AP1367A - Multiple magnetic stripe card. - Google Patents

Abstract

A magnetic stripe card has at least two magnetically readable stripes, either on the same face or on opposite faces of the card. Each stripe is marked to indicate its function. One stripe is typically used for credit\debit purchases, and the other for fuel purchases.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

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This invention relates to a magnetic stripe card which is generally similar to conventional credit or debit cards. θ

Conventional credit, debit or petrol cards comprise a generally rectangular, planar substrate, usually of plastics material, on which is printed and/or embossed certain information identifying the card holder, the card issuer and the card holder’s account number, and a magnetically readable strip or stripe, commonly referred to as a magnetic stripe or “mag-stripe, on which at least some of the printed/embossed information is duplicated.

In South Africa, credit cards are not accepted as a means of payment for petrol, so that many credit card holders also have a separate petrol or garage card. Many users also have a separate ATM card. In addition, debit cards have become popular so that it is possible that a user may have several magnetic stripe cards.

It is an object of the invention to provide a multi-purpose card.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a magnetic stripe card comprising:

a pianar substrate or stiff material;

indicia identifying one cr more of a card holder, a card issues and an account number; ana at least first and second magnetically readable stripes, the magnetically readable stripes containing data relating to respective first sun second payment and/or purchase functions.

The stripes may be located on opposite faces of the card, or on the came face, adjacent opposed edges of the card.

The card may comprise a single sheet of stiff material carrying both snipes. or may comprise first and second sheets bonded together, each sheet carrying a respective stripe.

The magnetically readable stripes may contain data relating, for example, to combinations of any of the following functions: credit purchases, debit purchases and fuel purchases, .

Preferably the card is marked with respective indicia corresponding to the function of each stripe.

The indicia will typically comprise printed or embossed data or symboim

The indicia for the respective stripes may be oriented different',. · cur another, for example, reversed try 180 degrees with respect to one -- ' n

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At least one of the stripes may be distinguished from one or more other stripes by colour coding.

-3BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a purchase/payment card θ according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a card according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards, garage cards and the like generally comprise a rectangular, planar sheet of stiff plastics material and have a single magnetically readable strip or stripe (referred to herein as a “magnetic stripe”) adjacent to one edge which contains encoded information relating to the identity of the card holder, account information of the card holder, usage limitations (if any) and other information. Apart from the above examples, cards of this general kind may be issued as retailer specific credit or debit card, as access control cards, or as identification cards used in the accumulation of loyalty points, for example.

For a number of reasons, including the existence of certain legislation and the credit policies of financial institutions, different cards are issued for different purposes and with different processing instructions, often resulting in a card holder being required to carry more than one card to purchase goods on credit

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-4st a retailer, tc purchase petrol or other fuel, or to withdraw cash at an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) for example.

In order to reduce the number of cards required by an average user, magnetic stripe cards according to the invention are provided with two or more magnetic stripes on one card. Each magnetic stripe contains data relating to different payment and/or purchase functions, allowing the card holder to select his or her means of payment according to circumstances, according to nm or her ; ) financial situation, or as legislative requirements dictate.

As shown in Figure 1, showing the front and back of a card 10, a first magnetic stripe 12 is located on the front surface 14 of the card, and a similar magnetic stripe 16 is located on the rear surface 18 of the card. The respective magnetic stripes 12 and 16 are spaced the same distance from the edge of the card, so that either stripe can be read by a magnetic card reader depending on the orientation of the card when it is passed through the reader.

Figure 2 shows an alternative card 20 which has first and second magnetic stripes 22 and 24 on the same face 26 of the card, at the same distance from respective upper and lower edges of the card so that rotation ci the card

O through 180 degrees in the plane of the card will present one or the other of the stripes to a card reader

In the case of the card of Figure 1, the magnetic stripes 12 and 16 can be formed on a single sheet of plastics material, or the card 10 may comprise two sheets of material bonded together back to back to create a corr> · ' - card, which may facilitate printing and/or embossing of the card.

in either case, the cards will cany printing, embossing and branding indicia on the front and/or the back of the card in accordance with the requirements of the relevant card issuer and any relevant standards or legislation, i . ntim _t

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-5and/or embossing of the card will correspond to the functions assigned to the respective magnetic stripes, so that the card could be used, for example, for:

credit card and petrol purchases; debit card and petrol purchases; credit card and debit card; debit card 1 and debit card 2.

