Abstract:
A system for formatting and printing wallet cards having the form factor of a standard ISO credit card or debit card, the printing format being calculated according to the aspect ratio and pixel density of mobile handheld devices that are capable of communicating with a printer wherein the handheld device preferably has an internal program that converts the pixilated display screen to a select content portion of the physical ISO card area wherein the remaining card area resulting from the mismatch of the aspect ratios of the display screen and the physical card form is programmed to contain data, graphics, coding, or if desired, left blank as part of the card margin.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility application claims the benefit of provisional application of the same title, Application Ser. No. 61/209,165, filed Mar. 4, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The card metaphor is a timeless medium for exchange of ideas. A card, particularly a physical card, has a limited amount of visual real estate available to convey information. The text must be readable and the graphics must be cognizable, that is, understandable at some common level. These constraints provide challenges when used as a medium to convey information. 
     Technology convergence has spawned some convenient offspring that become de facto standards. The credit card and the business card have merged to the dominant format. The longer but narrower business card suffered physical degradation when mashed in a wallet with the shorter but wider credit card. Frayed corners became rounded. The elongated rounded corner business card adopted by some in response was a stopgap measure. The dominant format of the sturdy plastic credit card won that format duel. Business cards are migrating to thin plastic wallet cards, sized to the credit card. The standard “wallet card” is common not only to credit and debit cards, but plastic and paper transportation cards, gift cards, phone cards and coupon cards. 
     On a parallel front, the current optimum screen for handheld communication devices, particularly those with internet capabilities, has first temporarily settled on a card-size screen with 480 pixel by 320 pixel granularity. The size and granularity of this screen allows for media presentations acceptable to modern content providers, including motion pictures and interactive games. The popularity of the Apple iPhone has established the card-size 480 pixel by 320 pixel screen as a format standard. The 3×2 ratio of the screen, however, has never really been a favored configuration for cards, including playing cards, trading cards, business cards, or ordinary index cards. Nevertheless, the metaphor of the card aptly applies to the exchangeability of the content capacity of the handheld electronic screen and the physical printed card. 
     On the other hand, subsequent multi-media communication devices emulating the iPhone have higher resolution screens. For example, the Android Nexus has a screen with an 800 pixel×480 pixel resolution providing a familiar 3×5 aspect ratio. The leaner resulting content image when converted to the ISO card format does not provide an extra area for a header or trailer, but rather an increased side margin that permits a side bar of about 22 pixels running the entire 800 pixel length of the content field. 
     The preferred method of converting the screen image to a card image with a visible or hidden header, trailer or side bar, is by an application or applet in the handheld device that is programmed to accomplish the conversion, allow the additional coding or data to be input into the extra field, and direct the printing of the card to a conventional paper printer. The preferred combination is a dedicated card printer that communicates with the handheld through a Bluetooth wireless communication channel since most modern handheld devices now have this capability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It will be discovered that applying the first de facto standard of the electronic handheld screen to the de facto standard of the physical card is an inexact transformation. Given the mismatch of the 1.5 aspect ratio of the screen and the almost 1.6 ratio of the wallet card, the transformation is only a tantalizing approximation. However, this adaptation provides an avenue of opportunity. 
     Because of its greater aspect ratio, a 3×2 frame centered within the perimeter of a wallet card (to use a generic term for a card having the width and length of an ISO standard credit card) will create greater margins at the ends of the card than at the elongated sides. To approximate in pixels, a wallet card of 320 pixels in width will have a length of approximately 520 pixels. This provides an extra border of approximately 20 pixels at each end, or preferably a 40 pixel banner at one end. 
     It is to be understood in this transformation that the use of the term “frame” connotes a content window. The content window can be sized the full length and width of the physical wallet card, in which case some content will be lost to the rounded corners, or sized smaller than the physical wallet card, in which case the content will be framed by a uniform border. The border may be demarcated at the edge of the window by a thin line that is either part of the new 320×520 pixel joint content field, or part of a display of the card on printing or depiction on a digital screen of greater pixel size than the pixilated wallet card. 
     An enlarged content window that provides an extra 40 pixel by 320 pixel frame is advantageous not only when utilized as an informational header or advertising banner on printing a facsimile of the screen content, but may be advantageous as an auxiliary screen for a handheld device. In this manner the entity in control of the extra pixel band may utilize the band for content control of the formatted media displayed in the “standard” frame derived from the first de facto standard display screen. This suggests, modification to the handheld hardware to add at least one narrow elongated display for advantageous display of separately controlled information such as quality of service or other performance metrics or simply service provider banner ads. Juxtaposition of the added display to the primary standard content display is desired to maintain the continuity of the header frame to the content frame of the combined electronic displays to the header and content parts of the printed card. This control point allows input from an entity other than the content provider of the primary display. 
