Information card

• US 5,844,230 A
• Filed: 04/14/1995
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lalonde, Michael G.
• Original Assignee: Lalonde, Michael G.
• Inventors: Lalonde, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPEK, JEFFER
• Application Number:
  US08/422,224
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 235/493, 235/449, 235/487, 235/380, 235/448, 235/375, 235/379, 283/904, 283/107, 283/108, 283/114, 283/83
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

An improved information card having a plurality of information sets on a single, single piece card. The information card is in one preferred embodiment a single, single piece, plate member which is operable to contain two discrete sets of embossed information such as for two credit card accounts, each on a separate section of one side of the card. The information card also preferably includes two magnetic strips on the reverse side of the card, which may preferably correspond to the two sets of embossed information. In the method of the present invention, a conventional sized plate member is embossed to form two discrete information sections, with the indentations in the rear of the embossed characters optionally filled with a suitable compound before affixing two magnetic strips on the reverse side of the plastic member. In an alternative embodiment, the information card is a composite of two bonded plate members, each having an embossed section and a magnetic strip. An alternative method utilizes two plate members, each member embossed on one side. A magnetic strip is affixed to the same side as the embossed characters, and the two plate members are thereafter adhesively bonded to form a composite information card. In yet another alternative embodiment, the information card is made from two plate members laminated together, each plate member having one or more magnetic strips located on one side, with a plurality of alphanumeric characters embossed directly over each magnetic strip. In yet another alternative embodiment, the information card and method for making includes sets of oppositely embossed projections upon a single plate member and corresponding magnetic strips on opposite sides of the plate member.

Claims

1. A single piece information card having a plurality of discrete information on a single card piece and useable on a conventional card reading apparatus comprising:

a single plate member including a first side and a second side;

a first set of emboss ed information characteristic of a first information set disposed on one of said first side and said second side of said single plate member;

a first magnetic information media having information corresponding to said first information set disposed on one of said first side and said second side of said single plate member;

at least a second set of embossed information characteristic of a second information set disposed on one of said first side and said second side of said single plate member; and

at least a second magnetic information media having information corresponding to said second information set disposed on one of said first side and said second side of said single plate member;

said information being so placed and related;

said first set of embossed information and said information corresponding to said first set of embossed information being readable by the conventional card reading apparatus on the passing the single piece information card through the conventional card reading apparatus only with the single piece information card in a first orientation with respect to the card reading apparatus; and

said second set of embossed information and said information corresponding to said second set of embossed information being readable by the conventional card reading apparatus on passing the single piece information card through the conventional card reading apparatus only with the single piece information card in a second orientation with respect to the card reading apparatus.

2. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first magnetic information media and said second magnetic information media are a first magnetic strip and a second magnetic strip.

3. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first set of embossed information and said second set of embossed information are on said first side and said first magnetic information media and said second magnetic information media are on said second side.

4. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first set of embossed information on said first side overlies said first magnetic information media on said second side and said second set of embossed information on said first side overlies said second magnetic information media on said second side.

5. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first set of embossed information on said first side overlies second magnetic information media on said second side and said second set of embossed information on said first side overlies said first magnetic information media on said second side.

6. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first set of embossed information on said first side overlies said second set of embossed information on said second side.

7. The information card of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first set of embossed information and said second set of embossed information includes a recess, said recess substantially filled by a filler material.

8. The information card of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first set of embossed information and said second set of embossed information is disposed upon one of said first magnetic information media and said second magnetic information media.

9. The information card of claim 1 wherein said first set of embossed information is disposed upon said first magnetic information media and said second set of embossed information is disposed upon said second magnetic information media.

10. The information card of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first magnetic information media and said second magnetic information media contains two sets of information, each set of information readable by a card reading apparatus by passing the information card through the card reading apparatus in different directions.