Multiple card data system having first and second memory elements including magnetic strip and fingerprints scanning means

• US 6,012,636 A
• Filed: 04/22/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank E. Smith
• Original Assignee: Frank E. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Frank E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US08/844,808
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/436, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass

Abstract

A multiple application card data system comprises a data management device and a user card. The user card includes a first memory for storing provider data, and a second memory, separated from the first memory, for storing data unique to a user. The data management device compares a unique set of user data on the device with the data on the second memory of the user card for identification of the proper user card. The device also includes a stored digital representation of the user'"'"'s fingerprint and a fingerprint scanner for imaging of a fingerprint for comparison with the digital representation of the user'"'"'s fingerprint for identification of the proper user. A memory in the device stores copies of data from a plurality of provider data cards. The device enables transfer and storage of the data of one provider on the first memory of the user card, making the user card an effective clone of that provider'"'"'s data card. The provider data on the first memory can be re-encoded as desired. The user card also includes an electromagnet for time delayed erasure of data stored on the first memory. The data management device includes a card reader capable of simultaneously reading a data card having two magnetic strips.

Claims

1. A multiple card data system comprising

a user card having

first memory means for storing rerecordable machine-readable provider data, and

second memory means for storing a machine-readable data set unique to a user, said second memory means spaced from said first memory means, and

a data management device having

means for reading provider data on said first memory means on said user card and said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card,

storage means for storing comparison data related to said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card,

comparison means for comparing said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card with said comparison data on said storage means to generate an authentication signal upon favorable comparison of said unique user data set on said second memory means with said comparison data on said storage means,

sensor means for scanning fingerprints to generate an electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint,

means for activating said sensor means in response to generation of said authentication signal by said comparison means,

fingerprint memory means for storing an electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint,

means for comparing the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint to venerate a validation signal upon favorable comparison of the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint, and

a provider data set retrieval system comprising,

means for activating said provider data set retrieval system in response to generation of said validation signal,

means for reading a provider data set contained on a provider data card,

data set memory means for storing a plurality of provider data sets, and

means for writing a duplicate of a provider data set from a provider data card on said first memory means on said user card.

2. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said second memory means on said user card is a magnetic strip.

3. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said second memory means on said user card includes microelectronic circuitry.

4. The card data system of claim 1 including

means for writing machine-readable data on said second memory means on said user card.

5. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said user card includes

a rechargeable power cell embedded in said user card,

an electromagnet embedded in said user card electrically connected to said power cell, and

means embedded in said user card for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet to create a magnetic field,

said card data system includes means for charging said power cell,

said first memory means of said user card is a magnetic strip, and

a portion of said magnetic strip overlays a portion of said electromagnet so that, upon creation of a magnetic field by said electromagnet, previously encoded data in said overlaying portion of said magnetic strip is erased.

6. The card data system of claim 5 wherein

said means for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet is a microelectronic chip.

7. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said user card includes a machine-readable representation of a fingerprint,

said data management device includes means for reading said representation of a fingerprint on said user card to generate an electronic expression of said fingerprint representation, and

said data management device further includes means for comparing the electronic expression of said fingerprint representation with said electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint in said memory means to generate a validation signal upon favorable comparison of said fingerprint representation on said user card with said electronic digital representation in said memory means.

8. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said data management device has a slot sized to receive freely said user card,

said data management device includes means for stationary disposition of said user card in said interior slot of said data management device, and

said means for reading provider data on said first memory means on said user card and said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card includes means for simultaneously reading provider data on said first memory means on said user card and said unique user data set on said second memory means on a user card stationarily disposed in said interior slot.

9. The card data system of claim 8 wherein

said means for simultaneously reading said provider data on said first memory means on said user card and said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card comprises

a motor anchored to said data management device,

a rotatable drive shaft controlled by said motor, said drive shaft having, two opposing ends and a first pair of pulleys attached one to each said end,

a rotatable cooperating shaft disposed parallel to said drive shaft anchored to said data management device, said cooperating shaft spaced from said drive shaft substantially at least the length of a magnetic strip on a data card, said cooperating shaft further having two opposing ends and a second pair of pulleys attached one to each said end,

flexible means running between said first pair of pulleys and said second pair of pulleys for simultaneous rotation of said second pair of pulleys upon rotation of said first pair of pulleys,

a cross bar disposed parallel to said drive shaft attached to said flexible means and moveable between and parallel to said drive shaft and said cooperating shaft, said cross bar having a first reading means for reading said first memory means and a second reading means for reading said second memory means on said user card,

a spring having a first end attached to said cross bar biasing said cross bar towards said drive shaft, movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft tensioning said spring,

means for activating said motor for movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft, and

means for cutting power to said motor when said cross bar moves near said cooperating shaft so that said spring returns said cross bar to a position adjacent said drive shaft.

