Tamper resistant presentation instruments and methods

• US 7,404,516 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: McGee, Chris, Newbrough, Keith, Harte, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Tae W
• Application Number:
  US11/117,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20060243791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking

Abstract

In one embodiment, a presentation instrument comprises a card body having machine readable information stored thereon. A protective device is coupled to the card body so as to be disposed over at least a portion of the machine readable information such that the machine readable information is incapable of being read by a machine when the protective device is in place and the machine readable information is readable by a machine when the protective device is removed.

Claims

1. A presentation instrument comprising:

a card body having a magnetic stripe having machine readable account information stored thereon; and

a protective device removably coupled to the card body by an adhesive so as to be disposed over at least a portion of the machine readable account information such that the machine readable account information is incapable of being read by a machine when the protective device is in place and the machine readable account information is readable by a machine when the protective device is removed, and wherein the protective device is removable by separating the protective device from the card body at the adhesive;

and wherein the protective device comprises a strip of material that covers the machine readable account information, the strip of material configured to generally conform to an outline of the magnetic stripe.

2. A method for producing a presentation instrument comprising:

encoding on a magnetic stripe of the presentation instrument machine readable account information; and

covering at least a portion of the account information with a protective device, wherein the protective device is removably coupled to the presentation instrument with an adhesive so as to be removable without dismantling or disfiguring the presentation instrument;

and wherein the protective device comprises a strip of material that covers the machine readable information, and wherein the covering step comprises adhering the strip across the account information, and wherein the strip of material is configured to substantially conform to the outline of the magnetic stripe.