Portable magnetic stripe reader for criminality security applications

• US 7,984,849 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Nevada Las Vegas
• Original Assignee: University of Nevada Las Vegas
• Inventors: Cobb, Dennis, Sthultz, Michael, Berghel, Hal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/504,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/449, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/08 by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes

Abstract

A security device comprises a portable magnetic stripe reader and computing functionality associated with the magnetic stripe reader, such as a credit card reader, drivers license reader, debit card reader, club card reader, or any other element that can be mechanically read. A single device may be needed for evaluation of each type of stripe carrying product, or a single device may have multiple functions and can be used (with or without switching to specific identification sequences) for evaluation of different magnetic stripe carrying products. It may be used as a law enforcement device, particularly to combat identity theft and financial fraud.

Claims

1. A method for determining if a fraudulent magnetic stripe has been printed on a carrier, comprising mechanically or visually detecting a physical format for the carrier, reading the magnetic stripe for information, and comparing the information read from the magnetic stripe to the detected physical format of the carrier to determine a result of whether or not the information read is compatible or not with the physical format for the carrier and identifying when the information read is incompatible with the physical format of the carrier, wherein a wireless service transmits information read from the magnetic stripe to a remote device that interprets the signals read from the magnetic stripe by a programmable magnetic card reader and the programmable card reader'"'"'s associated processor to make available updated information relating to analysis of magnetic stripe information or carrier format information and wherein the service identifies specific methods and codes used by identity thieves to disguise the information contained on the magnetic stripe by disguising the information to make the data look like data from a different type of carrier and makes such methods and codes available to a software routine at a central processor that is used to reprogram the remote device so that upon subsequent identification of the specific method, an indication signal of the presence of the specific method is provided to a user of the method or is accessed by the remote device so that upon subsequent identification of the specific method, an indication signal of the presence of the specific method is provided to a user of the device.

2. A method for determining if a fraudulent magnetic stripe has been printed on a carrier, comprising mechanically or visually detecting a physical format for the carrier using a magnetic stripe reader, reading the magnetic stripe for information, and comparing the information read from the magnetic stripe to the detected physical format of the carrier to determine a result of whether or not the information read is compatible or not with the physical format for the carrier and identifying when the information read is incompatible with the physical format of the carrier wherein read information is transmitted to a central processor, and the central processor exercises a software programming routine that takes data on new disguise information that was previously unknown to programs in the central processor, the new disguise information making the data look like data from a different type of carrier and the software programming routine performs a recognition routine in a device that reads the magnetic stripe information and receives information relating to a physical format of a carrier for the magnetic stripe and the device provides a signal readable by a user of the device that information read by the device is incompatible with the physical format of the carrier.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the new disguise information is provided to the central processor through a separate service and the service makes the new disguise information available to the central processor by electronic data download.

4. A method for determining if a fraudulent magnetic stripe has been printed on a carrier, comprising mechanically or visually detecting a physical format for the carrier, electronically reading the magnetic stripe for information, and comparing the information read from the magnetic stripe to the detected physical format of the carrier to determine a result of whether or not the information read is compatible or not with the physical format for the carrier and identifying when the information read is incompatible with the physical format of the carrier, wherein the forwarded information is compared to information in a database accessible by a central processor and wherein the central processor executes a software programming routine that recognises credit and debit card information encoded in a magnetic stripe by reconfiguring, adding, and/or subtracting data that was changed from its original form that is included in the information read from the magnetic stripe the change in the data from its original form disguising the information to make the data look like data from a different type of carrier.