Wallet consolidator and related methods of processing a transaction using a wallet consolidator

• US 7,712,658 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stripe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-Micro Corporation
• Inventors: Gangi, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US11/932,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/41, 705/69, 705 70- 74, 705/75, 235/370, 235/375, 235379-383, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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 7/0893 : the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• 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: G07F 7/12 : Card verification

Abstract

A wallet consolidator to facilitate a transaction is provided. An embodiment of a wallet consolidator can include a housing, a data interface connected to the housing and positioned to effectuate communication between the wallet consolidator and one or more computing devices to thereby receive information associated with at least one card from one or more computing devices, and a memory positioned to store at least a portion of the information received by the data interface. The wallet consolidator can also include an input cluster connected to the housing to facilitate selection of at least a portion of the information by a user, a display screen to display a menu of functions to a user, and a controller positioned within the housing in communication with and to control each of the data interface, the memory, the input cluster, and the display screen.

Claims

1. A wallet consolidator to facilitate a transaction, the wallet consolidator comprising:

a housing to be carried by a user;

a data interface connected to the housing and being positioned to effectuate communication between the wallet consolidator and one or more computing devices to thereby receive information associated with at least one card from one or more computing devices so that at least a portion of the information received by the data interface enables a transaction, the at least one card being selected from the group of;

credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and electronic coupons;

memory positioned in the housing and positioned to store at least a portion of the information received by the data interface;

a user input cluster connected to the housing to facilitate selection of at least a portion of the information by a user;

a display screen to display a menu of functions to a user, the functions including one or more of;

adding card information, deleting card information, duplicating information, transferring information, moving cash, and accessing information; and

a controller located internally inside the housing, in communication with each of the data interface, the memory, the user input cluster, and the display screen, and positioned to control input of the information into the memory of the wallet consolidator through the data interface, display of the menu of functions to a user through the display screen, retrieval of the at least a portion of the information from the memory, and display of at least a portion of the information stored in the memory on the display screen when a user selects the at least a portion of the information using the user input cluster and positions the display screen of the wallet consolidator to enable a transaction responsive to the at least a portion of the information stored in the memory being displayed on the display screen.

2. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the display screen comprises information from the memory being displayed as controlled by the controller, the information selected from the group of:

signatures, portraits, bar codes which can be scanned by a bar code scanner, and images of one or more cards.

3. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1, wherein the information received by the data interface includes information included on a plurality of different cards, the cards being selected from the group of:

credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and electronic coupons; and

wherein the wallet consolidator further includes a radio frequency wireless communication interface.

4. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 3, wherein the user input cluster operably receives an input of a passcode from a user to gain access to the wallet consolidator so that the controller displays the menu of functions after the user gains access to the wallet consolidator by entering the passcode through the user input cluster.

5. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1,

wherein the memory at least has sufficient memory to store a digitized image, the digitized image being selected from the group of a signature, a portrait, the at least one card, and a bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably stores the digitized image in the memory of the wallet consolidator.

6. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 5,

wherein the controller operably displays the digitized image on the display screen to thereby define a displayed digitized image;

and

wherein the displayed digitized image is used usable at a point-of-sale terminal.

7. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1,

wherein the memory at least has sufficient memory to store a digitized image of a bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably stores the digitized image of a bar code in the memory of the wallet consolidator and operably displays the digitized image of a bar code on the display screen to thereby define a displayed digitized image of a bar code, the displayed digitized image of a bar code being scannable by a bar code scanner.

8. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1,

wherein the information stored in the memory includes at least one bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably displays the bar code on the display screen to thereby define a displayed bar code image, the displayed bar code image being scannable by a bar code scanner.

9. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1, wherein the wallet consolidator includes a touch sensitive display screen associated with the display screen, associated with the housing, and positioned adjacent to the user input cluster.

10. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 1, wherein the information received by the data interface includes identification information selected from the group of information associated with one or more of:

driver'"'"'s licenses, food stamps, credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, electronic coupons, health club cards, parking cards, entry cards, and medical records.

11. A wallet consolidator to facilitate a transaction, the wallet consolidator comprising:

a housing to be carried by a user;

a radio frequency transceiver connected to the housing and being positioned to effectuate communication between the wallet consolidator and one or more computing devices to thereby receive information associated with at least one card from one or more computing devices so that at least a portion of the information received by the radio frequency transceiver enables a transaction, the at least one card being selected from the group of;

credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and electronic coupons;

memory positioned in the housing and positioned to store at least a portion of the information received by the radio frequency transceiver;

a user input cluster connected to the housing to facilitate selection of at least a portion of the information by a user;

a display screen to display a menu of functions to a user, the functions including one or more of;

adding card information, deleting card information, duplicating information, transferring information, moving cash, and accessing information; and

a controller located internally inside the housing, in communication with each of the radio frequency transceiver, the memory, the user input cluster, and the display screen, and positioned to control input of the information into the memory of the wallet consolidator through the radio frequency transceiver, display of the menu of functions to a user through the display screen, retrieval of the at least a portion of the information from the memory, and display of at least a portion of the information stored in the memory on the display screen when a user selects the at least a portion of the information using the user input cluster and positions the display screen of the wallet consolidator to enable a transaction responsive to the at least a portion of the information stored in the memory being displayed on the display screen.

12. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11, wherein the information displayed on the display screen comprises information from the memory being displayed as controlled by the controller, the information selected from the group of:

signatures, portraits, bar codes which can be scanned by a bar code scanner, and images of one or more cards.

13. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11,

wherein the information received by the radio frequency transceiver includes information included on a plurality of different cards, the cards being selected from the group of:

selected from the group of;

credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and electronic coupons; and

wherein the wallet consolidator further includes a radio frequency wireless communication interface.

14. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 13, wherein the user input cluster operably receives an input of a passcode from a user to gain access to the wallet consolidator so that the controller displays the menu of functions after the user gains access to the wallet consolidator by entering the passcode through the user input cluster.

15. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11,

wherein the memory at least has sufficient memory to store a digitized image, the digitized image being selected from the group of a signature, a portrait, the at least one card, and a bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably stores the digitized image in the memory of the wallet consolidator.

16. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 15,

wherein the controller operably displays the digitized image on the display screen to thereby define a displayed digitized image;

and

wherein the displayed digitized image is usable at a point-of-sale terminal.

17. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11,

wherein the memory at least has sufficient memory to store a digitized image of a bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably stores the digitized image of a bar code in the memory of the wallet consolidator and operably displays the digitized image of a bar code on the display screen to thereby define a displayed digitized image of a bar code, the displayed digitized image of a bar code being scannable by a bar code scanner.

18. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11,

wherein the information stored in the memory includes at least one bar code;

and

wherein the controller operably displays the bar code on the display screen to thereby define a displayed bar code image, the displayed bar code image being scannable by a bar code scanner.

19. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11, wherein the wallet consolidator includes a touch sensitive display screen associated with the display screen, associated with the housing, and positioned adjacent to the user input cluster.

20. A wallet consolidator as defined in claim 11, wherein the information received by the radio frequency transceiver includes identification information selected from the group of information associated with one or more of:

driver'"'"'s licenses, food stamps, credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, electronic coupons, health club cards, parking cards, entry cards, and medical records.