Method and system for storing, retrieving and updating information from an information card

• US 20070158411A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eye Q Development Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eye Q Development Incorporated
• Inventors: Krieg, Clifton
• Application Number:
  US11/604,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20070158411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods of and apparatus for storing, retrieving and updating information on an information card or calling card. The card is made of traditional materials with at least a first surface reserved for traditional print and/or graphics. A second surface of the card contains computer readable storage media permanently affixed to the card. In another embodiment the card may be made from plastic materials and include an RFID tag as the electronic storage media. The storage media contains an electronic version of the printed text from the first surface of the card and other information. Information stored on the computer readable storage media can be read from the card using a magnetic reader or other card reader. Updated information card data may stored on a remote computer and accessed by card-recipients via the Internet. The information cards may be used in various systems including use as emergency tags, residential information tags, vehicle tags, and retail tags.

Claims

1. A method of providing and accessing electronic health records, comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic information card to a recipient, said electronic information card including both visual printed information and stored computer-readable information, said visual printed information and stored computer-readable information being relevant to at least one of the health of the recipient and electronic access of additional information about the recipient;

storing health information of said recipient on a separate database operatively coupled to a remote computer, at least some of said health information corresponding in part to said stored computer-readable information;

reading said computer-readable information from said electronic information card using a card reader operatively coupled to the remote computer; and

accessing said database from said remote computer using the information relevant to electronic access of additional information of the recipient computer-readable information stored on said electronic information card.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying said computer-readable information on said separate database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored computer-readable information is stored on an RFID chip.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored computer-readable information is store on a magnetic strip.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored computer-readable information includes an identifier unique to the electronic information card.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier unique to the electronic information card is a magnetic signature.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier unique to the electronic information card is an alpha-numeric number.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprises the step of providing user authentication for said card reader prior to said step of reading said computer-readable information from said electronic information card.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of notifying at least one third party after said step of accessing said database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one third party is a designated in-case-of-emergency contact.

11. An electronic information card system, comprising:

an electronic information card having visible information and information stored on a computer readable and computer writeable storage media affixed to the card;

a card writer configured to receive user data and input said data onto the computer readable and computer writeable storage media;

a card reader configured to accept the electronic information card and read the electronic information;

a first computer configured to receive the computer readable data from the card reader and to store the computer readable data;

a database operatively coupled to the first computer to allow said first computer to display said user data, said database storing said user data and adapted to receive changes to said user data.

12. The electronic information system of claim 11, wherein said electronic information card is a retail sales tag comprising information about a retail product associated with the tag.

13. The electronic information system of claim 11, wherein said electronic information card is an emergency identification card comprising information related to the card holder.

14. The electronic information system of claim 11, where said computer readable and computer writeable storage media is at least one of a magnetic strip and an RFID chip.

15. The electronic information system of claim 11, wherein said electronic information card is a business card comprising identification indicia unique to the electronic information card.

16. A method of managing contact and other business information, comprising the steps of:

collecting information from a first electronic information card user;

storing information related to the first user in a remotely accessible database operatively coupled to a remote computer;

transferring some or all of the information from the first electronic information card user to an electronic information card; and

enabling a card recipient to access the remote database over a network using a second computer to retrieve additional information related to the first user by entering information stored on the electronic information card.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic information card includes identification indicia unique to the electronic information card.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the identification indicia unique to the electronic information card is stored in computer-readable format.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the identification indicia unique to the electronic information card is a magnetic signature.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the identification indicia unique to the electronic information card is a serial number.