Intelligent credit card system

• US 7,360,688 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Losch, Scott C Harris, Scott Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US09/690,074
• Time in Patent Office: 2,745 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 235/493, 235/379, 235/451, 235/486, 713/172, 713/160, 713/161, 713/182
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/044 comprising galvanic contacts for contacting an integrated circuit chip thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• 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 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0047 for reading/sensing record carriers having edge contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3415 Cards acting autonomously as pay-media
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks

Abstract

A new credit card system which enables improved reading and other operations. Reading can be done in the short edge of the credit card thereby shortening the aspect ratio and size of the card reader. The reader can be electrical, reading information via contacts, or can be optical readers.

Claims

1. An electronic credit card, comprising:

a credit card housing having a front surface showing a credit card number, and having electronic circuitry coupled to said housing, associated with a credit card account based on said credit card number;

a communication device, also coupled with said housing, and coupled with said electronic circuitry in said housing, communicating information to and from said electronic circuitry using a short range RF protocol, wherein said electronic circuitry includes a memory storing an individual characteristic representative of an authorized user of the credit card;

further comprising a display which displays said individual characteristic, and wherein said individual characteristic is a user'"'"'s picture, and said display displays said user'"'"'s picture when a transaction is requested;

further comprising connections for an external source of power to drive said electronic circuitry and said communication device, wherein said connections for an external source of power include external electrodes intended to be coupled to a source of power, and wherein said electronic circuitry immediately begins operating upon detecting said external source of power.

2. An electronic credit card, comprising:

a credit card housing having a front surface showing a credit card number, and having electronic circuitry coupled to said housing, associated with a credit card account based on said credit card number;

a communication device, also coupled with said housing, and coupled with said electronic circuitry in said housing, communicating information to and from said electronic circuitry using a short range RF protocol, wherein said electronic circuitry includes a memory storing an individual characteristic representative of an authorized user of the credit card;

further comprising a display which displays said individual characteristic, and wherein said individual characteristic is a user'"'"'s picture, and said display displays said user'"'"'s picture when a transaction is requested;

further comprising connections for an external source of power to drive said electronic circuitry and said communication device, wherein said connections for an external source of power include external electrodes intended to be coupled to a source of power, and wherein said communication device attempts to communicate immediately upon receiving power from said source.

3. An electronic credit card, comprising:

a credit card housing having a front surface showing a credit card number, and having electronic circuitry coupled to said housing, associated with a credit card account based on said credit card number;

a communication device, also coupled with said housing, and coupled with said electronic circuitry in said housing, communicating information to and from said electronic circuitry using a short range RF protocol, wherein said electronic circuitry includes a memory storing an individual characteristic representative of an authorized user of the credit card;

further comprising a display which displays said individual characteristic, and wherein said individual characteristic is a user'"'"'s picture, and said display displays said user'"'"'s picture when a transaction is requested, wherein said front surface includes raised lettering indicating the credit card number.

4. An electronic credit card, comprising:

a credit card housing, having a first surface bearing credit card indicia, and including electronic circuitry coupled within said housing, said electronic circuitry associated with a credit card account associated with said credit card indicia, said electronic circuitry including a memory which stores information about the user'"'"'s picture, and which displays said user'"'"'s picture on an electronic display in response to a transaction;

further comprising a communication device, also coupled with said credit card housing, and which communicates information to and from said electronic circuitry using a short range RF protocol, wherein said communication device immediately starts operating upon receiving said external source of power.