Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9406011B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-04-25 15:25:43
Document Index: 618281555

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61']

US9406011B2 - Virtual wallet - Google Patents
US9406011B2
US9406011B2 US14539895 US201414539895A US9406011B2 US 9406011 B2 US9406011 B2 US 9406011B2 US 14539895 US14539895 US 14539895 US 201414539895 A US201414539895 A US 201414539895A US 9406011 B2 US9406011 B2 US 9406011B2
US14539895
US20150073983A1 (en )
Christopher Joseph Bartenstein
One variation of a method for controlling a reprogrammable payment card includes: at the payment card, establishing a wireless connection with a mobile computing device; receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method, a first digital transaction credential corresponding to the first payment method, and a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method; initiating a first mode; in the first mode, arming a controller within the payment card to drive a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command; in the first mode, activating an integrated circuit within the payment card to broadcast the first digital transaction credential; and in the first mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator and the integrated circuit in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device.
This Application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/904,939, filed on 29 May 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/689,083 filed on 29 May 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/796,594, filed on 15 Nov. 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/848,581 filed on 7 Jan. 2013, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/849,213 filed on 22 Jan. 2013, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/850,866, filed on 25 Feb. 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/818,831, filed on 2 May 2013, all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.
This Application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/903,302, filed on 12 Nov. 2013, which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart representation of a fourth method;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart representation of a variation of the fourth method;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart representation of a fifth method; and
FIG. 17 is a flowchart representation of one variation of the fifth method.
Generally, the payment card 100 functions to consolidate multiple plastic payment cards into a single physical card that can imitate payment functionalities of the multiple plastic payment cards through manipulation of a magnetic stripe emulator. For example, the payment card 100 can imitate a user's debit card issued through a bank, a user's primary credit card issued by a preferred credit card company, and a user's secondary credit card issued by another credit card company by selectively driving the magnetic stripe emulator 140 according to a unique magnetic sequence command associated with each individual card. The payment card 100 can additionally or alternatively imitate a gift card, an identification (i.e., ID) card (e.g., a driver's license), a loyalty card, a door or gate access card, or any other individual card containing data in a magnetic stripe. The payment card 100 can define a form factor substantially similar to that of a standard plastic payment card, that is, 3.370″ (850.60 mm) wide by 2.125″ (53.98 mm) tall by 0.06″ thick.
The sheet 110 of the payment card 100 includes a first icon and a second icon. Generally, the sheet 110 functions as a housing for the various components of the payment card 100, including the transducer 150, the wireless communication module 120, the input regions, the processor 160, etc. The sheet 110 can therefore define the external dimensions of the payment card 100, and the sheet 110 can therefore be of a form factor substantially similar to that of a standard plastic bank card. In one implementation, the sheet 110 includes a front layer 116 and a back layer 117 that sandwiches various components of the payment card 100. For example, the transducer 150, the wireless communication module 120, the input regions, the processor 160, and a battery can be mounted or constructed on a flexible circuit board 180 (shown in FIG. 2A) that is sandwiched between the front layer 116 and the back layer 117 to define an external geometry that is 3.370″ (850.60 mm) wide by 2.125″ (53.98 mm) tall by 0.06″ thick. Alternatively, the flexible circuit board 180 can be reaction injection molded between (or inside) the front layer 116 and the back layer 117, and a glass card layer can be laminated over the front layer. However, the sheet 10 can be assembled in any other suitable way. The sheet no can also define a fluid-tight or dustproof housing that can seal any of the foregoing components against contamination by fluid or particulate ingress.
The first icon 111 and the second icon 112 can include alphanumeric text. For example, the first icon 111 can include a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “A”, and the second icon 112 can include a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “B”. In a similar example, the first icon 111 can include a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “1”, and the second icon 112 can include a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “2”. The sheet 110 can also define additional icons, such as a third icon including a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “C” or 3″, a fourth icon including a printed, embossed, and/or debossed “D” or 4″, etc. aligned with a third input region and/or a fourth input, etc. Alternatively, the first icon 111 and the second icon 112 can include descriptions or other symbols. For example, The sheet no can define the first icon 111 that reads “Credit,” the second icon 112 that reads “Debit,” a third icon that reads “Gift,” and a fourth icon that reads “Driver's License.” However, the sheet no can define the first icon in, the second icon 112, etc. that are of any other form and printed or formed on the sheet no in any other suitable way.
As described above, the sheet no can includes two (or more) layers that house or “sandwich” various components of the payment card 100. Each of the two layers can be of the same or similar material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), or another polymer or silicone-based elastomer. Alternatively, the layers can be of disparate materials. For example, the sheet no can include a front layer 116 of chemically-strengthened alkali-aluminosilicate glass and a back layer 117 of polyurethane. The assembly of layers (i.e., the sheet 110) can also be flexible to approximate the “feel” of a standard PETG or PVC plastic bank card. The layers can be assembled with an adhesive, through hot or cold lamination, through surface activation, or by any other suitable process or technique. However, the sheet 110 can include any other materials, can define the first icon 111 and the second icon 112 in any other way, can be of any other form or geometry, and can feature any other mechanical property.
The transducer 150 of the payment card 100 is arranged within the sheet no and is configured to generate a voltage output in response to an impulse on a surface of the sheet 110. Generally, the transducer 150 functions to convert a mechanical impulse (e.g., a tap) on a surface of the payment card 100 into an electrical signal of magnitude sufficient to ‘wake’ the processor 160 from a passive mode to an active mode. For example, the transducer 150 can be piezoelectric transducer electrically coupled to an ‘wake’ interrupt-enabled input pin of the processor 160, wherein the transducer 150 outputs a voltage greater than 2.5V, which triggers the processor 160 to switch from a passive, low-current draw mode to an active, higher-current draw mode.
Furthermore, the transducer 150 can be arranged proximal a portion of the payment card 100 likely to exhibit substantial deflection in response to a typical impulse. The transducer 150 may output a voltage potential proportional to its deflection, and the transducer 150 may therefore be arranged proximal a region of the sheet 110 that exhibits maximum deflection under impact. In one example implementation in which the payment card 100 is of a form factor similar to that of a standard plastic bank card, when a user grasps the top and bottom long edges of the card between the thumb and the index and middle fingers of one hand and taps the card near the center of its broad face with the index finger of the other hand, the sheet 110 may exhibit maximum deformation along a line substantially parallel to and equidistant from the long edges of the sheet no. In a similar example implementation, when the user grasps the left and right short edges of the card between the thumb and the index and middle fingers of one hand and taps the card near the center of its broad face with the index finger of the other hand, the sheet 110 may exhibit maximum deformation along a line substantially parallel to and equidistant from the short edges of the sheet 110. Therefore, the transducer 150 can be substantially aligned with the center of the broad face of the sheet 110 to substantially ensure that an impact (e.g., tap) on the payment card 100 will yield a voltage spike, from the transducer 150, of a magnitude sufficient to wake the processor 160 from the passive setting to the active setting substantially regardless of how the card is held by the user. However, the transducer 150 can be any other type of transducer arranged in any other way within the payment card 100.
