Transaction apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a card including a programmable memory and a magnetic stripe supported thereon, wherein the memory includes account data corresponding to a plurality of accounts;
a portable terminal releasibly engageable with the card, the terminal including a memory reading device operative to read the account data from the memory, the portable terminal further including an input device operative to select data from the memory corresponding to one of the plurality of accounts, and a magnetic writing device operative to write indicia corresponding to the selected account data on the magnetic stripe of the card.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transaction apparatus (10) includes a multifunction card (12) and a portable terminal (14). The multifunction card includes a programmable memory (18) and a magnetic stripe (16) thereon. The programmable memory on the card is used to store indicia corresponding to account data which is input to the memory by reading with the terminal magnetic stripe data from a plurality of conventional magnetic stripe cards. The programmable memory further includes data representative of cash value as well as instructions, prompt messages and icons presented in conducting transactions. A user is enabled to operate the apparatus to select one of the accounts stored in memory, and to write account data corresponding to the selected account to the magnetic stripe of the card. The user is also enabled to use the apparatus to enter visible indicia such as bar codes and to selectively reproduce the bar codes on the display of the apparatus. The apparatus is also selectively operative to transfer funds between accounts of the user and data representative of cash value stored on the card.
511 Citations
39 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a card including a programmable memory and a magnetic stripe supported thereon, wherein the memory includes account data corresponding to a plurality of accounts;
a portable terminal releasibly engageable with the card, the terminal including a memory reading device operative to read the account data from the memory, the portable terminal further including an input device operative to select data from the memory corresponding to one of the plurality of accounts, and a magnetic writing device operative to write indicia corresponding to the selected account data on the magnetic stripe of the card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method comprising the steps of:
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storing information corresponding to a plurality of accounts in a memory supported on a card;
selecting with an input device on a portable terminal operatively engaged with the card memory, one of the accounts; and
writing with the terminal, indicia corresponding to the one selected account onto a magnetic stripe supported on the card. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
reading indicia from a magnetic stripe of an object by moving the object relative to a reading device on the terminal; and
further writing data corresponding to the indicia read from the object to the memory on the card with a memory writing device on the terminal.
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26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the further writing step further comprises entering a designator with an input device on the terminal, whereby the designator corresponds to the read object, wherein in the further writing step data corresponding to the designator is written to the memory on the card.
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27. The method according to claim 23 and further comprising:
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reading with a bar code reader operatively connected to the terminal, a bar code on an object;
further writing to the memory on the card with a writing device data corresponding to the bar code read from the object; and
displaying a reproduction of the read bar code on a display of the terminal responsive to an input to the input device.
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28. The method according to claim 27 and further comprising the step of scanning the displayed reproduction of the bar code from the display with a scanning device.
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29. The method according to claim 27 and prior to the further writing step, further comprising the step of inputting with the input device on the terminal a designator, whereby the designator corresponds to the read bar code, wherein in the further writing step the data written to the memory includes data representative of the designator, and prior to the displaying step further comprising the step of selecting with the input device data corresponding to the designator, wherein in the displaying step the bar code corresponding to the designator is displayed.
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30. The method according to claim 23 wherein the storing step further includes storing data representative of an access code in the card memory, and prior to the selecting step further comprising the steps of inputting with the input device an input code data, and comparing the input code data to the access code, wherein the selecting step is not executed when the input code data and the access code do not have a predetermined relationship.
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31. The method according to claim 23 and further comprising:
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reading a written signature with a reading device operatively connected to the terminal;
further writing to the memory on the card with a writing device data corresponding to the written signature; and
displaying a reproduction of the written signature on a display of the terminal responsive to an input to the input device.
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32. A method comprising the steps of:
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storing information corresponding to at least one account and at least one value amount on a programmable memory supported on a card;
selecting with an input device on a portable terminal, data corresponding to an account;
inputting with the input device a transfer amount to be transferred between the account and the value amount on the card;
communicating messages through a communications device operatively connected with the terminal, the messages being operative to either deduct or add the transfer amount from or to the account; and
modifying the value amount with the terminal device responsive to the messages to either add the transfer amount to the value amount when the transfer amount was deducted from the account, or to deduct the transfer amount from the value amount when the transfer amount was added to the account. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
designating a function type with the input device; and
responsive to the input of the function type in the designating step, foregoing the inputting, communicating and modifying steps, and instead further comprising the step of writing magnetic indicia on a magnetic stripe supported on the card with a writing device supported on the terminal, the magnetic indicia corresponding to the selected account.
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38. The method according to claim 32 wherein the communicating step further includes communicating wireless messages through the communications device.
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39. A method comprising the steps of:
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storing information corresponding to a plurality of accounts on a programmable memory supported on a card;
selecting through an input device on a portable terminal operatively engaged with the card memory, one of the accounts; and
communicating wireless messages through a communications device operatively connected with the terminal, the wireless messages being operative to conduct a transaction with the selected account.
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Specification