Automated Card Customization Machine

• US 20070152039A1
• Filed: 01/02/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: msystems Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Itzhak, Bychkov, Eyal, Meir, Avraham, Cohen, Yohan
• Granted Patent: US 7,896,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/005 for the hiring of content carriers, e.g. of DVDs or CDs reverse vending for box-like objects such as videocassettes G07F7/069
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A card vending machine includes a storage area, wherein each of a plurality of memory cards to be issued by a respective one of at least two different issuers are stored. A security mechanism conditions access of each issuer to only a respective portion of the storage area upon authorization of this issuer. An interface mechanism is operated by a user to define a purchasing transaction and a controller is operative, in accordance with the interface mechanism, to customize a memory card at least in part according to the purchasing transaction.

Claims

1. A card vending machine comprising:

(a) a storage area, wherein each of a plurality of memory cards to be issued by a respective one of at least two different issuers are stored.

2. The card vending machine of claim 1 further comprising.

(b) a security mechanism that conditions access of each of said at least two different issuers to only a respective portion of said storage area upon authorization of said each issuer.

3. The card vending machine of claim 2, wherein said security mechanism includes compartments, within said storage area, each said compartment having a corresponding locking mechanism that provides access to only an authorized issuer.

4. The card vending machine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of memory cards include secure memory cards.

5. The card vending machine of claim 1 further comprising:

(b) an interface mechanism that is operated by a user to define a purchasing transaction; and

(c) a controller operative, in accordance with said interface mechanism, to customize a memory card at least in part according to said purchasing transaction.

6. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said memory card is one of said plurality of memory cards.

7. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said memory card is a personal memory card that is fed to the card vending machine by said user.

8. The card vending machine of claim 7 further comprising:

(d) a card slot for inputting said personal memory card.

9. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said controller is operative to customize said memory card in accordance with a value of at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:

digital content, physical contour, graphical decoration, and means of payment.

10. The card vending machine of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) an authentication mechanism for authentication of said user in accordance with requirements of a respective issuer of said memory card.

11. The card vending machine of claim 10, wherein said controller is operative to customize said memory card conditional on said authentication of said user.

12. The card vending machine of claim 10, wherein said authentication mechanism includes a biometric identifier reader.

13. The card vending machine of claim 10, wherein said authentication mechanism includes a voice recognition unit.

14. The card vending machine of claim 13, wherein said voice recognition unit includes a microphone.

15. The card vending machine of claim 10, wherein said authentication mechanism includes a facial recognition unit.

16. The card vending machine of claim 15, wherein said facial recognition unit includes a camera.

17. The card vending machine of claim 10, wherein said authentication mechanism includes a wireless communication mechanism.

18. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said interface mechanism includes a keypad.

19. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said interface mechanism includes a touch screen.

20. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said interface mechanism includes a USB connector.

21. The card vending machine of claim 5, wherein said interface mechanism includes a scanner.

22. The card vending machine of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) a contour shape editor unit that is responsive to said controller to customize said memory card.

23. The card vending machine of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) a graphical editor unit that is responsive to said controller to customize said memory card.

24. The card vending machine of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) a programming unit that is responsive to said controller to program said memory card with digital content.

25. The card vending machine of claim 24, wherein said programming unit is operative to store at least 200 bytes of data in said memory card.

26. The card vending machine of claim 25, wherein said data is user-dependant.

27. The card vending machine of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) a display for displaying a pre-view of said customized memory card.

28. A vending method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing, in a common storage area, a plurality of memory cards; and

(b) issuing each of said plurality of memory cards by a respective one of at least two different issuers.

29. The vending method of claim 28, wherein said plurality of memory cards include at least one secure memory card.

30. The vending method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of:

(c) receiving a respective value of each of at least one parameter that defines a purchasing transaction of a user; and

(d) customizing one of the memory cards, at least in part, according to said at least one value.

31. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said customizing step is effected in accordance with a value of at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:

digital content, physical contour, graphical decoration, and means of payment.

32. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said customizing includes storing at least 200 bytes of data in said one memory card.

33. The vending method of claim 32, wherein said data is user-dependant.

34. The vending method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

(c) previously to said customizing, authenticating a user in accordance with requirements of said respective one issuer.

35. The vending method of claim 34, wherein said customization of said one memory card is conditional on said authentication of said user.

36. The vending method of claim 34, wherein said authentication is effected by reading biometric identification.

37. The vending method of claim 34, wherein said authentication is effected by voice recognition.

38. The vending method of claim 34, wherein said authentication is effected by facial recognition.

39. The vending method of claim 34, wherein said authentication is effected by wireless communication.

40. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said at least one value is received from a keypad.

41. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said at least one value is received from a touch-screen.

42. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said at least one value is received from a portable storage device.

43. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said at least one value is received from a scanner.

44. The vending method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

(e) downloading digital content from a remote device in accordance with said at least one value.

45. The vending method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

(e) displaying a pre-view of said customized one memory card.

46. The vending method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

(e) allowing access of each of said at least two different issuers to only a respective portion of said common storage area conditional on authorization of said each issuer.

47. The vending method of claim 46, wherein said allowing access includes separately storing memory cards of said each issuer in compartments, each said compartment having a corresponding locking mechanism that provides access to only an authorized issuer.

48. The vending method of claim 30, wherein said one memory card is a personal memory card that is fed by said user.

49. The vending method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

(c) updating said personal memory card.

50. A card vending machine comprising:

(a) an interface mechanism that is operated by a user to define a purchasing transaction; and

(b) a controller operative, in accordance with said interface mechanism, to customize a memory card at least in part according to said purchasing transaction.

51. A method of vending of memory cards by a card vending machine comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, by the card vending machine, a respective value of each of at least one parameter that defines a purchasing transaction of a user; and

(b) customizing, by the card vending machine, one of the memory cards, at least in part, according to said at least one value.

52. A card vending machine comprising

(a) an interface mechanism that is operated by a user to define a purchasing transaction;

and

(b) a controller operative, in accordance with said interface mechanism, to customize a memory card at least in part according to said purchasing transaction by modifying at least 200 bytes of user-dependant data.

53. A method of vending of memory cards by a card vending machine comprising the steps of.

(c) receiving, by the card vending machine, a respective value of each of at least one parameter that defines a purchasing transaction of a user;

and

(d) customizing, by the card vending machine, one of the memory cards, at least in part, according to said at least one value at least by modifying at least 200 bytes of user-dependant data.

54. A card vending machine comprising:

(a) an interface mechanism that is operated by a user to define a purchasing transaction; and

(b) a controller operative, in accordance with said interface mechanism, to customize a visual appearance of a memory card at least in part according to said purchasing transaction.

55. A method of vending of memory cards by a card vending machine comprising the steps of:

(c) receiving, by the card vending machine, a respective value of each of at least one parameter that defines a purchasing transaction of a user; and

(d) customizing, by the card vending machine, a visual appearance of one of the memory cards, at least in part, according to said at least one value.

56. A card vending machine comprising:

(a) a connecting mechanism for receiving digital content from an external storage unit; and

(b) a controller operative to store, in a memory card, at least a portion of said digital content.

57. The card vending machine of claim 56, wherein said controller is further operative to modify said digital content.

58. The card vending machine of claim 56, wherein said connecting mechanism includes a USB connector.

59. A method of vending of memory cards by a card vending machine comprising the of:

(a) receiving, by the card vending machine, digital content from an external storage unit; and

(b) storing, in a memory card, at least a portion of said digital content.

60. The method of claim 59 further comprising the step of:

(c) modifying said digital content.