Abstract:
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for managing possession of a financial card product are disclosed. The system consists of a transmitting device, where the transmitting device is capable of being attached to a financial card product and transmitting a pulsed electromagnetic signal. The system also consists of a separate receiving device, where the receiving device comprises a sensor for detecting the electromagnetic signal, logic for processing the electromagnetic signal, and an alarm circuit such that the receiving device actuates the alarm circuit when the sensor senses that the receiving device is moved away from the transmitting device for longer than a predetermined time.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/608,512, entitled “Methods, Systems and Articles of Manufacture for a Financial Card Having Warning Features” filed Sep. 10, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to financial card products and, more particularly, to systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for financial card products that help individuals keep their financial cards from being lost or stolen.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Financial card products have become so universally well known and ubiquitous that they have fundamentally changed the manner in which financial transactions and dealings are viewed and conducted in society today. Financial card products are most commonly represented by plastic card-like members that are offered and provided to customers through financial card issuers (such as banks and other financial institutions). For example, with a financial card, an authorized customer or cardholder is capable of purchasing services and/or merchandise without an immediate, direct exchange of cash. Typically, a customer who has any financial cards keeps these cards in a wallet. However, there are many instances when a customer would not carry a wallet and would keep the financial card in a money clip or even in his pocket.  
         [0004]     Even though financial cards are issued to a single person, or in some cases, families or corporations, anyone who is in possession of a financial card could potentially use it to make a transaction. This is often a problem because credit cards are often stolen or left behind after a transaction.  
         [0005]     Previous systems to help customers keep track of their financial cards consisted of a special wallet built with a sensor between the flaps where the financial card sits. When a customer removes a financial card, the separators (the flaps between the cards) in the wallet will come in contact, which completes a circuit to trigger a warning beep. The wallet will continue to beep until the financial card is placed back into the same exact slot from which it was removed. Such systems, however, not only require that a customer buy a specialized wallet in order to solve the problem of losing their financial cards, but also present the problem of being a nuisance to the customer because the wallet may beep continuously as long as the financial card is removed from the wallet. Also, such systems require that a customer keep the financial card in the wallet, and if the wallet breaks or if the customer does not wish to carry the wallet, then the financial cards are no longer protected from being lost.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method, system, and article of manufacture for allowing customers to keep track of their financial card products without depend upon a specialized wallet.  
         [0007]     Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the principles of the present invention enable a financial card user to manage possession of a financial card product. Moreover, systems and methods consistent with the present invention may receive at a receiving device an electromagnetic signal transmitted from a transmitting device affixed onto the financial card product and sound an alarm on the receiving device when the transmitting device is located farther than a predetermined distance from the receiving device.  
         [0008]     Another embodiment consistent with the systems and methods of the present invention may consist of a transmitting device, where the transmitting device is capable of being attached to a financial card product and transmitting a pulsed electromagnetic signal. Moreover, systems and methods consistent with the present invention may further consist of a separate receiving device, where the receiving device comprises of sensor for detecting the electromagnetic signal, logic for processing the electromagnetic signal, and an alarm circuit such that the receiving device actuates the alarm circuit when the sensor senses that the receiving device is moved away from the transmitting device for longer than a predetermined time.  
         [0009]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as described. Further features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, the present invention may be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features, and/or combinations and subcombinations of several further features disclosed below in the detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments and aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary financial card product and financial card intelligence card, consistent with the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an exemplary RFID tag shown in  FIG. 1 , consistent with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an exemplary radio frequency communication system including an RFID tag and an interrogator, consistent with the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary system for the host computer of  FIG. 2B , consistent with the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary financial card product being used, consistent with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar parts. While several exemplary embodiments and features of the invention are described herein, modifications, adaptations and other implementations are possible, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, substitutions, additions or modifications may be made to the components illustrated in the drawings, and the exemplary methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding steps to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the proper scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.  
         [0017]     The present invention is directed to methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for providing financial card customers with a system that allows them to keep track of their financial cards and to alarm the customers once the financial cards are moved a certain distance away from another card associated with the financial cards of the customer.  
