COMMERCE CARD

• US 20120143769A1
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Krishnan, Murali R., Anantha, Anoop
• Application Number:
  US12/958,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20120143769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/71
• 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: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

Commerce card techniques are described. In one or more implementations, one or more credentials are received at a commerce card, the credentials encrypted using a public key. The one or more credentials are decrypted using a private key that corresponds to the public key, the decrypting performed by a secure element implemented in tamper-resistant hardware of the commerce card without exposing the private key outside of the secure element. The decrypted one or more credentials are stored within the secure element of the commerce card such that the decrypted one or more credentials are not exposed outside of the secure element, the one or more credentials usable by the commerce card as part of a transaction to purchase a good or service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving one or more credentials at a commerce card that are encrypted using a public key;

decrypting the one or more credentials using a private key that corresponds to the public key, the decrypting performed by a secure element implemented in tamper-resistant hardware of the commerce card without exposing the private key outside of the secure element; and

storing the decrypted one or more credentials within the secure element of the commerce card such that the decrypted one or more credentials are not exposed outside of the secure element, the one or more credentials usable by the commerce card as part of a transaction to purchase a good or service.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the commerce card is configured to assume a form factor that approximates a credit card.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein a height and a width of a housing of the commerce card corresponds to a height and width of the credit card and a depth of the housing of the commerce card is greater than a depth of the credit card.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the commerce card is configured to use the one or more credentials as part of the transaction to purchase the good or service after entry of a PIN using one or more input devices of the commerce card.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more credentials represent a specific monetary amount that is usable to purchase the good or service.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more credentials are received at the commerce card locally from a point of sale terminal of a merchant.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the one or more credentials are received at the commerce card locally from a point of sale terminal of a merchant after cash is provided to the merchant.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more credentials are received at the commerce card locally using proximity programming by tapping the commerce card against a reader.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a credential at the commerce card that is encrypted using a public key, the credential usable to participate in loyalty offer;

decrypting the credential using the private key by the secure element without exposing the private key outside of the secure element; and

storing the credential at the commerce card.

10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the commerce card includes a display device that is usable to display a balance associated with credentials stored in the secure element and one or more input devices configured to navigate through the display.

11. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the commerce card is configured to communicate using near field technology and is not configured to communicate using telephone functionality.

12. A method comprising.

transmitting data by a commerce card to a merchant to purchase a good or service from the merchant, the commerce card having a form factor that approximates a credit card and a secure element implemented using a tamper-resistant integrated circuit to protect one or more credentials, stored therein, that are usable to protect the data from snooping;

locating one or more credentials by the commerce card that correspond to a loyalty offer of the merchant; and

transmitting the located one or more credentials by the commerce card for receipt by the merchant.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the one or more credentials are stored within the secure element.

14. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the commerce card includes:

a display device disposed in a housing to display data;

one or more buttons disposed on the housing to navigate through the display of data to provide an input to perform the locating; and

a communication module configured to wirelessly perform the transmitting of the data and the located one or more credentials to the merchant using near field communication.

15. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the commerce card is configured to display on a display device of the commerce card a current state of participation in the loyalty offer by a user.

16. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the locating is performed responsive to receipt of an identifier of the merchant of the loyalty offer from the merchant.

17. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the commerce card is not configured to include telephone functionality including making or receiving a telephone call.

18. A commerce card comprising:

a housing configured to assume a height and width of a credit card;

a display device disposed on the housing;

one or more input devices configured to navigate through data displayed by the display device, at least a portion of which pertains to an ability of the commerce card to participate in purchasing a good or service;

a communication module disposed within the housing and including one or more antennas configured to communicate wirelessly using near field technology; and

a secure element implemented as a single tamper-resistant integrated circuit that is configured to store one or more credentials that include a private key usable to perform one or more decryption operations without exposing the private key outside of the secure element and one or more credentials that are configured for involvement in the purchasing of the good or service.

19. A commerce card as described in claim 18, wherein the one or more credentials include credit card information include a credit card number, account holder'"'"'s name, and expiration date.

20. A commerce card as described in claim 18, wherein the data includes an account balance.