The wireless communication module 120 can be fabricated or installed on the flexible circuit board 180 and can include a radio antenna 122 tailored to a particular wireless communication frequency. For example, the wireless communication module 120 can include a Bluetooth transceiver configured to exchange data wirelessly in the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio bands between 2400 and 2480 MHz, and the radio antenna 122 can be sized for the frequency band between 2400 and 2480 MHz. The radio antenna 122 can be integrated into the flexible circuit board 180 as a trace and can include a linear segment. Because the payment card 100 may flex, such as under an impact to wake to processor or to mimic a standard plastic bank card as described above, the linear segment of the radio antenna 122 may deform, thereby affecting an effective length of the antenna. Therefore, the linear segment can be arranged proximal a region of the sheet no subject to minimal relative deflection, such as adjacent and parallel to a short edge of the sheet 110 (i.e., perpendicular to a long edge of the sheet 110). The wireless communication module 120 can also include a crystal oscillator installed or fabricated on the flexible circuit board 180. Flexure of the sheet 110 can induce strain across the crystal oscillator, thereby modifying a clock speed of the crystal oscillator 121. For example, strain across the crystal oscillator 121 can reduce the clock speed of the crystal oscillator 121 from 2400 MHZ to 2390, which falls outside of the ISM range suitable for Bluetooth communication. Therefore, the crystal oscillator 121 can be arranged proximal a region of the sheet 110 subject to minimal relative deflection, such as adjacent (and parallel) to a short edge of the sheet 110. However, the wireless communication module 120 can include any other type of antenna or oscillator arranged in any other way.
In one alternative implementation shown in FIG. 4 the wireless communication module 120 can include an acoustic transducer, such as a microphone, configured to receive audio signals and to convert audio signals into electrical impulses. For example, to upload a magnetic sequence command for a payment method to the payment card 100, a user can place the payment card 100 adjacent a speaker of a smartphone, and a native application executing on the smartphone can control a speaker driver to transmit card data acoustically to the payment card 100. The wireless communication module 120 can further include a speaker and speaker driver to enable similar acoustic communication of data from the payment card 100 to the mobile computing device. In this implementation, the processor 160 can pass digital data stored in memory through an audio CODEC where it is converted to an analog signal. The analog signal can then amplified through a speaker and transmitted wirelessly as sound waves. The analog signal can be transmitted according to frequency shift keying (FSK), on-off keying (OOK), or phase shift keying (PSK) techniques, such as with around a frequency of 20 kHz. However, the wireless communication module 120 can function in any other way and include any other suitable component to enable wireless communication of data between the payment card 100 and the mobile computing device.
In one implementation, the first input region 131 includes a first touch sensor, and the second input region 132 includes a second touch sensor, and the first and second touch sensors can be discrete. Alternatively, the first and second touch sensors can be physically coextensive, wherein a single touch sensor can be arranged behind the first icon 111 and the second icon 112 to capture inputs over both the first icon 111 and the second icon 112. The first input region 131 and/or the second input region 132 can therefore include a capacitive touch sensor, an optical touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, or any other suitable type of touch sensor. Furthermore, as in the implementation described above in which the sheet 110 includes a front layer 116 and a back layer 117 that sandwich a flexible circuit board 180, the first touch sensor and the second touch sensor can be installed or fabricated on the flexible circuit board 180 and configured to detect a touch on the surface of the sheet no through the front layer 116. However, the first and second touch sensors can be arranged in any other way and can function in any other way to detect a touch on a surface of the sheet no.
In another implementation, the first input region 131 includes a first mechanical switch, and the second input region 132 includes a second mechanical switch. The first and second mechanical switches can each be a dome switch or any other suitable type of mechanical momentary switch. The dome switch can be installed on the flexible circuit board 180, the flexible circuit board 180 can be installed or ‘potted’ over an interior broad face of a back layer 117 of the sheet 110, and the front layer 116 of the sheet 110 can be flexible (e.g., a silicone-based elastomer) and overlaid on top of the flexible circuit board 180 and mechanical switches such that a user may depress the first icon 111, the forward-facing layer of the sheet no may deform locally, and the first mechanical switch may close to trigger an input. In this configuration, the user may similarly depress the second icon 112, the forward-facing layer of the sheet 110 may deform locally, and the second mechanical switch may close to trigger a second input. However, the first input region 131 and the second input region 132 can include any other type of contact or contactless sensor to detect an input on a surface of the sheet 110 proximal the first icon 111 and the second icon 112.
The magnetic stripe emulator 140 of the payment card 100 functions to imitate one or more tracks of a static magnetic stripe of a standard plastic bank card. As shown in FIG. 2A, the magnetic stripe emulator 140 can include a set of (i.e., one or more) electromagnetic coils 141 controlled by the processor 160 through a coil drive circuit 142 to output data in the form of changing magnetic field polarities. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the magnetic stripe emulator 140 can include a set (i.e., one or more) coil 141 and a coil drive circuit 142 that includes a transistor 144, a resistor 145, and a diode 146. A voltage on the gate of transistor can enable current to flow from a battery 170 to a coil, and the resistor can enable a drive current through the coil. The diode can be coupled in parallel with the coil to protect against voltage pulses inherent in coil inductance. The coils drive circuit can additionally or alternatively include an H-bridge to drive the coil in both positive and negative directions to reverse a magnetic field output.
