Patent Publication Number: US-2013228616-A1

Title: Dynamic Payment Card

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Many credit cards offer rewards for purchases. These can include perks for entertainment, travel, shopping and services. Gasoline station credit cards often offer lower gas prices for those who use their card for gas purchases. Many retailers offer percentage discounts off purchases or coupons to entice consumers to use a particular credit card. Additionally, credit cards provide a mechanism for making large purchases without carrying cash, for paying expenses over time, for online shopping, and for traveling. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of payment card interaction environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 2A-2C  are drawings of examples of the payment card of  FIG. 1  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating one example of functionality implemented as portions of account selection application executed in a payment card in the payment card interaction environment of  FIG. 1  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a payment card that is programmable by a user in order to access one or more accounts from multiple financial institutions and/or other institutions. Various embodiments of the present disclosure facilitate the transmission of information relating to one or more transaction accounts to a dynamic magnetic strip of a payment card. For example, the payment card may correspond to a credit card, a debit card, a gift card, and/or other card. In one embodiment, the payment card includes an account selection application that facilitates selection of one of the transaction accounts associated with the payment card. Once an account is selected, the account selection application identifies a code that corresponds with the selected one of the transaction accounts. After the account selection application has identified the code, the code is then embodied in a dynamic account code mechanism. The dynamic account code mechanism may be a dynamic magnetic strip of the payment card. Alternatively, the dynamic account code mechanism may be one of a plurality of radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tags that is enabled or configured for the selected one of the transaction accounts. In the following discussion, a general description of the system and its components is provided, followed by a discussion of the same. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , shown is the payment card interaction environment  100  according to various embodiments. The payment card  103  includes a processor circuit  106 , a memory  109 , both of which are coupled to a local interface  119 . The local interface  119  may comprise, for example, a data bus with an accompanying address/control bus or other bus structure as can be appreciated. Stored in the memory  109  are both data and several components that are executable by the processor circuit  106 . In particular, stored in the memory  109  and executable by the processor circuit  106  is the account selection application  113 , and potentially other applications. Also stored in the memory  109  may be account selection configuration data  114 , transaction accounts  115 , codes  116  and other data. In addition, an operating system may be stored in the memory  109  and executable by the processor circuit  106 . 
     It is understood that there may be other applications that are stored in the memory  109  and are executable by the processor circuit  106  as can be appreciated. Where any component discussed herein is implemented in the form of software, any one of a number of programming languages may be employed such as, for example, C, C++, C#, Objective C, Java, Javascript, Perl, PHP, Visual Basic, Python, Ruby, Delphi, Flash, or other programming languages. 
     A number of software components are stored in the memory  109  and are executable by the processor circuit  106 . In this respect, the term “executable” means a program file that is in a form that can ultimately be run by the processor  106 . Examples of executable programs may be, for example, a compiled program that can be translated into machine code in a format that can be loaded into a random access portion of the memory  109  and run by the processor  106 , source code that may be expressed in proper format such as object code that is capable of being loaded into a random access portion of the memory  109  and executed by the processor circuit  106 , or source code that may be interpreted by another executable program to generate instructions in a random access portion of the memory  109  to be executed by the processor circuit  106 , etc. An executable program may be stored in any portion or component of the memory  109  including, for example, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), memory card, or other memory components. 
     The memory  109  is defined herein as including both volatile and nonvolatile memory and data storage components. Volatile components are those that do not retain data values upon loss of power. Nonvolatile components are those that retain data upon a loss of power. Thus, the memory  109  may comprise, for example, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), memory cards accessed via a memory card reader, and/or other memory components, or a combination of any two or more of these memory components. In addition, the RAM may comprise, for example, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and other such devices. The ROM may comprise, for example, a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or other like memory device. 
     Also, the processor circuit  106  may represent multiple processor circuits  106  and the memory  109  may represent multiple memories  109  that operate in parallel processing circuits, respectively. In such a case, the local interface  119  may facilitate communication between any two of the multiple processor circuits  106 , between any processor circuit  106  and any of the memories  109 , or between any two of the memories  109 , etc. The local interface  119  may comprise additional systems designed to coordinate this communication. The processor circuit  106  may be of electrical or of some other available construction. 
