Method and apparatus for promoting the selection and use of a transaction card

• US 7,806,320 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Fincham, Magdalena M., Downs, Michael D., Schneier, Bruce, Tedesco, Robert C., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/459,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20060289632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/382, 235/383, 235/379, 235/486, 235/487, 235/492, 705/41, 705/44, 705/67
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides for detecting a physical change at a transaction card, and, in response to detecting the physical change outputting content to attract the attention of a user.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a sensor operable to detect a physical change and to produce a signal indicating the detected physical change;

a transducer operable to produce an output signal promoting use of a transaction card;

a processor operable to receive the signal produced by the sensor and operable to activate the transducer to produce the output signal; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

determine at least one condition for producing an output signal; and

in response to receiving the signal produced by the sensor indicating detection of the physical change, activating the transducer to produce the output signal, based on the at least one condition.

2. The device of claim 1, in which the produced output signal is based on at least one of:

sports information,

market information,

sales information,

lottery information,

schedule information,

travel information,

a joke,

an image,

a video,

a quotation,

a display pattern,

a song,

a horoscope,

exchange rate information, or

weather information.

3. The device of claim 1, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to deactivate the transducer.

4. The device of claim 1, in which the device further comprises a receiver for receiving content.

5. The device of claim 4, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to receive content via the receiver and to store received content in the memory.

6. The device of claim 4, in which the content is received from a transmitting source.

7. The device of claim 4, in which the content is received from a transmitter associated with a merchant.

8. The device of claim 4, in which the content is received from a user of the transaction card.

9. The device of claim 4, in which the content is received from a second transaction card.

10. The device of claim 4, in which the content is received from a content provider.

11. The device of claim 4, in which the produced output signal comprises the received content.

12. The device of claim 1, in which the instructions are further configured to select content stored in the memory based on the type of detected physical change, and in which the produced output signal comprises the selected content.

13. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises a change in ambient light.

14. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises a change in pressure applied to the card.

15. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises use of the transaction card at a card reader.

16. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises use of the transaction card at a point of sale terminal.

17. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises a location of the device.

18. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises a change in orientation of the transaction card.

19. The device of claim 1, in which the detected physical change comprises a change in ambient sound.

20. The device of claim 1, in which the instructions are further configured to select content stored in the memory, and

in which the produced output signal comprises the selected content.

21. The device of claim 1, in which the instructions are further configured to lock content stored in the memory.

22. The device of claim 1, in which the instructions are further configured to unlock content stored in the memory if the at least one condition has been satisfied, and

in which the produced output signal comprises the unlocked content.

23. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises use of the transaction card for a transaction.

24. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises activation of an account associated with the transaction card.

25. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises a minimum amount charged by a user using the transaction card.

26. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises use of the transaction card by a user with a predetermined frequency.

27. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises use of the transaction card by a user at a predetermined location.

28. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises use of the transaction card by a user at a predetermined location.

29. The device of claim 22, in which the at least one condition comprises detecting of a predetermined minimum number of physical changes.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

detect at a transaction card a physical change;

determine at least one condition for producing an output signal; and

in response to sensing the physical change, activate a transducer of the transaction card to produce an output signal to attract the attention of a user, in which the output signal is based on the at least one condition.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to receive a signal from a merchant.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, in which activating the transducer comprises:

in response to sensing the physical change, activating the transducer of the transaction card to produce the output signal based on the at least one condition and the signal from the merchant.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the signal from the merchant unlocks content stored on the transaction card.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to unlock content stored on the transaction card.

35. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

detect at a transaction card a physical change;

determine at least one condition for producing an output signal; and

in response to sensing the physical change, activate a transducer of the transaction card to produce an output signal to attract the attention of a user, in which the output signal is based on the at least one condition.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to receive a signal from a merchant.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, in which activating the transducer comprises:

in response to sensing the physical change, activating the transducer of the transaction card to produce the output signal based on the at least one condition and the signal from the merchant.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to unlock content stored on the transaction card based on the signal from the merchant.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 35, in which the instructions are further configured to direct the processor to unlock content stored on the transaction card.