Abstract: Enclosed re-programmable non-volatile memory cards include at least two sets of electrical contacts to which the internal memory is connected. The two sets of contacts have different patterns, preferably in accordance with two different contact standards such as a memory card standard and that of the Universal Serial Bus (USB). One memory card standard that can be followed is that of the Secure Digital (SD) card. The cards can thus be used with different hosts that are compatible with one set of contacts but not the other. A sleeve that is moveable by hand may be included to expose the set of contacts being used.

Abstract: An adaptor in accordance with the present invention allows a conventional magnetic stripe card POS reader to receive information from contact-based or wireless sources while maintaining the concurrent ability of the reader to interact with a magnetic stripe card. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the adaptor includes an inductor capable of generating a magnetic field of sufficient power to couple with a head of a magnetic stripe card reader through the housing of the reader device. In this manner, the adaptor can be positioned external to the reader device, leaving the slot of the reader accessible for conventional interactions with magnetic stripe cards. Selective inductive communication with individual heads of the reader device may exploit their differing sensitivity to external magnetic fields generated by the adaptor.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for integrating a mobile phone with a contactless IC card, wherein various data are preinstalled in the mobile phone for conducting different business transactions for a user simply by using a man-machine interface of the mobile phone to control each business transaction record processed through the contactless IC card, and the contactless IC card includes a memory device of the mobile phone for storing information and carrying out the all-in-one functions, enabling the mobile phone to perform a high-speed data transmission between a RF interface of the contactless IC card and a card reader so as to effectively increase the transmission power and distance for the contactless IC card.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically checking out items located on a moving conveyor belt for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of a checkout process and revenue at a point-of-sale. The system includes a conveyor subsystem for moving the items, a housing that enclosed a portion of the conveyor subsystem, a lighting subsystem that illuminates an area within the housing, visual sensors that can take images of the items including UPCs, and a checkout system that receives the images from the visual sensors and automatically identifies the items. The system may include a scale subsystem located under the conveyor subsystem to measure the weights of the items, where the weight of each item is used to check if the corresponding item is identified correctly. The system relies on matching visual features from images stored in a database to match against features extracted from images taken by the visual sensors.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer programs, merchant terminals, etc. for transferring finds between stored value card accounts are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for loading a stored value card. One such method comprises: identifying a first stored value card account associated with a first customer; receiving a selection from the first customer of a second stored value card account associated with a second customer and a load amount for transferring to the second stored value card account; and initiating a funds transfer of the load amount from the first stored value card account to the second stored value card account.

Abstract: The invention facilitates the compilation of client-imposed charge or credit limit reports based on declined purchase and/or payment transactions. The invention provides a system and method by which an account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator company may perform analysis of spending patterns for cardmembers in order to determine an optimal client-imposed credit limit in order to reduce the occurrences of declined charge or credit transactions. An account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator may use the limits report to persuade a cardmember to increase the client-imposed credit limit to a recommended level, thereby reducing the cardmember's inconvenience cased by declined purchase transactions while recapturing lost revenues by the card issuer also resulting from declined purchase transactions.

Abstract: A method for encoding a symbol such as a barcode with a finder of a known pattern, comprises steps of determining a potential point on the finder edge and tracing and verifying a path representing the finder edge by checking the color of each point on the path against a threshold. The threshold is preferably reevaluated at least every several pixel movements along the path. The method may decode the barcode directly from the gray image displayed on a LCD screen without a need of a whole characterized image.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of systems capable of managing the interaction between vendors and end users. To use the system, a user first scans any common barcode using a mobile device. The barcode information along with a user identification number is then sent to a server. The server uses the user identification number to look up the user's preferred vendors and content providers. The manufacturer code from the barcode is also looked up in a vendor database. Once the preferences have been determined, this information is sent to each vendor and content provider which returns information, a list of options, and/or other content. This information is then aggregated into a WAP page by the server and transmitted to the mobile device. The user utilizes the mobile device to select a content provider or vendor.

Abstract: A cash handling apparatus has a user interface (26) which includes a main keypad (7) and a first functional-key-type keypad (5). The first functional-key-type keypad (5) has a plurality of functional keys (F1-F8) associated with functions or actions in the user interface. The user interface also includes a second functional-key-type keypad (6). Individual keys (F1?-F8?) of the second functional-key-type keypad are associated with the same functions or actions in the user interface as are associated with corresponding individual keys (F1-F8) of the first functional-key-type keypad (5). Both of the first and second functional-key-type keypads (5, 6) are capable, during a user session of the cash handling apparatus, of receiving user input for selection among said functions or actions.

Abstract: A one-way permutation over financial transaction card data provides a merchant with a unique card identifier for each financial transaction card that is used by a customer to purchase goods from a merchant. This card identifier, which is not the actual financial transaction card data, may then be permissibly stored by the merchant and used to uniquely identify the customer's financial transaction card, and may also be used to determine the frequency with which that customer makes purchases using that card.

