Abstract:
In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: circuitry having exactly three non-wire elements of (a) one two-terminal inductive read head having a first read head terminal and a second read head terminal, (b) one two-terminal resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, and (c) one TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector including a microphone contact and a circuit completion contact, with said TRS connector adapted to be inserted into a socket of a cell phone to connect the microphone contact and circuit completion contact to corresponding cell phone circuitry including connecting to a microphone input of the cell phone; wherein said three non-wire elements are connected together using one or more direct connections, one or more wires, or both; and a housing enclosing said read head and said resistor, with said TRS connector extending out of the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/083,315, filed Nov. 18, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/065,931, filed Apr. 1, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,946, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/807,064, filed Aug. 26, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,918,394, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,134, filed on Jun. 10, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729, with the complete disclosure of each of these applications being hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to credit card reader devices that are configured to provide an attenuated read head signal generated from a swiped magnetic stripe to a microphone input of a cell phone, such as for use in conducting financial transactions. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    This disclosure relates to a card reader device for use with a cellular phone for reading a magnetic stripe card and more particularly to a portable card reader device which senses the magnetically recorded information stored on a magnetic stripe card and conveys this sensed information via an analog waveform to a cell phone for processing. 
         [0004]    Plastic cards having a magnetic stripe embedded on one side of the card are prevalent in every day commerce. These cards are used in various transactions such as to pay for purchases by using a credit card, a debit card, or a gasoline charge card. A charge card or a debit card may also be used to transact business with a bank through use of an automated teller machine (ATM). The magnetic stripe card is capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of magnetic particles embedded in the stripe. The data stored on the magnetic stripe may be sensed or read by swiping the stripe past a read head. The analog waveform obtained by sensing the magnetic stripe must undergo a process known as decoding to obtain the digital information stored in the magnetic stripe of the card. Conventional magnetic stripe card readers are comprised of both relatively simple sensing components as well as the more costly and complex decoding and communication components. 
         [0005]    It is typical in a magnetic stripe card to locate the magnetic stripe 0.223 inches from an edge of the card with the stripe being 0.375 inches wide. The magnetic stripe contains up to three tracks of digital data with each track being 0.110 inches wide. Tracks one and three are typically recorded at 210 bits per inch, while track two typically has a recording density of 75 bits per inch. Each track can either contain 7-bit alphanumeric characters, or 5-bit numeric characters. Track one standards were created by the airlines industry, the International Air Transport Association. Track one can contain information reserved for the bank that issued the card and magnetically encoded data like the primary account number, the user&#39;s name, a country code, an expiration date for the card, and 79 characters of discretionary data, all mixed in with separators and other specialized computer characters. The second track, the track most commonly used, is in a format defined by the American Bankers Association. The second track can contain the primary account number, the country code, the card&#39;s expiration date, 40 characters of discretionary data, and separator characters. The third track is in a format called THRIFT and was originally intended for use with ATMs. Unlike tracks one and two, which are read only tracks, the third track was intended for read and write applications. However, for the most part, the third track is hardly ever used. Further, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an international-standard setting body, has a set of standards for describing the physical dimensions and recording technique on identification cards which are known as ISO 7810 and 7811. 
         [0006]    Magnetic stripe cards having these standard specifications can typically be read by point-of-sale devices at a merchant&#39;s location. When the card is swiped through an electronic card reader at the checkout counter at a merchant&#39;s store, the reader will usually use its built-in modem to dial the number of a company that handles credit authentication requests. Once the account is verified and an approval signal will be sent back to the merchant to complete a transaction. 
         [0007]    Although magnetic stripe cards are universally used by merchants there is no way for an individual to take advantage of the card to receive a payment from another individual (who is not a merchant) by swiping the card through a simple reader attached to his cell phone. For example, one individual may owe another person money for a debt, but one way to pay the debt is to provide cash or a check. It would be convenient to be able to use a credit card or a debit card to pay off the debt. In addition, it is advantageous for an individual to make payment to another individual or merchant by swiping his magnetic stripe card through a reader connected to a cell phone. However, there is presently no way for an individual to send payment to an individual or merchant through the use of a magnetic stripe card by using a simple magnetic stripe card reader connected to a cell phone. 
