System for handling transactions including a portable personal terminal

• US 4,689,478 A
• Filed: 12/24/1984
• Issued: 08/25/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Creech, Arthur R. Jr., Hale, William J., Horst, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trafton, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/685,623
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/379, 235/454, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system including a portable personal terminal which may be used for handling a wide variety of financial, shopping, and other transactions. The personal terminal is credit-card sized, is intelligent, includes a plurality of transaction totals and is constructed to be user-friendly. An interface module is used to couple the terminal to other systems for on-line uses.

Claims

1. A system for handling data comprising:

a portable data handling device;

at least one other system; and

an interface module for coupling said device with said other system to transfer data between said device and said other system;

said device being an intelligent device, comprising;

means for storing data and machine instructions;

means for executing said machine instructions;

means for displaying data to a user of said device; and

means for entering data on said device;

said storing means including a personal identification number associated with a valid user of said device and also including a device identification number associated with said device; and

means for verifying that a said user of said device is a valid user; and

said other system having means for verifying that said device identification number is a valid one;

said device being of a size enabling it to fit into a hand of said user;

said storing means also including means for storing a plurality of separate entries associated with said valid user, and said machine instructions including separate applications for conducting transactions relative to said separate entries, which said separate applications can be selected via said entering means by said valid user after said valid user has in fact verified via said verifying means that the user is said valid user;

said device also including;

a sensor area for receiving data from said interface module; and

a transmitting area for transmitting data from said device to said interface module;

said sensor and transmitting areas being light-operated;

said device including a panel and said sensor and transmitting areas being located on said panel;

said interface module including;

a transmitting area for transferring data by modulated light to said sensor area of said device;

a sensor area for receiving modulated light;

a source of light;

means for directing light reflected from said transmitting area of said device to said sensor area of said interface module; and

a receiving area for receiving said device to enable the transfer of data therebetween;

said sensor area of said device being aligned with said transmitting area of said interface module and said source of light being aligned with said transmitting area of said device when said device is positioned in said receiving area;

said device also including means for modulating the light from said source of light in accordance with the data to be transferred from said device.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which said interface module also includes means for shielding said sensor and transmitting areas of said device from extraneous light when said device is received in said receiving area of said interface module.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 in which said displaying means comprises a plurality of discrete display elements arranged relative to said panel to present, when selectively energized, user instructions and key information to said user of said device;

said discrete display elements being small in size to enable said user instructions and key information to be presented over substantially all of said panel;

said entering means comprising a plurality of discrete switches for entering data when actuated;

said discrete display elements and said discrete switches being positioned in overlapping relationship relative to said panel to enable said switches to be actuated from said panel; and

said means for executing said machine instructions including means for selectively energizing said display elements so as to present on said panel that key information and those of said user instructions which are associated with those of said discrete switches which are to be used in association with said machine instructions being executed so as to present to said user a variable user instruction format and a variable key format which are a function of said machine instructions being executed as said machine instructions are executed so as to facilitate the entry of data.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 in which said interface module includes a MODEM for transferring data to said other system.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which said device includes a panel and said displaying means comprises a plurality of discrete display elements arranged relative to said panel to present, when selectively energized, user instructions and key information to said user of said device;

said discrete display elements being small in size to enable said user instructions and key information to be presented over substantially all of said panel;

said entering means comprising a plurality of discrete switches for entering data when actuated;

said discrete display elements and said discrete switches being positioned in overlapping relationship relative to said panel to enable said switches to be actuated from said panel; and

said means for executing said machine instructions including means for selectively energizing said display elements so as to present on said panel that key information and those of said user instructions which are associated with those of said discrete switches which are to be used in association with said machine instructions being executed so as to present to said user a variable user instruction format and a variable key format which are a function of said machine instructions being executed as said machine instructions are executed so as to facilitate the entry of data.

6. A system for handling data comprising:

a portable data handling device; and

an interface module for coupling said device with other systems;

said data handling device comprising;

a panel;

a plurality of discrete display elements arranged relative to said panel to present, when selectively energized, information to a user of said device;

a plurality of discrete switches for entering data when actuated;

said discrete display elements and said discrete switches being positioned in overlapping relationship relative to said panel to enable said switches to be activated from said panel;

control means for controlling the operation of said discrete display elements and said discrete switches so as to facilitate the displaying and entry of data;

said control means comprising;

means for storing data and a plurality of instructions;

means for executing said instructions including means for indicating via said discrete display elements those of said discrete switches which are to be used in association with at least a particular one of said instructions being executed as said instructions are being executed so as to facilitate the entry of data; and

means for communicating with said interface module;

said interface module comprising;

means for coupling said interface module with at least one of said other systems;

means for storing data and a plurality of instructions;

control means for executing said instructions and for controlling the operation of said interface module to transfer data between said device and said one of said other systems;

a receiving area to receive said device; and

means for communicating with said device;

said communicating means of said interface module being located in said receiving area to couple said communicating means of said device with said interface module when said device is inserted in said receiving area.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which said interface module includes a MODEM for coupling said interface module with said other system.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which said interface module includes first, second, and third interfaces for coupling said interface module to a printer, a keyboard, and a video monitor, respectively.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which said interface module includes an interface for coupling said interface module to a personal computer.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which said communicating means of said device comprises:

a sensor area for receiving data from said interface module; and

a transmitting area for transmitting data from said device to said interface module;

said sensor and transmitting areas being light-operated and located on said panel;

said communicating means of said interface module comprising;

a source of light located in said receiving area and directed at said transmitting area of said device;

a sensor area for receiving modulated light;

means for directing light reflected from said transmitting area of said device to said sensor of said interface module;

said sensor area of said device being aligned with said transmitting area of said interface module and said source of light being aligned with said transmitting area of said device when said device is positioned in said receiving area;

said device also including means for modulating the light from said source of light at said transmitting area of said device so as to modulate the light in accordance with the data to be transferred from said device.

11. A system for handling data comprising:

a portable data handling device having a size which is substantially the same as a credit card;

at least one other system; and

an interface module for coupling said device with said other system to transfer data between said device and said other system;

said device comprising;

a panel;

a plurality of discrete display elements arranged relative to said panel to present, when selectively energized, user instructions and key information to a user of said device;

said discrete display elements being small in size to enable said user instructions and key information to be presented over substantially all of said panel;

a plurality of discrete switches for entering data when actuated;

said discrete display elements and said discrete switches being positioned in overlapping relationship relative to said panel to enable said switches to be actuated from said panel;

control means for controlling the operation of said device including said discrete display elements and said discrete switches so as to facilitate the displaying and entry of data;

said control means comprising;

means for storing data and a plurality of machine instructions; and

means for executing said machine instructions including means for selectively energizing said display elements so as to present on said panel that key information and those of said user instructions which are associated with those of said discrete switches which are to be used in association with said machine instructions being executed so as to present to said user a variable user instruction format and a variable key format which are a function of said machine instructions being executed as said machine instructions are executed so as to facilitate the entry of data;

said device also including means for transferring data between said device and a second data handling device; and

said storing means including a personal identification number associated with a user of said device and also including a device identification number associated with said device;

said control means also including means for determining whether or not a user of said device is a valid user of said device in response to said personal identification number being entered on said discrete switches by said user; and

said other system having means for verifying that said device identification number is a valid one.