In one example implementation, a magnetic sequence command includes data commonly included in a Track 2 standard (i.e., a banking industry magnetic tripe standard) including: a start sentinel (e.g., ‘;); a primary account number (PAN) (e.g., a credit card number); a separator (e.g., ‘=’); an expiration date (e.g., alphanumeric characters in the form of ‘YYMM’); a service code (e.g., a first digit specifying interchange rules, a second digit specifying authorization processing, a the third digit specifying a range of services); discretionary data (e.g., a card verification code (CVV); an end sentinel (e.g., ‘?’); and/or a longitudinal redundancy check (LRC) (e.g., a validity character calculated from other data on the track). The processor 160 can control the magnetic strip emulator, through the coil drive circuit, to sequentially output bits corresponding to the any of the foregoing data. The processor 160 can also control a first coil of the magnetic stripe emulator 140 according Track 2-type data and a second coil of the magnetic stripe emulator 140 according to another data structure, such as Track s-type or Track 3-type data.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the payment card 100 can additionally or alternatively include one or more discrete read head sensors 148 arranged within the sheet no and configured to detect a read head of a magnetic stripe reader, and the processor 160 can cooperate with the one or more read head sensors 148 to couple the magnetic stripe emulator 140 to the magnetic stripe reader. The processor 160 can also interface with an accelerometer, gyroscope, Hall effect sensor, or other sensor within the payment card 100 to detect a read head and/or to determine a speed of the payment card 100 along a read head. However, the processor 160 can control the magnetic stripe emulator 140 in any other suitable way and according to any other schema.
As shown in FIG. 2A, one variation of the payment card 100 includes a flexible circuit board 180 board arranged within the sheet no. As described above and shown in FIG. 2B, the flexible circuit board 180 can be sandwiched between two layers of the sheet 110 and can include traces, contacts, and/or via to communicate analog and/or digital signals between various electronic components of the payment card 100. The flexible circuit board 180 can include a fiberglass, silicone, or polymer substrate or a substrate of any other suitable material. The flexible circuit board 180 can also be substantially thin and can include cavities or recesses to receive analog circuit components (e.g., resistors, capacitors) and/or integrated circuits (e.g., a microprocessor, a voltage regulator) such that the maximum height of the flexible circuit board 180 with components installed does not exceed a thickness of a standard plastic bank card. Furthermore, electrical components installed on the flexible circuit board 180 can exclude potting material in order to minimize component size (i.e., height). For example, the processor 160 can be a microprocessor including multiple (e.g., thousands or millions of) transistors fabricated on a silicone wafer, trimmed, shaved, and installed on the flexible circuit board 180 without encasement in a potting material. However, the flexible circuit board 180 can be of any other material, can be of any other geometry, include any other feature, and/or function in any other way to electrically couple various components of the payment card 100.
As shown in FIG. 2A, one variation of the payment card 100 further includes a battery 170 arranged within the sheet 110 and electrically coupled to the processor 160 via the flexible circuit board 180 board. Generally, the battery 170 functions to power the processor 160, the wireless communication module 120, the magnetic stripe emulator 140, and other components of the payment card 100. The battery 170 can be substantially thin. The battery 170 can include multiple cells that are flexible by nature of their thin cross-sections, or the battery 170 can include multiple cells with gaps therebetween such that the battery 170 can flex across the gaps. The battery 170 can be sandwiched between two layers of the sheet 110 adjacent the flexible circuit board 180, mounted on the flexible circuit board 180, or arranged in any other way within the payment card 100. The battery 170 can be a lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, NiCd, or any other suitable type of battery and can be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. The processor 160 can also sense a remaining charge on the battery 170 and output battery level feedback to a user, such as by flashing an LED within the sheet no accordingly to current battery level. Alternatively, the wireless communication module 120 can transmit battery status to the native application executing on the mobile computing device to display battery information for the user.
In addition or as an alternative to the magnetic stripe emulator 140, the payment card 100 can include a near-field communication (NFC) tag emulator, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag emulator, and/or any other payment authorization protocol emulator. For example, the payment card 100 can include rewriteable NFC tag, the processor 160 can store NFC commerce transaction identifiers for a set of NFC-based payment methods, and the processor 160 can rewrite the NFC tag with a NFC commerce transaction identifier for a selected payment method. In another example, the payment card 100 can include an RFID reader detector and an RFID tag emulator, the processor 160 can store RFID commerce transaction identifiers for a set of RFID-based payment methods, the processor 160 can cooperate with the RFID reader detector to detect a local RFID reader, and the RFID tag emulator can output a RFID commerce transaction identifier for a selected RFID payment method. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the payment card can further include an integrated circuit 152 configured to transmit a digital transaction credential—stored in memory on the payment and corresponding to a payment method—over wired or wireless communication protocol. In this example, the integrated circuit 152 can retrieve a unique digital transaction credential of a particular payment method selected for an upcoming transaction, encrypt the unique digital transaction credential according to cryptographic protocols corresponding to the particular payment method, and wirelessly transmit the corresponding tokenized payment credential when the payment card is moved into proximity of a contactless card reader and/or when a read request is received wirelessly from the contactless card reader. However, the payment card 100 can include and implement any other payment authorization emulator and corresponding protocol, and any of the foregoing and subsequent methods can be implemented to enable consolidation of one or more plastic bank card, NFC, RFID, and/or gift card payment methods on a single payment card.
Block S440 of fourth method S400 recites, in response to the selection for the first payment method, enabling a payment function of the magnetic stripe emulator 140 through implementation of the first magnetic stripe command. Generally, Block S440 functions like Block S260 and Block S310 to drive the magnetic stripe emulator 140 according to a magnetic sequence command corresponding to the selected and “locked” payment method. For example and as described above, Block S440 can detect a magnetic stripe reader and power the magnetic stripe emulator 140 according to the first magnetic sequence command and a position and/or speed of the magnetic stripe emulator 140 relative to a read head of a magnetic stripe reader. Block S440 can also provide visual feedback through the payment card 100 or through the mobile computing device that the payment function of the payment card 100 is active. However, Block S440 can function in any other way to enable a payment function of the payment card 100 through a magnetic sequence command corresponding to a selected payment method.
A fifth method S500 for controlling a reprogrammable payment card includes: at the payment card, establishing a wireless connection with a mobile computing device in Block S512; receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method, a first digital transaction credential corresponding to the first payment method, and a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method in Block S520; initiating a first mode in Block S530; in the first mode, arming a controller within the payment card to drive a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command in Block S540; in the first mode, activating an integrated circuit within the payment card to broadcast the first digital transaction credential in Block S542; and, in the first mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator and the integrated circuit in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device in Block S570.
