Advanced loyalty applications for powered cards and devices

• US 8,511,574 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dynamics Inc.
• Inventors: Yen, Philip W., Mullen, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US12/857,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/449, 235/451, 235/492, 235/493, 235/487
• US Class Current: 235/493
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06206 the magnetic marking being emulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07701 the record carrier comprising an interface suitable for human interaction
• 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 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0846 On-card display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0853 On-card keyboard means

Abstract

Advanced loyalty applications are provided to improve the functionality of cards and devices. For example, a user interface may be placed on a card (e.g., a physical button) or a telephonic device (e.g., a virtual button on a capacitive touch screen). Manual input provided to this user interface may, for example, cause a non-merchant product (e.g., insurance) to be purchased with a merchant purchase. The product can be paid for with debit, credit, gift card balance, or points. A code indicative of a user'"'"'s desire to purchase the product may be communicated to a payment card reader (e.g., to a magnetic stripe reader via a magnetic stripe communications device). A display may be provided next to a button to allow a user to scroll, or toggle by pressing the button repeatedly, through different products (which may be merchant or non-merchant products).

Claims

1. A card comprising:

a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device;

a first button;

a second button;

a third button; and

a memory,

wherein a first data is on said memory, said first data associated with said first button,

a second data is on said memory, said second data associated with said second button,

a third data is on said memory, said third data associated with said third button,

said dynamic magnetic stripe communications device is operable to communicate said first data at a transaction with a merchant, and

said first data includes data indicative of a user'"'"'s selection to purchase a product not sold by said merchant.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein said product not sold by said merchant is purchased with points.

3. The card of claim 1, wherein said product not sold by said merchant is purchased with cash from a debit account.

4. The card of claim 1, wherein said product not sold by said merchant is purchased with credit from a credit account.

5. The card of claim 1, wherein said product not sold by said merchant is insurance.

6. The card of claim 1, wherein said data indicative of a user'"'"'s selection is included in at least part of a discretionary data field of one or more tracks of magnetic stripe data.

7. The card of claim 1, further comprising a display.

8. The card of claim 1, further comprising:

an RFID; and

an IC chip.

9. The card of claim 1, further comprising a processor.

10. A card comprising:

a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device;

a first button; and

a memory,

wherein a first data is on said memory, said first data associated with said first button,

said dynamic magnetic stripe communications device is operable to communicate said first data at a first merchant transaction, and

said first data includes data indicating that no points are to be earned with said first merchant transaction, and that additional points are to be earned with a second merchant transaction that is associated with said first merchant transaction.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein said first data is included in at least part of a discretionary data field of one or more tracks of magnetic stripe data.

12. The card of claim 10, wherein said additional points are a multiple of points earned with said second transaction.

13. The card of claim 10, further comprising a display.

14. The card of claim 10, further comprising:

an RFID; and

an IC chip.

15. The card of claim 10, further comprising a processor.

16. A card comprising:

a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device;

a first button; and

a memory,

wherein a first data is on said memory, said first data associated with said first button,

said dynamic magnetic stripe communications device is operable to communicate first data at a merchant transaction,

said first data includes data indicating that no points are to be earned for said merchant transaction and an entry is to be placed into a lottery, and

a point award prize is associated with said lottery.

17. The card of claim 16, wherein said first data is included in at least part of a discretionary data field of one or more tracks of magnetic stripe data.

18. The card of claim 16, further comprising a display.

19. The card of claim 16, further comprising:

an RFID; and

an IC chip.

20. The card of claim 16, further comprising a processor.