BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mobile devices and related systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A user may communicate information directly from a card to a memory location of a mobile device via a contactless communication channel between the card and the mobile device. Accordingly, for example, a mobile device may store information (e.g., payment information) associated with one or more cards (e.g., one or more payment cards) that have been presented within a proximity to the mobile device. In so doing, for example, a mobile device may be a mobile wallet having multiple accounts (e.g., payment, identification, and travel accounts) stored within a memory of the mobile wallet where each account may be recalled from a memory of the mobile wallet at the user's request to perform a function (e.g., to complete a payment transaction).

A mobile device may detect the presence of a card that is brought within a communication distance of a contactless interface of the mobile device. A card may, for example, provide RFID capability that may communicate with an RFID device of a mobile device when the card comes within a communication distance of the mobile device. Accordingly, for example, a card type may be identified by the mobile device and information associated with the card type may be communicated from the card to the mobile device. Information received by the mobile device from the card may be autonomously categorized by the mobile device in accordance with a card type and the information may be stored and displayed to a user in accordance with the categorization.

A card (e.g., a non-powered payment card) may, for example, communicate one, two, and/or three tracks of magnetic stripe data to a mobile device via a contactless interface. Accordingly, for example, a processor of a mobile device may identify a card type (e.g., a payment card) by analyzing the magnetic stripe data received from the card. A processor of a mobile device may, for example, determine an account type (e.g., credit or debit) that may be associated with the non-powered payment card by inspection of magnetic stripe data (e.g., account number) received from the non-powered card.

A powered card may, for example, communicate information to a contactless interface of a mobile device. In so doing, for example, additional information (e.g., information presented in discretionary data) may be identified by a processor of the mobile device to determine that a detected card is a powered card having increased capability.

Accordingly, for example, a user of a powered card may select a feature (e.g., pay with credit) on the powered card and a processor of a mobile device may detect that such a feature is selected based upon an analysis of the information received from the powered card.

A mobile device may, for example, validate a payment card. For example, a mobile device may request entry of a PIN after a payment card is presented to the mobile device. Once a PIN is entered, a mobile device may, for example, access a server associated with the issuing entity to validate the PIN. A processor of a mobile device may, for example, compare the PIN entry against memory contents of the mobile device to locally validate the entered PIN.

Data received from a card may, for example, be encrypted. Accordingly, for example, data received from a card may be stored in an encrypted state and decrypted upon receipt of a decryption key. A decryption key may, for example, be received from a sponsoring entity of the card (e.g., a card issuer's server). Decrypted data may, for example, be destroyed such that each usage of encrypted data may require a decryption key prior to usage. Alternately, for example, decrypted data may be stored within a protected memory of the mobile device and kept for future use.

A user of a mobile device may, for example, extract physical, or real, cards (e.g., payment, identification, travel, and rewards cards) from the user's physical wallet or purse and may convert each physical card into a virtual equivalent card that resides electronically within the mobile device. Accordingly, for example, each physical card (e.g., a powered card or a non-powered card) may be brought within a proximate, or touching, relationship with a mobile device to create a contactless communication channel. Card information (e.g., cardholder data, card data, and card configuration data) may, for example, be communicated by the card to the mobile device via such a contactless communication channel. In so doing, for example, a virtual card may be created within the mobile device that is both visibly and functionally equivalent to its physical counterpart.

A non-powered card may, for example, be virtually rendered onto a display of a mobile device in a manner that resembles its physical counterpart. Card and cardholder information may, for example, be communicated by the non-powered card to the mobile device and rendered onto a virtual card that may be displayed by a processor of the mobile device. Accordingly, for example, the functionality of the physical card (e.g., a non-powered payment card) may be imparted to the virtual card by the mobile device when the mobile device communicates information (e.g., payment information) that may be associated with the non-powered payment card. As per one example, a mobile device may communicate payment information associated with a virtual card that may be displayed on a GUI of the mobile device when the mobile device is brought within a communication distance of a merchant terminal to complete a purchase transaction (e.g., an RFID device of the mobile device may communicate with an RFID device of a merchant terminal to exchange payment information between the mobile device and the merchant terminal to complete the purchase transaction). As per another example, a mobile device may communicate payment information associated with a virtual card when the mobile device accesses a network entity (e.g., a payment server) via a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network or a Wi-Fi hotspot) to complete a purchase transaction using the communicated payment information.

