Multi-purpose credit card reader apparatus

• US 9,256,768 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adrian Gluck
• Original Assignee: Adrian Gluck
• Inventors: Gluck, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US14/698,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/435, 235/439, 235/440, 235/486, 235/492
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/083 inductive G06K7/10336 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• 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 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3567 Software being in the reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner

Abstract

A credit card reader shields a credit card, stores data from one or more credit cards simultaneously and then selectively broadcasts data associated with one of the cards. A slim, electromagnetically shielding housing has a cavity and a card reader for reading data from a credit card received in the cavity. A processor connects the card reader to a memory component, and connects both to an RFID device, where the credit card data can be broadcast to an RFID reader. A control interface allows a user to initiate reading credit card data, to select a card data set to store in memory, or to broadcast a dataset. A display shows transaction information and stored card data. A retractable input/output plug can engage a socket on another device to transmit and receive data. A memory card device can selectively store credit card data and transaction data.

Claims

1. A credit card reader apparatus comprising:

a housing having an internal cavity and an opening at a first end thereof for receiving a credit card within said cavity;

a magnetic credit card reader seated within the cavity within said housing for reading magnetic data stored on a credit card;

a processor connected to the magnetic credit card reader;

a read/write memory component connected to the processor, said processor being configured and arranged to receive credit card data from the magnetic credit card reader and to write the credit card data to a storage location in said read/write memory component;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device connected to the processor, said processor being configured and arranged to read said credit card data from said storage location and to provide said credit card data to said RFID device whereby said credit card data can be broadcast to an RFID reader;

a control interface connected to the processor, said processor and said control interface being configured and arranged to selectively control reading data from said credit card, selectively storing said credit card data in said read/write memory component and selectively control broadcast of said credit card data through said RFID device;

a display connected to the processor;

a power source;

an input/output plug connected to said processor, said input/output plug being configured to engage a socket on a mobile electronic device and to transmit data to and receive data from the mobile electronic device; and

a memory card reader device connected to said processor, said processor being configured to selectively write and read credit card data and credit transaction data to and from said memory card reader device.

2. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said RFID device is a passive device.

3. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 2 wherein the read/write memory component is capable of simultaneously storing data for a plurality of credit cards.

4. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said RFID device is a semi-passive device.

5. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 4 wherein the read/write memory component is capable of simultaneously storing data for a plurality of credit cards.

6. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said RFID device is an active device.

7. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 6 wherein the read/write memory component is capable of simultaneously storing data for a plurality of credit cards.

8. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1 wherein the read/write memory component is capable of simultaneously storing data for a plurality of credit cards.

9. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input/output plug is telescoping.

10. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input/output plug is configured to engage an audio port on the mobile electronic device.

11. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a stabilizer to prevent rotation of the housing with respect to the mobile electronic device.

12. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input/output plug is configured to engage an audio port on the mobile electronic device.

13. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 12, wherein the input/output plug is telescoping.

14. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a stabilizer to prevent rotation of the housing with respect to the mobile electronic device.

15. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input/output plug is telescoping.

16. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a stabilizer to prevent rotation of the housing with respect to the mobile electronic device.

17. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizer to prevent rotation of the housing with respect to the mobile electronic device.

18. The credit card reader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing is fabricated from an electromagnetic shielding material and said housing provides electromagnetic shielding to a credit card received within said cavity.