System for card to card transfer of monetary values

• US 6,394,343 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric L. Nelson, Jon N. Berg
• Original Assignee: Eric L. Nelson, Jon N. Berg
• Inventors: Nelson, Eric L., Berg, Jon N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared J.
• Application Number:
  US09/418,059
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379,441,487,492,380 902/25,26 705/39,41,44 361/737
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3415 Cards acting autonomously as pay-media
• 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 smart card stores monetary values and selectively transfers monetary values to and receives monetary values from a compatible smart card. The smart card includes a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values. Control circuitry controls the transfer of the monetary values into the data storage device and controls the transfer of the monetary values out of the data storage device. A data transfer interface couples directly to a like interface on the compatible card to enable data to be transferred between the smart card and the compatible card. A system for electronic transfer of monetary values includes first and second smart cards. Each of the first and second smart cards includes a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values.

Claims

1. A smart card that stores monetary values and that selectively transfers monetary values to and receives monetary values from a compatible smart card, said smart card comprising:

a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values;

control circuitry that controls the transfer of the monetary values into the data storage device and that controls the transfer of the monetary values out of the data storage device; and

a data transfer interface that couples directly to an interface on the compatible smart card to enable data to be transferred between the smart card and the compatible smart card to effect the transfer of monetary values between the smart card and the compatible smart card, the data transfer interface comprising a coupling in a slot along an edge of the smart card, wherein the data are transferred by sliding the interface of the compatible card through the slot of the smart card.

2. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the data storage device stores data representing monetary values of a first monetary unit and stores data representing monetary values of a second monetary unit.

3. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card receives data representing values in at least first and second currencies, the smart card converting values received in the second currency to values in the first currency.

4. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the data transfer interface comprises an optical coupling.

5. The smart card of claim 1, wherein the smart card includes a keypad and display.

6. A system for electronic transfer of monetary values comprising:

first and second smart cards, each of the first and second smart cards comprising;

a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values;

control circuitry that controls the transfer of the monetary values into the data storage device and that controls the transfer of the monetary values out of the data storage device; and

a first data transfer interface that couples directly by contact with a second data transfer interface on the other card to enable data to be transferred between the first and second cards to effect the transfer of monetary values from one of the cards to the other of the cards, wherein the first data transfer interface comprises a slot along an edge of the first smart card and wherein the data are transferred by sliding the second data transfer interface of the second smart card through the slot of the first smart card.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data storage device stores data representing monetary values of a first monetary unit and stores data representing monetary values of a second monetary unit.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the first and second smart cards receives data representing values in at least first and second currencies, each of the first and second smart cards converting values received in the second currency to values in the first currency.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the first and second data transfer interfaces comprise an optical coupling.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein each smart card includes a keypad and display.