Portable electronic authorization system and method

• US 20030220876A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Chameleon Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Burger, Todd O., Jessen, Karlin B., Hassol, Joshua L., Thomas, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06206 the magnetic marking being emulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• 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 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0473 Use of light emitting or modulating elements having two or more stable states when no power is applied
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a user authenticator and a transponder. The transponder is permitted to emit a wireless signal representing information stored in the apparatus in response to a wireless interrogation signal after the user authenticator has authenticated the identity of the user. In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises, a memory, a user input, and a transponder. The memory stores at least first and second distinct codes. The user input permits a user to select any one of the at least first and second codes for transmission in response to a wireless interrogation signal. The transponder emits a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes in response to an interrogation signal. In yet another embodiment, a token that may be used to engage in a transaction at a point of sale comprises a substrate, a rewritable memory, and a reconfigurable display. The rewriteable memory is supported by the substrate and can be selectively configured to store information on the token that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale. The substrate and memory are configured and arranged such that the substrate can be selectively interfaced with an apparatus at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the contents of the memory. The reconfigurable display is also supported by the substrate and displays at least some of the information that is stored in the rewritable memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a user authenticator that authenticates an identity of a user; and

a transponder that is permitted to emit a wireless signal representing information stored in the apparatus in response to a wireless interrogation signal after the user authenticator has authenticated the identity of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal representing the information and the wireless interrogation signal are radio frequency signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a memory that stores at least first and second distinct codes, and a user input that permits the user to select any one of the at least first and second codes for transmission in response to an interrogation signal;

and wherein the transponder is permitted to emit a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes in response to an interrogation signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a display that identifies the one of the at least first and second codes the user has selected.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second codes correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with an interrogator that wirelessly emits the interrogation signal, and receives from the apparatus the wireless signal representing the information.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores at least first and second distinct codes;

a user input that permits a user to select any one of the at least first and second codes for transmission in response to a wireless interrogation signal; and

a transponder that emits a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes in response to an interrogation signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the wireless signal representing the identification information and the wireless interrogation signal are radio frequency signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a display that identifies the one of the at least first and second codes the user has selected.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second codes correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, in combination with an interrogator that wirelessly emits the interrogation signal, and receives from the apparatus the wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes.

12. A token that may be used to engage in a transaction at a point of sale, comprising:

a substrate;

a rewriteable memory, supported by the substrate, that can be selectively configured to store information on the token that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale, the substrate and memory being configured and arranged such that the substrate can be selectively interfaced with an apparatus at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the contents of the memory; and

a reconfigurable display, supported by the substrate, that displays at least some of the information that is stored in the rewritable memory.

13. The token of claim 12, wherein rewritable memory stores both an account identifier and a security code separate from the account identifier, and the reconfigurable display displays both the account identifier and the security code.

14. The token of claim 12, wherein the substrate is substantially the size of a credit card.

15. The token of claim 12, wherein the rewritable memory comprises means for selectively storing information on the token that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale.

16. The token of claim 12, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a rewriteable magnetic stripe.

17. The token of claim 12, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a circuit that simulates a magnetic stripe.

18. The token of claim 12, wherein the rewritable memory comprises a circuit that simulates an account number storage mechanism of a Smartcard.

19. The token of claim 12, wherein the reconfigurable display comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD).

20. The token of claim 19, wherein the LCD is flexible.

21. The token of claim 12, in combination with an apparatus to which the token is releasably attached, the apparatus being configured to cause the rewritable memory of the token to store the information and to cause the display of the token to display at least some of the information after the token is detached from the apparatus.

22. The combination of claim 21, wherein the rewritable memory comprises means for selectively storing information on the token that identifies an account that is to be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale.

23. The combination of claim 21, wherein the apparatus to which the token is releasably attached comprises a memory that stores at least first information identifying a first account and second information identifying a second account, and a user input that permits the user to select one of the first information and second information for use in the transaction, and wherein the apparatus is further configured to cause the rewritable memory of the token to store the selected one of the first information and second information and to cause the display of the token to display at least some of the selected one of the first information and second information.