         [0008]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a simple card reader device that would allow an individual to receive or send payment through the use of a magnetic stripe card. It is also desirable to provide a simple portable card reader device that can be connected to a cell phone with the cell phone providing the decoding function for the sensed magnetic stripe information as well as acting as a point-of-sale device. The cell phone can have an application programmed therein to decode data contained on a magnetic stripe to submit the card data to a company or a third party that handles credit authentication requests. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    In one form of the present disclosure, a card reader device comprises: circuitry having exactly three non-wire elements of (a) one two-terminal inductive read head having a first read head terminal and a second read head terminal, (b) one two-terminal resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, and (c) one TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector including a microphone contact and a circuit completion contact, with said TRS connector adapted to be inserted into a socket of a cell phone to connect the microphone contact and circuit completion contact to corresponding cell phone circuitry including connecting to a microphone input of the cell phone; wherein said three non-wire elements are connected together using one or more direct connections, one or more wires, or both as follows: the first read head terminal is connected to the first resistor terminal, the second resistor terminal is connected to the TRS connector, and the second read head terminal is connected to the TRS connector; wherein said circuity is the only circuity in the card reader device used in adjusting and providing a signal generated by said read head to the cell phone; and a housing enclosing said read head and said resistor, with said TRS connector extending out of the housing. In other words, the card reader device of  FIG. 2  is being narrowly claimed as the recited circuitry is the only circuity in the card reader device used in adjusting and providing a signal generated by said read head to the cell phone. 
         [0010]    In one form of the present disclosure, a method comprises: generating and providing, by a card reader device, an attenuated non-decoded analog signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card to a microphone input of a cell phone via a IRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector of the card reader device inserted into a socket of the cell phone; wherein the card reader device includes a housing and circuitry; wherein said circuitry has exactly three non-wire elements of (a) one two-terminal inductive read head having a first read head terminal and a second read head terminal, (b) one two-terminal resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, and (c) said TRS connector including a microphone contact and a circuit completion contact to connect the microphone contact and circuit completion contact to corresponding cell phone circuitry including connecting to the microphone input; wherein said three non-wire elements are connected together using one or more direct connections, one or more wires, or both as follows: the first read head terminal is connected to the first resistor terminal, the second resistor terminal is connected to the TRS connector, and the second read head terminal is connected to the TRS connector; wherein said circuitry is the only circuitry of the card reader device used in said generating and providing the attenuated non-decoded analog signal to the microphone input; and wherein said generating and providing by the card reader device include: producing, by said inductive read head, a non-decoded analog signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card in response to the magnetic stripe being passed by said inductive read head; receiving, by said resistor on the first resistor terminal, the non-decoded analog signal; passively attenuating, by the resistor, the non-decoded analog signal to produce the attenuated non-decoded analog signal on the second resistor terminal; receiving, by the TRS connector, the attenuated non-decoded analog signal; and providing, by the TRS connector via the socket, the attenuated non-decoded analog signal to the microphone input. One embodiment includes amplifying, digitizing and decoding, by said cell phone circuitry, the attenuated non-decoded analog signal to produce decoded digital information corresponding to said data stored on a magnetic stripe. One embodiment includes providing, by said cell phone, said decoded digital information to a third party for authorizing a financial transaction. 
         [0011]    In one form of the present disclosure, a card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone, wherein application software resident on the cell phone directs the processor of the cell phone to decode the signal provided to the microphone input to produce the digital data stored on the card. 
         [0012]    In another form of the present disclosure, a card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card in which the device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, an amplifier for amplifying the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into an input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone, wherein application software resident on the cell phone directs the processor of the cell phone to decode the signal provided to the audio or line input to produce the digital data stored on the card. 
         [0013]    In yet another form of the present disclosure, a method for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the method comprises the steps of providing a card reader device comprising a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone, passing a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card by the card reader device, and providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone for processing by circuitry contained in a cell phone. 
         [0014]    In light of the foregoing comments, it will be recognized that a principal object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device comprised of a very simple external device to be used in conjunction with a cell phone with application software provided to perform the decoding function. 
         [0015]    A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can read and decode data stored on a magnetic stripe card by sensing the recorded data waveform and transmitting the data waveform to a cell phone where it is decoded with built in circuitry and application software provided. 
         [0016]    Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can read one or more tracks of data stored on a magnetic stripe card. 
         [0017]    A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that is of simple construction and design and which can be easily employed with highly reliable results. 
         [0018]    A still further object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can be easily carried or stored. 
         [0019]    Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that does not require any source of power. 
         [0020]    Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that may be constructed in various shapes, designs, or forms. 
         [0021]    A still further object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can amplify data read from a magnetic stripe card. In some constructions an amplifier resident in a card reader device may require power which may be provided by a cell phone. 
