Adaptor for magnetic stripe card reader

Abstract

An adaptor allows a magnetic stripe card reader to receive information from other media such as wireless proximity chip cards while maintaining the ability to receive a magnetic stripe card. In accordance with one embodiment, the adaptor includes a simulacrum structure of sufficiently narrow width to fit substantially permanently within the slot of the magnetic stripe reading device, while providing sufficient room for a magnetic stripe card to also be concurrently accommodated within the slot and read by the reader head. The simulacrum structure may be in electronic communication with one or more transceivers of wireless communications such as RF and IR.

1 . A method for importing information from a magnetic stripe card into a personal trusted device, the method comprising: 
 providing an adaptor structure comprising, 
 a transceiver configured to transmit a signal to a personal trusted device,  
 memory in communication with the transceiver, and  
 a simulacrum disposed within a slot of a magnetic stripe card reader and in magnetic communication with a magnetic reader head of the magnetic stripe card reader;  
   reading information from a magnetic stripe card by the magnetic reader head;    storing the information in the memory; and    causing the information to be communicated to the personal trusted device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the simulacrum is disposed within the slot to allow the magnetic stripe card to access the slot and the magnetic head, and the information on the magnetic stripe card is read by the magnetic reader head.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing the adaptor having a second magnetic reader head in communication with the memory, and the information on the magnetic stripe card is read by the second magnetic reader head.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the simulacrum is disposed within the slot to allow the magnetic stripe card to access the slot and the magnetic head, and the information on the magnetic stripe card is read by the simulacrum.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information is transmitted from the transceiver to the personal trusted device.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the information is transmitted from the adaptor to the personal trusted device utilizing a wireless format selected from the group consisting of IrDa version 2.1 or greater, Consumer IR, ViVOtech proprietary IR, IEEE 802.11(a), IEEE 802.11(b), IEEE 802.11(g) and WiFi standards.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the information is transmitted from the adaptor to the personal trusted device selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, an RF proximity chip card, and a mobile personal computer having wireless transmission capabilities.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 prior to transmitting the information to the personal trusted device, transmitting the information to a remote data repository; and    transmitting the information from the adaptor to the personal trusted device in response to an authorization signal received from the remote data repository.    
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 transmitting the information from the adaptor to a remote data repository; and    transmitting data from the adaptor to the personal trusted device in response to an authorization signal received from the remote data repository.    
   
   
       11 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A method for communicating information to a PTD, the method comprising: 
 providing a magnetic stripe card reader having a slot and a magnetic head in magnetic communication with the slot;    providing an adaptor structure comprising, 
 a transceiver configured to receive a first signal from a source and to transmit a second signal to a personal trusted device, and  
 a memory in communication with the transceiver,  
   communicating information received at the transceiver from the source to memory, the information selected from the group comprising a gift certificate, an instrument, a decryption key, a financial management software application, and magnetic stripe card data;    storing the information in the memory; and    transmitting the information from the memory to the personal trusted device utilizing the transceiver.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the information is transmitted from the adaptor to the personal trusted device utilizing a wireless format selected from the group consisting of IrDa version 2.1 or greater, Consumer IR, ViVOtech proprietary IR, IEEE 802.11(a), IEEE 802.11(b), IEEE 802.11(g) and WiFi standards.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the information is communicated to the adaptor from second personal trusted device.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the information is communicated to the adaptor from a merchant network.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 prior to transmitting the information to the personal trusted device, transmitting the information to a remote data repository; and    transmitting the information from the adaptor to the personal trusted device in response to an authorization signal received from the remote data repository.    
   
   
       25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the adaptor structure further comprises a simulacrum including an inductor, the method further comprising: 
 disposing the simulacrum substantially permanently within the slot such that the inductor is aligned with the magnetic reader head, the simulacrum sufficiently narrow to allow a magnetic stripe card to access the slot and the magnetic head while the simulacrum is present within the slot; and    transmitting the information from the memory to the magnetic head through the inductor for communicating the information to the remote data repository through a wired connection of the magnetic stripe card reader.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the information is communicated to the remote data repository through a wireless medium.