Method and apparatus for combining data for multiple magnetic stripe cards or other sources

• US 6,402,029 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-Micro Corporation
• Inventors: Gangi, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/664,205
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 : During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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 7/0893 : the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification

Abstract

A method of writing additional foreign data either to a blank magnetic card and/or to an existing magnetic striped card is used to consolidate information from possibly multiple credit type cards onto a single card. The additional data that may be from multiple cards or that may be generated or gathered from other sources can then be written to a single card for example to consolidate the information.

Claims

1. A magnetically encoded card comprising:

at least one track originally containing data;

at least some additional data written on said track placed between a set of special control codes, wherein said additional data is written on said card at a time subsequent to the initial data being placed on said one track.

2. A card as in claim 1 wherein the additional data written is written at a different track density from the original data.

3. A card as in claim 1 wherein the additional data written is written at the same track density as the original data.

4. A card as in claim 1 wherein said additional data comprises:

affinity data.

5. A card as in claim 1 wherein said additional data comprises:

account data.

6. A card as in claim 1 wherein said additional data comprises:

identification data.