Abstract: An imaging scan engine includes both a solid-state camera and an illumination source in the same package. The scan engine unit simplifies the integration of swipe imaging components into new and existing scanners.

Abstract: A shopping receptacle for receiving and retaining a product item having an interface surface associated therewith, the interface surface having disposed thereon or therein coded data including a plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item, wherein the receptacle comprises: (a) a receptacle body adapted to receive and retain the product item and having an opening through which the product item may be placed within the receptacle body; (b) a sensing device adapted to sense at least some of the coded data on the interface surface of the product item as the product item is placed within the receptacle body, and generate indicating data indicative of the identity of the product item; and, (c) a weighing device for sensing the weight of the product item, and generating weight data indicative of the sensed weight, the weight data and the product item identity being provided to a computer system which: (i) determines, using the indicating data, an

Abstract: A method and a system for automated verification and status identification (context) of objects using data about the objects captured via computer-enabled sensing elements are provided. The object may include goods tagged with electronic identifiers. The objects are shipped from one location to another, and identified via their electronic identifiers. The objects are scanned at the various locations by a number of sensing devices. The outcome of sensing is then compared with stored information describing the object and pointed at by their electronic identifier. The comparison is used to automatically verify that the scanned object is as identified and evaluate its condition.

Abstract: An improved structure for a USB flash drive includes an accommodating base, a circuit board, a sliding seat, a sliding key and a frame body. The circuit board having a connecting terminal on one end thereof and a fingerprint recognizer thereon is inserted into a bottom of the sliding seat for exposing the fingerprint recognizer to a surface of the sliding seat. When in operation, the sliding key is pushed forward to expose the fingerprint recognizer, and further forward movement of the sliding key will cause the sliding seat to move forward to expose the connecting terminal from the accommodating base. When not in operation, the sliding key is pulled rearward to cover the fingerprint recognizer. Further rearward movement of the sliding key will cause the sliding seat to move rearward to retract the connecting terminal in the accommodating base.

Abstract: A mirror module, comprising a collection mirror comprising an opening and a first reflective surface lying in a first plane, and a fold mirror coupled to said collection mirror, said fold mirror comprising a second reflective surface lying in a second plane, the second plane not being parallel to the first plane. In addition, said fold mirror may extend behind said collection mirror at an angle, wherein said angle is established so that a laser impinging on said fold mirror is reflected through said opening in said collection mirror.

Abstract: A system provides information indicative of customer satisfaction respecting at least one service or sales provider, the system including at least one customer information entry component that provides customer input to a database supported by a financial service provider that assists point-of-sales or point-of-service payment to a site. The system can segregate or aggregate accumulated customer input data according to at least business one customer of the financial service provider. At least one business customer can access information from the accumulated customer input data that relates to data relating to that specific business customer. The system can provide alerts and/or can relate the data in its variance to the customer's historical average scores.

Abstract: A card for identifying a user to a computer system using a sensing device, the card having an interface surface having disposed thereon or therein coded data, the coded data including a plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the user, the sensing device being adapted to: (a) sense at least one coded data portion; (b) generate, using the at least one sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the identity of the user; and, (c) transfer the indicating data to the computer system, the computer system being responsive to determine, using the indicating data, the identity of the user.

Abstract: Numerous embodiments of an apparatus and method of a smartcard having a dynamic display portion. In one embodiment, the smartcard includes a dynamic display portion made of an electronic ink, in which the dynamic display portion changes from a first display to a second display in response to an application use of the smartcard.

Abstract: This invention provides an identification system using face authentication, in which a system configuration is simple at low cost, a processing speed of authentication is high, resistance to a customer is small, and an effect of preventing irregularities is high. The identification system using face authentication comprises: a counter terminal arranged at a counter of a financial institution and including a camera 13 for obtaining a customer's face image; and a face authentication server 21 connected to the counter terminal and including a face database 21a for storing a registered face data of the customer. In this system, the counter terminal performs face authentication by using face data based on the customer's face image obtained by the camera 13 and using the registered face data of the customer and allows to check with eyes by displaying the registered face data of the customer.

Abstract: Card reader/writer devices and methods for reading/writing both M-cards, PICCs, and/or S-cards, wherein such devices can comprise a magnetic head (which can have multiple tracks), an A/D converter, a gated buffer module associated with the A/D converter, an F2F decoder associated with the gated buffer module for enabling the integration of multiple discrete M-card reader formats with decoder functions, and an integral PICC data processor, which can perform the functions of a PCD, for reading/writing a PICC along with the M-card. An internal RF analog antenna circuit can be provided for receiving signals from the PICC, or an external PCD antenna can be connectable to the RF circuit. The F2F decoder can be integrated with the PICC data processor, and the A/D converter can process analog data from both the magnetic head and the RF antenna circuit. A contact module could also be provided to read/write an S-card.