A powered card may, for example, be virtually rendered onto a display of a mobile device in a manner that resembles its physical counterpart. A powered card may, for example, be virtually rendered onto a display of a mobile device in a manner that provides user interface functionality that may be associated with the physical counterpart. A powered card may, for example, communicate configuration information (e.g., button placement and associated functionality, display placement and associated functionality and input/output functionality) to a processor of a mobile device and the processor may render such a configuration onto a virtual card such that the configuration of the virtual card provides substantially identical functionality as compared to its physical counterpart.

As per one example, a powered card (e.g., a powered payment card) may include one or more buttons that when activated determine a method of payment to be used to complete a transaction (e.g., pressing one button may invoke a credit payment transaction while pressing another button may invoke a debit payment transaction). Accordingly, for example, a virtual card may be rendered onto a display of a mobile device that includes the same functionality, such that when one virtual button is touched on the virtual card, a credit payment message is communicated by the mobile device and when another virtual button is touched on the virtual card, a debit payment message is communicated by the mobile device.

As per another example, a powered card may be programmed for a particular feature by pressing a button on the powered card associated with that feature. Accordingly, for example, a powered card may communicate information associated with a selected feature to a mobile device and a processor of the mobile device may render a virtual card on a GUI of the mobile device in accordance with the selected feature. In so doing, for example, a powered card may be selected as a powered payment card with a debit feature and the selected feature may be communicated to a mobile device (e.g., the debit feature may be communicated to a mobile device within a discretionary data field of a magnetic stripe message). The resulting virtual payment card rendered onto a display of the mobile device may, for example, provide a virtual payment card having a fixed payment feature (e.g., a fixed debit payment feature).

A mobile device may, for example, challenge a user of the mobile device to enter a password (e.g., a PIN) that may be associated with a card. A mobile device may, for example, require a password before a virtual card may be created and stored within the mobile device. A mobile device may, for example, allow a virtual card to be created and stored within a mobile device, but may challenge a user of the mobile device to enter a password associated with the virtual card before it can be recalled from a memory of the mobile device and used (e.g., used to complete a purchase transaction).

A user may, for example, participate in the personalization of a virtual card that may be stored within a memory of a mobile device. A mobile device may, for example, store various logos (e.g., issuer logos, network brand logos, and merchant logos) within a memory of the mobile device and may allow a user of the mobile device to use a GUI of the mobile device to personalize an appearance of a virtual card with such logos. Accordingly, for example, a user may perform drag-and-drop operations, alphanumeric entry operations, and any other operation to personalize an appearance of a virtual card stored within a memory of the mobile device.

A processor of a mobile device may, for example, organize two or more virtual cards for display on a GUI of the mobile device. A mobile device may, for example, keep track of a number of usages of one or more virtual cards and may sort such virtual cards within a list of displayed virtual cards so that a user may easily access his or her most used virtual card from a top of the displayed list. A mobile device may, for example, track a location of a user of the mobile device and organize a list of virtual cards in accordance with such a location. Accordingly, for example, a user may be shopping within a general merchandise store (e.g., Target), a processor of the user's mobile device may track the user's position to the Target store and the processor of the user's mobile device may display a virtual card (e.g., a Target gift card) at the top of a displayed list of virtual cards based upon the user's location. In so doing, for example, a virtual card most pertinent to the user's location may be sorted to the top of a displayed list of virtual cards for easy and convenient access by the user.

A user may, for example, select one virtual card from a list of virtual cards presented by a GUI of a mobile device and may perform one of many operations on the selected virtual card. A user may, for example, conduct a purchase transaction using a virtual payment card selected from a list of virtual cards.

Accordingly, for example, a user may place a mobile device within a vicinity of a merchant terminal and may communicate payment information associated with a selected payment card to the merchant terminal. As per another example, payment information associated with a selected virtual card may be communicated to a network entity (e.g., a payment server or an issuer's server) by the mobile device to complete a purchase transaction.

A mobile device may, for example, receive an electronic receipt for the purchase transaction either via a communication channel established between the mobile device and the merchant terminal or via other communication channels (e.g., text messaging or email exchange with a network entity such as a payment server). A user may, for example, view documents (e.g., receipts or bank statements) that may be associated with a virtual card. Accordingly, for example, a mobile device may collect and store documents associated with a virtual payment card and may display the associated documents upon request from the user. A GUI of a mobile device may, for example, allow a user to annotate documents that may be associated with a virtual card (e.g., a user may make a note that may be electronically attached to an electronic receipt that may be associated with a virtual payment card).

