Abstract:
A durable, rigid adhesive cover for credit cards, debit cards and the like. The cover provides physical and information protection for the cards, and further may provide aesthetic customization and enhancement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention pertains to an adhesive cover for protection and enhancement of information security usable with various types of cards, in particular credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and any other card including personally identifying information or other sensitive information printed, embossed, or otherwise displayed thereon. Throughout this specification, the terms credit card and/or debit card are used as examples of cards to which the cover disclosed herein may be applied. However, the use of such example language is not intended to be limiting. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Anytime a credit card or debit card is used to perform a transaction, it must necessarily be brought into public view. However, such cards typically contain significant and valuable sensitive information which the user would not otherwise want to display publicly. For example, when a restaurant patron wishes to pay with a credit card or debit card, he or she typically must place the card on the table or on a small tray until the server comes to collect it. During this time, any passerby who also happens to be in the restaurant may be able to observe the card, including the sensitive information displayed thereon. Once the card is collected in order to process the payment, the card is removed from the view of its owner who is then unable to observe or detect any unauthorized attempts to access or use the sensitive information displayed on the card. In the foregoing example and in numerous other ordinary, commonplace, and frequent transactions, the sensitive information of a credit card user is exposed and potentially compromised through several avenues. 
         [0005]    There exists some covers which provide a limited solution to the increasing problem of information theft. Such covers preclude direct visual observation of selected aspects of the credit card or debit card. For example, U.S. Publication 2012/0200077, by Pohlman, (hereafter, “Pohlman”) provides an adhesive cover primarily concerned with obstructing view of a credit card&#39;s security code (which is only one of several pieces of sensitive information on a credit or debit card). Inasmuch as a card&#39;s security code is typically not embossed, the cover of Pohlman is perfectly suited for this limited scope of protection. However, the cover taught by Pohlman is less effective at concealing the card number or account number on a credit card, debit card, or other such card, which is most often embossed. If applied to such numbers, conventional covers such as that taught by Pohlman can be circumvented by an information thief who simply places a piece of paper over the embossed numbers and creates a pencil rubbing of the embossed numbers. Thus, the thief can misappropriate the protected information even without needing to remove or tamper with the known covers. 
         [0006]    Additionally, known covers are applied over limited portions of the card, concealing only selected portions of the sensitive information thereon. While this advances the goal of providing a low-profile cover so as not to interfere with ordinary use of the card, it also necessarily limits the function of the covers. Known covers are too small to provide aesthetic enhancement to the cards or to physically protect the cards. As such, the known covers provide limited protection for the card. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention prevents information thieves and others from misappropriating the user&#39;s sensitive information from the user&#39;s debit card, credit card, or other similar card. Throughout this specification, the terms credit card and/or debit card are used as examples of cards to which the cover disclosed herein may be applied. However, the use of such example language is not intended to be limiting. The cover of the present invention provides a low-profile cover that does not interfere with normal use of the credit card. At the same time, the present invention provides enhanced security and additional features not found in the prior art covers. The present invention is a low-profile, sturdy cover made of a thin, rigid material which is attached to each face of the debit card. The cover material preferrably is also durable, waterproof, and readily adapted to carry an adhesive backing. In a preferred embodiment, the cover material is rigid vinyl. The cover disclosed herein is of a minimal thickness and does not cover the magnetic stripe on the card&#39;s back face, such that the ordinary use of the card, such as swiping the card at a gas station pump, is not inhibited. The material of the cover is sufficiently rigid that it will resist pressure when applied over embossed numbers on a credit card. This means that the number cannot be revealed by simply rubbing a pencil on a piece of paper held over the covered number. 
         [0008]    The present invention may be decorated to enhance the aesthetic quality of the card. The present invention covers and obscures all sensitive information which is on either face of the card (including, for example, account number, card number, and/or security code). Accordingly, the cover of the present invention occupies a substantial portion of the card and noticeably affects the visual appearance thereof. Thus, adding decoration to the cover of the present invention enables it to serve aesthetic purposes as well as its security and protection purposes. 
         [0009]    An additional advantage of the present invention is that it provides a structural reinforcement to the card. Debit cards and credit cards are frequently passed through a variety of reading devices which impart various bending forces on the cards. Over many months or years of repeated use, the stress on the cards from these and other events can lead to cracking, warping, or other structural failures in the cards, which are typically made of a lightweight and flexible plastic material. When the cover of the present invention is applied to the card, the structure of the card is reinforced and the likelihood of structural failure substantially reduced. 