24. The combination of claim 23, further comprising a display that identifies the one of the first information and second information the user has selected.

25. The combination of claim 23, wherein the first information and second information correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

26. A method for using an apparatus, comprising steps of:

using the apparatus to authenticate an identity of a user of the apparatus; and

after the apparatus has authenticated the identity of the user, enabling a transponder of the apparatus to emit a wireless signal representing information stored in the apparatus in response to a wireless interrogation signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the wireless signal representing the information and the wireless interrogation signal are radio frequency signals.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises steps of:

manipulating a user input on the apparatus to select one of at least first and second codes stored in memory; and

permitting the transponder to emit a wireless signal representing the selected one of the first and second codes in response to the interrogation signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises steps of:

manipulating the user input on the apparatus to select the other of the first and second codes stored in memory; and

permitting the transponder to emit a wireless signal representing the other of the first and second codes in response to the interrogation signal.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising a step of:

in response to the user manipulating the user input, displaying to the user an identification of the one of the first and second codes the user has selected.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first and second codes correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising steps of:

wirelessly emitting an interrogation signal from an interrogator;

receiving the interrogation signal at the transponder;

in response to receiving the interrogation signal, emitting from the transponder a wireless signal representing the information; and

receiving at the interrogator the wireless signal representing the information.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising a step of authorizing a transaction based upon the information received at the interrogator.

34. A method for using an apparatus, comprising steps of:

manipulating a user input on the apparatus to select one of at least first and second codes stored in memory; and

permitting a transponder of the apparatus to emit a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes in response to a wireless interrogation signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes and the wireless interrogation signal are radio frequency signals.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises steps of:

manipulating the user input on the apparatus to select another of the at least first and second codes stored in memory; and

permitting the transponder to emit a wireless signal representing the other of the at least first and second codes in response to the wireless interrogation signal.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising a step of:

in response to the user manipulating the user input, displaying to the user an identification of the one of the at least first and second codes the user has selected.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the first and second codes correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising steps of:

wirelessly emitting an interrogation signal from an interrogator;

receiving the interrogation signal at the transponder;

in response to receiving the interrogation signal, emitting from the transponder a wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes; and

receiving at the interrogator the wireless signal representing the selected one of the at least first and second codes.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising a step of authorizing a transaction based upon the selected one of the at least first and second codes received at the interrogator.

41. A method for configuring a token to be used to engage in a transaction at a point of sale, comprising steps of:

configuring a rewritable memory of the token to store information that identifies an account that may be used to engage in the transaction at the point of sale, the memory being configured and arranged on the token such that the token can be selectively interfaced with an apparatus at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the contents of the memory; and

configuring a display on the token to display at least some of the information that is stored in the rewritable memory.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of configuring the rewritable memory includes a step of configuring the rewritable memory to store both an account identifier and a security code separate from the account identifier, and the step of configuring the display includes configuring the display to display both the account identifier and the security code.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the token is substantially the size of a credit card.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of configuring the rewritable memory includes using a magnetic head to configure a rewriteable magnetic stripe on the token.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of configuring the rewritable memory includes configuring the rewritable memory to cause a simulated magnetic stripe to be generated on the token.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of configuring the rewritable memory includes configuring the rewritable memory to simulate an account number storage mechanism of a Smartcard.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein:

the method further comprises a step of manipulating a user input to select one of at least first information identifying a first account and second information identifying a second account;

the step of configuring the rewritable memory includes configuring the rewritable memory to store the selected one of the at least first information and second information; and

the step of configuring the display includes configuring the display to display at least some of the selected one of the at least first information and second information.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising a step of displaying to the user an identification of the one of the at least first information and second information the user has selected.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the first information and second information correspond to accounts the user holds with respective first and second unrelated media issuers.

50. The method of claim 41, further comprising steps of:

interfacing the token with an apparatus at the point of sale to permit the apparatus to read the contents of the memory;

displaying the information read from the memory on a display of the apparatus; and

comparing the information displayed on the display of the token with the information displayed on the display of the apparatus to verify the authenticity of the token.