BATTERYLESS STORED VALUE CARD WITH DISPLAY

• US 20110279242A1
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tocreo Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Mark Krawczewicz
• Inventors: Krawczewicz, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,122,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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

Abstract

A stored value card such as a transit card, college meal plan card, other card such as a credit card, coupon redemption card or rewards/awards card has within it an integrated thin film flexible display and has RFID and security capabilities. In a preferred embodiment of a transit card or stored value card in accordance with the present invention, the display shows a remaining balance on the card. Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a preferable embodiments and implementations.

Claims

1. A batteryless RFID card comprising:

a housing;

a processor;

a near-field antenna; and

a display for displaying alpha-numeric information;

wherein said processor and said display are solely powered by energy received through said near-field antenna and wherein alphanumeric information is displayed on said display using power from energy received through said near-field antenna and said displayed alphanumeric information is maintained on said display when said power from energy received through said near-field antenna is discontinued.

2. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 further wherein a remaining monetary value is stored in memory on said card and said displayed alpha-numeric information comprises a remaining monetary value.

3. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 further comprising driver circuitry for driving said display.

4. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 further wherein said processor comprises a security processor.

5. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 further comprising a memory connected to said processor, wherein said memory is powered by energy received through said near-field antenna.

6. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 wherein said display comprises a ten-digit alphanumeric display.

7. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 wherein said display comprises a bi-state display.

8. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 7 wherein said bi-state display comprises an electro-chromic display.

9. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 7 wherein said bi-state display comprises an electro-phoretic display.

10. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 7 wherein said bi-state display comprises a cholesteric display.

11. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 7 wherein said bi-state display comprises an E-Ink display.

12. A batteryless RFID card according to claim 1 further comprising a UHF antenna for reading data from said RFID card.

14. A method for displaying a remaining monetary value on an RFID stored value card according to claim 12, wherein said transaction comprises adding a specified amount to said stored remaining monetary value.

15. A method for displaying a remaining monetary value on an RFID stored value card according to claim 12, wherein said transaction comprises subtracting a specified amount to said stored remaining monetary value.

13. A method for displaying a monetary value on an RFID stored value card having a processor, a memory, a bi-state display and a near-field antenna, comprising the steps of:

coupling said RFID stored value card to an RFID reader through said near-field antenna;

powering said processor with energy received through said near-field antenna;

retrieving with said processor a remaining monetary value from said memory;

calculating a new remaining monetary value with said processor based upon a transaction;

storing said new remaining monetary value in said memory; and

displaying said new remaining monetary value on said bi-state display using energy received through said near-field antenna.

16. A method for displaying alphanumeric information on an RFID card having a processor, a memory, a bi-state display and a near-field antenna, comprising the steps of:

coupling said RFID card to an RFID reader through said near-field antenna;

powering said processor with energy received through said near-field antenna;

conducting a secure transaction using said card; and

changing alpha-numeric information displayed on said display using energy received through said near-field antenna to display information reflecting a status of said secured transaction.

17. A method for displaying alphanumeric information on an RFID card according to claim 16, wherein the step of changing alphanumeric information displayed on said display comprises changing displayed alphanumeric information multiple times to produce a scrolling or multiline message on said display.

18. A method for displaying alphanumeric information on an RFID card according to claim 16, wherein said step of changing alphanumeric information displayed on said display comprises displaying a status of at least one of the following:

a payment process, an authentication process, a cryptographic process, a mutual authentication process, a challenged response process, a coupon redemption process or an awards process.

19. A method for displaying alphanumeric information on an RFID card according to claim 16, wherein said step of changing alphanumeric information displayed on said display comprises displaying an entertainment message.