10. The card data system of claim 9 wherein

said first reading means includes writing means for writing on said first memory means on said user card.

11. The card data system of claim 10 wherein

said second reading means includes writing means for writing on said second memory means on said user card.

12. The card data system of claim 8 wherein

said means for simultaneously reading said provider data on said first memory means on said user card and said unique user data set on said second memory means on said user card comprises

a rigid framework having a first guide member and a second guide member parallel to said first guide member,

each said guide member having a longitudinal slot,

a cross bar having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cross bar slidingly disposed within said slot of said first guide member, said second end of said cross bar slidingly disposed within said slot of said second guide member, said first end of said cross bar further having a knob located outside of said slot of said first guide member,

means for holding said cross bar slidingly normal to said guide members,

said cross bar having a first head means for reading the first magnetic strip and a second head means for reading the second magnetic strip,

said cross bar movable between a first position and a second position spaced from said first position substantially at least the length of a magnetic strip on a data card.

13. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said user card has power cell means for holding a charge of power to store machine-readable provider data for a limited time until said power cell means loses its charge.

14. The card data system of claim 13 wherein

said first memory means on said user card includes a powered portion energized by said power cell means such that said powered portion stores machine-readable data for a limited time until no longer energized.

15. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said data management device has a slot sized to receive freely said user card, and

said data management device includes means for activation of said data management device upon insertion of said user card into said slot.

16. The card data system of claim 15 wherein

said slot has an opening and a distal end opposite said opening, and

said means for activation of said data management device is disposed adjacent said distal end of said slot.

17. The card data system of claim 1 including

display means for displaying visually readable indicia.

18. The card data system of claim 1 including

input means for controlling said data management device.

19. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said data management device includes

means for emitting audible sound in response to an audio input signal, and

means for generating an audio input signal in response to operation of said input means.

20. The card data system of claim 1 wherein

said data management device includes voice recognition means for recognizing verbal comm ands to control said data management device.

21. The multiple card data system of claim 1 wherein:

said first memory means includes power cell means for holding a charge of power to store machine-readable data for a limited time until said power cell means loses its charge.

22. The erasable data card of claim 21 wherein

said power cell means includes a powered portion energized by said power cell means such that said powered portion stores machine-readable data for a limited time until no longer energized.

23. The erasable data card of claim 22 wherein

said memory means comprises a magnetic strip.

24. A multiple card data system comprising

a user card having

a magnetic strip for storing machine-readable provider data, and

data memory means for storing, a machine-readable data set unique to a user, said data memory means spaced from said first magnetic strip,

a rechargeable power cell embedded in said user card,

an electromagnet embedded in said user card electrically connected to said power cell,

a microelectronic clip for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet to create a magnetic field, and

a portion of said magnetic strip overlaying a portion of said electromagnet so that, upon creation of a magnetic field by said electromagnet, data encoded in said overlaying portion of said magnetic strip is erased,

means for charging said power cell in said user card, and

a data management device having

means for reading provider data on said magnetic strip on said user card and said unique user data set on said data memory means on said user card,

storage means for storing comparison data related to said unique user data on said data memory means,

comparison means for comparing said unique user data on said data memory means on said user card with said comparison data on said storage memory means to generate an authentication signal upon favorable comparison of said unique user data set on said data memory means with said comparison data on said storage memory means,

sensor means for scanning fingerprints to generate an electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint,

means for activating said sensor means in response to generation of said authentication signal by said comparison means,

fingerprint memory means for storing an electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint,

means for comparing the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint to generate a validation signal upon favorable comparison of the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint, and

a provider data set retrieval system comprising

means for activating said provider data set retrieval system in response to generation of said validation signal,

means for reading a provider data set contained on a provider data card,

data set memory means for storing a plurality of provider data sets, and

means for writing a duplicate of a provider data set from a provider data card on said magnetic strip on said user card.