Other cards (e.g., other virtual cards) may be associated with a selected virtual card and those associations may be viewed from a GUI of the mobile device. For example, a payment card may be associated with a rewards card, such that in response to a request from a user of a mobile device, a processor of the mobile device may display the associations to the payment card and may use the associated virtual cards in support of a purchase transaction (e.g., the associated rewards card may be used during a payment transaction conducted with the selected virtual payment card so that the rewards account may accrue rewards points for the purchase transaction).

A mobile device may, for example, allow a user of the mobile device to cancel an account that may be associated with a virtual card stored within the mobile device. Accordingly, for example, a virtual payment card may be stored within a mobile device and may be associated with a payment account that is administered by an issuing entity of the payment account. A mobile device may, for example, communicate with such an issuing entity to cancel a payment account that may be associated with a virtual payment card stored within the mobile device. A mobile device may, for example, negotiate with other issuing entities to determine when new payment card offers may be available and to allow a user of the mobile device to accept such payment card offers. Once accepted, a user of a mobile device may conduct other transactions with the newly accepted payment card offers (e.g., account balance(s) associated with existing virtual cards may be transferred to the newly accepted payment card via a request made by the mobile device and an issuing server).

Any mobile device, such as a laptop computer, a mobile telephonic device (e.g., a cellular phone), a PDA, an MP3 player, or a positioning device (e.g., a GPS) may be a mobile wallet. Accordingly, for example, a mobile device may accept payment and other information from any payment card, store and display such information as a virtual card on a GUI of the mobile device, communicate such payment information via a wired and/or a wireless network, complete a settlement process with network entities (e.g., an issuer or a payment server) on such a network, and provide results (e.g., an electronic receipt) of the completed purchase transaction to a display of the mobile device.

A mobile device may include a contactless communication device. Accordingly, for example, a mobile device may communicate with any card having contactless communication capability. For example, a card (e.g., a non-powered card) may include a near-field communication device (e.g., an RFID tag) that may communicate with a contactless communication device of a mobile device to form a two-way communication channel between the card and the mobile device. In so doing, for example, a non-powered card may communicate one, two, and/or three tracks of magnetic stripe information to a mobile device before and/or during a purchase transaction conducted by the mobile device.

A card (e.g., a powered card) may include a near-field communication device (e.g., an RFID) that may communicate with a contactless communication device of a mobile device. A powered card may, for example, include a battery, a processor, memory, and a manual input interface (e.g., one or more buttons) that may allow a user of the powered card to programmably communicate information to a mobile device. For example, a powered payment card may include a feature associated with a button that allows a user to, for example, pay with credit or pay with debit.

Accordingly, for example, a powered payment card may communicate such a payment selection within discretionary data fields of one or more tracks of magnetic stripe data.

A powered card may, for example, include circuitry to simulate touch (e.g., a capacitance change) in order to form a contactless communication channel with a mobile device. Accordingly, for example, a powered card may be pressed against a touch-sensitive display of a mobile device and information may be communicated by the powered card to the mobile device through a series of card-simulated touches that may be detected by the touch-sensitive display of the mobile device and processed by a processor of the mobile device as data communicated by the powered card.

A powered card may, for example, include a light sensor to form a contactless communication channel with a mobile device. Accordingly, for example, a powered card may be pressed against a display of a mobile device and information may be communicated from the mobile device to the powered card through a series of light pulses generated by the display of the mobile device. A frequency, pulse width, and/or a pulse intensity of light pulses may, for example, be detected by a processor of a powered card as data communicated by a mobile device.

A powered card may, for example, include a light source (e.g., an LED) to form a contactless communication channel with a mobile device.

Accordingly, for example, a powered card may emit varying light pulses from an LED that may be detected by a motion-capture device (e.g., a camera) of a mobile device as data communicated by the powered card. A powered card may, for example, include sound emission capabilities that may be detected by a microphone of a mobile device as data communicated by the powered card through a contactless communication channel. A mobile device may, for example, include sound emission capabilities that may be detected by a microphone of a powered card as data communicated by the mobile device through a contactless communication channel.

