Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Credit or identification card systems
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-30
2001-12-04
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Credit or identification card systems
C235S487000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325284
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device and method for promoting the selection and use of a credit card.
2. Background of the Related Art
Each year, more and more credit cards are offered by credit card issuers to consumers. These credit cards are commonly offered to consumers through the mail and at points of purchase. In both cases, credit card issuers include some type of enticement as part of their marketing effort to distinguish their credit card offer from their competitors' so as to attract the attention of consumers. An ideal method of enticement encourages consumers to open an account with the credit card issuer and, once an account has been opened, motivates the consumer to use the new credit card. In this way, continuous revenue for the credit card issuer may be generated.
One method that is used to encourage consumers to establish an account and to use a particular credit card is an incentive program that offers awards to consumers. For example, such well-known programs provide frequent-flyer mile earnings or cash-back bonuses based on the amount charged on a credit card. Another program provides discounts to consumers for purchasing products or services at participating merchants' businesses. Yet another program offers co-branded cards in which a credit card issuer affiliates itself with another company or organization in order to offer a consumer certain purchasing advantages. The purchasing advantages may include discounts on purchases of products and/or services from the co-branded company or financial support for a particular organization that the consumer chooses to be associated with, such as a college alumnus organization.
A particular example of a method intended to promote a consumer's selection and use a credit card is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,102 to Auriemma (“'102 patent”). This patent teaches a method wherein a user earns, for each predetermined transaction amount, a coupon that is redeemable by the user for a lottery ticket. In this way, the user has an opportunity to recover at least a portion of his transaction-based expenditures.
A disadvantage of program-based incentives such as those described above and, for example, that described in the '102 patent, is that a large number of consumers typically do not take the time to read the rules and options of the programs. Nor do they take the time to calculate the possible cost savings. To the contrary, these consumers tend to establish accounts with credit card issuers by impulse rather than based on a careful evaluation of merits of the offered programs. In particular, they are more likely to accept an offer to open an account with a credit card issuer at times that happen to be convenient for them and/or that in some way attract their attention over other similar products or services made available to them.
In an attempt to attract those consumers that are responsive to marketing methods that provide immediate convenience and/or that attract their attention over other similar products, credit card issuers have added unique physical features to their credit cards. For example, credit card issuers have offered credit cards to consumers which have their pictures imprinted on the face of the credit card. The pictures function as a form of identification for the consumer and are also used for security purposes.
In addition, credit card issuers have offered credit cards which include illustrations depicting various themes that appeal to consumers' interests. Credit cards that have illustrations depicting various themes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,451 to Weyer. The Weyer patent includes an overlay that can be adhered to the face of a credit card. The overlay can include a variety of illustrations depicting political, religious, and humorous scenes. In addition, the overlay can include artistic designs such as a wildlife scene for ecology minded consumers.
Further, credit cards have been offered which incorporate a utilitarian feature, such as a magnifier, that can be used by a consumer. Such as a credit card is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D387,802 to Finkelstein et al. This design patent discloses a magnifying lens that is laminated into the face of a credit card. The credit card can then be used by a consumer to magnify finely printed material, such as the printed expenses found in restaurant checks and sales drafts.
A disadvantage of the above described attempts to attract consumers by offering them credit cards having unique physical features is that the features do not sufficiently differentiate the credit cards from other credit cards. More specifically, these previous attempts have primarily added only passive attributes to credit cards and, therefore, do not readily gain the attention of consumers.
In addition to the above disadvantages, credit card issuers are confronted with the problem that most consumers already have a number of credit cards to select from when they are deciding to make a purchase. As described above, consumers typically do not read the rules and options of a program, nor do they take the time to calculate the possible savings the various programs offer. Therefore, it is infrequent that a consumer will choose a credit card because of a particular incentive program. Indeed, it is more likely that a consumer will be attracted to a credit card because of its unique physical features, than because of an incentive program associated with it.
In view of the above described disadvantages, there is clearly a need in the art for a credit card that embodies characteristics that would distinguish it over a competitor's credit card and, further, that would induce a consumer to select and use the credit card at a point of purchase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel and unique device and method for promoting the selection and use of a credit card. The device and method adds a feature to the credit card that is intended to attract the attention of consumers and motivate them to select and use the credit card. The feature is particularly useful in distinguishing the credit card from other credit cards in close proximity therewith such as when the credit card is in a wallet of a consumer.
The device for promoting the selection and use of a credit card includes a sensor which is adapted and configured to sense a predefined physical change. The sensor is in communication with a driver circuit. The driver circuit produces at least one driver signal for a predetermined amount of time when the sensor detects a predefined physical change. A transducer is in communication with the driver circuit and is adapted and configured to emit at least one perceptible output signal in response to receiving the at least one driver signal. A resetting circuit is adapted and configured to reset the driver circuit after the predefined physical change is removed.
The components and interconnections therefor are incorporated into a credit card. The sensor and transducer are, for example, located proximate the top edge of the credit card. This location permits the sensor to properly detect the predefined physical change and permits a consumer to readily observe the output signal produced by the transducer when the credit card is stored in a pocket of a wallet.
The predefined physical change may be, for example, a change in ambient light, pressure, or noise. Components for sensing these types of physical change can include a solar cell, pressure sensor, or a microphone, respectively. The driver circuit can be a processor or logic circuit. A processor can be used to generate a random number which is then used to randomly select the at least one driver signal from a plurality of driver signals stored in a memory.
The transducer can be a liquid-crystal display (“LCD”) and the plurality of driver signals may represent, for example, messages or lottery numbers. The transducer can also be a speaker and the plurality of driver signals may represent, for example, different tones or phrases
Mik Magdalena
Schneier Bruce
Walker Jay S.
Alderucci Dean P.
Frech Karl D.
Walker Digital, LLC
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