25. The multiple card data system of claim 24 wherein

said data memory means on said user card includes a magnetic strip.

26. The multiple card data system of claim 24 wherein

said data memory means on said user card includes microelectronic circuitry.

27. The multiple card data system of claim 24 including

display means for displaying visually readable indicia, and

input means for controlling said data management device.

28. A multiple card data system comprising

a user card having

a first magnetic strip for storing machine-readable provider data, and

a second magnetic strip for storing a machine-readable set unique to a user,

said second magnetic strip spaced from said first magnetic strip,

a rechargeable power cell embedded in said user card,

an electromagnet embedded in said user card electrically connected to said power cell;

a microelectronic chip for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet to create a magnetic field, and

a portion of said first magnetic strip overlaying a portion of said electromagnet so that, upon creation of a magniietic field by said electromagnet, data encoded in said overlaying portion of said first magnetic strip is erased,

means for charging said power cell in said user card, and

a data management device having

a slot having an opening and a distal end opposite said opening sized to receive freely said user card,

means for stationary disposition of said user card in said slot,

means for activation of said data management device adjacent said distal end of said slot,

a data card reader/writer having,

a motor anchored to said data management device,

a rotatable drive shaft controlled by said motor, said drive shaft having opposing ends and a first pair of pulleys attached one to each said end,

a rotatable cooperating shaft disposed parallel to said drive shaft anchored to said data management device, said cooperating shaft spaced from said drive shaft substantially at least the length of a magnetic strip on a data card, said cooperating shaft further having opposing ends and a second pair of pulleys attached one to each said end,

flexible means running between said first pair of pulleys and said second pair of pulleys for simultaneous rotation of said second pair of pulleys upon rotation of said first pair of pulleys,

a cross bar disposed parallel to said drive shaft attached to said flexible means moveable between and parallel to said drive shaft and said cooperating shaft, said cross bar having a first read/write head for reading and writing on said first magnetic strip and a second read/write head for reading and writing on said second magnetic strip on said user card,

a spring having a first end attached to said cross bar biasing said cross bar towards said drive shaft, movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft tensioning said spring,

means for activating said motor for movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft, and

means for cutting power to said motor when said cross bar moves near said cooperating shaft so that said spiring returns said cross bar to a position adjacent said drive shaft,

said data management device further having means for reading provider data on said first magnetic strip on said user card and said unique user data set on said second magnetic strip on said user card,

storage means for storing comparison data related to said unique user data set on said second magnetic strip,

comparison means for comparing said unique user data on said second magnetic strip with said comparison data on said memory means to generate an authentication signal upon favorable comparison of said unique user data set on said second magnetic strip with said comparison data on said memory means,

sensor means for scanning fingerprints to generate an electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint,

means for activating said sensor means in response to generation of said authentication signal by said comparison means,

fingerprint memory means for storing an electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint,

means for comparing the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint to generate a validation signal upon favorable comparison of the electronic representation of a scanned fingerprint with the electronic digital representation of a user'"'"'s fingerprint,

display means for displaying visually readable indicia,

input means for controlling said data management device, and

a provider data set retrieval system comprising

means for activating said provider data set retrieval system in response to generation of said validation signal, means for reading a provider data set contained on a provider data card,

data set memory means for storing a plurality of provider data sets, and

means for writing a duplicate of a provider data set from a provider data card on said first magnetic strip on said user card.

29. A time-delayed erasable data card comprising

a data card having a magnetic strip,

a rechargeable power cell embedded in said data card,

an electromagnet embedded in said data card electrically connected to said power cell,

means embedded in said data card for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet to create a magnetic field,

means for charging said power cell, and

a portion of said magnetic strip overlaying a portion of said electromagnet so that, upon creation of a magnetic field by said electromagnet, any previously encoded data in said overlaying portion of said magnetic strip is erased.

30. The erasable data card of claim 29 including

a second memory spaced from said magnetic strip.

31. The erasable data card of claim 30 wherein

said second memory is a magnetic strip.