     It is also to be understood that the traditional detail of the ordinary printed card is far in excess of the electronically displayed card. Therefore, it is desirable that the pixel density of the printed card substantially exceed the pixel density of the electronically displayed card. The popular handheld displays of the 480×320 pixel category currently display at around 160 pixels per inch. This is more than adequate for a casual electronic display medium, but overly granular for a printed medium of similar size. Even lower resolution dot matrix printers have a comfortable 300 dpi (dots per inch) printing capability. Typically, in a system utilizing the teachings of this invention or discovery, picture files for wallet cards should preferably have a pixel count at least four times the count of the files for the corresponding electronic display cards. In this manner, display of the graphic for a 520 pixel×320 pixel card on a higher resolution monitor allowing expanded fields will display a 1040×640 pixel image with acceptable granularity for printing on the reduced dimension physical card. 
     The second de facto “standard” for a handheld display of the type marketed as the iPhone or iTouch is the Android. Nexus that has a display screen of 800 pixels X 480 pixels. This provides a 3×5 aspect ratio. In this instance, the content frame when adapted to the standard credit card is a little narrower than the physical card. In landscape mode an extra top and bottom border of 11 pixels×800 pixels is left. When the top and bottom borders are consolidated as a single header or trailer in the landscape mode, a 22×800 pixel area is available for data or graphic symbols as previously noted. Again the header or trailer can be utilized in a variety of ways i.e. for advertising, screen control buttons, codes or other means. Of course, instead of using the extra real estate for a header or trailer, when in the portrait orientation, the 22×800 pixel area can provide a side strip for entry of information or data. 
     Examples of the wallet card are described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. While the primary use of the wallet card is the traditional business card, the wallet card may similarly function as a secure identity card or encrypted access card to other real or virtual systems. The principal focus of this display print transformation is not the internals of a smart card or powered card with higher levels of security implementations, such as one time pin codes, biometric authentication sensors or other sophisticated electronic systems, but rather the visual skin or surface of the card that allows the card to be fabricated of paper stock, or thin-film polymer stock having a rich card feel with wear resistant properties without compromising the message to be conveyed. The information to be imparted and the data to be transferred is evident from visual inspection of the card. This in turn allows machine reading of the card and transformation of the expressed data or information to digital format for processing by a digital processor such as a personal computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a first embodiment of the wallet card of this invention in the format of an identity card. 
         FIG. 2  is a second embodiment of the wallet card in the format of an informational card. 
         FIG. 3  is a depiction of the layout of the wallet card with a header field and a content field. 
         FIG. 4  is a depiction of the layout of the wallet card with the header field and content field combined. 
         FIG. 5  is a depiction of the matrix structure of the wallet card. 
         FIG. 6  is a depiction of a wallet card reduced to an icon and displayed in an info map. 
         FIG. 7  is an alternate embodiment of a wallet card in landscape mode utilizing a 480 pixel×800 pixel content field and a 22 pixel×800 pixel trailer shown as a matrix structure 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the preferred system for converting the wallet card from a digital display image to a physical printed display card. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The wallet card  10  is an electronic or printed display card that is derived from the screen of modern handheld electronic display devices and a physical card having ISO surface dimensions. The wallet card  10  has a first embodiment 10a in  FIG. 1  as an identity card, and a second embodiment 10b in  FIG. 2  as an information card (info card). 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , the illustrated wallet card  10   a  is configured to substantially conform to the ISO size of a conventional banking card such as a credit or debit card. The ISO card has dimensions of 2.125 inches by 3.370 inches or 53.98 mm×8.55 mm. Of course there is no thickness requirement for the wallet card and it can be made from paper stock or a polymer for added durability. The card can be printed or displayed on two sides, but the usual case for convenient reference is similar to a playing card and informatively printed on one side with the other side left blank or printed and displayed with a generic pattern for a collected class of wallet cards. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the wallet card  10   a  is in the form of an identification card for a person with a number of text and graphic entries. Because the layout of the identification card may be varied, and alternately oriented in landscape mode and not simply in portrait mode as shown, only a basic arrangement is illustrated which provides a general utility for a variety of purposes. For example, the card  10   a  may be used as a serious identity card or simply a passable token for a social network that has fields relating to a person&#39;s astrological sign, favorite actor or music preference and the like. 
     The structure of the card is similar to a playing card with elongated sides  12  and narrow sides  14  with rounded corners  16 . The card  10   a  is shown with an outline  18  that may be omitted when printed, and a line  20  forming a content frame  22  that circumscribes a content field  24  of 320×480 pixels. The content frame  22  is preferably arranged within the outer perimeter  25  of the card and marginally displaced from the rounded corners  16  of the card  10   a.    
