Secure multi-application card system

• US 6,494,367 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ajit Kumar Zacharias
• Original Assignee: Ajit Kumar Zacharias
• Inventors: Zacharias, Ajit Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US09/678,918
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/380, 235/379, 705/38
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• 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 multi-application card for providing secure access to multiple card accounts. This system includes a multi-application card storing a readable identification number corresponding to the card, and a database located remotely from the card. The database correlates the identification number with a record associated with the card, and the record contains a list of card account numbers and associated indexes. The system also includes a translator that receives a transaction request including the identification number read from the multi-application card and one of the associated indexes obtained from a source other than the card. The translator then uses the received identification number to access the corresponding record in the database, and uses the received index number to retrieve the corresponding card account number and expiry date. The translator then transmits the card account number and expiry date in response to the transaction request. With this system, a cardholder can carry a single multi-application card that provides access to multiple accounts associated with different cards by using a simple index. Thus, the cardholder can use multiple credit, debit and other non-encoded, magnetically encoded, bar-coded and microprocessor based cards, without having to carry each individual card.

Claims

1. A system allowing a single card device to be utilized in accessing a plurality of applications, the system comprising:

a) a card processing system;

b) a card reader communicatively coupleable to the card processing system, the card reader being operative to read a data identification number from the single card device and to receive an index number selected by a user of the card device through a data interface;

c) the processing system, in response to receiving the data identification number and said index number from the card reader, being operative to;

i. identify an account number associated with the data identification number and said index number when the index number is within a first subset of index numbers chosen by an authorized holder of the card device from a domain of potential index numbers;

ii. disable the card device from further use when the index number is within a second subset of index numbers chosen by the authorized holder of the card device from the domain of potential index numbers; and

iii. re-enable a disabled card device when the index number is within a third subset of index numbers chosen by the authorized holder from the domain of potential index numbers.

2. A method allowing a single card device to be utilized in accessing a plurality of applications, the method comprising the steps of:

a) reading a data identification number from the single card device;

b) receiving an index number selected by a user of the card device through a data interface;

c) identifying an account number associated with the data identification number and said index number when the index number is within a first subset of index numbers chosen by an authorized holder of the card device from a domain of potential index numbers;

d) disabling the card device from further use when the index number is within a second subset of index numbers chosen by said authorized holder of the card device from the domain of potential index numbers; and

e) re-enabling a disabled card device when the index number is within a third subset of index numbers chosen by said authorized holder from the domain of potential index numbers.