     The memory  109  may include an account selection application  113 , account selection configuration data  114 , transaction accounts  115 , and codes  116 . The processor circuit  106  executes the account selection application  113  and directs operation of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123 , the data interface  126 , the RFID system  129 , and/or any other system. The account selection application  113  enables the user of a single card to access many different transaction accounts  115  with the single card. Account selection configuration data  114  is data that may be configured by the data interface  126  that is accessed by the account selection application  113  in selecting the transaction account  115 . Transaction accounts  115  identify the particular account which may be debited or credited when a purchase, a cash advance, and/or other transaction is made by a user of the payment card  103 . For example, transaction accounts  115  may comprise a credit card account, a checking account, a gift card account, a stored value account, and/or other account. 
     Codes  116  stores a unique number that is associated with a corresponding one of the transaction accounts  115 . For example, the code  116  may correspond to any existing credit card, debit card, gift card, and/or other card that a user may already own. Alternatively, codes  116  may correspond to a transaction account  115  that the user does not currently have. 
     The dynamic magnetic strip system  123  may be dynamically loaded with a code  116  associated with one of the transaction accounts  115 . The data interface  126  facilitates the process of moving data between a computing device  133  and the payment card  103 . The RFID system  129  may be configured to dynamically generate a code  116  associated with a corresponding one of the transaction accounts  115 . 
     The computing device  133  may be representative of a plurality of computing devices  133 . The computing device  133  may comprise, for example, a processor-based system such as a computer system. Such a computer system may be embodied in the form of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, web pads, tablet computer systems, game consoles, or other devices with like capability. The computing device  133  may be configured to execute various applications such as a card interaction system  136 , and/or other applications. Additionally, the computing device  133  may include a display  139 . The display  139  may comprise, for example, one or more devices such as cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, gas plasma-based flat panel displays, LCD projectors, or other types of display devices, etc. 
     The card interaction system  136  may be executed in a client device, for example, to access and render network pages, such as web pages, or other network content. The computing device  133  may be configured to execute applications beyond card interaction system  136  such as, for example, email applications, instant message applications, and/or other applications. The card interaction system  133  includes graphical information that is employed, for example, to dynamically generate one or more user interfaces  143  that are transmitted to computing device  133  in order to enable a user that manipulates such computing device  133  to interact with the payment card  103  as will be described. 
     The card interaction system  136  is configured to receive input provided by the user and send this input via the data interface  126  to the payment card  103 . The card application system  136  is also configured to obtain output data and render the same on the display  139 . In one embodiment, the card interaction system  136  comprises a plug-in within a browser application. The computing device  133  may include a touch screen display device and may include one or more other input devices. Such input devices may comprise, for example, devices such as keyboards, mice, joysticks, accelerometers, light guns, game controllers, touch pads, touch sticks, push buttons, optical sensors, microphones, webcams, and/or any other devices that can provide user input. 
     Next, a general description of the payment card  103  and the operation of the various components of the payment card  103  are provided. To begin, a user employing a computing device  133  interacts with the payment card  103  via card interaction system  136 . The card interaction system  136  allows a user manipulating a computing device  133  to send data to the payment card  103  via the data interface  126 . The data interface  126  facilitates the process of transmitting information to the payment card  103 . Such information may include, for example, transaction accounts  115 , codes  116 , account types, credit limits, reward points, available credit, cash advance limits, pin codes, and/or other information. 
     The processor circuit  106  executes the account selection application  113 . The account selection application  113  may be implemented to facilitate the selection of one or more transaction accounts  115  which may be debited or credited when a purchase, a cash advance, and/or other transaction is made by a user of the payment card  103 . For example, the payment card  103  may be used to access different transaction accounts  115  associated with different financial institutions. Alternatively, the payment card  103  may be used to access multiple transaction accounts  115  associated with the same financial institution. After identifying the appropriate transaction account  115  to be debited or credited, the account selection application  113  then facilitates the control of the operation of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  to embody a code  116  that is associated with the respective one of the transaction accounts  115 . A magnetic strip of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  is rewritten to include the corresponding code  116  associated with the respective one of the transaction accounts  115 . 
