Light-powered smart card for on-line transaction processing

• US 9,189,723 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kim, Moon J.
• Original Assignee: Kim, Moon J.
• Inventors: Kim, Moon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/947,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 235/370, 235/375, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/383, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0708 the source being electromagnetic or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0718 the sensor being of the biometric kind, e.g. fingerprint sensors fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/13; biometric access-control systems in general, see G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• 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: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices

Abstract

In general, embodiments of the present invention relate to a light-powered smart card and associated methods for automated information (static and dynamic) exchange pursuant to a commercial transaction. In a typical embodiment, the card (e.g., a credit card, a debit card and/or a smart card) comprises (among other things) an energy component for providing power to the card. Upon powering up via a light source, including light from the interfacing terminal'"'"'s backlight, a terminal (e.g., a point of sale terminal) will scan/read card information shared between the card and the card company (e.g., upon swiping or placing of the card), and generate a corresponding source validation code (SVC). An optional imager/image array positioned on the back of the card will scan/read the SVC, and card validation code (CVC) logic on the card will generate a CVC based on the SVC (e.g., based on a validation result of the SVC).

Claims

1. A method for automated card information exchange, comprising:

accessing information from a card that has an energy component that provides power to the card, the information being associated with the card;

generating a source verification code (SVC) based on the information;

obtaining a user validation code (UVC) pertaining to a validation of a user, the UVC code being generated based on a biometric reading generated by the card; and

validating a transaction based on at least one of the SVC and the UVC.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

activating the card by bringing the card into proximity with a light source.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

displaying the SVC for an imager positioned on the card, where the information comprises at least one of a card number, an expiration date, a user name, a security code, and a usage history.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

obtaining a card validation code (CVC) generated on the card using the SVC, where the CVC is invalid if the SVC is invalid.

5. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

communicating the a least one of the SVC, the CVC, and the UVC to a transaction validator.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

validating the transaction using a validation logic component stored on the card.

7. The method of claim 1, the card being at least one of the following:

a credit card, a debit card, or a smart card.

8. The method of claim 1, an RFID component on the card being used in at least one of:

accessing information associated with the card, obtaining the UVC, and validating the transaction.

9. A method for automated card information exchange, comprising:

accessing information from a card that has an energy component that is activated by alignment with a light source, the information being associated with the card;

generating a source verification code (SVC) based on the information;

obtaining a card validation code (CVC) generated on the card using the SVC; and

validating a transaction based on at least one of the SVC and the CVC.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

obtaining a user validation code (UVC) pertaining to a validation of a user, the UVC code being generated based on a biometric reading generated by the card.

11. The method of claim 9, an RFID component on the card being used in at least one of:

accessing information associated with the card, obtaining the CVC, and validating the transaction.

12. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

displaying the SVC for an imager positioned on the card, where the information comprises at least one of a card number, an expiration date, a user name, a security code, and a usage history.

13. The method of claim 9, the card being at least one of the following:

a credit card, a debit card, or a smart card.

14. The method of claim 9, where the validating takes place using at least one of:

a validation logic component stored on the card and a server associated with the transaction.

15. A card for automated card information exchange, comprising:

an energy component configured to use light energy to power the card;

an imager configured to receive a source verification code (SVC) from a display associated with the commercial transaction, the SVC being generated based on card information; and

card validation code (CVC) logic configured to generate a CVC based on the SVC.

16. The card of claim 15, the card further comprising:

an RFID transponder configured to communicate the card information.

17. The card of claim 15, the card further comprising:

a validation logic configured to generate a validation result based on at least one of the SVC and the CVC.

18. The card of claim 15, where at least one of the SVC and the CVC are sent to a transaction validator by a website to validate a transaction.

19. The card of claim 18, the card further comprising:

a biometric reader configured to take a biometric reading of a user of the card; and

user validation code (UVC) logic configured to generate a UVC based on the biometric reading;

wherein the UVC is used in the validation.

20. The card of claim 15, where the energy component comprises at least one of a solar panel cell and a photon-to-electric energy converter, and the card is at least one of:

a credit card, a debit card, and a smart card.