Consolidated membership/rewards card system
First Claim
1. A consolidated membership/rewards card, comprising:
- a. a card issued by a bank or credit card issuing authority, and having functionality of a conventional credit card;
b. said consolidated membership/rewards card having a battery powering a CPU, a memory, software resident in said memory, a USB connector, a flexible display, and a programmable second magnetic strip on the rear face of the card in a local opposite to that of said credit card permanent magnetic strip;
c. said consolidated membership card displaying from said memory a list of merchant names on said flexible display and a user selecting a merchant name by pressing up and down buttons and pressing go to magnetize said programmable second magnetic strip with a merchant provided loyalty or discount number and at the same time transmitting said number through said USB connection;
d. said consolidated membership card communicating said merchant provided loyalty or discount number to a check out cash register of the merchant upon swiping of said programmable magnetic strip or by establishing a direct USB link between said card and a USB enabled cash register;
whereby the user is provided with appropriate discounts on purchases made and payment for such purchases is effected by swiping said consolidated membership/rewards card permanent magnetic strip or other payment means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bank or credit card issuing authority provided consolidated membership/rewards card has standard credit card features including cardholder'"'"'s name, card number, expiration date, secret code and a permanently coded permanent magnetic strip. The card has a programmable second magnetic strip with inductors directly below the strip energized by a CPU in the card recording a merchant provided loyalty or discount number. The cardholder selects a merchant from a list displayed card screen by pressing up and down buttons and a ‘go’ button to program the second magnetic strip. A USB connector associated with the card is used for uploading merchant data from a personal computer and transmitting the card discount number to a USB enabled cash register. The cash register provides eligible discounts for purchases upon receipt of the card discount number by swiping the second magnetic strip or by establishing USB connectivity. Payment is made using the permanent magnetic strip of the card or by other payment means. Discounts and membership rewards are thereby provided to a cardholder without need for carrying a plurality of merchant issued membership/rewards cards. Credit card functionality facilitates immediate payment for the purchases made.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A consolidated membership/rewards card, comprising:
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a. a card issued by a bank or credit card issuing authority, and having functionality of a conventional credit card; b. said consolidated membership/rewards card having a battery powering a CPU, a memory, software resident in said memory, a USB connector, a flexible display, and a programmable second magnetic strip on the rear face of the card in a local opposite to that of said credit card permanent magnetic strip; c. said consolidated membership card displaying from said memory a list of merchant names on said flexible display and a user selecting a merchant name by pressing up and down buttons and pressing go to magnetize said programmable second magnetic strip with a merchant provided loyalty or discount number and at the same time transmitting said number through said USB connection; d. said consolidated membership card communicating said merchant provided loyalty or discount number to a check out cash register of the merchant upon swiping of said programmable magnetic strip or by establishing a direct USB link between said card and a USB enabled cash register; whereby the user is provided with appropriate discounts on purchases made and payment for such purchases is effected by swiping said consolidated membership/rewards card permanent magnetic strip or other payment means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification