Multi-use credit card for financial transactions and vehicle configuration

• US 6,626,356 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hershey, John Erik, Davenport, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/880,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/385, 235/383, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/380, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• 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 credit card system and method for configuring a vehicle specific to a user and for transacting financial transactions, the system comprising a User Preference and Information Database containing information specific to said user for configuring a specific vehicle, a credit card capable of storing financial transaction information and information to access said User Preference Database, a credit card data receptacle located in said vehicle, a global communication network, a User Transaction History Database containing information about said user'"'"'s prior transactions, a display monitor located in said vehicle, and a point of sale where said credit card is used for a financial transaction.

Claims

1. A credit card system for use by a user for conducting financial transactions and configuring features in a vehicle specific to said user, the credit card system comprising:

a credit card with storage space capable of storing information needed for a financial transaction and information needed to configure said vehicle specific to a user of the credit card;

a credit card data receptacle located in said vehicle.

2. The credit card system of claim 1, further comprising:

a User Preference Database;

a global communication network;

respective network transceivers, for communicating over said global communication network, connected to said credit card data receptacle and connected to said User Preference Database.

3. The credit card system of claim 2 further comprising a remote facility that contains said User Preference Database.

4. The credit card system of claim 2 wherein said network transceivers are used to transmit data between said vehicle and said User Preference Database over a secured network.

5. The credit card system of claim 2 wherein said global communication network comprises a wireless data network.

6. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has a seat for said user and said information to configure said vehicle specific to said user comprises a seat'"'"'s settings.

7. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has a radio and said information to configure said vehicle specific to said user comprises preferred settings for said radio.

8. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has a steering wheel and said information to configure said vehicle specific to said user comprises a steering wheel'"'"'s settings.

9. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has climate control apparatus and said information to configure said vehicle specific to the user comprises a climate control'"'"'s settings.

10. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said credit card contains default user preference data in said storage space.

11. The credit card system of claim 1 wherein said credit card data receptacle is operable to store updated user specific preferences on said credit card based on preferences selected by said user.

12. A credit card system for configuring a complex equipment specific to a user and for transacting financial transactions, the system comprising:

a User Preference Database containing information specific to said user for configuring said complex equipment;

a credit card capable of storing financial transaction information and information to access said User Preference Database;

a credit card data receptacle connected to said complex equipment;

a global communication network;

a User Transaction History Database containing information about said user'"'"'s prior transactions;

a display monitor connected to said complex equipment;

a point of sale where said credit card is used for a financial transaction.

13. The credit card system of claim 12 wherein said User Preference Database and said User Transaction History Database are stored at a remote facility.

14. The credit card system of claim 12 wherein said User Preference Database is stored at a first remote facility, said User Transaction History Database is stored at a second remote facility, and communication occurs between said User Preference Database and said User Transaction History Database via said global communication network.

15. The credit card system of claim 12 wherein, using said display monitor, said credit card system displays a coupon to said user based on information contained in said User Transaction History Database for use at said point of sale.

16. The credit card system of claim 15 wherein said user accepts said coupon and said coupon is stored on said credit card.

17. The credit card system of claim 15 wherein said user accepts said coupon at said point of sale.

18. The credit card system of claim 12 further comprising a global positioning device connected to said complex equipment to determine a location of said complex equipment.

19. The credit card system of claim 18 wherein said complex equipment transmits said location to said User Preference Database.

20. The credit card system of claim 19 wherein said location is transmitted from said User Preference Database to said User Transaction History Database.

21. The credit card system of claim 18 wherein said location is transmitted to said User Transaction History Database wherein said coupon is selected based on said location.

22. The credit card system of claim 18 wherein said location is transmitted to said Transaction History Database wherein said coupon is selected based on a prior transaction of said user and said location.

23. The credit card system of claim 12 further comprising a computer connected to said complex equipment comprising trip routing functions.

24. The credit card system of claim 23 wherein a routed trip is transmitted to said User Preference Database.

25. The credit card system of claim 23 wherein a routed trip is transmitted to said Transaction History Database and said coupon is displayed in said complex equipment based on a prior transaction of said user and said routed trip.

26. The credit card system of claim 23 wherein a routed trip is transmitted to said Transaction History Database and a location of said point of sale is displayed in said complex equipment based on a prior transaction of said user and said routed trip.

27. A method for configuring a complex equipment specific to a user with a credit card, the method comprising:

having a User Preference Database;

entering a credit card into a receptacle connected to said complex equipment;

allowing said credit card to retrieve complex equipment setting data specific to said user from said User Preference Database;

configuring said complex equipment based on said data received.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

notifying said user of a coupon transmitted from said User Transaction History Database wherein said coupon is selected based on information contained in said User Transaction History Database;

saving said coupon for use at a point of sale.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of notifying said user of a coupon comprises:

having a display monitor connected to said complex equipment;

having a User Transaction History Database;

displaying a coupon on said display monitor.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of notifying a user of a coupon further comprises:

having a position locating device connected to said complex equipment;

determining a location of said complex equipment;

displaying a coupon based on information contained in said User Transaction History Database and said location.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of saving said coupon comprises saving said coupon on said credit card.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of saving said coupon comprises saving said coupon in said User Transaction History Database and transmitting to said point of sale when said credit card is used.