Abstract: A method of conducting an economic transaction includes the steps of wirelessly receiving a card-transmitted signal, where the card-transmitted signal includes user account information and an indicator of an amount of elapsed time between a recognition of a vibration applied to a wirelessly-transmitting credit or debit card and a transmission of the card-transmitted signal from the card. The method further includes determining a last detected vibration at a point-of-sale device, calculating an amount of time elapsed since the identification of the last detected vibration, and comparing the amount of time elapsed since the identification of the last detected vibration with the amount of elapsed time between a recognition of a vibration applied to a card and a transmission of the card-transmitted signal from the card.

Abstract: An anti-tangling device includes a headphone cord having a distal end, a male signal plug at the distal end, a proximal end, and at least one earphone at the proximal end. Each of the plug and the earphone has first or second parts of a two-part connection device. The two-part connection device removably secures the plug and the earphone to one another. In an embodiment, the plug is the first part and the earphone has a plug-in portion as the second part. The plug-in portion defines a female port shaped to removably secure the plug therein and, when secured, forms a continuous loop with the cord, the plug, and the earphone. The plug-in portion can be integral with or removably attached to the earphone. The first and second parts can be a magnet and a magnetized piece, a hook-and-loop type fastener, or parts of a press-fit snap fastener.

Abstract: A method of conducting an economic transaction includes the steps of wirelessly receiving a card-transmitted signal, where the card-transmitted signal includes user account information and an indicator of an amount of elapsed time between a recognition of a vibration applied to a wirelessly-transmitting credit or debit card and a transmission of the card-transmitted signal from the card. The method further includes determining a last detected vibration at a point-of-sale device, calculating an amount of time elapsed since the identification of the last detected vibration, and comparing the amount of time elapsed since the identification of the last detected vibration with the amount of elapsed time between a recognition of a vibration applied to a card and a transmission of the card-transmitted signal from the card.

Abstract: An anti-tangling device includes a headphone cord having a distal end, a male signal plug at the distal end, a proximal end, and at least one earphone at the proximal end. Each of the plug and the earphone has first or second parts of a two-part connection device. The two-part connection device removably secures the plug and the earphone to one another. In an embodiment, the plug is the first part and the earphone has a plug-in portion as the second part. The plug-in portion defines a female port shaped to removably secure the plug therein and, when secured, forms a continuous loop with the cord, the plug, and the earphone. The plug-in portion can be integral with or removably attached to the earphone. The first and second parts can be a magnet and a magnetized piece, a hook-and-loop type fastener, or parts of a press-fit snap fastener.