         [0018]     The above-noted features and other aspects and principles of the present invention may be implemented in various environments. Such environments and related applications may be specially constructed for performing the various processes and operations of the invention, or they may include a general purpose computer or computing platform selectively activated or reconfigured by program code to provide the necessary functionality. The processes disclosed herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus, and aspects of these processes may be implemented by a suitable combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. For example, various general purpose machines may be used with programs written in accordance with teachings of the invention, or it may be more convenient to construct a specialized apparatus or system to perform the required methods and techniques.  
         [0019]     Reference will now be made in detail to the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary financial card product  110  and financial card intelligence card  130  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention. Financial card product  110  may have attached to it a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag  120 . In one embodiment, the RFID tag  120  may be laminated to the back face of the financial card product  110  (not pictured). In another embodiment, the RFID tag  120  may be embedded into the financial card product  110 . As an example, the RFID tag  120  may be bonded to the back face of the financial card product  110  by embedding it within a thin bond line of epoxy-based material.  
         [0021]     Financial card intelligence card  130  may have attached to it a radio frequency interrogator unit (hereinafter “interrogator”)  140 . Alternatively, a skilled artisan may recognize that interrogator  140  does not have to be on a card  130 , and thus, card  130  does not need to be used. For example, in one embodiment, interrogator  140  may be embedded into a magnetic sticker that can be placed anywhere a customer wishes, such as, inside a purse or briefcase (not pictured). Interrogator  140  can thus be included in or on any appropriate type of housing. Interrogator  140  may though be of a small size lending itself to applications employing small housings, such as cards, miniature tags, etc. However, larger housings can also be employed. In any event, interrogator  140  may be housed in any appropriate housing or supported from or attached to an object in any desired manner, for example by using double-sided tape, glue, lanyards, a leash, nails, staples, rivets, or any other fastener.  
         [0022]     In one exemplary embodiment, interrogator  140  may be housed in any Injection-molded plastic could, such as ABS or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Various components of interrogator  149 , such as a magnetic reed switch or a Hall effect sensor to detect the relative proximity of card  110 , a battery, a timer, or a sound chip, could be assembled into an injection-molded housing. Interrogator  140  may also include memory to store threshold level information (described below) as well as radio frequency information received from RFID tag  120 . Such components of interrogator  140  are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, may be assembled into an injected-molded housing.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an exemplary RFID tag  120 . As shown, the RFID tag  120  may include an integrated circuit  210 , a power source  220  connected to the integrated circuit  210  to supply power to the integrated circuit  210 , and at least one antenna  230  connected to the integrated circuit  210  for radio frequency transmission and reception of data to and from circuit  210 . The integrated circuit  210  may thus include a receiver and a transmitter (not pictured). For purposes of this disclosure, including the appended claims, the term “integrated circuit” may be defined as a combination of interconnected circuit elements inseparably associated on or within a continuous substrate. The integrated circuit  210  will be described in greater detail below. The power source  220  may be a battery or other suitable power source, and various configurations are possible for the antenna  240 .  
         [0024]     Integrated circuit  210  may include a sensor mechanism, a signal level detector, and a timing device (not pictured). The signal level detector detects the strength of the signal between interrogator  140  and RFID tag  120 . The customer or the financial card issuer may set two different signal threshold levels that may exist between the RFID tag  120  and-interrogator  140 . The first signal threshold may be the level at which the signal can exist, the second signal threshold may be the level that the alarm would sound if the signal was below it. If the signal level between the RFID tag  120  and interrogator  140  drops below the second signal threshold, then the alarm on interrogator  140  may sound. The alarm will keep sounding until interrogator  140  and RFID tag  120  are brought close enough together again so that the second signal threshold level is met. Once the second signal threshold level is met again, the alarm will stop sounding. For example, if a customer takes the financial card product  110  out of his wallet and leaves it at a store, the signal level between interrogator  140  and the RFID tag  120  on the card product will continue to decrease. Once it is below the second signal threshold level that the customer may have initially set, then the alarm on interrogator  140  may sound.  
