Multiple magnetic stripe transaction cards and systems for the utilization thereof

• US 6,138,917 A
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interactive Card Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Interactive Card Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Chapin, Stephen R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/081,676
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/493, 235/449, 235/487, 235/448, 235/375, 283/904, 283/107, 283/108, 283/114
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06196 Constructional details

Abstract

A transaction card includes at least two read-only magnetically encoded stripes encoding different data in accordance with standard data encryption protocols readable by conventional transaction card reading systems. The stripes are associated with areas of the card which may have different indicia, such as, for example, being different colors or different textures. In accordance with one embodiment, superimposed upon the card may be two sets of printed indicia including, for example, the transaction card number, the expiration date and the name of the card user. One set of the printed indicia is inverted with respect to the other set so as to indicate to the user which one of the magnetic stripes is being processed. In this way, magnetically encoded information on the same transaction card may be segregated at the point of sale. The transaction card is readable by standard, existing readers and the information is processed for invoicing by standard processing systems to preferably generate a single statement with two groups of charges, one relating to each magnetically encoded stripe.

Claims

1. An indivisible transaction card comprising:

a standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction card wherein the transaction card is an indivisible card readable by standard transaction card readers and includes a front face and a rear face;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer; and

the rear face having a first magnetic stripe and a second magnetic stripe with both magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed adjacent opposite edges of the transaction card.

2. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel to the long edges.

3. The transaction card of claim 2, wherein the first magnetic stripe is in a first area of a first color and the second stripe is in a second area of a second color different from the first color.

4. The transaction card of claim 3, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel with the short edges.

5. An indivisible transaction card comprising:

a standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction card wherein the transaction card is an indivisible card readable by standard transaction card readers and includes a front face and a rear face;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying the account number of the customer, the account number having a selectable final digit to provide first and second permutations of the account number; and

rear face having a first magnetic stripe associated with the first permutation and a second magnetic stripe associated with the second permutation, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed adjacent to opposite edges of the transaction card.

6. The transaction card of claim 5, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel to the long edges.

7. The transaction card of claim 6, wherein the first magnetic stripe is in a first area of a first color and the second stripe is in a second area of a second color different from the first color.

8. The transaction card of claim 6 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent each magnetic stripe identifying the purpose of the account and account number associated with the magnetic stripe.

9. The transaction card of claim 5, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel with the short edges.

10. An indivisible transaction card comprising:

a standard size and configuration conforming to VISA/MasterCard/American Express/Discover regulations for the transaction card wherein the transaction card is an indivisible card readable by standard transaction card readers and includes a front face and a rear face;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying first and second account numbers identified with the customer; and

the rear face having a first magnetic stripe associated with the first account number and a second magnetic stripe associated with the second account number, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed opposite edges of the transaction card.

11. The transaction card of claim 10, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel to the long edges.

12. The transaction card of claim 11, wherein the first magnetic stripe is in a first area of a first color and the second stripe is in a second area of a second color different from the first color.

13. The transaction card of claim 12 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent each magnetic stripe identifying the purpose of the account and account number associated with the magnetic stripe.

14. The transaction card of claim 12 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent each account number identifying the purpose of the account associated with the account number.

15. The transaction card of claim 12, wherein the second account number is inverted with respect to the first account number.

16. The transaction card of claim 12, wherein the second account number is oriented the same as the first account number.

17. The transaction card of claim 10, wherein the transaction card has long edges and short edges and wherein the magnetic stripes extend parallel with the short edges.

18. The transaction card of claim 10, wherein the second account number is inverted with respect to the first account number.

19. The transaction card of claim 10, wherein the second account number is oriented the same as the first account number.

20. The transaction card of claim 10 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent each account number identifying the purpose of the account associated with the account number.

21. An indivisible transaction card comprising:

a standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction card wherein the transaction card is an indivisible card readable by standard transaction card readers and includes a first face and a second face;

the first face being divided into only a first area and a second area;

the second face being divided into only a third area and a fourth area;

first indicia identifying an authorized user and/or account number of the transaction card, the first indicia occupying only one of the areas;

second indicia identifying the authorized user and/or account number of the transaction card, the second indicia occupying one of the areas;

a first read-only magnetic stripe associated with the first indicia and a first account, the first magnetic stripe occupying only an area not occupied by either indicia; and

a second read-only magnetic stripe associated with the second indicia and a second account, the second magnetic stripe occupying only an area not occupied by either the first or second indicia or the first magnetic stripe, whereby the indivisible transaction card accesses two accounts associated with the same authorized user via a standard transaction card reader.