One variation of the fifth method S500 includes: activating a payment card in response to receipt of an initial input at the payment card in Block S510; at the payment card, entering a first mode in Block S530; in the first mode, driving a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to the first payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card in Block S540; in the first mode, outputting a digital transaction credential of the first payment method in response to receiving a digital read request from a digital card reader proximal the payment card in Block S542; entering a second mode in response to selection of a second payment method for the upcoming transaction in Block S550; in the second mode, driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card in Block S560; and in the second mode, disabling output of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method from the payment card in Block S562.
A similar variation of the fifth method S500 includes: activating a payment card in response to receipt of an initial input at the payment card in Block S510; at the payment card, entering a first mode in Block S530; in the first mode, outputting a first fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a first payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card in Block S540; in the first mode, transmitting a digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol in response to receiving a digital read request from a card reader in Block S542; entering a second mode in response to selection of a second payment method for the upcoming transaction in Block S550; in the second mode, outputting a second fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a second payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card in Block S560; and in the second mode, disabling transmission of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol in Block S562.
In yet another variation, the fifth method S500 includes: at the payment card, establishing a wireless connection with a mobile computing device in Block S510; receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method in Block S520; upon selection of the first payment method for emulation in a transaction, driving a magnetic stripe emulator arranged within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader in Block S560; upon suspension of the first payment method for emulation in a transaction, driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader in Block S540; and transmitting a digital transaction credential corresponding to the second payment method in response to receipt of a digital read request from a digital card reader proximal the payment card in Block S542.
Generally, the fifth method S500 can be executed by the reprogrammable payment card described above (or other device similarly configured) to selectively emulate payment methods of different types. For example, the fifth method S500 can be executed by a payment card both to selectively emulate a magnetic stripe card (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, a gift card) by outputting a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic sequence coded onto a static magnetic stripe of the magnetic stripe card and to selectively emulate a “smart card” (e.g., an integrated circuit card) by wirelessly broadcasting or communicating over a wired connection a tokenized payment credential mimicking a tokenized payment credential output by the smart card at the same payment card. In this example, the payment card (or other device) can execute the fifth method S500 to activate a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card to emulate a magnetic stripe of a first payment card and to activate a wired or wireless transmitter within the payment card to output a tokenized payment credential corresponding to the first payment card in the first mode; the payment card can thus output a fluctuating magnetic field corresponding to the first payment card when the payment card is swept through a magnetic stripe card reader and can thus output a digital (wired or wireless) signal corresponding to the first payment card when the payment card is held near or inserted into a smart card reader. In this example, the payment card can also execute the fifth method S500 to activate the magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card to emulate a magnetic stripe of a second payment card and to deactivate the wired or wireless transmitter within the payment card for the second payment method not associated with or containing a tokenized payment credential in a second mode. Alternatively, in this example, the payment card can execute the fifth method S500 to activate the magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card to emulate a magnetic stripe of a second payment card and to activate the wired or wireless transmitter to output a tokenized payment credential corresponding to the second payment card in the second mode. The payment card can therefore execute the fifth method S500 to selectively enable and disable emulation of various transaction types (or “payment pathway types”) supported by the same payment card, such as based on availability of emulation data (e.g., a magnetic stripe sequence command, a tokenized payment credential, etc.) for payment methods, access methods, and/or identification methods selected for emulation by the payment card in a subsequent (e.g., upcoming) transaction.
The fifth method S500 is therefore executable by a reprogrammable payment card or any other suitable device (e.g., wearable device, hard case for mobile computing device, etc.) containing a component and/or circuitry configured to emulate an external payment method (e.g., credit card), identification method (e.g., employee badge), and/or access method (e.g., door access card). The fifth method S500 is described below as a method executable by a payment card configured to emulate a magnetic stripe card—such as a magnetic stripe credit card, a magnetic stripe debit card, magnetic stripe gift card, and/or a magnetic stripe door access card—and a contactless smart card (e.g., an NFC-based credit card). However, the fifth method S500 can similarly be executed by a payment card or other device configured to additionally or alternatively emulate one or more other types of transactional systems, such as integrated circuit cards (or “chip” cards, “smart” cards), bar code cards, Wiegand wire embedded cards, RFID proximity cards, and/or tokenized (e.g., dynamic) payment credentials, etc. for payment methods, access methods, and/or identification methods. However, the fifth method S500 can be implemented in conjunction with any other suitable type of payment card or other device configured to emulate any other suitable type of payment method, access method, or identification method.
In one example application, a first payment method—corresponding to multiple payment pathway types (e.g., a magnetic stripe, a tokenized payment credential etc.)—can be substantially intransiently set as a primary or default payment method for transactions with the payment card. In this example application, the payment card is branded for a particular financial institution and the first (default) payment method is issued by the particular financial institution. In particular, the particular financial institution assigns a first magnetic stripe sequence command and a first digital transaction credential (with cryptographic protocols) for the first payment method and issues the payment card encoded with the first magnetic stripe sequence command and the first digital transaction credential (and the cryptographic protocols) to the user. When the user supplies the payment card for various transactions, the first payment method is emulated by the payment card by default, including execution of the first magnetic stripe sequence command when the payment card is swept through a magnetic stripe card reader, including transmission of the first digital transaction credential over wireless communication protocol when a read request is received from a contactless smart card reader, and including transmission of the first digital transaction credential over wired communication protocol when a read request is received from a contact-based smart card reader. In this example application, the user can further interface with a native payment card application executing on his mobile computing device to upload additional payment methods (e.g., debit cards), access methods (e.g., hotel keys), and/or identification methods (e.g., employee identification) to the payment card. The payment card can assign such additional payment, access, and/or identification methods to secondary payment slots, tertiary payment slots, etc. on the payment card, and the user can elect an alternative payment, access, and/or identification method—in place of the first (default) payment method—for emulation in an upcoming transaction, such as by selecting a second input region or a third input region on the payment card or by selecting the alternative payment, access, and/or identification method from within the native payment card application. In this implementation, the payment card can also be physically branded according to the particular financial institution issuing the payment card or according to an alternative brand affiliated with the particular financial institution. For example, a logo of the particular financial institution or of the affiliated brand can be printed or embossed on an external surface of the payment card. In this example, the first payment method—issued by the particular financial institution and/or associated with the affiliated brand—can thus persist as a default payment method for emulation by the payment card during subsequent transactions despite addition, retraction, and occasional emulation (responsive to manual selection by the user) of other payment methods, access methods, and/or identification methods at the same payment card, as described above.