         [0022]    Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can operate with existing magnetic stripe cards. 
         [0023]    Yet still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a card reader device that can provide a signal indicative of data stored in a magnetic stripe and application software to a cell phone for the cell phone to decode the signal indicative of data stored in a magnetic stripe to be processed to transact commerce. 
         [0024]    These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent after considering the following detailed specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method of operation of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like items, number  10  identifies a preferred embodiment of a card reader device constructed according to the present disclosure. With reference now to  FIG. 1 , the card reader device  10  is shown to comprise a housing  12  having a slot  14  and an output jack  16  extending out from the housing  12 . The jack  16  is adapted to be inserted into a socket  18  such as a microphone input or a line in audio input of a cell phone  20 . The jack  16  may be a TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector also known as an audio jack, phone plug, jack plug, stereo plug, mini-jack, or mini-stereo audio connector. The jack  16  may be formed of different sizes such as miniaturized versions that are 3.5 mm or 2.5 mm. It is also possible and contemplated that the jack  16  may be retractable within the housing  12 . 
         [0031]    The slot  14  is wide enough and deep enough to accept a card having a magnetic stripe. In particular, the slot  14  is deep enough that the magnetic stripe will fit within the slot  14 . The slot  14  also has a length that is less than the length of the card to be inserted into the slot  14 . However, it is also possible and contemplated that the slot  14  may have other lengths if desired, for a given application. The housing  12  may take on different shapes and sizes, as will be discussed further herein. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic diagram of the card reader device  10 . The card reader device  10  comprises a read head  22 , such as an inductive pickup head, having a coil  24  connected to a signal amplitude setting device  26  such as a resistor which is connected to the jack  16 . A lead  28  connects the jack  16  to the coil  24  to complete the circuit. A card  30 , such as a credit card, has a magnetic stripe  32  associated with the card  30 . As has been previously discussed, the magnetic stripe  32  may have three tracks with each of the tracks containing data. The card reader device  10  is capable of reading one track, usually track two, when the device  10  is connected to the microphone input of the cell phone  20 . As the magnetic stripe  32  of the card  30  is passed by the read head  22  the read head  22  reads data or information stored in the magnetic stripe  32 . Although not shown, the card  30  is inserted into the slot  14  in the housing  12  and the card  30  is swiped or passed by the read head  22 . Data stored in the magnetic stripe  32  may be in the form of magnetic transitions as described in the ISO 7811 standards. As the card  30  moves past the read head  22 , magnetic transitions representing data induce a voltage in the coil  24 . A voltage signal or waveform produced by the coil  24  is provided to the resistor  26  with the resistor setting the amplitude of the waveform. This waveform is sent via the jack  16  into the microphone input socket  18  of the cell phone  20 . A pair of wires  34  and  36  connect the socket  18  to an amplifier  38 . The amplifier  38  amplifies the waveform received from the card reader device  10 . The amplified waveform is provided to an analog to digital converter device (ADC)  40  where the waveform in analog form is converted into digital samples of the analog waveform. The digital samples are sent to a microprocessor  42  for further processing, as will be explained. For the sake of clarity and brevity most of the components of the cell phone  20  have not been shown. However, the cell phone  20  may also include such components as memory including flash ROM, SRAM, a camera, a battery, LCD driver, a display, an antenna, a speaker, a Bluetooth circuit, and WIFI circuitry. The flash ROM may contain programs, applications, and/or an operating system for the cell phone  20 . 
         [0033]    The card reader device  10  is capable of being connected to the cell phone  20  for providing data stored in the magnetic stripe  32  of a card  30 . Once connected any magnetic stripe  32  that is swiped in the slot  14  is read by the read head  22 . The magnetic read head  22  generates an analog waveform that results from changes in magnetization along the stripe  32  relative to the movement between the read head  22  and the stripe  32 . The resistor  26  sets the amplitude of this signal and this signal is provided to the cell phone  20 . This signal is then amplified by the amplifier  38  contained in the cell phone  20 . The ADC  40  of the cell phone  20  samples the amplified analog waveform at a given sampling rate and generates a stream of digital values or samples. These digital samples are processed by the processor  42  that can in turn provide information to a host system such as a third party or a company that handles credit authentication requests. The processor  42  can communicate with the host system via the cell phone network, WIFI, Bluetooth or any other mode available to it. The host system may also send a signal to the cell phone  20  to indicate that the transaction has been completed. The processor  42  may be controlled by a program or an application stored in memory or in a program storage area. The program or application can be programmed to decode digital samples received from the ADC  40  and use the decoded signals to contact a third party for authorizing a transaction. In this manner, a payment from the cardholder&#39;s account can be transferred to the cell phone owner&#39;s account or allow the cell phone owner to transfer payment to a merchant that accepts credit card transactions. 