22. The indivisible transaction card of claim 21, wherein the first and second indicia are in the first and second areas on the first face and the first and second magnetic stripes are in the third and fourth areas on the second face.

23. The indivisible transaction card of claim 22, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of a first color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of a second color.

24. The transaction card of claim 21 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent each magnetic stripe identifying the purpose of the account and account number associated with the stripe.

25. The indivisible transaction card of claim 21, wherein the first indicia is inverted with respect to the second indicia and wherein the first stripe relating to the first indicia is disposed in an area facing opposite the area of the second indicia and the second stripe relating to the second indicia is disposed in an area facing opposite the area of the first indicia, whereby when the transaction card is in a first orientation, the first indicia is uninverted and the first magnetic stripe is read and when the card is in a second orientation, opposite the first orientation, the second indicia is uninverted and the second magnetic stripe is read.

26. The indivisible transaction card of claim 25, wherein other than being inverted, with respect to one another, the first and second indicia are identical.

27. The indivisible transaction card of claim 26, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of a first color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of a second color.

28. The indivisible transaction card of claim 25, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

29. The indivisible transaction card of claim 21, wherein the first and second indicia are on opposite sides of the card and the first and second magnetic stripes are on opposite sides of the card.

30. The indivisible transaction card of claim 29, wherein first indicia is on an area facing opposite the area occupied by the second magnetic stripe and the second indicia is in an area facing opposite the area occupied by the first magnetic stripe.

31. The indivisible transaction card of claim 30, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

32. The indivisible transaction card of claim 30, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of a first color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of a second color.

33. The indivisible transaction card of claim 29, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of a first color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of a second color.

34. The indivisible transaction card of claim 21, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of a first color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of a second color.

35. A system including standard retail transaction card readers with central information processors being connected thereto and a plurality of indivisible transaction cards readable by the standard retail transaction card readers, the system comprising:

each indivisible transaction card having a first face and a second face and each indivisible transaction card being of standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction cards, wherein the transaction card is readable in an indivisible state by the standard transaction card readers;

each first face being divided into a first area and a second area;

each second face being divided into a third area and a fourth area;

first indicia identifying an authorized user and/or account number of the transaction card, the first indicia occupying only one of the areas;

second indicia identifying the authorized user and/or account number of the transaction card, the second indicia occupying one of the areas;

a first read-only magnetic stripe associated with the first indicia and a first account, the first magnetic stripe occupying only one area not occupied by either indicia;

a second read-only magnetic stripe associated with the second indicia and a second account, the second magnetic stripe occupying only an area not occupied by either the first and second indicia or the first magnetic stripe, whereby the indivisible transaction card accesses two accounts associated with the same authorized user;

the standard retail transaction card readers or ATM bank card readers being connected to an invoice generating processor; and

statements being generated by the invoice generating processor for each card, the statements having information corresponding to the first read-only data stripe and information corresponding with the second read-only data stripe.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the first and second indicia are in the first and second areas on the first face and the first and second magnetic stripes are in the third and fourth areas on the second face.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second, magnetic stripe are of another color.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the first indicia is inverted with respect to the second indicia and wherein the first stripe relating to the first indicia is disposed in an area facing opposite the area of the second indicia and the second stripe relating to the second indicia is disposed in an area facing opposite the area of the first indicia whereby when the transaction card is in a first orientation, the first indicia is uninverted and the first magnetic stripe is read and when the card is in a second orientation, opposite the first orientation, the second indicia is uninverted and the second magnetic stripe is read.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein other than being inverted with respect to one another, the first and second indicia are identical.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the first and second indicia are on opposite sides of the card and the first and second magnetic stripes are on opposite sides of the card.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein first indicia is on an area facing opposite the area occupied by the second magnetic stripe and the second indicia is in an area facing opposite the area occupied by the first magnetic stripe.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the areas containing the first indicia and first magnetic stripe are of one color and the areas containing the second indicia and second magnetic stripe are of another color.