As shown in FIG. 16, Block S510 of the fifth method S500 recites activating a payment card in response to receipt of an initial input at the payment card. Generally, Block S510 is executable by the payment card to prepare the card for use in a transaction in response to an input entered directly onto a surface of the payment card or in response to receiving a command from a computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet) affiliated with the payment card.
In one implementation, a processor within the payment card executes Block S510 to activate the payment card in response to detecting one or more inputs on a surface of the payment card. For example, as described above, the payment card can include a piezoelectric transducer electrically coupled to a ‘wake’ interrupt-enabled input pin of the processor such that, when a user taps on or bends the payment card with sufficient impact, the piezoelectric transducer outputs an electrical signal to the interrupt pin of the processor, which wakes the processor out of an off or “hibernate” mode. The payment card can then attempt wireless communication with the associated computing device in Block S512 to authenticate use of the payment card in a subsequent transaction, as described above. The payment card can also automatically enter the payment card into first mode in Block S530 in response to successful wireless communication with the computing device, such as in response to establishment of a wireless connection with the affiliated computing device or in response to receipt of a wireless communication from the computing device following transmission of an inquiry for the computing device from the payment card, as described above. The payment card can thus execute Block S510 to trigger wireless communication with a mobile computing device associated with the payment card in Block S512 in response to receiving a manual input on a surface of the payment card. However, in this implementation, if wireless communication with the affiliated computing device is unsuccessful following an input (e.g., an “activation input”) on a surface of the payment card, the payment card can transition into a locked state. In the locked state, the payment card can prompt a user to enter a passcode to unlock the payment card; the payment card can also authenticate a series of inputs into the payment card as a passcode and unlock the payment card accordingly, as described above, to enable use of the payment card in a transaction even when wireless communication with the affiliated computing device is not available. The payment card can thus maintain disablement of emulation of a payment method by the magnetic stripe emulator (e.g., execution of a magnetic stripe sequence command) and by an integrated circuit within the payment card (e.g., transmission of a tokenized payment credential or other digital transaction credential) in response to failure to establish a wireless connection with the mobile computing device, and the payment card can re-enable emulation of the payment method by the magnetic stripe emulator and the integrated circuit in response to authenticating a series of inputs into the payment card as a valid passcode.
In a similar implementation, the payment card is operable in a sleep mode when not in use and occasionally transitions into a test mode to check-in with the associated mobile computing device to establish and maintain authorization of use of the payment card based on a result of attempted wireless communication with the mobile computing device. For example, the payment card can transition from the sleep mode into the test mode once per five-second interval (or at any other frequency or interval); once in the test mode, the wireless communication module within the payment card can broadcast an inquiry for a unique wireless address of the computing device affiliated with the payment card. In this example, if a token or other wireless communication is received from the mobile computing device in response to transmission of the inquiry (e.g., within 500 milliseconds of transmitting the inquiry), the payment card can establish and/or preserve authorization of use of the payment card and transition back into the sleep mode. However, in this example, if a communication is not received from the mobile computing device within a threshold period of time (e.g., 500 milliseconds) of transmitting the inquiry, the payment card can transition into a locked state (or reattempt wireless communication with the mobile computing device by transmitting a second inquiry before transitioning into the locked state) in which emulation of a payment method by the payment card in a subsequent transaction is disabled until a passcode is entered into and authenticated at the payment card or until a wireless connection is again established with the mobile computing device, as described above. Therefore, in this implementation, the payment card can preserve (i.e., maintain) authentication of the payment card until a scheduled check-in with the affiliated mobile computing device fails to yield a viable wireless connection. Alternatively, the payment card can execute Block S112 to establish a (constant) wireless connection with the mobile computing device, to authenticate use of the payment card in a subsequent transaction while the wireless connection persists, and to de-authenticate use of the payment card (e.g., disable emulation of a payment method) when the wireless connection fails or is lost.
In another implementation, the payment card activates in Block S110 in response to receipt of an activation command from a mobile computing device wirelessly connected to the payment card following establishment of a wireless connection with the payment card in Block S112. For example, the user can enter an activation command into a native payment card application executing on the mobile computing device, and the mobile computing device can transmit an activation command to the payment card over wireless communication protocol; the payment card can then handle the activation command by transitioning into a ready state in preparation to receive a selection—at the mobile computing device or at the payment card—for a first payment method or a second payment method for emulation by the payment card in a subsequent transaction. Alternatively, the payment card can handle the activation command by automatically transitioning into the first mode in preparation for emulation of a first (e.g., default) payment method stored on the payment card.
As shown in FIG. 16, Block S512 of the fifth method S500 recites, at the payment card, establishing a wireless connection with a mobile computing device. Generally, the payment card (e.g., the processor in conjunction with the wireless communication module) can execute Block S512 to authorize use of the payment card in a transaction in Block S510 and/or to download payment methods (e.g., magnetic stripe sequence commands; digital payment credentials and cryptographic protocols for tokenized payment credentials) from the affiliated computing device, as described above. Block S512 can therefore execute methods and techniques similar to those of Block S110 of the first method, etc. described above.
As shown in FIG. 16, Block S520 of the fifth method S500 recites receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method, a first digital transaction credential corresponding to the first payment method, and a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method. Generally, the payment card can execute Block S520 to download emulation data from an external resource, as described above. For example, the payment card can download a magnetic stripe sequence command and/or a digital transaction credential and cryptographic protocol for one or more payment methods in Block S520. The payment card can also assign particular payment methods—correspond to emulation data received from the computing device—to particular payment slots on the payment card, as described above. For example, the payment card can receive a first magnetic sequence command for a first payment method from the affiliated mobile computing device (e.g., smartphone) wirelessly paired to the payment card and can then assign the first payment method to a first input region on the payment card in Block S520.
6.3 First Mode
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, Block S530 of the fifth method S500 recites, initiating a first mode; Block S530 can similarly recite, at the payment card, entering a first mode. Generally, the payment card can execute Block S530 to enter into a first mode in which a various payment pathways of a first payment method are emulated by the payment card based on proximity of the payment card to readers configured to read one or more particular payment pathway types (e.g., a magnetic stripe, a tokenized payment credential over a wired connection, a tokenized payment credential over a wireless connection, etc.).