32. The erasable data card of claim 29 wherein

said means for directing said power cell to energize said electromagnet is a microelectronic chip.

33. A data card reader for reading a data card leaving a first magnetic strip and a second magnetic strip spaced from the first magnetic strip, comprising,

a motor,

a rotatable drive shaft controlled by said motor, said drive shaft having two opposing ends and a first pair of pulleys attached one to each said end,

a rotatable cooperating shaft disposed parallel to said drive shaft, said cooperating shaft spaced from said drive shaft substantially at least the length of a magnetic strip on a data card, said cooperating shaft further having two opposing ends and a second pail or pulleys attached one to each said end,

flexible means running between and connecting said first pair of pulleys and said second pair of pulleys for simultaneous rotation of said second pair of pulleys upon rotation of said first pair of pulleys,

a cross bar disposed parallel to said drive shaft and attached to said flexible means moveable between and parallel to said drive shaft and said cooperatng shaft, said cross bar having a first read head for reading the first magnetic strip and a second read head for reading the second magnetic strip on the data card,

a spring having a first end attached to said cross bar biasing said cross bar towards said drive shaft, movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft tensioning said spring,

means for activating said motor for movement of said cross bar towards said cooperating shaft, and

means for cutting power to said motor when said cross bar moves near said cooperating shaft so that said spring returns said cross bar to a position adjacent said drive shaft.

34. The data card reader of claim 33 wherein

said first read head includes a write head for writing on said first magnetic strip.

35. The data card reader of claim 34 wherein

said second read head includes a write head for writing on said second magnetic strip.

36. A data card reader for reading a data card having a first magnetic strip and a second magnetic strip spaced from the first magnetic strip, comprising

a rigid framework having a first guide member and a second guide member parallel to said first guide member,

each said guide member having a longitudinal slot,

a cross bar having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cross bar slidingly disposed within said slot of said firt guide member, said second end of said cross bar slidingly disposed within said slot of said second guide member, said first end of said cross bar further hvaing a knob located outside of said slot of said first guide member,

means for holding said cross bar sliding normal to said guide members,

said cross bar having a first head means for reading the first magnetic strip and a second head means for reading the second magnetic strip,

said cross bar movable between a first position and a second position spaced from said first position substantially at least the length of a magnetic strip on a data card.

37. The data card reader of claim 36 including

a spring means attached to said cross bar for biasing said cross bar towards said first position.

38. The data card reader of claim 37 wherein

said slots of said guide members are tapered.

39. A method for allowing a single user card to act as a substitute for any one of a multiple of provider data cards, which comprises

supplying a user card for transactional interfacing with a data management device, said user card having

first memory means for rerecordably storing a machine-readabI provider data, and

second memory means for storing a machine-readable data set unique to a user, said second memory means spaced from said first memory means,

storing comparison data related to said unique user data set on storage means on a data management device,

comparing said unique user data set on said user card with said comparison data on said storage means on said data management device,

generating an authentication signal upon favorable comparison of said unique user data set on said user card with said comparison data on said storage means on said data management device,

activating a sensor means for scanning fingerprints in response to said authentication signal,

storing an electronic digital representation of the user'"'"'s fingerprint in a fingerprint memory means on said data management device,

scanning a fingerprint to create an electronic representation of the fingerprint,

comparing the electronic representation of the fingerprint with the stored electronic digital representation of the user'"'"'s fingerprint,

generating a validation signal upon favorable comparison of the electronic representation of the fingerprint with the stored electronic digital representation of tle user'"'"'s fingerprint,

activating a provider data set retrieval system in response to said validation signal,

reading provider data sets contained on a plurality of provider data cards,

storing said provider data sets on a data set memory means on said data management device, and

writing a duplicate of a provider data set from a single provider data card on said first memory means on said user card.

40. The method of claim 39 including

generating a random number,

storing a copy of said random number on said storage means on said data management device prior to terminating a transaction with said user card,

storing a copy of said random number on said second memory means on said user card prior to terminating a transaction with said data management device,

as part of the step of comparing said unique user data set on said user card with said comparison data on said storage means on said data management device, comparing said copy of said random number on said second memory means on said user card with said copy of said random number on said storage means on said data management device.