Color changing payment card

• US 9,483,920 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank NA (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank NA (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Inventors: Anderson, Erika L., Duke, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US14/588,671
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.65
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07705 the visual interface being a single light or small number of lights capable of being switched on or off, e.g. a series of LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/084 Additional components relating to data transfer and storing, e.g. error detection, self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0846 On-card display means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A method includes receiving, on an electronic payment device, a radio frequency signal from a mobile electronic device. The radio frequency signal is used to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device. The electric current is transmitted to the one or more color producing components. The one or more color producing components display a color when the electric current is transmitted to the color producing components.

Claims

1. A method implemented on an electronic payment device, the method comprising:

on the electronic payment device, receiving a radio frequency signal from a mobile electronic device;

using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device, comprising using the radio frequency signal to select one or more electrical resistances in a path between a power source and the one or more color producing components; and

transmitting the electric current to the one or more color producing components,

wherein the one or more color producing components display a color when the electric current is transmitted to the color producing components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device comprises using the radio frequency signal to control a selection of the one or more color producing components.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the color producing components are wires or foil strips.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device comprises using the radio frequency signal to control activation of one or more electric pulses to the one or more color producing components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device comprises using the radio frequency signal to control a duration of time in which an electric circuit is made between a power source and the one or more color producing components.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more color producing components comprise one or more wires or foil strips.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more color producing components comprises a chemical gel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the color is determined by a value of the electric current and by an electrical resistance of the one or more color producing components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic payment device comprises a credit card or a debit card.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the color displayed corresponds to a credit or debit limit for the owner of the credit card or debit card.

11. A credit card, the credit card comprising:

a plastic base;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device;

a power source;

one or more switching components; and

one or more financial status indication components,

wherein the one or more switching components are triggered by a frequency from the RFID device, the one or more switching components controlling an electric current from the power source to the one or more financial status indication components, and wherein the one or more financial indication components provide an indication of a credit account status for the credit card;

wherein the one or more financial indication components comprise one or more mechanical displays, each mechanical display comprising a plurality of mechanical panels, each mechanical panel being of a different color.

12. The credit card of claim 11, wherein the one or more switching components control a selection of the plurality of mechanical panels.

13. A method implemented on a credit card, the method comprising:

receiving, by a radio frequency identification component on the credit card, a radio frequency signal from a mobile electronic device, the radio frequency signal being of a frequency corresponding to a credit card account status for a user of the credit card;

using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of one or more electrical switching components on the credit card, each electrical switching component being configured to connect one or more wires or foil strips into an electrical circuit on the credit card, a determination of which of the one or more switching components to be activated being based on the frequency of the radio frequency signal;

after the one or more electrical switching components are activated, generating an electric current from a power source on the credit card to the one or more connected wires or foil strips; and

when the electric current is generated, producing a color in the one or more connected wires or foil strips, the color being dependent on an electrical resistance of each of the connected wires or foil strips, the color being representative of the credit card account status for the user,

wherein using the radio frequency signal to control an activation of an electric current to one or more color producing components on the electronic payment device comprises using the radio frequency signal to select one or more electrical resistances in a path between a power source and the one or more color producing components.