     When the layout for the content field  24  is sized to fit within the perimeter of the card  10   a , with uniform margins  26  on the sides and bottom of the card  10   a , an enlarged margin  28  remains at the top of the card  10   a . This margin  28  provides an extra header field  30  that may function as a banner  32  for the content field  24 . This header field  30  is shown without a frame line, but corresponds in width to the 320 pixels of the content field  24 . The header field  30  has a pixel height of approximately 40 pixels. It is to be understood that the two layout fields  24  and  30  when combined may optionally be enlarged to bleed over the perimeter  24  with some loss of content, typically for artistic reasons. 
     Although alternately, a 20 pixel header and 20 pixel trailer (or footer) may be provided, the double size header is most useful. The header field  30  may include redundant information, such as the name  34  of the person identified by the card or unique information, such as the playing card symbol shown that can provide a class and value marker  36  to the content of the card. Added to this embodiment is a 2D bar code  38  that provides a machine-readable public key to a security or authentication system. Other security markers can be added according to the requirements of the application. The header field  30  can be colored to provide a color-coded banner  32 . The relationship between the content field  24  and the banner or header field  30  is shown in  FIG. 3  with the card  10   c  divided into the header field  30  and the content field  24  with a substantially uniform perimeter border  40  of approximately 4 additional pixels. The combined field  42  of 320×520 pixels is shown in the card  10   d  of  FIG. 4  with the border  40  having an outline  43  of the wallet card perimeter. 
     The content field  24  of the wallet card  10   a  of  FIG. 1  is divided into a graphics area  44  and a text area  46 . The graphics area  44  is typically filled with a graphic such as a photo  48 . The text area  46  is typically filled with text fields  50  such as the listed fields of name, company, case no., etc., which can be the subject of a database for organizing field information. 
     The format of the wallet card  10   a  for the identity card embodiment of  FIG. 1  follows a uniform division of the card as shown in the matrix configuration of the card  10   e  shown in  FIG. 5 . Notably, a 320×480 pixel content field  24  lends itself to a 4×6 set of cells  52  that are each 80 pixels square, and a uniform 4×3 cell composite for upper and lower sectors  54  and  56  corresponding to the graphics area  44  and text area  46  described above. The 4×6 cell set is convenient for locating icons or thumbnails for information composites or mosaics as taught in previous patents of this inventor. 
     The layout of the wallet card  10  in the embodiment of an info card  10   b  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The info card  10   b  is in the format of an abbreviated informational card for a patent. In this form some of the basic information about an issued or published patent can be displayed on a card sized to the de facto credit card standard described. 
     Additionally, in portrait orientation as shown, the adopted value sign marker  36  can be maintained in the left part  58  of the header field  30  in both embodiments, so the cards can be fanned in the manner of common playing card for a quick preview. The grouped cards may be part of a patent portfolio, that is, a stack of patent cards usually having some topical relationship, or person cards from a group of friends, or a collection of info cards having no particular relationship at all. 
     The general division of the wallet card  10   b  into a header field  30  in the form of a banner  32 , with the content field  24  divided into a graphic area  44  and a text area  46 , is maintained. It is understood that other layouts are contemplated that are typically correlated to the content set of a related series of cards in a group. In the patent card embodiment, the graphic area  44  has a selected drawing figure image  60  from the identified patent. Since this system is user oriented, the selected drawing figure image  60  need not be the drawing image that the patent office selects for the cover page of an issued or published patent. The image may be cropped and sized to conform to the space allotted. 
     The text area  46  has a list of typical data fields  62  that are useful in understanding the identity of the patent 64, the date of issue 66, the earliest priority date  68 , the inventor  70 , the owner  72 , a rephrased title  73 , general subject  74 , a synopsis of the claim (given two lines)  76 , and a reference to one or more related art references  78 . A version number  80  may refer to the version of the particular card modification, or, the version of a software program that can interpret and produce the card or cards. Additional data or code can of course be included such as a barcode  82  at the bottom  84  of the wallet card  10   b . The data fields  62  may allow for a limited number of characters to be input to permit all of the input data or information to be printed on the limited size physical card while maintaining readability. 
     In the header field  30 , in addition to the value marker  36 , are an abbreviated patent number  86 , typically used as a short hand ID of a particular patent, and an abbreviated date  88 , which may out of preference be the month and year of the priority date of the patent. The data entries are enlarged such that when the header field  30  is combined with the graphic area  44  of the content field, and reduced to a thumb nail or icon  90 , at least the text identity of the icon  90  is recognizable when the electronic capture and display is presented, for example, in the cell matrix  92  of an info map  94  of a standard size screen as shown in  FIG. 6 . Typically, an info map  94  would have a plurality of different icons distributed in some logical pattern or grouping as previously described in prior patents of this inventor. 
