Registers – Records – Conductive
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-26
2001-12-04
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
Conductive
C235S375000, C235S487000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325292
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The system and methods are intended to be used throughout the consumer electronics and leisure & entertainment industries; including by an issuer entity, which distributes collector cards and collectible information; a service provider, which renders and facilitates a plurality of card-related products and services; and by a cardholder, who acquires and uses the collector card.
The system deploys a plurality of functional components and a set of computer programs to implement its operational tasks, including the communications of data and the usage of the collector card between and among the above system user.
The functional components encompass, for example, PCs or other computing platforms, communications terminals, card read/write devices and other data capture equipment, biometrics boxes and other computer peripherals, and the collector card. These components can be connected via a multi-directional communications link to allow the exchange of data/information between and among the systems entities including the cardholder. The system components are off-the-shelf hardware devices that can be purchased from retailers/computer stores, procured from component manufacturers or its distributors, or acquired from providers of networking/communications services. The communication links can be implemented via the Internet or any other commercial available, wirebased or wireless network technology.
The computer programs perform the house-keeping assignments, computing and decisioning functions, application-specific routines, and the communications
etworking tasks necessary for the system's operations and card usage. These programs further include security means, such as cryptographic schemes, digital signatures and authenticity codes, to protect the system, cardholders and card contents against fraudulent use. The software programs reside within the system's components including the electronic collector card. In this way, a cardholder/system user can instruct the system to select and execute a plurality of computerized means or operational functions under the auspices of the software programs and the guidance of command buttons, template files and pull-up/pop-down menus embedded into the system or stored in the card.
The system further comprises a database scheme for storing a set of data and information in a distributed manner among a plurality of database components associated with the plurality of system users, including the collector card. The database scheme comprises means for automatically interchanging a selected number of data elements, from among said set of data/information, between and among all database components via the communication link whenever such data elements are inputted including modified by a particular system entity. In this way, the network of system database components, including the collector card per se, acts and behaves as a single integrated database that always contains and automatically delivers—anytime, anywhere—the most up to date set of those data and information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Based upon the features and objectives of the system and methods, advantages of this invention include reduced administrative costs, improved productivity, better quality of service, and higher revenues associated with the issuance, usage, and enjoyment of the computerized collector cards as compared to the deployment of traditional paper/plastic-based cards.
The lower administrative costs are the result of less personnel needed for the automated issuance of cards as compared to controlling and following-up on paper/plastic-based media; of less resources and telecommunications costs required to authenticate the card data or to clear electronic payments as compared to verifying hardcopies or to settle traditional payments; and of reduced fraud facilitated via the card-based security features.
The increased productivity is the result of substituting time consuming, labor intensive, and error-prone manual operations—associated with traditional document utilization and conventional processing platforms—by the system's computerized means; as well as of streamlining repetitive tasks via electronic templates and automated communications exchange.
The improved quality of service—when using the computerized card—is the result of achieving faster service or improved throughput at the point-of-service, more service or product selections to choose from, up-to-date information available for micromarketing and inventory management purposes, and of the convenience associated with the rendering of services from remote locations.
Higher sales revenues will be achieved by allowing the cardholders to update collectible data after issuance and to subscribe to collectible topics made available via a set of cards, which will lead to more loyal collectors and increased spending habits. The card can also generate incremental sales revenues by renting out card-space to corporate sponsors, such as, for promotional programs or for co-branding schemes involving electronic payment means.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a computerized system and methods for the issuance of collector cards, enjoyment and exchange of collectible information, and the rendering of other cardholder services.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide a portable card to store, process and communicate electronic templates representing collector cards and the like collectible data; as well as electronic payment forms representing monetary values.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide for a method of compiling the card data elements, which are also stored and maintained throughout a plurality of remote database components, and of issuing the card to a legitimate cardholder, which is entitled to use the card for a predetermined purpose.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide for a method of rendering via the collector card a plurality of value-added services as identified by the appropriate card-based service codes.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide for a method of protecting data and information stored in, or communicated between and among, the collector card and databases.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide for a method of using the collector card for remote services while coupling the card to remote databases for the purpose of communicating collectible data and related information.
It is further an objective of the invention to provide a portable card to update collectible data stored in a card or to assemble collectible information partitioned throughout a set of collector cards.
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