         [0025]     In another embodiment, the sensor mechanism may also detect that the signal from the RFID tag  120  and interrogator  140  is not below the second threshold level but is lower than the first threshold level. If the sensor mechanism senses that the sensor is below the first signal threshold level longer than a predetermined time period, as determined by the timing mechanism of interrogator  140 , then the alarm on interrogator  140  may also sound. The alarm may sound until interrogator  140  and the RFID tag  120  are brought close enough together so that the predetermined time threshold is met.  
         [0026]     In one embodiment, separate antennas are provided for the receiver and the transmitter of the integrated circuit  210  (not pictured). In another embodiment ( FIG. 2B ), a single antenna may be shared by the receiver and transmitter sections. In exemplary embodiments, the antenna may be formed by conductive epoxy screened onto a card or housing. In one exemplary embodiment, the antenna may be conductively bonded to the integrated circuit via bonding pads. Further, in an embodiment where a single antenna is employed, the antenna may comprise a folded dipole antenna defining a continuous conductive path, or loop, of microstrip. Alternatively, the antenna may be constructed as a continuous loop antenna.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a radio frequency communication system  242  including the RFID tag  120  and interrogator  140 . The RFID tag  120  may transmit and receive radio frequency communications to and from interrogator  140 . Preferably, interrogator  140  includes an antenna  280 , and may include dedicated transmitting and receiving circuitry similar to that implemented on the integrated circuit  210 . Interrogator  140  may also include an alarm system (not pictured). The alarm system may alert the customer with a beep if the customer turns on the alert on-off switch. The customer would have the choice of a tone.  
         [0028]     Radio frequency communication system  242  may further include a host computer  300  communicating with interrogator  140 . Host computer  300  may act as a master with respect to interrogator  140  in a known type of master-slave relationship with interrogator  140 . Host computer  300  may include an applications program for controlling interrogator  140  and interpreting responses, received from RFID  120  and a library of radio frequency identification device applications or functions, for example, communicate with interrogator  140 . These functions effect radio frequency communication between interrogator  140  and the RFID tag  120 . The host computer  300  is described in further detail below with respect to  FIG. 3 .  
         [0029]     Generally, interrogator  140  may include an antenna  280 , that transmits an interrogation signal or command  270  (“forward link”) via the antenna  280 . The RFID tag  120  may receive the incoming interrogation signal via its antenna  240 . Upon receiving the signal  270 , the RFID tag  120  may respond by generating and transmitting a responsive signal or reply  290  (“return link”). The responsive signal  290  may be encoded with information that uniquely identifies or labels the particular RFID tag  120  that is transmitting, so as to identify any object or person with which the RFID tag  120  is associated.  
         [0030]     In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 2B , there may be no communication between multiple RFID tags  120 . Instead, each RFID tag  120  may communicate with a respective interrogator. 140 . The radio frequency communication system  242  would operate in a similar manner if the RFID tag  120  may be provided in a housing, such as the housing of  FIG. 1 , or any other appropriate housing or support. Multiple RFID tags  120  can be used in the same field of an interrogator  140  (i.e., within the communications range of an interrogator  140 ). Similarly, multiple interrogators  140  can be in proximity to one or more of the RFID tags  120 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary host computer  300  for a radio frequency transmitter. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the system  300  may include an antenna  305 , a receiver  320 , a processor  340 , a storage module  350 , an input module  310 , and an output module  360 . The receiver  320  may be a standard receiver capable of providing radio frequency information received from the RFID tag  120 .  
         [0032]     Although  FIG. 3  illustrates only a single processor  340 , the system  300  may alternatively include a set of processors  340 . The processor  340  may also include, for example, one or more of the following: one or more central processing units (CPUs), a coprocessor, memory, registers, and other data processing devices and systems as appropriate. Moreover, the processor  340  may control the receiver  320 ; collect and then store information provided by the receiver  320 ; preprocess and/or process the collected information; estimate a statistic, such as standard deviation, based on the collected information; and determine the signal coverage of a radio frequency transmitter.  
         [0033]     The input module  310  may be implemented with a variety of devices to receive a user&#39;s input and/or provide the input to the processor  340 . Some of these devices (not shown) may include, for example, a network interface card, a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, and an input storage device.  