         [0010]    Cards from different providers will have sensitive information printed or displayed on varying parts of the card (e.g., some credit cards have the security code on the back face, whereas other have it on the front face). Accordingly, the cover disclosed herein encompasses a substantial portion of both faces of the card so that all possible locations for sensitive information are obscured and protected. Thereby, the cover is universal in that it is suitable to work with a wide range of credit cards, debit cards, and the like. Moreover, the cover prevents a would-be information thief from even knowing where sensitive information is located on the card, making it that much more difficult for the would-be thief to misappropriate such information. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a card with the inventive cover applied thereto. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of a card with the inventive cover applied thereto. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the inventive cover and a card to which it may be applied. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the disclosed cover includes two components, one for each face of the card. A first cover component  1  is attached to the front face  11  of the card  10 . A second cover component  2  is attached to the back face  12  of the card  10 . The card may contain sensitive information on one or both faces, and on multiple areas thereof. In the case of a credit card, the sensitive information includes the user&#39;s name  13 , account number or card number  14 , and a security code  15 . When the first cover component  1  is applied to the front face  11 , some or all of the account number or card number  14  may be obscured thereby. In the illustrated embodiment, portion  14   a  of the number  14  is covered while portion  14   b  of the number is still visible when the first cover component  1  is applied to the card  10 . Additionally, the card  10  includes a magentic strip  16  on the back face  12  thereof which encodes some of the sensitive information, typically the account number, and which may be read by a machine to autmoate part of the desired transaction. The uncovered portion  14   b  may be reviewed once the magnetic strip has been read by a machine to confirm that the encoded number matches the displayed number  14 . Typically, machines which read the magnetic strip  16  will only print out or display a selected portion of the number, most commonly the last four digits. Thus, the uncovered portion  14   b  preferrably includes the last four digits of number  14 . Also on back face  12  is a signature panel provided for the user&#39;s signature  17 . When a transaction is carried out in person, the user&#39;s signature  17  may be visually compared to the user&#39;s name  13  on the front face  11  and to the user&#39;s signature appearing on a receipt, invoice, other paper, or electronic display. The disclosed cover obscures a substantial portion of the sensitive information. The user may memorize the obscured information, or may write down or otherwise record the obscured information and keep it separate from the card itself in a more secure location. The disclosed cover does not obscure other information, such as the user&#39;s name  13  and signature  17 , which information is useful in confirming the user&#39;s identity during in-person transactions. The disclosed cover also does not obscure the magnetic strip  16  or otherwise interfere with the use thereof when the card is swiped, such as at a gas station pump. 
         [0015]    In a preferred embodiment, the disclosed cover obscures at least the security code  15 . In the illustrated embodiment, security code  15  is located on the front face  11  of card  10 . However, it is also contemplated within the scope of the invention that the security code  15  may be located on other areas of the card  10 , as is common and known in the industry, including on the back face  12 . When first and second cover component  1  and  2  are attached to the front and back faces  11  and  12 , most or all common locations for the security code  15  will be obscured from view and otherwise protected from misappropriation. 
         [0016]    Credit cards and debit cards are available in standard overall dimensions, the embossed account number or card number  14  is located a standard distance from the top and bottom edges of the front face  11  of the card  10 , and the magnetic stripe  16  is located a standard distance from the top and bottom edges of the back face  12  of the card  10 . The users name  13  is displayed below the account number or card number  14  on the front face of the card  10 . In the description herein, terms such as “top,” “bottom,” and “below” are with reference to the orientation shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The locations of other information, such as the card security code  15 , are not standard and may vary from one card to another. 
         [0017]    Cover component  1  is designed to be compatible with cards having the standard dimensions and information locations described. Accordingly, cover component  1  has a height and length that correspond to the standard height and length of the card  10  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Further, cover compenent  1  has a first window  3  corresponding to the standard location of the user&#39;s name  13 , but the height of first window  3  is such that the top edge of first window  3  falls below the standard location of the card number or account number  14 , in order to obscure and protect the number  14  while the user&#39;s name  13  can still be observed when the first cover component  1  is superimposed over the front face  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Also as shown in  FIG. 1 , first cover component  1  has a second window  5  which corresponds to the standard location of the number  14  in the vertical direction, but which is of a more limited horizontal extent than number  14 . Accordingly, when first cover component  1  is attached to front face  11 , only a portion  14   b  of number  14  is discernable. Covered portion  14   a  of number  14  is visually obscured by first cover component  1 , and is physically protected by first cover component  1  when first cover component  1  is attached to front face  11 . The physical protection provided includes both structural reinforcement to the card  10  and prevention of misappropriation of the embossed number  14  by a rubbing. Additionally, in embodiments wherein the security code  15  is located on the front face  11 , first cover component  1  will also visually obscure and physically protect security code  15  when first cover component  1  is attached to front face  11 . 
         [0018]    Second cover component  2  is designed to be compatible with cards having the standard dimensions and information locations described. Accordingly, second cover component  2  has a length that corresponds to the standard length of the card  10  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Also as shown in  FIG. 2 , the height of second cover component  2  is less than that of card  10 , so that when second cover component  2  is attached to the back face  12  with the bottom edges thereof substantially aligned, the top edge  6  of second cover component  2  is below the magnetic strip  16 . Further, second cover component  2  has a notch or rabbet  4  corresponding to the standard location of the signature strip and user&#39;s signature  17  on the back face  12  so that the user&#39;s signature  17  is still discernable when second cover component  2  is attached to back face  12 . In embodiments wherein the security code  15  is located on the back face  12 , second cover component  2  will visually obscure and physically protect security code  15  when second cover component  2  is attached to back face  12 . 
         [0019]    Preferrably, first and second cover components  1  and  2  are composed of a vinyl material, with an adhesive backing applied to inner surfaces  7  and  8 , respectively, thereof. 
         [0020]    While preferred embodiments and example configurations have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various further modifications and additional configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and configurations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. The specific embodiments and configurations disclosed are illustrative of the preferred and best modes for practicing the invention as defined by the appended claims, and should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.