In one implementation, the payment card (or the computing device, the native payment card application executing on the computing device) sets the first payment method as a default payment method, and the payment card automatically enters into the first mode in response to authorization of use of the payment card, such as in response to establishing a wireless connection with the mobile computing device as described above. In this implementation, the payment card can automatically arm a controller within the payment card to drive the magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command corresponding to the first payment method in response to activation of the payment card (or in response to authorizing use of the payment card in an upcoming transaction) in Block S530. In this implementation, in Block S530, the payment card can also automatically activate, power, or otherwise enable an integrated circuit within the payment card to transmit—over a wired or wireless connection—a digital transaction credential (e.g., a tokenized payment credential) corresponding to the first payment method in response to activation of the payment card and/or in response to authorizing use of the payment card in an upcoming transaction. !!!!
In another implementation, the payment card enters into the first mode in Block S530 in response to selection of a first input region—on a surface of the payment card—corresponding to the first payment method assigned to the first input region, as described above. Similarly, the payment card can enter into the first mode in response to receipt of a command from the computing device—over wireless communication protocol—to enter into the first mode and/or to arm various subsystems within the payment card to emulate the first payment method.
The payment card can also transition from the second mode in which the second payment method is emulated back into the first mode in which the first (e.g., default) payment method is emulated by the payment card when a payment timer on the payment card expires, when the payment card is deactivated (e.g., shut down, entered into a sleep or hibernate mode, etc.) and then reactivated, when the first input region (or first payment slot) is selected manually at the payment card, and/or when a command to emulate the first payment method is received from the computing device, etc. For example, the payment card can transition from the second mode into the first mode when selection of the second payment method is suspended, disabled, de-authorized, or otherwise discontinued at the payment card, such as in response to expiration of a timer, in response to receipt of a manual input into the payment card, or in response to receipt of a corresponding command from the computing device.
However, the payment card can arm or otherwise prepare one or more subsystems within the payment card to emulate a first payment method (or first identification first, first access method, etc.) in any other way and automatically or in response to a manual input entered by the user directly into the payment card or into the computing device wireless connected to the payment card.
As shown in FIG. 17, Block S540 of the fifth method S500 recites, in the first mode, arming a controller within the payment card to drive a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command. Block S540 can similarly recites, in the first mode, driving a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to the first payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card. Generally, the payment card can execute Block S540 to emulate a static magnetic stripe of the first payment method when in the first mode, such as when the payment card is swept through a magnetic stripe card reader, as described above. For example, the payment card can output, through the magnetic stripe emulator, a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of the first payment method (e.g., a first credit card) in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader in the first mode.
As shown in FIG. 17, Block S542 of the fifth method S500 recites, in the first mode, activating an integrated circuit within the payment card to broadcast the first digital transaction credential. Block S542 can similarly recite, in the first mode, outputting a digital transaction credential of the first payment method in response to receiving a digital read request from a digital card reader proximal the payment card. Generally, the payment card can execute Block S542 to transmit a digital transaction credential—such as over wired or radio-frequency wireless communication protocol—mimicking a digital output of the first payment method. For example, the payment card can transmit the first digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol (e.g., RFID, NFC) in the first mode in response to receiving a digital read request from a card reader transmitted to the payment card over the same radio-frequency wireless communication protocol. In particular, in this example, the payment card can wirelessly broadcast a tokenized payment credential (or other digital transaction credential) specific to the first payment method in response to receipt of a digital read request from a radio-frequency wireless-enabled digital card reader within wireless communication range of the payment card. In this example, the payment card can retrieve a digital transaction credential for the first payment method from static memory within the payment card, encrypt the digital transaction credential, and transmitting the digital transaction credential in encrypted form (e.g., as a tokenized payment credential) to the digital card reader in Block S542. In particular, in this example, the integrated circuit can generate a transaction credential for the first payment method in Block S242 by retrieving (from local memory) static data including a first portion containing routing information and including a second portion containing transaction identification and authentication information for creating a transaction credential for the first payment method; the integrated circuit can then apply dynamic cryptographic principals to the second portion of the static data, combine the first portion of the static data with the (dynamically-) encrypted second portion to generate the tokenized payment credential, and transmit (over wired or wireless communication protocol) the tokenized payment credential substantially in real-time upon receipt of a read request from a smart card reader in contact with or proximal the payment card. The smart card reader can then route the encrypted second portion in the tokenized payment credential to a receiving party (e.g., a network, a token-issuer, or a bank issuing the payment card) based on the first portion of the tokenized payment credential received from the payment card.
In the first mode, the payment card can thus sample one or more sensors within the payment card to detect a magnetic, wired, radio-frequency, or other card reader proximal the payment card can to trigger emulation of a corresponding payment pathway type (e.g., a magnetic stripe, a tokenized payment credential over a wired connection, a tokenized payment credential over a wireless connection, etc.). For example, the payment card can arm (or otherwise activate) both a controller for the magnetic stripe emulator and an integrated circuit to output a magnetic sequence and a digital transaction credential, respectively. In this example, a processor within the payment card can sample one or more magnetic read head sensors within the payment card can trigger the controller to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to a first magnetic stripe sequence command in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of a magnetic stripe card reader. While polling the magnetic stripe read head sensor(s) within the payment card, the processor can also poll a wireless communication module (e.g., a receiver, an antenna) within the payment card for receipt of a request for a digital transaction credential (or other tokenized and/or digital identifier or credential); the processor can thus trigger the integrated circuit to retrieve the digital transaction credential from memory, to encrypt the digital transaction credential, and to broadcast the encrypted digital identified in response to receipt of such a request. In particular, in this example in which the first payment method (e.g., a credit card) supports (e.g., is affiliated with) both a first magnetic stripe sequence and a first digital transaction credential, the payment card can thus execute Blocks S540 and S542 to selectively emulate the first magnetic stripe sequence and the first digital transaction credential of the first payment method, such as to trigger the magnetic stripe emulator within the card to emulate the first magnetic stripe sequence when the payment card is in the first mode and swept through a magnetic stripe card reader and to trigger the integrated circuit to broadcast (a form of) the first digital transaction credential when the payment card is held over a contact or contactless digital credential reader.
For other payment pathway types supported by the payment first payment method and available at the payment card, the payment card can poll or sample sensors to identify a particular card reader proximal the payment card at any given time and to selectively emulate a particular payment pathway type most relevant, substantially relevant, or preferred for a particular card reader detected in the first mode. For example, when both a contact-based card reader and a contactless card reader are detected by sensors within the payment card in the first mode and the first payment method supports both contact-based and contactless transactions, the payment card can default to communicating a tokenized payment credential to the contact-based card reader (which may be more secure than a contactless transaction). For example, the payment card can apply location-based rules, payment method- (or access method-, identification method-, or other) based rules, user preferences, user transaction history, or any other data to ranking payment pathway types of the first payment method emulated by the payment card in the first mode.
