Method and Device for Processing Payment Card Information
Conducting payment card transactions through a networked device of a user wherein the networked device comprises a card reader and a wireless application operated by the networked device. The transaction may comprise acquiring information from a client's payment card using the card reader; providing such information from the card reader to the networked device through a headphone or similar jack; and processing the data through the mobile application connected to a payment network. More specifically, the networked device transmits a known first signal to the card reader, the card reader returns a second signal which is a function of the first signal and a third signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card, and the networked device derives the third signal from the first signal and the function applied to the first signal and the third signal.
1 . A method for securely processing payment card information comprising:
transmitting a known first signal from a networked device to a card reader,
receiving a second signal on the networked device from the card reader, the second signal being created by applying a function to the first signal and a third signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card;
upon the receiving of the second signal, deriving the third signal by using the second signal, the known first signal, and the inverse function of the function applied to the first signal and the third signal to create the second signal.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the function is the addition of the first signal and the third signal.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the function is a non-linear transformation of the first signal and the third signal.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein a software application residing on the networked device transmits the first signal and derives the third signal.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the known first signal is transmitted to the card reader through speaker circuitry of the networked device's audio jack.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the third signal is generated by the card reader through a near field communication device.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the third signal is generated by a magnetic head configured to read data stored on a magnetic strip affixed to a payment card when the payment card is near the magnetic head.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the function is provided to the card reader as part of the first signal.
9 . A device for securely processing payment card information comprising:
a networked device for transmitting a known first signal to a card reader and for receiving on the networked device from the card reader a second signal, the second signal being created by applying a function to the first signal and a third signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card; and
upon the receipt of the second signal, deriving the third signal by using the second signal, the known first signal, and the inverse function of the function applied to the first signal and the third signal to create the second signal.
10 . The device of claim 9 wherein the function is the addition of the first signal and the third signal.
11 . The device of claim 9 wherein the function is a non-linear transformation of the first signal and the third signal.
12 . The device of claim 9 wherein a software application residing on the networked device transmits the first signal and derives the third signal.
13 . The device of claim 9 wherein the known first signal is transmitted to the card reader through speaker circuitry of the networked device's audio jack.
14 . The device of claim 9 wherein the second signal is generated by the card reader through a near field communication device.
15 . The device of claim 9 wherein the second signal is generated by a magnetic head configured to read data stored on a magnetic strip affixed to a payment card when the payment card is near the magnetic head.
16 . The device of claim 9 wherein the function is provided to the card reader as part of the first signal.
17 . A method for securely processing payment card information comprising:
receiving a known first signal on a card reader from a networked device,
transmitting a second signal from the card reader to the networked device, the second signal being created by applying a function to the first signal and a third signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card;
wherein the known first signal and the inverse function of the function applied to the first signal and the third signal can be used to derive the third signal from the second signal.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the known first signal is transmitted through the networked device's audio jack's speaker right circuit and the second signal is transmitted over the audio jack's speaker left circuit.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the known first signal is transmitted through the networked device's audio jack's speaker left circuit and the second signal is transmitted over the audio jack's speaker right circuit.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the card reader includes an analog circuit and the second signal is transmitted only after the analog circuit recognizes the known first signal.
21 . The method of claim 17 wherein the function is the addition of the first signal and the third signal.
22 . The method of claim 17 wherein the function is a non-linear transformation of the first signal and the third signal.
23 . The method of claim 17 wherein a software application residing on the networked device transmits the first signal and derives the third signal.
24 . The method of claim 17 wherein the known first signal is transmitted to the card reader through speaker circuitry of the networked device's audio jack.
25 . The method of claim 17 wherein the third signal is generated by the card reader through a near field communication device.
26 . The method of claim 17 wherein the third signal is generated by a magnetic head configured to read data stored on a magnetic strip affixed to a payment card when the payment card is near the magnetic head.
27 . The method of claim 17 wherein the function is provided to the card reader as part of the first signal.
28 . A device for securely processing payment card information comprising:
a card reader for receiving a known first signal from a networked device and for transmitting to the networked device a second signal, the second signal being created by applying a function to the first signal and a third signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card; and
wherein the known first signal and the inverse function of the function applied to the first signal and the third signal can be used to derive the third signal from the second signal.
29 . The device of claim 28 wherein the function is the addition of the first signal and the third signal.
30 . The device of claim 28 wherein the function is a non-linear transformation of the first signal and the third signal.
31 . The device of claim 28 wherein a software application residing on the networked device transmits the first signal and derives the third signal.
32 . The device of claim 28 wherein the known first signal is transmitted to the card reader through speaker circuitry of the networked device's audio jack.
33 . The device of claim 28 wherein the third signal is generated by the card reader through a near field communication device.
34 . The device of claim 28 wherein the third signal is generated by a magnetic head configured to read data stored on a magnetic strip affixed to a payment card when the payment card is near the magnetic head.
35 . The device of claim 28 wherein the function is provided to the card reader as part of the first signal.
36 . A method for securely processing payment card information comprising:
transmitting a known first signal and a known second signal from a networked device to a card reader,
receiving a third signal on the networked device from the card reader, the third signal being created by applying a function to the first signal, the second signal, and a fourth signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card;
upon the receiving of the third signal, deriving the fourth signal by using the second signal, the third signal, the known first signal, and the inverse function of the function applied to the first signal, second signal and the fourth signal to create the third signal.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the known first signal is transmitted through an audio jack's speaker right circuit and the second signal is transmitted over the audio jack's speaker left circuit.
38 . A method for securely processing payment card information comprising:
receiving a known first signal and a known second signal on a card reader from a networked device,
transmitting a third signal from the card reader to the networked device, the third signal being a function of the first signal, the second signal and a fourth signal generated by the card reader that is indicative of information stored on a payment card;
wherein the known first signal, the known second signal, and the inverse function of the function applied to the known first signal the known second signal and the fourth signal can be used to derive the fourth signal from the third signal.