     Alternatively, after identifying the appropriate transaction account  115  to be debited or credited, the account selection application  113  then facilitates the control of the operation of the RFID system  129 . The RFID system  129  may be composed of the tag, reader and antennae, the reader reads the tag information through the antennae, and the tag information is transmitted to the application system after decoding. The RFID system  129  may be configured to embody the code  116  associated with the selected one of the transaction accounts  115  for the transaction. Of note the demands for ensuring the security of collecting the tag data are becoming increasingly stronger. Therefore, the RFID system  129  may be configured to transmit data only after a user transmits a correct security credential associated with the payment card  103  such as, for example, passwords, pin codes, public key encryption, etc. Alternatively, the RFID system  129  can also be triggered by a different security credential to automatically disable the RFID system  129 , for example as a user leaves a store. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 2A , shown is an example of the payment card  103  that includes a location system  203 . In one embodiment the location system  203  is coupled to a local interface  119 . The location system  203  may be configured to generate a location of the payment card  103  and provide the location of the payment card  103  to the account selection application  113 . Such a location may be generated by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver or other location-finding device of the payment card  103 . The account selection application  113  is implemented to facilitate selection of one of the transaction accounts  115  ( FIG. 1 ). Once the appropriate transaction account  115  has been selected, the account selection application  113  facilitates the control of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  or the RFID system  129  to embody a code  116  that is associated with the selected one of the transaction accounts  115 . The information that embodied on the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  or the RFID system  129  may be readable by any existing POS system with a reader. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2B , shown is an example of a payment card  133  that includes one or more user input mechanisms  206   a  . . .  206   d.  The user input mechanisms  206   a  . . .  206   d  can be touch screen display devices, buttons, and/or any other mechanisms for providing user input. In one embodiment, the user input mechanisms  206   a  . . .  206   d  facilitate the selection of one or more transaction accounts  115  by allowing a user of the payment card  103  to manually select an appropriate transaction account  115  to be debited or credited. Additionally, the user input mechanisms  206   a  . . .  206   d  communicate with the processor circuit  106 . The user input mechanisms  206   a  . . .  206   d  provide a user selected one of the transaction accounts  115  to the account selection application  113 . In some embodiments, as indicated above, the information on the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  may be overwritten with new information that corresponds to the code  116  that is associated with the selected one of the transaction accounts  115 . Alternatively, after a user of the payment card  103  has chosen one of the transaction accounts  115 , the RFID system  129  may embody a code  116  that is associated with the user selected one of the transaction accounts  115 . 
     Moving on to  FIG. 2C , shown is another example of a payment card  103  that may include an internal clock  213  or an accelerometer  215 . The internal clock  213  may be configured to provide a time to the account selection application  113 . The account selection application  113  facilitates selection of one of the transaction accounts  115  based on the time provided by the internal clock  213 . For example, account selection application  113  may select the appropriate transaction account  115  based on time of day, month of the year, day of week, etc. Similarly, the accelerometer  215 , may allow for the payment card  103  to be rotated and may inform the account selection application  113  that the orientation of payment card  103  has changed or detect other movement of payment card  103 . The account selection application  113  may select the appropriate transaction account  115  based on the orientation of the payment card  103  or the movement of the payment card  103  detected by the accelerometer  215 . Once the appropriate transaction account  115  has be determined, the account selection application  113  facilitates the embodiment of a code  116  that is associated with the transaction account  115  to a magnetic strip of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123 . Alternatively, the RFID system  129  may embody a code  116  that is associated with the selected one of the transaction accounts  115 . 
     Referring next to  FIG. 3 , shown is a flowchart that provides one example of the operation of a portion of the account selection application  149  that is implemented to facilitate the transmission of information relating to one or more transaction accounts  119  ( FIG. 1 ) to a dynamic magnetic strip  153  ( FIG. 1 ) of a payment card  143  ( FIG. 1 ) according to various embodiments. It is understood that the flowchart of  FIG. 3  provides merely an example of the many different types of functional arrangements that may be employed to implement the operation of the portion of the account selection application  149  as described herein. As an alternative, the flowchart of  FIG. 3  may be viewed as depicting an example of steps of a method implemented in the payment card interaction environment  100  ( FIG. 1 ) according to one or more embodiments. 
     Beginning with box  306 , when a user desires to use a payment card  103  for purchases and other transactions, the account selection application  113  determines the appropriate transaction account  115 . In one embodiment, the transaction account  115  may be determined based on a location of the payment card  103 . In another embodiment, a user may select the transaction account  115  through the use of an input mechanism  203   a  . . .  203   d  ( FIG. 2B ) such as, for example, touch screen display devices, buttons, and/or any other mechanisms for providing user input. 