6.4 Second Mode
As shown in FIG. 17, Block S550 of the fifth method S500 recites entering a second mode in response to selection of a second payment method for the upcoming transaction. Generally, the payment card can execute Block S550 to prepare for emulation of a second (e.g., alternative) payment method during an upcoming transaction.
In one implementation, the payment card initiate the second mode in Block S550 in response to receiving an input on a region of the payment card corresponding to the second payment method, such as described above. Alternatively, the payment card can enter the second mode in Block S550 in response to receiving a command to emulate the second payment method from the affiliated computing device and over a wireless connection.
Once the second payment method is elected for emulation by the payment card in an upcoming transaction, the payment card can thus enter the second mode in Block S550, arm the controller to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in Block S560, and deactivate the integrated circuit for the second payment method not affiliated with a digital transaction credential (or other tokenized and/or digital identifier) in Block S562. Alternatively, once the second payment method is elected for emulation by the payment card in the upcoming transaction, the payment card can enter the second mode in Block S550, arm the controller to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to the second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in Block S560, and reprogram the integrated circuit to transmit a digital transaction credential (or other tokenized and/or digital identifier) affiliated with the second payment method in Block S562. Yet alternatively, once the second payment method is elected for emulation by the payment card in the upcoming transaction, the payment card can enter the second mode in Block S550, arm the controller to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to the second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in Block S560, deactivate a first integrated circuit programmed to transmit a form of a first digital transaction credential of the first payment method, and activate a second integrated circuit programmed to transmit a form of a second digital transaction credential (or other tokenized and/or digital identifier) affiliated with the second payment method in Block S562.
Block S560 of the fifth method S500 recites, in the second mode, driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card. Generally, the payment card can implement methods and techniques described above to control the magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card in Block S560 to simulate a magnetic stripe of the second payment method when the payment card is swept through a read head of a magnetic card reader. For example, the payment card can output, through the magnetic stripe emulator, a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a second credit card (e.g., the second payment method) in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader. In particular, in this example, a controller, driver, or other processor within the payment card can drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic stripe sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in the second mode in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader. However, the payment card can execute Block S560 in any other way to intermittently emulate a magnetic stripe of the second payment method in the second mode.
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, Block S562 of the fifth method S500 recites, in the second mode, disabling output of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method from the payment card. Generally, the payment card can implement methods and techniques described above to control one or more integrated circuits within the payment card to selectively enable and disable transmission of digital transaction credentials of various payment methods stored on the payment card.
In one implementation described above and shown in FIG. 16, in the second method, the payment card disables the integrated circuit arranged within the payment card (and configured to transmit (over wired and/or wireless communication protocol a form of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method) such that data pertaining to the first payment method is not (mistakenly) communicated from the payment card into a card reader when the payment card is brought within proximity of a card reader (supporting multiple payment pathway types) during a transaction when the user has instead elected the second payment method for emulation during the transaction. In this implementation, for the second payment method associated with a second (unique) digital transaction credential (and corresponding cryptographic protocols), the payment card can also activate a second integrated circuit within the payment card to transmit the second digital transaction credential (in encrypted form) in Block S562. Alternatively, in Block S562, the payment card can reprogram or redirect the integrated circuit to transmit the second digital transaction credential—rather than the first digital transaction credential of the first payment method—when the payment card is brought within proximity or in contact with a contactless or contact-based card reader, respectively.
In one variation, in Blocks S550 and S560, the payment card can further receive—from the computing device wirelessly paired to the payment card—a third magnetic stripe sequence command corresponding to a third payment method, can replace the second magnetic stripe sequence command with the third magnetic stripe sequence command, and can drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to the third magnetic stripe sequence command in the second mode in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader, such as described above. The payment card can therefore execute Block S550 and Block S560 prepare to emulate an alternative (e.g., third) payment method, access method, or identification method in a subsequent transaction based on a selection for the alternative payment method, access method, or identification method entered by the user, such as directly into the payment card or into the computing device wirelessly connected to the payment card, as described above.
6.5 Disablement
As shown in FIG. 16, Block S570 of the fifth method S500 recites, in the first mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator and the integrated circuit in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device. Block S570 can similarly recite, in the second mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device. Generally, the payment card can implement methods and techniques described above in Block S570 to disable payment method emulation functions of the payment card when a wireless connection with the affiliated computing device (e.g., smartphone) is lost. However, the payment card can execute Block S570 in response to receipt of a disablement command from the computing device, in response to expiration of a payment timer, or in response to any other event detected at the payment card.
Alternatively, the integrated circuit can be substantially intransiently enabled and persist in function despite loss of communication with the computing device. In particular, the payment card can disable function of the magnetic stripe emulator in Block S570 when wireless communication with the computing device is lost or otherwise unavailable to prevent emulation of magnetic stripes corresponding to various payment (and/or access or identification) methods while transmission of a digital transaction credential for the first payment method—which may be a more secure form of transaction than magnetic stripe data—remains enabled at the payment card. Yet alternatively, the payment card can disable emulation of all but a primary or default (e.g., the first) payment method in Block S570 when wireless communication with the computing device is lost or otherwise unavailable such that transactions with the primary or default (e.g., first) payment method can persist at the payment card through both emulation of a primary magnetic stripe sequence and transmission of a primary digital transaction credential despite lack of proximity or communication of the computing device to the payment card.
1. A method for controlling a reprogrammable payment card, the method comprising:
at the payment card, establishing a wireless connection with a mobile computing device;
receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method, a first digital transaction credential corresponding to the first payment method, and a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method;
initiating a first mode;
in the first mode, arming a controller within the payment card to drive a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command;
in the first mode, activating an integrated circuit within the payment card to broadcast the first digital transaction credential; and
in the first mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator and the integrated circuit in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first mode comprises transitioning into the first mode in response to establishing a wireless connection with the mobile computing device.
initiating a second mode in response to receiving an input on a region of the payment card corresponding to the second payment method
in the second mode, arming the controller to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to the second magnetic sequence command;
in the second mode, deactivating the integrated circuit; and
in the second mode, disabling operation of the magnetic stripe emulator in response to failure of a wireless connection with the mobile computing device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, through the magnetic stripe emulator, a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a first credit card comprising the first payment method in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader in the first mode; and further comprising transmitting the first digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol in response to receiving a digital read request from a card reader in the first mode.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the wireless connection with the mobile computing device comprises, at the payment card, attempting wireless communication with the mobile computing device in response to receiving a signal output from a piezoelectric transducer arranged within the payment card and exceeding an input threshold magnitude.
