Portable data carrier incorporating manually presettable processing modes

• US 4,859,837 A
• Filed: 09/15/1988
• Issued: 08/22/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PAS Technology A/S
• Original Assignee: John W. Halpern
• Inventors: Halpern, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAFTON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/246,035
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 235/486, 235/492, 235/379, 235/380, 364/406, 364/408, 364/708, 902/26
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• 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 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• 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 portable pocketsize data carrier, also referred to as pay token, stores more than one bank and/or credit account number in selectably accessable registers. The pay token is equipped with four or five selector buttons for carrying out a large variety of performance modifications. Aided by visual feedback through an integrated display window, the user may using a single button

(a) insert a confidential number into the pay token for internal comparison with a factory-made number which cannot be read out

(b) Select and activate one of 9 account or similar registers

(c) Define a small cash amount in single figures currency units or a multiple thereof which the user desires to transfer from a selected token account to an uncommitted register, the rapid payment register or money register. The latter is electronically so connected that entry of the personal identifying number is not required prior to payment from that register--as is required when payment is made from any of the account registers directly.

The purpose of producing a long-life multiple account pay token is gradually to reduce the demand of coins and bank notes thereby lowering the high cost of minting and printing them; in parallel thereto the relatively high cost of operating cheque accounts by banks shall be reduced.

Claims

1. A portable data carrying and transfer device capable of communicating with an external data transfer device, comprising:

display means;

memory means for storing data having a plurality of memory stores;

processing means for processing data in said memory means and for shifting data from a first one of said memory stores to a second one of said memory stores;

transfer means for enabling bi-directional data exchange between said memory means memory stores and an external data transfer device;

manually actuatable memory accessing means for (a) selectively displaying on said display means the data in any one of said memory stores, for (b) enabling and defining data to be transferred by said transfer means, for (c) enabling receipt of account data from an external data transfer device via said transfer means, and for (d) enabling and defining data to be transferred by said processing means; and

a pocket-sized housing including said display means and providing support for said memory means, said processing means, said transfer means, and said manually actuatable accessing means.

2. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 1, wherein:

one of said memory means stores contains a predetermined identification number and said other stores are secured, such that said number must first be manually entered by said memory accessing means and compared by said processing means in order to access any of said secured memory means stores.

3. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 2, wherein:

at least one of said other memory means stores is unsecured, such that it may be accessed for display or data transfer first entering a predetermined identification number.

4. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 3, wherein:

data may be shifted from one of said secured memory means stores to one of said unsecured memory means stores, by said memory accessing means and said processing means.

5. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 4, wherein:

prior to shifting data from one of said secured memory means stores to one of said unsecured memory means stores, any remaining data in said unsecured memory means store is automatically returned to the memory means store it originated from.

6. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 2, wherein:

upon a preselected number of entries of incorrect identification numbers by said memory accessing means said processing means disables said device.

7. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 3, wherein:

upon a preselected number of entries of incorrect identification numbers by said memory accessing means said processing means disables said device.

8. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 2, wherein:

upon entering said predetermined identification number correctly said display means displays said number only for a preselected interval of time.

9. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 1, wherein:

said memory means, said processing means and said transfer means are combined in a single integrated circuit.

10. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 1, further comprising:

an operating voltage sensor circuit that allows said device to be operated only when a minimum voltage level is present

and disables said device if a maximum voltage level is exceeded during operation.

11. A portable data carrying and transfer device as in claim 1, wherein:

said housing contains a transverse groove to serve as a retaining element when placed in said external data transfer device.

15. A portable data carrying and transfer device, as in claim 1, wherein:

said manually actuatable memory accessing means further comprises a plurality of pressable buttons where, upon pressing one of said buttons, one of said functions of said accessing means is carried out.

17. A portable data carrying and transfer device capable of communicating with an external data transfer device, as in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said memory stores represents an account.

18. A portable data carrying and transfer device capable of communicating with an external data transfer device, as in claim 1, wherein:

all of said memory stores represent accounts.

12. A method of utilizing a pocket-sized electronic data carrying, processing and transfer device in conjunction with an external data transfer device, said pocket-sized data carrier including memory means for storing data having a plurality of memory stores, a manually actuatable memory accessing means and transfer means for enabling bidirectional transfer of data between said data carrier and said external data transfer device, the method comprising the steps of:

entering a predetermined password into said carrier using said accessing means to enable the device;

defining data to be transferred from a single memory means store to said external data transfer device, using said accessing means; and

operatively engaging said pocket-sized device with said external data transfer device.

13. A pocket-size portable data storage and processing device, comprising;

first memory means for storing data representative of a first quantity,

second memory means for storing data,

processing means actuatable for exchanging a portion of said first quantity from said first memory means to said second memory means representative of a second quantity,

transfer means for outputting a portion of said second quantity and maintaining a remainder of said second quantity in said second memory, wherein;

said processing means is actuatable to exchange said remainder from said second memory to said first memory means.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a third memory means for storing data representative of a third quantity, wherein;

said processing means is further actuatable to exchange a portion of said third quantity from said third memory means to said second memory means, and an origin indication is exchanged with said quantity from said first or third memory means into said second memory means.

16. A method of accomplishing electronic financial transactions, comprising the steps of:

providing a portable electronic data device having memory means representative of a plurality of accounts,

storing a monetary value in at least a first one of said accounts,

subtracting a portion of said monetary value,

shifting said portion of said monetary value to a second one of said accounts, combined with a first account identifier,

transferring a portion of the value of said second account, equal to a sales value, and said identifier to an external sales transaction device,

subtracting said sales value from said data device having memory means representative of a second account value, to establish a remainder, and

shifting said remainder to said first account, adding said remainder to said account value to establish a residual first account monetary value.

19. A method of utilizing a pocket-sized electronic data carrying, processing and transfer device in conjunction with an external data transfer apparatus, memory means for storing data in a plurality of separately addressable memory stores, wherein at least one of said stores is password-secured, in that a password must first be entered by said accessing means in order to access such stores, said pocket-sized data carrying device having manually actuatable memory accessing means, data processing means for shifting data from one memory store to another, and transfer means for executing bi-directional transfer of data between said data carrying device and said external data transfer apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

entering a predetermined password into the device using said accessing means to enable said device;

manually selecting and accessing a password-secured memory store, using said accessing means;

manually defining with said accessing means the data to be shifted from a secured memory store to one of said unsecured memory stores;

engaging said pocket-sized device with a data transfer apparatus, transferring data from said device to said external data transfer apparatus.