     Additional mechanisms may be provided to generate input commands in response to an action taken relative to the physical orientation of the payment card  103 . In one embodiment, the payment card  103  includes an accelerometer  215  or other device that can detect orientation, acceleration, and deceleration of the payment card  103 . For example, the payment card  103  may be held in a predefined orientation. Once a user rotates the payment card  103 , an accelerometer  215  or other type of device detects the orientation of payment card  103  and sends the orientation to the account selection application  113 . The account selection application  113  may select the appropriate transaction account  115  based on the orientation of the payment card  103 . In another embodiment, a user may tap the payment card  103  on one of the respective edges. The accelerometer  215  included in the payment card  103  detects the acceleration/deceleration of the payment card  103 . Next, the accelerometer  215  sends the acceleration/deceleration information to the account selection application  113 . The account selection application  113  selects the appropriate transaction account  115  based on the acceleration/deceleration information provided by the accelerometer  215  or other device. 
     In another embodiment, the account selection application  113  may determine the appropriate transaction account  115  based at least in part on input provided by an internal clock  213  ( FIG. 2C ). The internal clock  213  may provide information to the account selection application  113  such as, time of day, day of the week, month of year, etc. The account selection application  113  may select the appropriate transaction account  115  based on time of day, month of the year, day of week, etc. 
     After determining the appropriate transaction account  115  to be used, the account selection application  113  then proceeds to box  309 . In box  309 , the account selection application  113  determines a code  116  associated with the selected transaction account  115 . In box  313 , the account selection application  113  directs the operation of the dynamic magnetic strip system  123  or the RFID system  129  to embody the code  116  associated with the selected one of the transaction accounts  115  in a form that is readable by existing POS systems. 
     Although the account selection application  113 , and other various systems described herein may be embodied in software or code executed by general purpose hardware as discussed above, as an alternative the same may also be embodied in dedicated hardware or a combination of software/general purpose hardware and dedicated hardware. If embodied in dedicated hardware, each can be implemented as a circuit or state machine that employs any one of or a combination of a number of technologies. These technologies may include, but are not limited to, discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing various logic functions upon an application of one or more data signals, application specific integrated circuits having appropriate logic gates, or other components, etc. Such technologies are generally well known by those skilled in the art and, consequently, are not described in detail herein. 
     The flowchart of  FIG. 3  shows the functionality and operation of an implementation of portions of the account selection application  113 . If embodied in software, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that comprises program instructions to implement the specified logical function(s). The program instructions may be embodied in the form of source code that comprises human-readable statements written in a programming language or machine code that comprises numerical instructions recognizable by a suitable execution system such as a processor circuit  106  in a payment card  103 , a computer system or other system. The machine code may be converted from the source code, etc. If embodied in hardware, each block may represent a circuit or a number of interconnected circuits to implement the specified logical function(s). 
     Although the flowchart of  FIG. 3  shows a specific order of execution, it is understood that the order of execution may differ from that which is depicted. For example, the order of execution of two or more blocks may be scrambled relative to the order shown. Also, two or more blocks shown in succession in  FIG. 3  may be executed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Further, in some embodiments, one or more of the blocks shown in  FIG. 3  may be skipped or omitted. In addition, any number of counters, state variables, warning semaphores, or messages might be added to the logical flow described herein, for purposes of enhanced utility, accounting, performance measurement, or providing troubleshooting aids, etc. It is understood that all such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Also, any logic or application described herein, including account selection application  113  that comprises software or code can be embodied in any non-transitory computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system such as, for example, a processor circuit  106  in a payment card  103 , computer system or other system. In this sense, the logic may comprise, for example, statements including instructions and declarations that can be fetched from the computer-readable medium and executed by the instruction execution system. In the context of the present disclosure, a “computer-readable medium” can be any medium that can contain, store, or maintain the logic or application described herein for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system. The computer-readable medium can comprise any one of many physical media such as, for example, magnetic, optical, or semiconductor media. More specific examples of a suitable computer-readable medium would include, but are not limited to, magnetic tapes, magnetic floppy diskettes, magnetic hard drives, memory cards, solid-state drives, USB flash drives, or optical discs. Also, the computer-readable medium may be a random access memory (RAM) including, for example, static random access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or magnetic random access memory (MRAM). In addition, the computer-readable medium may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or other type of memory device. 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.