CA2516351C - Personal electronic transaction card - Google Patents

Abstract

A duel-position-multi-magnetic strip electronic (or other data storage medium strip) transaction card that has the same length and width, in its usable positions, as the current standard debit, credit, or consumer reward cards and which contains 2 to 8 independently encodable magnetic strips (or other data storage medium strip) all of which are of standard length and width as current debit, credit, or consumer reward cards and, with respect to the magnetic strips only, each strip can be used individually in current magnetic strip readers, automatic bank machines, hand held debit or credit card readers or any other similar point of sale debit/credit card machine, using existing standard data encryption protocols and the existing invoice processing of debit/credit/rewards charges related to a consumer's sale transactions to achieve the desired transaction of the consumer. One card will be able to replace up to eight standard debit, credit or consumer reward cards.

Description

SPECIFICATIONS of the PERSONAL ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CARD

This invention relates to an electronic transaction card. More particularly, it relates to a duel-position electronic transaction card which utilizes two to eight magnetic strips (or other data storage medium strips). These strips are independently written and may be used in various ways such as credit, debit, cash, award points, loyalty programs, affinity programs, insurance, personal identification, information storage, single and co-branding programs, licenses, and electronic keys.
To date, data strips are commonly magnetic and magnetic stripe cards have used only one conventional magnetic strip. Although preposed patents which incorporate one to four conventional strips have been granted, theses designs have not gained popular acceptance, if any at all. The problems are likely legal with respect to combining more than one corporation onto the same magnetic card. In an effort to overcome this non-acceptance and to make it more convenient for the consuming public to use all of their cards, the enclosed design emerged. This design will allow for all conventional existing magnetic strip readers to remain in place, without costly up grades, while still accomplishing the goal of replacing two to eight magnetic stripe cards with one card.

The new personal electronic transaction card, hereinafter "PET Card", disclosed herein overcomes many of the restrictions of the existing patents and the limitations of the single magnetic stripe card. The PET Card allows for the consumer to choose what cards to put on his PET Card and allows for multiple cards to be place on one card. This would reduce the bulk and awkwardness for the consumer. The consumer could conceivable carry all of their cards, all of the time A consumer PET Card would ensures that the cards that have been issued to the consumer will be available at the time when the consumer needs to use the same, this in turn would likely provide more revenue for the issuer of the card and the vendor; while at the same time providing more saving and rewards to the consumer.

OBJECTS:
(1) To create a duel- position personalized electronic transaction cards which have 2 to 8 magnetic stripes.

(2) To extend the life of current magnetic stripe technology by increasing its usefulness.

(3) To reduce consumer reward and discount losses by making all cards available at all of the time (4) To increase credit card usage for various smaller business that have their own store credit card by making their cards readily available to the consumer.

(5) To make it easier for smaller business vendor to sell their product to the consumer by having more payment options available for the consumer.

(6) To reduce the overall bulk, carrying weight, and security short coming of single stripe cards.

(7) To reduce plastic waste into the environment.
ADVANTAGES

(1) The PET Card would in essence allow the consumer the convenience of having from six to twenty four cards on his/her person in the same area of his/her wallet that three conventional magnetic stripe cards would now occupy.
This reduction in both weight and bulk is considerable, and would be appealing to the consuming public given the fact that most places have some form of single stripe credit or reward card.

(2) This convenient and constant access to multiple cards would reduce the likelihood of the consumer forgetting a particular credit, reward, or discount card at home or in another wallet. Thus increasing saving to the consumer and revenue to the business entity or credit issuer all at the same time.

(3) If a PET card is lost or stolen it is not immediately devastating. There is added security to the consumer in knowing that their main cards and information is safely at home.

(4) The PET Card may eventually be used by major financial institutes to combine two or more of their services on one card (i.e. debit and credit), leaving the other stripes available for the consumer to personalize. This would greatly reduced their costs with respect to billing, mailing and production of transaction cards.

