Portable electronic authorization system and method

• US 7,340,439 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Chameleon Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Hassol, Joshua L., Burger, Todd O., Thomas, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELISCA, PIERRE E
• Application Number:
  US10/392,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/104.1, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 705/52, 705/75, 705/67, 705/65, 705/50, 705/51, 235/375, 235/379
• US Class Current: 705/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06206 the magnetic marking being emulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• 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: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• 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 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0473 Use of light emitting or modulating elements having two or more stable states when no power is applied
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a user authenticator and a transponder. The transponder is permitted to emit a wireless signal representing information stored in the apparatus in response to a wireless interrogation signal after the user authenticator has authenticated the identity of the user. In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises, a memory, a user input, and a transponder. The memory stores at least first and second distinct codes. The user input permits a user to select any one of the at least first and second codes for transmission in response to a wireless interrogation signal. The transponder emits a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes in response to an interrogation signal. In yet another embodiment, a token that may be used to engage in a transaction at a point of sale comprises a substrate, a rewritable memory, and a reconfigurable display. The rewriteable memory is supported by the substrate and can be selectively configured to store information on the token that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale. The substrate and memory are configured and arranged such that the substrate can be selectively interfaced with an apparatus at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the contents of the memory. The reconfigurable display is also supported by the substrate and displays at least some of the information that is stored in the rewritable memory.

Claims

1. A system that is capable of being used to engage in a transaction at a point of sale, comprising:

a token, for use in a transaction at a point of sale, comprising;

a substrate;

a rewriteable memory, supported by the substrate, that is capable of being selectively configured to store information on the token comprising data that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale, the substrate and memory being configured and arranged such that the substrate is capable of being selectively interfaced with a sales transaction device at the point of sale to permit the sales transaction device to read the data from the memory; and

a reconfigurable display, supported by the substrate, that is configured to display at least some of the information that is stored in the rewritable memory; and

a portable electronic device to which the token is releasably attached, the portable electronic device being configured to, while in a vicinity of the point of sale, cause the rewritable memory of the token to store the information and cause the display of the token to display the at least some of the information at least during a period of time immediately after the token has been detached from the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device to which the token is releasably attached comprises a memory that stores at least first information comprising first data that identifies a first account and second information comprising second data that identifies a second account, and a user input that permits the user to select one of the first information and second information for use in the transaction, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to cause the rewritable memory of the token to store the selected one of the first information and second information and to cause the display of the token to display at least some of the selected one of the first information and second information, and wherein the first information and second information correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises an account identifier, and the reconfigurable display is configured to display the account identifier.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the information comprises a security code, and the reconfigurable display is configured to display the security code.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the token is substantially the size of a credit card.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rewritable memory comprises means for selectively storing the information on the token.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a rewriteable magnetic stripe.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a circuit that simulates a magnetic stripe.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a circuit that simulates an account number storage mechanism of a Smartcard.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable display comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the LCD is flexible.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device further comprises a display that identifies the one of the first information and second information the user has selected.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a security code, and the reconfigurable display is configured to display the security code.

13. A method for configuring and using a token, that is substantially the size of a credit card and is releasably attachable to an electronic device, to engage in a transaction at a point of sale, comprising steps of:

manipulating a user input on the electronic device to select one of at least first information comprising first data identifying a first account that is capable of being used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale and second information comprising second data identifying a second account that is capable of being used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale, wherein the first information and second information correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers;

when the token is attached to the electronic device and when the token and the electronic device are in a vicinity of the point of sale, using the electronic device to configure a rewritable memory of the token to store information comprising the selected one of the first data and second data, the memory being configured and arranged on the token such that the token is capable of being selectively interfaced with a sales transaction device at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the data from the memory;

when the token is attached to the electronic device and when the token and the electronic device are in a vicinity of the point of sale, using the electronic device to configure a display on the token to display at least some of the selected one of the at least first information and second information that is stored in the rewritable memory;

separating the token from the electronic device at the point of sale, with the rewritable memory retaining the information and the display displaying the at least some of the information at least during a period of time immediately after the token has been separated from the electronic device; and

interfacing the token with the sales transaction device at the point of sale so that the data is transferred from the rewritable memory to the sales transaction device at the point of sale to engage in the transaction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes a step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory to store an account identifier, and the step of using the electronic device to configure the display includes using the electronic device to configure the display to display the account identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes a step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory to store a security code, and the step of using the electronic device to configure the display includes using the electronic device to configure the display to display the security code.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes using a magnetic head included in the electronic device to configure a rewriteable magnetic stripe on the token.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory to cause a simulated magnetic stripe to be generated on the token.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory to simulate an account number storage mechanism of a Smartcard.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising a step of displaying to the user on the electronic device an identification of the one of the at least first information and second information the user has selected.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising steps of:

displaying at least some of the information read from the rewritable memory of the token on a display of the sales transaction device at the point of sale; and

comparing the at least some of the information displayed on the display of the token with the at least some of the information displayed on the display of the sales transaction device at the point of sale to verify the authenticity of the token.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory includes a step of using the electronic device to configure the rewritable memory to store a security code, and the step of using the electronic device to configure the display includes using the electronic device to configure the display to display the security code.