     The wallet card  10  is adapted to utilize the screen specifications for other handheld devices, for example, the higher resolution Android Nexus that has an elongated screen of 800 pixels×480 pixels. When adapting this screen specification to the standard credit card format as shown in  FIG. 7  with uniform margins  98  within the standard card perimeter  25 , the content field  100  leaves a narrow side bar  102  of approximately 22 pixels×800 pixels along one edge (here, arbitrarily the right edge) of the vertically-oriented, alternate embodiment wallet card  10   f . Again this side bar  102 , which is in addition to the full-screen content field  100 , is designed to be utilized for features previously discussed. In the matrix configuration illustrated, the wallet card  10   a  is divided into uniform cells  104  of 160×160 pixels in a 3×5 cell arrangement, or further broken down into comparative 80 pixel square cells in a 6×10 matrix for convenient division of the content field as previously described. Although the side bar  102  may not be as desirable as a header for many purposes, there are 17,600 pixels available for coding compared to 12,800 pixels for the 320×480 pixel screen. 
     The implementation of the wallet card  10  can be accomplished by the construction of a report or form feature of a database program. Organization and transfer of the data stream enabling the construction of a display card that is either shown electronically or printed in the manner described can be accomplished by utilizing a cross platform standard such as vCard, the Electronic Business Card. For example, the Version 2.1 specification of Sep. 18, 1996 for the vCard can be used to program the data fields and graphic fields using the supported properties. In such implementation requiring at least a name field and a version field with optional additional standard fields, the described wallet card can be constructed and deconstructed using the protocols accompanying the interchange format of the vCard Object. 
     The identification card  10   a  is a natural fit for the “business card” implementation of the wallet card  10 . However, the info card  10   b  implementation may require a bit more imagination. The “name” property of a vCard by definition of the specification can be the name of a person, place or thing. Thus, Patent No. 3,593,292 or Scott &#39;292 could serve as the name or supported “N” property. The other mandatory property “VERSION” would likely be hidden, that is, not shown on a printed or electronic display of the wallet card  10 . 
     In adapting spec fields to the information shown on the wallet card  10 , “PHOTO” would include the graphic depiction of the selected patent drawing figure image  60 . The value marker  36  can either be constructed from a text-based Unicode dingbat or utilize the “LOGO” property in the vCard spec. This provides for a graphic depiction having the format options that are similar to the “PHOTO” property. 
     Where the wallet card  10  includes a 2D barcode, for example a DataMatrix type of symbol, the “LOGO” property is preferably reserved for the barcode when presented as a graphic. The data field for date of patent issue can adopt the “BDAY” property, the priority date field can adopt the “LABEL” property, since the header field  30  (the card label) includes an abbreviated “label” date for priority that can be derived from the priority date. The inventor field can logically adopt the Formatted Name (“FN”) property. Additionally, the owner field can adopt the “ORG” property, the title field can adopt the “TITLE” property, the subject field can adopt the “ROLE” property, and the claim field can adopt the comment or “NOTE” property. The reference field can adopt one of the remaining properties such as the address or “ADR” property. The version field, which is the particular card revision and not the hidden reference to the vCard version, can adopt the “REV” property which is translated by a tailored vCard Writer from a date to a version number. 
     The thumbnail or icon  90  can be a nested vCard object that is incorporated within the primary vCard object by the “AGENT” property and may be a nested PHOTO or LOGO with appropriate identification such as a modified name and advantageously an optional globally unique identifier (“UID”) that is hidden on electronic display or print display. Similarly, the parent vCard can optionally include a variety of other vCard specification properties that are appropriate to the application or card group, including grouping, security features or other standard or extension properties tied to the selected virtual card specification. The suggested assignments are appropriate for implementation of a reasonably logical card system using a readily available cross platform specification. Other assignments for the patent card shown may make more sense than those described as an example. 
     It is to be understood that other systems can be utilized and that individual cards can in their entirety be in the format of a graphic image. However, the use of a Report or Form feature of a system that allows user entry of data and graphics in the fixed fields of a particular wallet card allow users to create cards through a web applet. The unique header field  30  provides an opportunity for an informational banner that can be used for advertising, identity management or any of a variety of different applications that can adapt to this newly discovered space when transforming a truncated screen card to a printed card adopting the de facto card size. 
     In the preferred and most direct system, the mobile handheld device  106  as shown in  FIG. 8  has an internal applet that includes programming for viewing not only the content field, but the header or side bar fields collectively the coding fields. In this manner the virtual wallet card can be generated with the installed applet and transmitted over the airways, using Bluetooth, to a card printer  108  having a magazine of blank or partially printed cards  110 . The program protocol alerts the printer  108 , transmits the data and coding necessary to activate the printer and print the physical wallet card  112 , which is deposited on a printer tray  114  for pickup.