Conventionally, magnetic stripe payment cards are used by “swiping” the card through or past a magnetic stripe reader on a transaction terminal or other device, or the device will transport the card to a reader head and move or hold the card against the reader head for validation, verification and authorisation of the relevant transaction.

Devices of this kind can only read one magnetic stripe at a time. Thus, the card holder will be able to choose which purchase/payment function should be used in a particular transaction, and then present the card oriented accordingly. This process is assisted by markings or instructions on the card to ensure that the correct magnetic stripe is presented to the reading device and thus the correct details are read from the card

Each magnetic stripe will contain data relevant to specific functions required, as indicated above. The printing or embossing of the plastics substrate will typically contain a specific card number, expiry date information, a “Visa” symbol and the cardholder name, all according to the Visa rules of card production.

For example, the first magnetic stripe could correspond to the credit card or debit card primary details (relevant to the primary card account) tied in with the printed or embossed details on the card. The second magnetic stripe could reflect an alternative function or account (for example being used for petrol

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- 6 purchases), in the latter Instance the art work and card design could indicate the relevant differences using a “petrol pump” symbol or other relevant markings. The second magnetic stripe could also be differentiated through coioir coding, and the various markings for the different stripes could be oriented differently (for example upside down or reversed by t-giee> relative to one another) to avoid confusion.

Where legislation requires It, use of the Bank identification Number (BIN) will ) determine which function is permitted for various purposes. This will aiso assist the card holder and/or operator in the process of using the m Only BIN’s relevant to specific devices will be loaded. For example, in the case o’ fuel purchases, only the relevant local petrol card BIN will be loaded to the forecourt device, and not both functional BIN’s. Similarly, the credit card or debit card BIN’s will be loaded to devices such as ATM’s etc. ; . , ,l m excluded on forecourt devices. In the case of an incorrect magnetic stripe being used at any of the devices, the transaction will return unconfirmed and incomplete.

Lise of cards of the invention in a non-electronic device such as o wip-zap’ machine is made possible by the location of the embossing (rais- *« nr j

I on the card, in much the same way as is presently the case. The embossing has to be located so that it can be “read” by the machine and therefore the embossing has to be placed in a particular way on the card, in terms of Visa rules the “zip zap” devices are pre-configured to transfer the embossed card details onto appropriate standard stationery, adequate for validating and completing relevant transactions Thus, the embossing will prefer»’ . nply with existing Visa and Mastercard requirements.

If can be noted that although two different embodiments have been ι need, each with two magnetic stripes, the embodiments could be c to to produce a card with three or four stripes.

Claims (10)

1. A magnetic stripe card comprising:

a planar substrate of stiff material;

indicia identifying one or more of a card holder, a card issuer and an account number; and at least first and second magnetically readable stripes, the magnetically readable stripes containing data relating to respective first and second payment and/or purchase functions.

2. A magnetic stripe card according to claim 1 wherein the stripes are located on opposite faces of the card.

3. A magnetic stripe card according to claim 1 wherein the stripes are located on the same face, adjacent opposed edges of the card.

4. A magnetic stripe card according to claim 2 wherein the card comprises a single sheet of stiff material carrying both stripes.

5. A magnetic stripe card according to claim 2 wherein the card comprises first and second sheets bonded together, each sheet carrying a respective stripe.

6. A magnetic stripe card according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the magnetically readable stripes contain data relating to combinations of any of the following functions: credit purchases, debit purchases and fuel purchases.

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APC01367

- 87. A magnetic stripe card according to any one of claims 1 tc 6 wherein the card is marked with respective indicia corresponding to the 'unction of each stripe.

8 A magnetic stripe card according to claim 7 wherein the indicia comprise printed or embossed data or symbols.

& A magnetic stripe card according to claim 8 wherein the ir w ,·' r tne ( i respective stripes are oriented differently from one another.

10. A magnetic stripe card according to claim 9 wherein the in. or the respective stripes are reversed by 180 degrees with respect to one another.

11. A magnetic stripe card according to any one of claims 7 to r.em, m at least one of the stripes is distinguished from one or , ww stripes by colour coding.

12. A magnetlZstripe card substantially as herein described/with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.