(5) PET cards would have longevity by being flexible. The Pet Card would allow the consumer to erase one stripe on the card and replace that information with data from another card, this inturn would reduce waste.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSONAL ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CARD
The invention herein described provides for a duel-position personalized electronic transaction card or PET Card which contains two base card made of the same plastics as conventional credit cards, or from other non conventional plastic, composites, or textiles, hereinafter referred to as sub-cards, however, dependant on manufacturing process, the PET
card can also be comprised of four half sub-cards made of the same plastic as conventional credit cards, or from other non conventional plastic, composites, or textiles, hereinafter referred to as quarter-cards. Either sub-card or quarter cards would be approximately half the thickness of a current conventional magnetic strip plastic card; and each sub-card shall contain one, two, three or four magnetic, infrared, binary, optical, or holographic date storage strips or medium, totalling three to eight magnetic or data strips per PET Card. Each sub-card shall be scored about one quarter the depth of the sub-card's thickness and the scoring runs the full length of each sub-card in the middle of each sub-card. Each half of the sub-card shall contain up to two data storage strips, one strip positioned the standard distance, for magnetic strips, from the lengthwise edge, the other strip positioned the same standard distance from the score in the centre of the sub-card. Each sub-card shall be joined or jointed to the other sub-card via the lengthwise edge of each side of each sub-card such that all data storage strips are facing outward. Likewise quarter-card shall contain at least one, and no more than two magnetic strip(s) or similar data storage medium including, but not limited to, infrared, binary, optical, or holographic strips, and each strip shall be positioned the standard distance for magnetic strip from either or both lengthwise edges of the quarter-card. Each quarter card shall be joined or jointed to another quarter-card via the lengthwise edge until four quarter cards are joined. Thus each PET card will have either a total of two sub-cards with two scores, or four quarter cards, totalling three to eight data or magnetic strips per PET Card.

Two sub-card with scores, or four quarter-card will be joined such that the card will have complete adhesion between all length-wise edges so that the card is a square tube when look at mid-way through the transition between its' first position and its second position. For greater descriptive certainty the transformation into the second position will cause the scored centre on both sub-cards to become the lengthwise edge of the Pet Card in the second position.

The completed eight strip Pet Card will naturally have up to four data strips readily readable by the appropriate self-sliding data reader device, debit machine, credit card reader, automated teller machine or any other similar electronic transaction card reader, AND will be able to transform into a second position such that the data strips, up to four, located by the centre scored line would be readable by the same appropriate self-sliding data reader device, debit machine, credit card reader, automated teller machine or any other similar electronic transaction card reader.

The PET card may, include photo images, one or more electronic chips, account number, effectives dates, expiry dates, signature stripes, authorized users, multi-currency options, full shielding foils, local shielding foils, card holes, colour code matching, feature embossing, dedicated feature imaging, ghostings, issuer names, issuer codes, bar codes, serial number, logos, emblems, artwork, advertising, holographs, identification pictures, passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), telephone numbers, fax numbers, personal information, biometric information, finger prints, retinal prints, facial prints, facial information, instructions, addresses, internet address, e-mail address, and business information alone or in any combination thereof.

In conclusion the PET card system offers consumers increased convenience, rewards, and security while at the same time increasing revenue for the business owner and credit issuer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention disclosed herein will be best understood when following the detailed text in conjunction with the accompanying drawings herein:

Figure 1 is a pictorial representative of the front view of the first of the two sub-cards, within the PET card, in the PET card's first position. References character No. 1, 3, 5, and 6, refer to the positions of data strips in the first position; No. 2 refers to numerical information of the user; and reference No. 4 refers to one of the four score lines, this one in a dormant position.
Figure 2 is a pictorial representation of the end view of a PET card, showing both sub-cards and the center scores in the sub-cards in the first position. References character No. 1, 3, 5, and 6 references the positions of the magnet strips as depicted in Figure 1; while No. 8, 10, 12, and 13, refers to the positions of data strips on the opposite side of the card in Figure 1 and as depicted in Figure 3, while the card is in the first position; No. 2 refers to numerical information of user; and reference No. 9 refers to the identification of the user. Numbers 4 and 11 reference the two score lines in a dormant position; while position 7 and 14 refers to two score lines acting as the lengthwise edge;

Figure 3 is a pictorial representation of the back view of the second of the two sub-cards, within the PET card, in the PET card's first position.-References character No. 8, 10, 12, and 13 refers to the positions of data strips on the opposite side of Figure 1, in the first position; No. 9 refers to identification information of user; and reference No. 11 refers to one of the four score lines this one in a dormant position;

Figure 4 is a pictorial representative of the second position of the PET card and shows the new front view of the first of the two sub-cards within the PET card in the PET card's second position. References character No. 10, 8, 1 and 3, refers to the new positions of the same data strips but now in the second position; No. 9 refers to identification information of the user while reference 2 represents the numerical information of user both in their new position;