6. A method for controlling a reprogrammable payment card, the method comprising:
receiving, over the wireless connection, a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to a first payment method;
upon selection of the first payment method for emulation in a transaction, driving a magnetic stripe emulator arranged within the payment card according to the first magnetic sequence command in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader;
upon suspension of the first payment method for emulation in a transaction, driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to a second payment method in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader; and
transmitting a digital transaction credential corresponding to the second payment method in response to receipt of a digital read request from a digital card reader proximal the payment card.
7. A method for controlling a reprogrammable payment card, the method comprising:
activating a payment card in response to receipt of an initial input at the payment card;
at the payment card, entering a first mode;
in the first mode, driving a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to a first magnetic sequence command corresponding to the first payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card;
in the first mode, outputting a digital transaction credential of the first payment method in response to receiving a digital read request from a digital card reader proximal the payment card;
entering a second mode in response to selection of a second payment method for the upcoming transaction;
in the second mode, driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card; and
in the second mode, disabling output of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method from the payment card.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving the first magnetic sequence command from a mobile computing device wirelessly paired to the payment card and assigning the first payment method to a first input region on the payment card; wherein entering the first mode comprises entering the first mode in response to selection of the first input region.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein entering the second mode comprises entering the second mode in response to receiving a command to emulate the second payment method from the mobile computing device.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein entering the first mode comprises automatically arming a controller within the payment card to drive the magnetic stripe emulator according to the first magnetic sequence command corresponding to the first payment method comprising a default payment method in response to activation of the payment card.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein activating the payment card comprises attempting wireless communication with a mobile computing device associated with the payment card in response to receiving a manual input on a surface of the payment card and authorizing use of the payment card in an upcoming transaction in response to establishing a wireless connection with the mobile computing device; wherein entering the first mode comprises automatically entering the first mode in response to authorizing use of the payment card in an upcoming transaction.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein activating the payment card comprises, at the payment card, attempting wireless communication with the mobile computing device in response to receiving a signal output from a piezoelectric transducer arranged within the payment card and exceeding an input threshold magnitude.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: initiating a timer at a first time in response to entering the first mode; attempting wireless communication with the mobile computing device in response to expiration of the timer; and disabling emulation of a payment method by the magnetic stripe emulator and output of the digital transaction credential at a second time succeeding the first time in response to failure to establish a wireless connection with the mobile computing device.
14. The method of claim 7, wherein activating the payment card comprises:
attempting wireless communication with a mobile computing device associated with the payment card in response to detecting the initial input on a surface of the payment card;
maintaining disablement of emulation of a payment method by the magnetic stripe emulator and by an integrated circuit within the payment card in response to failure to establish a wireless connection with the mobile computing device, the integrated circuit configured to output the digital transaction credential in response to receiving a digital read request from a digital card reader;
receiving a series of inputs through a set of input regions on the payment card; and
in response to authenticating the series of inputs as the passcode, enabling emulation of a payment method by the magnetic stripe emulator.
15. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the digital transaction credential of the first payment method in response to receiving the digital read request in the first mode comprises wirelessly broadcasting the digital transaction credential according to short-range radio-frequency wireless communication protocol in response to receipt of a digital read request from a radio-frequency wireless-enabled digital card reader.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to the first magnetic sequence command in the first mode comprises outputting, through the magnetic stripe emulator, a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a first credit card comprising the first payment method in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader; and wherein driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to the second magnetic sequence command in the second mode comprises outputting, through the magnetic stripe emulator, a fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a second credit card comprising the second payment method in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader.
17. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the digital transaction credential of the first payment method in the first mode comprises retrieving the digital transaction credential from static memory within the payment card, encrypting the digital transaction credential, and transmitting the digital transaction credential in encrypted form.
18. A method for controlling a reprogrammable payment card, the method comprising:
in the first mode, outputting a first fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a first payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card;
in the first mode, transmitting a digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol in response to receiving a digital read request from a card reader;
in the second mode, outputting a second fluctuating magnetic field simulating a static magnetic stripe of a second payment method in response to detecting a magnetic stripe card reader proximal the payment card; and
in the second mode, disabling transmission of the digital transaction credential of the first payment method over radio-frequency wireless communication protocol.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein outputting the first fluctuating magnetic field comprises driving a magnetic stripe emulator within the payment card according to a first magnetic stripe sequence command corresponding to the first payment method in the first mode in response to an output of a magnetic read head sensor within the payment card indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader; and wherein outputting the second fluctuating magnetic field comprises driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to a second magnetic stripe sequence command corresponding to the second payment method in the second mode in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving, from a mobile computing device wirelessly paired to the payment card, a third magnetic stripe sequence command corresponding to a third payment method, replacing the second magnetic stripe sequence command with the third magnetic stripe sequence command, and driving the magnetic stripe emulator according to the third magnetic stripe sequence command in the second mode in response to an output of the magnetic read head sensor indicating proximity of the payment card to a magnetic stripe card reader.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein transmitting the digital transaction credential of the first payment method in the first mode comprises retrieving the digital transaction credential from static memory within the payment card, encrypting the digital transaction credential, and transmitting the digital transaction credential in encrypted form.
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US13904939 US8870081B2 (en) 2012-05-29 2013-05-29 Payment card and methods
US201361903302 true 2013-11-12 2013-11-12
US14539895 US9406011B2 (en) 2012-05-29 2014-11-12 Virtual wallet
US13904939 Continuation-In-Part US8870081B2 (en) 2012-05-29 2013-05-29 Payment card and methods
US20150073983A1 true US20150073983A1 (en) 2015-03-12
US9406011B2 true US9406011B2 (en) 2016-08-02
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US14539895 Active 2033-09-05 US9406011B2 (en) 2012-05-29 2014-11-12 Virtual wallet
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US20150073983A1 (en) 2015-03-12 application
US20120023422A1 (en) 2012-01-26 Intelligent portable object comprising graphical personalization data
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BARTENSTEIN, CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH;OLSON, THIAGO DAVID;SIGNING DATES FROM 20141121 TO 20150512;REEL/FRAME:035626/0063