Wireless devices for storing a financial account card and methods for storing card data in a wireless device

Abstract

A wireless device is enabled to receive a financial account card that is inserted into a card slot of the wireless device. The wireless device reads card data from the financial account card when it is inserted into the slot and programs an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag or a memory included in the wireless device. The wireless device may then be used to provide payment by transmitting the card data via radio frequency to a nearby RFID reader using the RFID tag. The financial account card may also be ejected from the wireless device and swiped by a magnetic card reader.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A wireless device for authorizing financial transactions, comprising:
 one or more processors;   at least one slot configured to receive and store a financial account card, wherein the at least one slot is configured to read card data;   a sensor;   a memory for storing card data;   an input device configured to receive identifying information; and   a transmission device in communication with the memory;
 wherein the sensor is configured to determine whether a financial card associated with stored card data is stored in the wireless device; 
 wherein the one or more processors are configured to request identifying information from the input device if the financial account card is not stored in the wireless device; and 
 wherein the transmission device is configured to transmit the stored card data if the financial account card is stored in the wireless device or the requested identifying information corresponds with the stored card data. 
   
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots, wherein a first slot of the plurality of slots is the slot configured to read card data. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots is a slot configured to read card data. 
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 44 , further comprising a display device configured to display the stored card data. 
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 means for holding the financial account card in the at least one slot of the wireless device; and   means for ejecting the financial account card from the at least one slot of the wireless device.   
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the identifying information that the input device is configured to receive comprises a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or biometric information or both. 
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the transmission device comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. 
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots, wherein:
 each of the plurality of slots is configured to receive and store a financial account card; and   at least one of the plurality of slots is configured to read card data from the financial account card.   
     
     
         52 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to request a selection of a financial account card with which to authorize the financial transaction. 
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the wireless device is a handheld device, a cellular phone, or a PDA. 
     
     
         54 . A method for authorizing a financial transaction using a wireless device, comprising:
 receiving a financial account card into a slot of the wireless device;   reading card data from the financial account card, wherein the card data comprises identifying information of the owner of the financial account card;   storing the card data in a memory within the wireless device;   receiving a request to authorize a financial transaction using the stored card data;   determining by a sensor within the wireless device whether the financial account card is stored in the wireless device;   requesting identifying information from an individual associated with the requested authorization in response to determining that the financial account card is not stored in the wireless device; and   authorizing the financial transaction if the identifying information corresponds with the stored card data or if the financial account card is stored in the wireless device.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein reading card data from the financial account card comprises reading card data with a magnetic stripe reader or a smart card reader. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein requesting identifying information from an individual associated with the requested authorization comprises requesting a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or biometric information or both from the individual. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein receiving a request to authorize a financial transaction using the stored card data comprises receiving a selection of a first stored card data from a plurality of stored card data with which to authorize the financial transaction. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein receiving a selection of a first stored card data from a plurality of stored card data comprises receiving a selection of the first stored card data from a display on the wireless device. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the wireless device is a handheld device, a cellular phone, or a PDA. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the financial account card is a first financial account card and the slot of the wireless device is a first slot of the wireless device, the method further comprising:
 receiving a second financial account card into a second slot of the wireless device;   reading second card data from the second financial account card;   storing the second card data in the memory within the wireless device; and   receiving a request to authorize a financial transaction using the wireless device.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 determining by the sensor within the wireless device whether the first financial account card or the second financial account card is stored in the wireless device;   authorizing use of the first financial account card if it is determined to be stored in the wireless device; and   authorizing use of the second financial account card if the first financial account card is not stored in the wireless device if the second financial account card is stored in the wireless device.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 determining by the sensor within the wireless device whether the first financial account card or the second financial account card is stored in the wireless device;   in response to determining that neither the first financial account card nor the second financial account card is stored in the wireless device;
 requesting a selection of a financial account card with which to authorize the financial transaction from a display of the wireless device; 
 requesting identifying information from an individual associated with the requested authorization; and 
   authorizing the financial transaction if the identifying information corresponds with the stored card data of the selected financial account card.   
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a financial account card with which to authorize the financial transaction;   determining by the sensor within the wireless device whether the selected financial account card is stored in the wireless device;   requesting identifying information from an individual associated with the requested authorization in response to determining that the selected financial account card is not stored in the wireless device; and   authorizing the financial transaction if the identifying information corresponds with the stored card data for the selected financial account card or if the selected financial account card is stored in the wireless device.