subsequently display different account images by overwriting another account image.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each account has an account image corresponding thereto, wherein the display device is operative to subsequently display different account images.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each account image includes text and pictures.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each account image is representative of an account logo.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11

wherein the memory includes a programmable memory,

wherein the programmable memory includes account data corresponding to a plurality of accounts,

wherein the programmable memory stores data corresponding to account images.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15

wherein the memory includes a magnetic strip,

wherein the magnetic strip includes account data corresponding to an account,

wherein the card includes a processor,

wherein the processor is operative to correlate an image to be displayed with account data to be stored in the magnetic strip,

wherein responsive to the correlation, the displayed image and the magnetic strip account data correspond to the same account.

17. Apparatus comprising:

a reusable financial transaction article,

wherein the article includes electronic ink,

wherein the electronic ink includes magnetic properties.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17

wherein the article comprises a financial transaction multi-account card,

wherein the card includes a programmable memory,

wherein the programmable memory includes data corresponding to a plurality of accounts,

wherein each of the plurality of accounts has at least one respective image corresponding thereto,

wherein the card includes a changeable magnetic stripe,

wherein magnetic stripe account data is changeable to correspond to a selected one of the plurality of accounts,

wherein the card includes a changeable electronic ink display,

wherein the display is changeable to display an image corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of accounts,

wherein the image and the magnetic stripe account data can simultaneously correspond to a same account.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the article comprises a financial transaction card, wherein the electronic ink is operative to display a stripe having magnetic properties.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the stripe can be electronically encoded to provide magnetic flux reversals, wherein the stripe comprises a magnetic stripe enabling magnetic reading thereof.