Apparatus and method for a privacy shield in keypad input devices at financial transaction terminals

1. A financial transaction terminal for inputting personal information of a customer for use with a bankcard transaction, the transaction terminal, comprising:

a. an input device with opposing sides and a face that includes a keypad, for selectively inputting the personal identification information incident to use of the bankcard by the customer;

b. the input device is portable and movable to be positioned in a location that is easily accessible to the customer;

c. a privacy shield that is positioned adjacent to and near the keypad on the input device itself, the privacy shield allows for an unobstructed view of top of the keypad to the customer, without an intervening surface between the customer and the keypad, while inhibiting others from viewing personal information as it is being entered into the keypad by the customer;

d. the shield has at least two generally vertical members that only extend away from the face of the input device, the vertical members shield view of the keypad from the sides of the input device.

2. The claim as in 1 , comprising:

the privacy shield is part of the keypad that is used in the financial transaction terminal where entry of personal information is required of the customer.

3. A security device for use by a customer in a sales terminal, comprising:

an input device with opposing sides and a face that has positioned on it a keypad;

the input device is portable and movable to be positioned in a location that is easily accessible to the customer;

a privacy shield positioned around the sides of the keypad, on the input device itself, the shield allows for an unobstructed view of top of the keypad to the customer, without an intervening surface between the customer and the keypad, as the security device provides privacy to the customer when entering a PIN in the keypad incident to use of a bankcard in a sales transaction;

the shield has at least two generally vertical members that only extend away from the face of the input device, where the vertical members shield view of the keypad from sides of the input device.

4. The security device as in claim 3 , comprising:

the privacy shield is affixed to the sales terminal.

5. A merchant point of sale terminal with an input device for inputting and receiving bankcard data for processing a payment transaction from a customer to a merchant, comprising:

a. the input device has opposing sides and a face and has a key pad on the face for entering a personal information (PI) by the customer incident to use of the bankcard for the payment transaction;

b. the input device has a privacy shield, that is positioned adjacent to and near the keypad on the input device itself, the shield allows for an unobstructed view of top of the keypad to the customer, without an intervening surface between the customer and the keypad, and provides privacy to the customer when entering the PI in the keypad;

c. the shield has at least two generally vertical members that only extend away from the face of the input device, where the vertical members shield view of the keypad from sides of the device.

6. The claim as in 5 , further comprising:

the privacy shield is affixed to the device.

7. The claim as in 5 , further comprising:

the privacy shield is foldable when not in use.

8. The claim as in 5 , further comprising:

a. the input device has a card reader mechanism and a display screen;

b. the input device has an interface for communicating with a payment transaction authorization network.

9. A merchant sales terminal, comprising:

a. the merchant sales terminal positioned in a merchant premises for processing bankcard payments from customers of the merchant at the merchant premises has an input device;

b. the input device has a face, opposing sides, a bankcard receiving slot, an input interface in the form of a keypad, a display screen and an interface;

c. the input device has a privacy shield positioned around the keypad on the top of the input device itself to shield view of the keypad incident to the input of a personal identification number in processing of a bankcard transaction requiring entry of the personal identification number;

d. the privacy shield allows for an unobstructed view of top of the keypad to the customer, without an intervening surface between the customer and the keypad, and has at least two generally vertical members that only extend away from the face of the input device, where the vertical members shield view of the keypad from sides of the input device.

10. The sales terminal as in claim 9 , further comprising:

the shield is affixed to the input device.