Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide devices and systems for the transfer of information using multi-point contact on a capacitive surface. In one embodiment, the invention provides a device comprising: a first surface having a plurality of contact points arranged in a pattern and a second surface having a contact area electrically connected to the plurality of contact points, whereby the plurality of contact points on the first surface is activated by a user contacting the contact area on the second surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the invention relate to information transfer and, more particularly, to a device and system for the transfer of information using multi-point contact on a capacitive surface. 
         [0002]    Many transactions employ the transfer of information from a first device or object controlled or accessed by a user to a second device or object, which may be controlled by someone other than the user. Simple examples include, for example, the use of a credit card or debit card at a card reader or similar device, whereby the user swipes the card through the card reader to transfer information from the card to the reader. The transferred information (e.g., account number, account or card expiration date, a card security number, a name of an account holder, etc.) may then be used in completing a transaction, such as the purchase of goods or services. 
         [0003]    In other cases, information from the card must be entered by the user or someone other than the user. This may arise, for example, in cases where a user is making an on-line purchase. Entry of the necessary information is prone to error and time-consuming. These deficiencies are more pronounced when entering the information using a smart phone, tablet computer, or similar device, given their small size and, more and more frequently, the absence of a physical keypad in favor of a touch screen or similar device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One embodiment of the invention provides a device comprising: a first surface having a plurality of contact points arranged in a pattern and a second surface having a contact area electrically connected to the plurality of contact points, whereby the plurality of contact points on the first surface is activated by a user contacting the contact area on the second surface. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a system for transferring information, the system comprising: a device having a first surface having a plurality of contact points arranged in a pattern and a second surface having a contact area electrically connected to the plurality of contact points, and a capacitive screen with which the first surface of the device may be placed in contact, whereby the pattern is transferred to the capacitive screen when the plurality of contact points on the first surface of the device is activated by a user contacting the contact area on the second surface of the device. 
         [0006]    The illustrative aspects of the present invention are designed to solve the problems herein described and other problems not discussed, which are discoverable by a skilled artisan. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the invention, in which: 
           [0008]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show top and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of a device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show alternate top and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of the device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0010]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show top and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of the device of  FIGS. 1-4  used with a smart phone having a capacitive screen. 
       
    
    
       [0011]    It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a device  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. Device  100  resembles a typical credit card, debit card, or similar device for storing and transferring information. As such, device  100  includes, on a first surface  10 , an account number  14 , an account holder name  16 , and a device expiration date  18 . 
         [0013]    In addition, however, device  100  includes a plurality of contact points  12  on first surface  10 . The plurality of contact points  12  may be used to transfer information to a capacitive surface capable of recognizing multiple contact points, such as may be found in the screen of a smart phone, tablet computer, or similar device, as will be explained in greater detail below. 
         [0014]    As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the plurality of contact points  12  is arranged in a pattern, by which information may be transferred from device  100  to a capacitive surface. The plurality of contact points  12  may, in some embodiments of the invention, include one or more positioning contact point  12 A,  12 B,  12 C,  12 D, which may aid in orienting the plurality of contact points  12  to ensure accurate pattern recognition. Each of the plurality of contact points  12  may include a metallic material capable of recognition by a capacitive surface, as will be understood by one skilled in the art. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional side view of device  100  taken through plane A of  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , a second surface  20  is shown opposite first surface  10 . Second surface  20  includes a contact area  22  electrically connected to each of the plurality of contact points  12 . In use, first surface  10  is placed in contact with a capacitive surface (e.g., a smart phone screen, a track pad, a tablet computer screen, etc.) and a user places one or more fingers on contact area  22 , thereby activating each of the plurality of contact points  12 . A device associated with the capacitive surface (e.g., a smart phone, a table computer, etc.) may then read and interpret the pattern transferred to the capacitive surface by the plurality of contact points  12 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows second surface  20  of device  100 . Device  100  may include conventional features, such as a magnetic stripe  24  and a signature field  26 . 
         [0017]    Contact area  22  is shown having an octagonal shape and located in approximately the center of device  100 , although this is neither necessary nor essential. Contact area  22  may be of any shape and located anywhere on second surface  20 . Similarly, contact area  22  may be of any size sufficient for its use in providing a location for a user to place one or more fingers. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments of the invention, device  100  may include more than one contact area, whereby a user may place a finger in contact with each contact area in order to activate each of the plurality of contact points  12  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). In other embodiments of the invention, a user may contact a first contact area with a finger to activate a first subset of the plurality of contact points  12  and a contact a second contact area with a finger to activate a second subset of the plurality of contact points  12 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional side view of device  100  taken through plane B of  FIG. 3 , showing features similar to those of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show top and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of device  100  in contact with a smartphone  200  having a capacitive screen  210 . The view of  FIG. 6  is taken through plane C of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 6 , a user&#39;s finger  300  can be seen in contact with contact area  22  ( FIG. 4 ) of device  100 , thereby activating the plurality of contact points  12  ( FIG. 4 ) in contact with capacitive screen  210 . In some embodiments of the invention, activation of the plurality of contact points  12  may require that the user exert a pressure  310  against contact area  22 . 
         [0022]    Upon activating the plurality of contact points  12 , the pattern in which the plurality of contact points  12  are arranged is transferred to capacitive screen  210 , as described above. Smart phone  200  or a similar device may then perform an interpretation of the pattern to reveal information contained within the pattern, such as, for example, an account number, an account expiration date, a device expiration date, a credit card security number, or a name of an account holder. As such, smart phone  200 , or another device in communication with smart phone  200 , may contain or access a computer program product for translating the pattern. 
         [0023]    Other types of information may similarly be transferred as a pre-determined pattern from device  100  to smart phone  200  or a similar device, and then translated, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. 
         [0024]    The interpretation performed by smart phone  200  may be conventional, as may the pattern used to encode the information to be transferred. For example, the pattern may simply employ a pattern of rows and columns, with the position of a contact point within the pattern of rows and columns representing a particular alphabetic or numeric value. This is neither necessary nor essential, however. Information may be encoded in any known or later-developed pattern, with the interpretation of the pattern being made by any corresponding known or later-developed method or technique. 
         [0025]    Variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described above will be apparent to one skilled in the art and are within the scope of the present invention. For example, although device  100  is described and shown herein as a credit card or debit card, any number of other shapes or forms may similarly be used in practicing the invention. Some embodiments of the device, for example, may take the form of a cube or a disc. Similarly, although the embodiments described above employ a first surface opposite the second surface, other arrangements are possible. 
         [0026]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0027]    The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.