Portable e-wallet and universal card

• US 9,177,241 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gonow Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Gonow Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Spodak, Douglas A., Fridman, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Hatem M
• Application Number:
  US13/717,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/31, 705/35, 705/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means 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 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0846 On-card display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Universal cards are used in place of all the other traditional cards which a person may want to carry. The universal card can include a short range communications transceiver to communicate with a mobile device. The mobile device can include a user interface and an e-wallet application so that the user can interface with the e-wallet application for programming the universal card via the short range communication link. Once programmed, the universal card emulates a function of a traditional card.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a proxy card transaction using a mobile device, a universal card, and one of a plurality of proxy card types, the method comprising:

receiving, by a universal card, an indication of a selected proxy card type from the plurality of proxy card types, wherein the indication of a selected proxy card type is received by one of (a) receiving, by the universal card from the mobile device, an indication of a selection of the selected proxy card type; and

(b) detecting that one or more buttons on the universal card has been pressed;

activating, by the universal card, the selected proxy card type, wherein activating the selected proxy card type comprises configuring one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms of the universal card to be able to pass proxy card data and an indication of the selected proxy card type, wherein the selected proxy card type is associated with an account that is not associated with the proxy card data;

passing, via the one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms, the proxy card data and the indication of the selected proxy card type from the universal card to a terminal;

wherein the terminal transmits the proxy card data, the selected proxy card type, and an amount of a transaction to one or more remote computing devices, wherein the one or more remote computing devices determine, based on the proxy card data, that the account associated with the selected proxy card type can be charged for the transaction, and charge the amount to the account associated with the selected proxy card type;

wherein the mobile device comprises a first processor, first memory, first power source, and first user interface, and a first short range transceiver configured to connect to the universal card via a short range communication link; and

wherein the universal card comprises a dynamic data communication mechanism including a dynamic magnetic stripe, a second power source, a second processor, a second memory, and a second short range transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

illuminating one or more of a label, a button, and a light on the universal card to indicate the selected proxy card type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

displaying, on a display of the universal card, an indication of one or more of the selected proxy card type and the proxy card.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication comprises one or more of the group consisting of a nickname of the selected proxy card type, a card number of the selected proxy card type, an expiration of the selected proxy card type, a CVV2 value of the selected proxy card type, a nickname of the proxy card, a card number of the proxy card, an expiration of the proxy card, and a CVV2 value of the proxy card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

sending a request from the universal card to a computing device to display, on the computing device, an indication of one or more of the selected proxy card type and the proxy card.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selected proxy card type comprises:

detecting that one or more buttons on the universal card has been pressed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selected proxy card type comprises:

receiving, by the universal card from a computing device, an indication of a selection of the selected proxy card type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more remote computing devices comprise a proxy card server and a card processing center server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic data communication mechanism comprises one or more of a dynamic magnetic stripe, a near field communication mechanism, a radio frequency identification communication mechanism, or an EMV communication mechanism.

10. A universal card comprising:

a power source;

a processor;

a memory;

a short range transceiver;

one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms including at least one dynamic magnetic stripe; and

a secure element configured to store proxy card data associated with each of a plurality of proxy card types;

wherein the universal card is configured to;

receive an indication of a selected proxy card type from the plurality of proxy card types, wherein the indication of a selected proxy card type is received by one of (a) receiving, by the universal card from a mobile device via the short range transceiver, an indication of a selection of the selected proxy card type, and (b) detecting that one or more buttons on the universal card has been pressed,

activate the selected proxy card type, wherein activating the selected proxy card type comprises configuring the one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms of the universal card to be able to pass proxy card data and an indication of the selected proxy card type, wherein the selected proxy card type is associated with an account that is not associated with the proxy card data, and

pass, via the one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms, the proxy card data and the indication of the selected proxy card type from the universal card to a terminal,

wherein the terminal transmits the proxy card data, the selected proxy card type, and an amount of a transaction to one or more remote computing devices, wherein the one or more remote computing devices are configured to determine, based on the proxy card data, that the account associated with the selected proxy card type can be charged for the transaction, and charge the amount to the account associated with the selected proxy card type.

11. The universal card of claim 10, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

illuminating one or more of a label, a button, and a light on the universal card to indicate the selected proxy card type.

12. The universal card of claim 10, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

displaying, on a display of the universal card, an indication of one or more of the selected proxy card type and the proxy card.

13. The universal card of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises one or more of the group consisting of a nickname of the selected proxy card type, a card number of the selected proxy card type, an expiration of the selected proxy card type, a CVV2 value of the selected proxy card type, a nickname of the proxy card, a card number of the proxy card, an expiration of the proxy card, and a CVV2 value of the proxy card.

14. The universal card of claim 10, wherein activating the selected proxy card type further comprises:

sending a request from the universal card to a computing device to display, on the computing device, an indication of one or more of the selected proxy card type and the proxy card.

15. A method of initiating a card transaction using one of a plurality of card types, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a computing device to a universal card, an indication of a proxy card, wherein the universal card is configured to;

activate the proxy card by configuring one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms of the universal card to be able to pass proxy card data, and

pass, via the one or more dynamic data communication mechanisms, the proxy card data from the universal card to a terminal, wherein the terminal is configured to perform a transaction by sending the proxy card data to one or more remote computing devices; and

transmitting, from the computing device to the one or more remote computing devices, an indication of the proxy card data and an indication of a selected card type, wherein the one or more remote computing devices are configured to determine, based on the proxy card data, that an account associated with the selected card type can be charged for the transaction, and charge an amount of the transaction to the account associated with the selected card type;

wherein the computing device comprises a first processor, first memory, first power source, and first user interface, and a first short range transceiver configured to connect to the universal card via a short range communication link; and

wherein the universal card comprises a dynamic data communication mechanism including a dynamic magnetic stripe, a second power source, a second processor, a second memory, and a second short range transceiver.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein activating the selected card type further comprises:

illuminating one or more of a label, a button, and a light on the universal card to indicate the selected card type.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein activating the selected card type further comprises:

displaying, on a display of the universal card, an indication of one or more of the selected card type and the proxy card.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the indication comprises one or more of the group consisting of a nickname of the selected card type, a card number of the selected card type, an expiration of the selected card type, a CVV2 value of the selected card type, a nickname of the proxy card, a card number of the proxy card, an expiration of the proxy card, and a CVV2 value of the proxy card.