Abstract: A system and method of providing and using an overloaded card with overloaded card services. A card terminal reads a host card, and a server system determines whether or not to overload the host card with a card service of one other card. The server system overloads the host card with the other card services by associating the other card services with the host card within the server system such that no additional information must be encoded within or maintained by the host card.

Abstract: A method and system for managing the overall life cycle of a product from its manufacture to its destruction or recycling. To the product is affixed a storage medium storing a product identifier uniquely identifying the product and information about the parts that are contained in the product. At each site that the product passes through during its life cycle, product life cycle information is recorded in the storage medium affixed to the product. When the product is to be destroyed or recycled, the information stored in the recording medium is used to determine the method for destroying or recycling. The product is then destroyed or recycled according to this method.

Abstract: An information detection apparatus and information detection method for processing recording media to ascertain validity of checks and other negotiable instruments and print as necessary on the recording media. The information detection apparatus for processing recording media comprises in sequence along transportation path 1009 from the insertion opening 1006 a recording medium transportation mechanism 1003, printing mechanism 1004, and reading mechanism 1005. When a recording medium 1008 is transported by transportation mechanism 1003 along transportation path 1009 to a predetermined position, the check is positioned between presser roller 1051 and a detector 1052 of reading mechanism 1005. Presser roller 1051 then presses recording medium 1008 against detector 1052 while transportation mechanism 1003 pulls the recording medium and particular information recorded to the recording medium is detected. This operation straightens wrinkles and removes slack from recording medium 1008 to reduce reading errors.

Abstract: A smart card wallet with one or more smart cards. The smart card wallet includes a microcontroller connected to a data bus and one or more smart card readers. The smart card(s) in the wallet are connected to a respective reader. The microcontroller is also connected to a communication stage, such as, for example, a short range radiotelephone transceiver. The communication stage transfers data to/from the smart card(s) in the wallet to a mobile radiotelephone via a data channel over the radio air interface. The mobile radiotelephone is thus used to mediate transactions between the smart card(s) in the wallet and parties to the transactions (e.g., merchants, banks, other wallets, etc.). An embodiment provides each smart card(s) in the wallet with a separate internet protocol (IP) address. Consequently, in this case, the smart card wallet includes a local IP-based network.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an element comprising a contactless chip card and thereon a layer package comprising a transparent support, covered on the side facing the contactless chip card with a prelayer and on the other side with a protective layer, characterised in that between the transparent support and the prelayer there is an interlayer contiguous to the prelayer comprising a polyurethane and a cross-linking compound.

Abstract: A data compression method is defined, which achieves high efficiency when encoding source data drawn from two or more data subsets of differing sizes, and where these subsets are distributed throughout the source message. Methods for encoding and decoding these subsets are disclosed, and a typical bar coding application is described.