Method for storing data in payment card transaction
First Claim
1. A method for alerting a money source to a low battery condition of a battery used in an electronic card, comprising the steps of:
- (1) using the electronic card to conduct a plurality of payment card transactions in which a payment card number and a user identifier are submitted to the money source as part of an approval process;
(2) executing a program on a computer of the electronic card to check for a battery life parameter and generate a warning signal when a low battery condition is detected; and
(3) when a warning signal is generated, submitting a low battery indicator to the money source in connection with the approval process.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data packet can be dynamically stored in a magnetic strip by an encoder of an electronic card and subsequently transferred to a money source after it is read by a standard magnetic stripe reader as part of a verification process of a payment card transaction. A computer contained on the electronic card can run diagnostic tests and send the results to the money source as part of the data packet. One diagnostic test monitors the battery life of the electronic card to permit the money source to replace the electronic card before its battery runs out of useful life. The data packet can also contain data input into the electronic card by the user, such as a customization variable.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for alerting a money source to a low battery condition of a battery used in an electronic card, comprising the steps of:
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(1) using the electronic card to conduct a plurality of payment card transactions in which a payment card number and a user identifier are submitted to the money source as part of an approval process;
(2) executing a program on a computer of the electronic card to check for a battery life parameter and generate a warning signal when a low battery condition is detected; and
(3) when a warning signal is generated, submitting a low battery indicator to the money source in connection with the approval process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
(4) submitting a battery life indicator that is based upon the battery life signal to the money source in connection with the approval process.
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5. A method as recited in recited in claim 1, comprising the further step of:
(4) providing a user of the electronic card with a replacement electronic card before the battery life parameter drops below a selected threshold.
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6. A method as recited in recited in claim 1, comprising the further step of:
(4) providing a user of the electronic card with a replacement electronic card after the low battery indicator has been submitted to the money source.
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7. A method for submitting a battery life signal from an electronic card to a money source, comprising the steps of:
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(1) using the electronic card to conduct a payment card transaction in which a payment card number and a user identifier are submitted to the money source as part of an approval process;
(2) executing a program on a computer of the electronic card to check for a battery life parameter and generate the battery life signal; and
(3) submitting the battery life signal to the money source in connection with the approval process. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
(4) providing a user of the electronic card with a replacement electronic card before the battery life parameter drops below a selected threshold.
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10. A method for transferring a data packet from a user of an electronic card to a money source as part of a payment card transaction, comprising the steps of:
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generating a user one-time payment card number through use of a card number generator;
using the user one-time payment card number as a payment card number;
storing the data packet in a magnetic stripe of the electronic card that can be read by a standard magnetic stripe reader;
using the standard magnetic stripe reader to read the payment card number, a user identifier and the data packet from the magnetic storage medium as part of a given payment card transaction; and
submitting the payment card number, the user identifier and the data packet to the money source for approval of the given payment card transaction;
wherein the one-time payment card number is correlated with a sequence number that indicates the relationship of the one-time payment card number to a sequence of one-time payment card numbers generated by the card number generator; and
wherein the data packet can be used to obtain the user sequence number.
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Specification