         [0034]     The storage module  350  may be embodied with a variety of components or subsystems, including, for example, a hard drive, an optical drive, a general-purpose storage device, and/or a removable storage device. Further, although storage module  350  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  as being separate or independent from processor  340 , the storage module  350  and processor  340  may be implemented as part of a single platform or system. Storage module  350  may be used, for example, to store the radio frequency information received from interrogator  140  and/or threshold level information set by a user, as described above.  
         [0035]     In one embodiment, receiver  320  may be a GPS receiver. In this embodiment, GPS may be used in place of RFID. Financial card product  110  as well as intelligence card product  130  may each include a GPS transmitter. Receiver  320  may be able to provide position information based on information received from the GPS transmitter on each card, including one or more of the following: a latitude, a longitude, a time, a heading, and/or a velocity. Each transmitter may transmit a GPS signal with coordinates of the location of each transmitter, and processor  340  may compare the coordinates of each signal to determine how far the two transmitters are from each other. Based on this information, and also on signal threshold information set by the user, the alarm on the Financial Card Intelligence card  130  may sound.  
         [0036]     Although the present invention has been described based on the host computer  300  shown in  FIG. 3 , one skilled in the art would realize that various other configurations may be employed by methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain principles related to the present invention without affecting its scope.  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  illustrates a financial card product  110  being used in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention. As illustrated, a customer  420  may use financial card product  110  with a RFID tag  120  to make a transaction by first taking it out of his or her wallet  410 . If the financial card product  110  is out of the wallet  410  for a period of time longer than a preset period of time, the alarm unit on interrogator  140  may sound. In another embodiment, the alarm on interrogator  140  may sound if the financial card product  110  with a RFID tag  120  is separated from interrogator  140  by a distance greater than preset in the RFID tag  120  or interrogator  140 .  
         [0038]     The time limit for separation or the spatial limit for separation between the financial card product  110  with a RFID tag  120  and interrogator  140  may, for example, be determined by a financial card issuer or by the customer. In the illustrated embodiment, interrogator  140  may be attached to an intelligence card product  130  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]     A customer may choose to manually turn the alarm of interrogator  140  on or off. If the alarm is in the off position, interrogator  140  may not set off the alarm if the financial card product  110  with a RFID tag  120  is located away from interrogator  140  for more than a predetermined distance or longer than a predetermined time. The customer may at any time choose to turn the alarm of interrogator  140  back on to allow interrogator  140  to again alarm if the financial card product  110  with the RFID tag  120  is located away from interrogator  140  in a way that exceeds a preset threshold.  
         [0040]     In another embodiment, a customer  420  may have more than one financial card product  110  and be able to keep track of all the cards with one interrogator  140 . The first time the customer orders a financial card product  110  from a financial card issuer, the financial card issuer also includes an interrogator  140  in whatever form the customer wishes, whether it is as a financial card intelligence card  130  or in any other form described above. If the customer  420  orders another financial card product  110  from the financial card issuer, the financial card issuer, instead of sending the financial card product  110  with another interrogator  140 , can program the existing interrogator  140  with the identification of the new financial card product RFID tag  120  so that the customer can use the existing interrogator  140  to keep track of both cards.  
         [0041]     Accordingly, as described above, systems and methods consistent with the invention provide financial card customers with a system that allows them to keep track of their financial cards and to alarm the customers once the financial cards are removed from their known possession. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. For example, the diagrams of  FIGS. 1-4  are not limited to those described above. Variations of these designs, such as the removal and/or the addition of other devices, may be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0042]     Additionally, the present invention may be applied to other cards other than financial card products. Any financial institution that provides financial card products to customers may employ methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with certain principles related to the present invention. For example, the present invention may be used in conjunction with a bank card or an ATM card.  
         [0043]     Furthermore, although aspects of the present invention are described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, one skilled in the art will appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices like hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROMs; carrier waves from the Internet; or other forms of RAM or ROM. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but instead is defined by the appended claims in light of their full scope of equivalents.