47. The system of claim 35 further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent teach magnetic stripe identifying the purpose of the account and account number associated with the magnetic stripe.

48. A system including standard retail transaction card readers with central information processors being connected thereto and a plurality of indivisible transaction cards readable by the standard retail transaction card readers, the system comprising:

each indivisible transaction card having a front face and a rear face and each indivisible transaction card being of standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction cards, wherein the transaction card is readable in an indivisible state by the standard transaction card readers;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer;

the rear face having a first magnetic stripe and a second magnetic stripe with both magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed adjacent opposite edges of the transaction card;

the standard retail transaction card readers or ATM bank card readers being connected to an invoice generating processor; and

statements being generated by the invoice generating processor for each card, the statements having information corresponding to the first read-only data stripe and information corresponding with the second read-only data stripe.

49. A system including standard retail transaction card readers with central information processors being connected thereto and a plurality of indivisible transaction cards readable by the standard retail transaction card readers, the system comprising:

each indivisible transaction card having a front face and a rear face and each indivisible transaction card being of standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction cards, wherein the transaction card is readable in an indivisible state by the standard transaction card readers;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying the account number of the customer, the account number having a selectable final digit to provide first and second permutations of the account number;

a rear face having a first magnetic stripe associated with the first permutation and a second magnetic stripe associated with the second permutation, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed adjacent to opposite edges of the transaction card;

the standard retail transaction card readers or ATM bank card readers being connected to an invoice generating processor; and

statements being generated by the invoice generating processor for each card, the statements having information corresponding to the first read-only data stripe and information corresponding with the second read-only data stripe.

50. A system including standard retail transaction card readers with central information processors being connected thereto and a plurality of indivisible transaction cards readable by the standard retail transaction card readers, the system comprising:

each indivisible transaction card having a front face and a rear face and each indivisible transaction card being of standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction cards, wherein the transaction card is readable in an indivisible state by the standard transaction card readers;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying first and second account numbers identified with the customer;

the rear face having a first magnetic stripe associated with the first account number and a second magnetic stripe associated with the second account number, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes and being disposed adjacent to opposite edges of the transaction card;

the standard retail transaction card readers or ATM bank card readers being connected to an invoice generating processor; and

statements being generated by the invoice generating processor for each card, the statements having information corresponding to the first read-only data stripe and information corresponding with the second read-only data stripe.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein, on the transaction card, the second account number is inverted with respect to the first account number.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein, on the transaction card, the second account number is oriented the same as the first account number.

53. The system of claim 50, the transaction card further including additional printed indicia disposed adjacent to each account number identifying the purpose of the account associated with the account number.

54. An indivisible transaction card comprising:

a standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction card wherein the transaction card is an indivisible card readable by standard transaction card readers and includes a front face and a rear face;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying more than two account numbers of the customer; and

the rear face having separate magnetic stripes associated with each account number, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes disposed adjacent and extending parallel to edges of the transaction card.

55. The transaction card of claim 54, wherein there are four magnetic stripes with two magnetic stripes extending adjacent to and parallel with long edges of the transaction card and two magnetic stripes extending adjacent to and parallel with short edges of the transaction card.

56. A system including standard retail transaction card readers with central information processors being connected thereto and a plurality of indivisible transaction cards readable by the standard retail transaction card readers, the system comprising:

each indivisible transaction card having a front face and a rear face and each indivisible transaction card being of standard size and configuration conforming to regulations for a standard transaction cards, wherein the transaction card is readable in an indivisible state by the standard transaction card readers;

the front face having printed indicia thereon identifying the customer and numerical indicia identifying more than two account numbers of the customer;

the rear face having separate magnetic stripes associated with each account number, the magnetic stripes being read-only magnetic stripes disposed adjacent and extending parallel to edges of the standard retail transaction card readers of ATM bank card readers being connected to an invoice generating processor; and

statements being generated by the invoice generating processor for each card, the statements having information corresponding to a first read-only data stripe and information corresponding with a second read-only data stripe;

information corresponding to the third read-only data stripe, and information corresponding to the fourth read-only data stripe.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein there are four magnetic stripes on each transaction card with the first and second magnetic stripes extending adjacent to and parallel with the long edges of the transaction card and the third and fourth magnetic stripes extending adjacent to and parallel with the short edges of the transaction card.