         [0034]    With reference now to  FIG. 3 , another embodiment of a card reader device  80  is illustrated. The card reader device  80  comprises a housing  82  having an inductive read head  84  with coil  86  connected to an amplifier  88  which is connected to an output jack  90 . The output jack  90  extends out of the housing  82  and is adapted to be inserted into a line in audio input or a stereo line in input associated with a cell phone (not shown). A wire  92  connects the jack  90  to the coil  86 . Although not shown in this particular drawing, a slot is formed in the housing  82  near the coil  86  to allow a card having a magnetic stripe to be passed by the coil  86 . Data or information stored in the magnetic stripe is read by the coil  86 . The coil  86  produces a waveform indicative of data stored in the magnetic stripe and this waveform is provided to the amplifier  88 . The amplified waveform is then transmitted to the cell phone via the jack  90 . The amplified waveform may be provided to an ADC device for converting into digital samples to be processed by a microprocessor in the cell phone. Once processed, the cell phone may contact a third party for processing a transaction in either direction (i.e., to or from the cell phone owner&#39;s account). 
         [0035]    Since the card reader device  80  uses the line in audio input of the cell phone, the card reader device  80  is capable of transmitting two tracks from the card being read. As has been previously discussed, a magnetic stripe may have up to three tracks with each of the tracks containing data. For example, the card reader device  80  may read tracks one and two and send these signals to the cell phone as the left and right channels of a stereo signal. However, with the card reader device  80  any two of the three tracks, usually tracks one and two, may be read and decoded when the card reader device  80  is connected to the stereo line in inputs. In some situations or constructions, it is possible that the amplifier  88  may need to be powered. The amplifier  88  may be powered from a power source resident in the cell phone to which the device  80  is connected. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart diagram of a method of operation  100  of the card reader device  10 . The method  100  begins operation at a step  102  in which a magnetic stripe card  30  is swiped through the slot  14 . In a next step  104 , the read head  22  reads data stored in the magnetic stripe  32  and generates an analog signal or waveform indicative of data stored in the magnetic stripe  32 . The waveform then has its amplitude set by the resistor  26  in a step  106 . Next, in a step  108 , the set waveform is provided to the cell phone  20  via the output jack  16  through the socket  18 . In a next step  110 , the amplifier  38  amplifies the set waveform. The waveform is provided to the analog to digital converter device  40  for conversion to a digital signal in a step  112 . An application or a program in the cell phone  20  decodes the digital signal in a next step  114 . In a next step  116 , the program contacts a third party to authorize a transaction using the decoded signal. The third party either authorizes or denies the transaction in a last step  118 . For example, if the third party authorizes the transaction then money deducted from the account of the cardholder is transferred into an account associated with the cell phone owner or vice versa. In this way, a debt can be collected or paid by use of the card reader device  10 . Further, the card reader devices  10  or  80  may be employed to transact a one-way transaction in which money can be credited to an account. In essence, the card reader devices  10  or  80  allow a user to become either a micro-merchant (payee) or a customer (payer) without having to purchase expensive card reader devices or software. 
         [0037]    With particular reference now to  FIG. 5 , another embodiment of a card reader device  150  is shown. The card reader device  150  has a housing  152  that is in the shape of an acorn. The device  150  has a slot  154  that runs along a length or a width of the housing  152 . The slot  154  has a depth that is deep enough to allow a magnetic stripe of a card to pass through the slot  154 . The slot  154  has a length that can be less than the length of a card to be read. The device also has a jack  156  extending out of the housing  152 . The device  150  may contain the components shown in either  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 . In particular, the device  150  may be easily carried and connected to a cell phone when needed. The device  150  is also small enough that it may be easily stored when not in use. Other shapes, sizes, or designs for the card reader devices  10 ,  80 , or  150  are possible and contemplated. 
         [0038]    From all that has been said, it will be clear that there has thus been shown and described herein a card reader device which fulfills the various objects and advantages sought therefore. It will become apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the subject card reader device are possible and contemplated. All changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure are deemed to be covered by the disclosure, which is limited only by the claims which follow.