Figure 5 is a pictorial representation of the end view of a PET card in the second position, showing both sub-cards and the center scores in the sub-cards in the second position. References character No. 10, 8, 1, and 3 references the new positions of the data strips as depicted in Figure 4;
while No. 12, 13, 6, and 5, refers to the new positions of data strips on the opposite side of the card in Figure 4 and as depicted in Figure 6, while the card in the second position;
No. 2 refers to numerical information of user; and reference No. 9 refers to the identification of the user. Numbers 7 and 14 reference the two score lines in the dormant position; while position 4 and 11 refers to two score lines acting as the lengthwise edge;

Figure 6 is a pictorial representation of the front view of the second of the two sub-cards, within the PET card, in the PET card's second position. References character No. 12, 13, 6, and 5 refers to the new positions of data strips on the opposite side of Figure 4, in the second position; and reference No. 14 refers to one of the four score lines this one in a dormant position;

LIST OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS USED IN THE DRAWINGS
Note: throughout this disclosure liked numbered reference numerical refers to similar features, components or assemblies.

1. First position top active data strip in PET card's first position (inactive in second position).

2. Embossed or printed account number on sub-card.

3. First position top inactive data strip in PET card's first position.(active in second position).

4. Front score on PET card in first position (note: score not used in first position, used as a hinge in second position).

5. Front bottom inactive data strip in PET card's first position (active in second position).

6. Front bottom active data strip in PET card's first position (inactive in second position).

7. Front score being used as a hinge in first position (note: score not used in second position, used as a hinge in first position).

8. Rear top active data strip in PET card's first position (inactive in second position).

9. Signature stip with printed or embossed name on sub-card.

10. Rear top inactive data strip in PET card's first position (active in second position).

11. Rear score on PET card in first position (note: score not used in first position, used as a hinge in second position).

12. Rear bottom inactive data strip in PET card's first position (active in second position).

13. Rear bottom active data strip in PET card's first position (inactive in second position).

14. Second position rear score being used as a hinge in first position (note:
score not used in second position, used as a hinge in first position).

Claims (4)

1. A Personalized Electronic Transaction Card [PET Card] with the dimensions and thickness of a conventional credit card that allows for the card to move into two different positions for data storage and retrieval for use in electronic business transactions, banking, security entry, identification, vendor discounts, gift certificate, or rewards and related electronic readers which is composed of conventional plastics, PVC or other polymers, or teslin style material containing between two to eight magnetic or infrared or binary or optical or holographic data storage strips, hereinafter data strips, thus totalling two to eight data strips per card which are laid out to a maximum of two data strips per quarter card and followed by a scored centre line then two more data strips and another scored centre line and so on for all four quarter cards which are in a closed loop, with each other but only joined fully to the next nearest quarter card at the scored centre lines which doubles as the hinge and lever or fulcrum for the positional change to allow the inside data strips to be gently forced to the outside for reading by the appropriate swipe or scanning reader, this necessitates that the inside back of the quarter card is not fixed to any other quarter card and thus the middle of the card is fully free to open with the use of gentle finger pressure thus allowing the card to transition from a flat position to a parallelogram then to a square then to a opposite parallelogram then to the second flat position with the inside data strips now in the outside position, and can revert back again to the original flat position and is no thicker than a conventional credit card so each quarter card comprising the PET Card is only half the thickness of a conventional credit card.

2. The claim as recited in claim 1 wherein the said personal electronic transaction card includes two distinct positions to access all data strips on the card.

3. The claim as recited in claim 1 wherein where the said personal electronic transaction card includes the described card with one or more of the following, a computer chip or chips or processor, printed account numbers, bar codes, printed holographs, identification pictures, printed personal identification, logos, emblems, artworks, printed finger prints, full shield foils, local shield foils, printed serial numbers, signature strips, or the data strips containing one or more of the following:
voice prints, retinal prints, facial prints, facial information, telephone minutes, name, issuer codes, currency options, or personal identification numbers.

4. The claim as recited in claim 2 wherein the said personal electronic transaction card in the second position includes the described card with at least one or more of the following: a computer chip or chips or processor, printed account numbers, bar codes, printed holographs, identification pictures, printed personal identification, logos, emblems, artworks, printed finger prints, full shield foils, local shield foils, printed serial numbers, signature strips, or the data strips containing one or more of the following: voice prints, retinal prints, facial prints, facial information, telephone minutes, name, issuer codes, currency options, or personal identification numbers.