Payment cards and devices operable to receive point-of-sale actions before point-of-sale and forward actions at point-of-sale

Abstract

A payment card or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. A user can utilize buttons located on the card to perform activities that would otherwise be performed at an ATM, payment card reader, or by a waitress. A user can provide instructions on a card to accelerate a transaction. The information a user enters can be communicated to a point-of-sale device. For example, a user can enter into his/her card that the user desires $100 withdrawal from a checking account. The user can also enter his/her PIN into the card. The user can swipe his/her card into an ATM and instantly be provided with the desired $100.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 61 / 016,491 filed on Dec. 24, 2007 (Docket No. JDM / 019 PROV), 61 / 026,846 filed on Feb. 7, 2008 (Docket No. JDM / 019PROV2), 61 / 027,807 filed on Feb. 11, 2008 (Docket. No. JDM / 020 PROV), 61 / 081,003 filed on Jul. 15, 2008 (Docket No. D / 005 PROV), 61 / 086,239 filed on Aug. 5, 2008 (Docket No. D / 006 PROV), 61 / 090,423 filed on Aug. 20, 2008 (Docket No. D / 007 PROV), 61 / 097,401 filed Sep. 16, 2008 (Docket No. D / 008 PROV), 61 / 112,766 filed on Nov. 9, 2008 (Docket No. D / 009 PROV), 61 / 117,186 filed on Nov. 23, 2008 (D / 010 PROV), 61 / 119,366 filed on Dec. 2, 2008 (Docket No. D / 011 PROV), and 61 / 120,813 filed on Dec. 8, 2008 (Docket No. D / 012 PROV), all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to magnetic cards and payment systems.[0003]Payment card transactions are slow. A user may need to w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]A user may command a card to communicate particular information to obtain a variety of functionalities. For example, a user may be required to perform a variety of actions at a point-of-sale (POS) magnetic stripe reader. Such actions may require that user to spend a particular amount of time. Accordingly, such a user may perform these activities before reaching the POS device. The user's decisions may be communicated through a POS reader output device such as a magnetic emulator / encoder, RFID antenna, and / or IC chip. Accordingly, in doing so, a user may decrease the time the user spends at a POS device. Accordingly, the time it takes to complete a transaction at a POS device can be significantly reduced.

[0021]User interfaces, such as capacitive or mechanical buttons, may be included on a card. One or more buttons may be associated with one or more tip amounts. Accordingly, for example, a user may press a particular button and a corresponding percentage may be communicated to a POS reader. Accordingly, a remote server may complete a transaction for the full-amount of the purchase (e.g., total cost, tax, and tip). The remote server may also pre-authorize the transaction for this full-amount such that a user can, for example, easily change the tip if desired. In determining the amount of the tip on the payment card, a user may increase the speed of a transaction as the user may not have to perform any math himself / herself. The user may instead be presented with a receipt that notes the desired tip as well as the total amount that includes the tip. Such a total operation may be performed in numerous locations. For example, a POS reader may recognize the inclusion of tip information in an card output signal (e.g., an RFID, IC chip, and / or magnetic stripe signal).

Problems solved by technology

Payment card transactions are slow.

Such traditional systems are deficient as a user may spend a large amount of time at a payment card reader interacting with the payment card reader.

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