Powered card and method of disposing of the same
View Patent ↗A method for disposing of self-powered cards includes eradicating any identifying information from the card without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed, and disposing of the power source. In one embodiment, the method includes first identifying the location of the power source. Eradication can take many forms, for example, damaging the magnetic strip (demagnetizing or cutting); obscuring information on the body of the card; and/or disabling the smart chip. Once all identifying information is eradicated without damaging the power source, the power source can be properly disposed of at a waste disposal site. The information can be removed by the owner of the information or by a facility that has security safeguards to protect the information. Because the identifying information is eradicated, any waste disposal site that disposes of power sources can be used, regardless of the sensitivity of the information.
1. A method of disposing of a card having identifying information and a power source, comprising:
eradicating the identifying information from the card at a first location without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed; and
transferring at least the power source to a second location for disposal;
wherein the card further has a card body which includes (i) a power source containing portion to contain the power source and (ii) a identifying information support portion to support the identifying information; and
wherein eradicating the identifying information from the card includes eliminating access to the identifying information while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying information is eradicated by the owner of the information so that the owner does not have to disclose the identifying information to a third party, and further comprising the step of providing the user with directions on eradicating the identifying information.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying information is eradicated by an authorized facility sufficiently secure such that the identifying information can be disposed of properly.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises the step of damaging a magnetic strip supported on a body of the card in order to eradicate the identifying information without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein damaging the magnetic strip comprises
a step selected from the group consisting of demagnetizing the strip and cutting the strip, without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises the step of obscuring the identifying information on the body of the card.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein obscuring the identifying information on the body of the card comprises a step selected from the group consisting of laser engraving over the identifying information, printing over the identifying information, writing over the identifying information, cutting through the identifying information, and scoring through the identifying information without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises disabling a smart chip.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein disabling the smart chip comprises physically destroying the smart chip.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein disabling the smart chip comprises physically removing the smart chip.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein disabling the smart chip is done electronically and the chip is not physically removed from the card and is not physically destroyed.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein disabling the smart chip is done by programming the chip and the chip is not physically removed and is not physically destroyed.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein eradicating the user identifiable information comprises the step of physically separating the card into pieces without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein physically separating the card comprises delaminating the front surface from the rear surface of the card.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power source is a battery.
16. A method as in claim 1 wherein eliminating access to the identifying information while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body includes:
cutting through the identifying information support portion to eliminate the identifying information from the card while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body.
17. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first location is a secure facility and the second location is a waste disposal facility, the secure facility having a higher level of security than the waste disposal facility;
wherein eliminating access to the identifying information includes destroying the identifying information to prevent the card from further providing the identifying information while the card resides at the secure facility and while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body; and
wherein transferring at least the power source to the second location for disposal includes, after the identifying information is destroyed, transporting the card to the waste disposal facility while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body.
18. A method as in claim 17 wherein the power source includes a battery;
wherein the power source containing portion holds the battery in a fixed position internally in a tamper resistant manner;
wherein transporting the card to the waste while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body includes moving the card from the secure facility to the waste disposal facility while the battery remains held within the power source containing portion in the fixed position internally in the tamper resistant manner.
19. A method of disposing of a card having identifying information and a power source, comprising:
identifying the location of the power source within the card;
eradicating the identifying information from the card without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed; and
transferring at least the power source to a prescribed disposal site;
wherein the card further has a card body which includes (i) a power source containing portion to contain the power source and (ii) a identifying information support portion to support the identifying information; and
wherein eradicating the identifying information from the card includes eliminating access to the identifying information while the power source remains contained within the power source containing portion of the card body.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the identifying information is eradicated by the owner of the information and further comprising the step of providing the user with directions on locating the power source and directions on eradicating the identifying information.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the identifying information is eradicated by an authorized facility sufficiently secure such that the identifying information can be disposed of properly.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises the step of damaging a magnetic strip supported on the body in order to eradicate the identifying information without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein damaging the magnetic strip comprises
a step selected from the group consisting of demagnetizing the strip, and cutting the strip without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
24. The method of claim 19 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises the step of obscuring the identifying information on the body of the card.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein obscuring the identifying information on the body of the card comprises a step selected from the group consisting of laser engraving over the identifying information, printing over the identifying information, writing over the identifying information, cutting through the identifying information, and scoring through the identifying information without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
26. The method of claim 19 , wherein eradicating the identifying information comprises disabling a smart chip.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein disabling the smart chip comprises physically removing the smart chip.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein disabling the smart chip comprises physically destroying the smart chip.
29. The method of claim 26 , wherein disabling the smart chip is done electronically and the chip is not physically removed and is not physically destroyed.
30. The method of claim 26 , wherein disabling the smart chip is done by programming the chip, and the chip is not physically removed and is not physically destroyed.
31. The method of claim 19 , wherein eradicating the user identifiable information comprises the step of physically separating the card into pieces without damaging the power source in a manner that would allow unwanted materials to become exposed.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein physically separating the card comprises delaminating the front surface from the rear surface of the card.
33. The method of claim 19 , wherein the power source is a battery.