Abstract: In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: a read head configured to generate a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card, an output plug, adapted to be inserted into a headset jack of a mobile host device, configured to communicate an output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to a microphone input of the headset jack of the mobile host device; and circuitry configured to set the amplitude, which includes attenuation by at least a resistor, of a signal communicating said data included in the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe generated by the read head resulting in the output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes decoding circuitry configured to decode the signal indicative of the data stored on the magnetic stripe.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: a read head configured to generate a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card, an output plug, adapted to be inserted into a headset jack of a mobile host device, configured to communicate an output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to a microphone input of the headset jack of the mobile host device; and circuitry configured to set the amplitude, which includes attenuation by at least a resistor, of a signal communicating said data included in the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe generated by the read head resulting in the output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes decoding circuitry configured to decode the signal indicative of the data stored on the magnetic stripe.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output plug adapted to be inserted into a headset jack associated with a host device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a host device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: circuitry having exactly three non-wire elements of (a) one two-terminal inductive read head having a first read head terminal and a second read head terminal, (b) one two-terminal resistor having a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal, and (c) one TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector including a microphone contact and a circuit completion contact, with said TRS connector adapted to be inserted into a socket of a cell phone to connect the microphone contact and circuit completion contact to corresponding cell phone circuitry including connecting to a microphone input of the cell phone; wherein said three non-wire elements are connected together using one or more direct connections, one or more wires, or both; and a housing enclosing said read head and said resistor, with said TRS connector extending out of the housing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: a read head configured to produce a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card in response to the magnetic stripe being passed by the read head; means for passively attenuating configured to attenuate the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe resulting in an attenuated output signal indicative of said data stored on the magnetic stripe; and a tip, ring(s), sleeve output plug adapted to be inserted into a standard headset jack associated with means for communicating with a host system and configured to provide the attenuated output signal indicative of said data stored on the magnetic stripe to the communicating means via a microphone input of the standard headset jack. The means for communicating with a host system and/or host system perform processing based on the attenuated output signal.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A card authentication system. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for authenticating a data card having an intrinsic magnetic characteristic and recorded data on the data card, the method including reading information from the data card, the data card information including the intrinsic magnetic characteristic and the recorded data on the data card, encrypting the data card information, sending the encrypted data card information, receiving the encrypted data card information, decrypting a portion of the encrypted data card information, the portion including the intrinsic magnetic characteristic, generating a score indicative of a degree of correlation between the intrinsic magnetic characteristic of the data card information and a stored value, and determining an authenticity of the data card based at least in part on the score.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a card reader device includes: a read head configured to generate a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card, an output plug, adapted to be inserted into a headset jack of a mobile host device, configured to communicate an output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to a microphone input of the headset jack of the mobile host device; and circuitry configured to set the amplitude, which includes attenuation by at least a resistor, of a signal communicating said data included in the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe generated by the read head resulting in the output signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes decoding circuitry configured to decode the signal indicative of the data stored on the magnetic stripe.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output plug adapted to be inserted into a headset jack associated with a host device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a host device.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output plug adapted to be inserted into a headset jack associated with a host device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a host device.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output plug adapted to be inserted into a headset jack associated with a host device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a host device.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A card reader device for reading a card having data stored on a magnetic stripe incorporated into the card is disclosed in which the card reader device comprises a read head for passing a magnetic stripe of a card by to read data stored on a magnetic stripe and for producing a signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, a signal setting device for setting an amplitude of the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe, and an output jack adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a cell phone for providing the signal indicative of data stored on a magnetic stripe to a cell phone. Data stored on the card and sensed by the card reader device is decoded by components such as a microphone amplifier, an analog to digital converter, and a microprocessor already resident in a cell phone.

Abstract: A system for verifying the authenticity of data contained in a magnetic medium using the remanent noise characteristics of the magnetic medium. In one embodiment, the invention includes a sensing unit configured to generate a signal indicative of the magnetic field of the magnetic medium, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in communication with the sensing unit and configured to digitize the analog signal, a filter in communication with the ADC configured to enhance the component of the signal associated with the remanent noise characteristic, a data extraction unit, in communication with the ADC and the filter configured to measure at least bit duration and peak location and an authentication extraction unit, in communication with the filter and the data extraction unit configured to extract a set of scaled samples from the output of the filter representative of the remanent noise characteristic.

Abstract: A system for verifying the authenticity of data contained in a magnetic medium using the remanent noise characteristics of the magnetic medium. In one embodiment, the invention includes a sensing unit configured to generate a signal indicative of the sensed magnetic field and an amplifier. The amplifier is in communication with the sensing unit, is configured to amplify signals having amplitudes less than a threshold by at least a first factor and configured to amplify signals having amplitudes greater than the threshold by at most a second factor. The first factor is greater than the second factor.

Abstract: A system for verifying the authenticity of data contained in a magnetic medium using the remanent noise characteristics of the magnetic medium. One embodiment of the invention includes an over-sampled modulator and at least one channel in communication with an output of the over-sampled modulator. The at least one channel is configured to filter the output of the over-sampled modulator and the at least one channel is configured to vary the bandwidth of the filter applied to the output of the over-sampled modulator in response to variations in the bandwidth of the signal generated by the sensing unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by, for example, dc saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining dc magnetization. A conventional magnetic recording transducer may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be digitized and stored on the same magnetic medium, in a database, or both to thereby "fingerprint" the magnetic medium. This "fingerprint" may then be later used to verify and authenticate the magnetic medium as being an original. The magnetic medium may be of a type adapted to record information magnetically or, even more broadly, any magnetic surface or substance that can be sensed through its magnetic field. In such manner, any magnetic medium, or any object having an associated magnetic medium, may be "fingerprinted" including credit cards, computer program diskettes, magneto-optic discs, videotapes, cassette tapes, bank checks, stock certificates, etc.