Devices and methods for contactless card alignment with a foldable mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12536392-B2
Application number	US-202418588588-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2024
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

Example embodiments of systems, methods, and devices for transaction card alignment are provided. In one example embodiment, a mobile device may include a first component and a second component foldable with respect to one another between a first configuration and a second configuration. The mobile device may further include a screen interface on an interior side of the first component, and an alignment feature along the interior side, the alignment feature providing alignment for a contactless card with respect to the screen interface, wherein the contactless card is uncovered by the second component in the first configuration and covered by the second component in the second configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mobile device, comprising:
a first component and a second component foldable with respect to one another and having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the closed configuration having a slot recessed between an interior surface of the first component and the second component; an exterior screen interface on the exterior surface; and a card reader operable to communicate data with a contactless card, the slot to receive the contactless card and align the contactless card along an interior screen interface while the first and second components are in the closed configuration, the exterior screen interface to provide feedback about alignment of the contactless card with respect to the card reader while the contactless card is in the slot.

2 . The mobile device of claim 1 , the exterior screen interface, coupled with an exterior of the first component or the second component, to display feedback related to alignment of the contactless card.

3 . The mobile device of claim 2 , the exterior screen interface operable to display how to move the contactless card with respect to the interior screen interface to align the contactless card with the card reader.

4 . The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the interior screen interface and the exterior screen interface is a capacitive touch screen interface.

5 . The mobile device of claim 2 , the exterior screen interface to display time, card placement, signal strength, or a combination thereof, based on the feedback.

6 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first component is rotatably coupled with the second component, and wherein the contactless card is sandwiched between the first component and the second component when the second component is in the closed configuration.

7 . The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment feature displayed as a visual indicator via the interior screen interface while the first component and the second component are in the open configuration.

8 . The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment feature that includes an abutment extending from at least one of the first component and the second component.

9 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the card reader is disposed within at least one of: the first component and the second component.

10 . A data transmission system, comprising:
a mobile device comprising:
a first component and a second component foldable with respect to one another between a first configuration and a second configuration, the second configuration having a slot recessed between an interior surface of the first component and the second component;
a screen interface on an interior side of the first component; and
an alignment feature along the interior side, the alignment feature providing alignment for a contactless card with respect to the screen interface,
the slot to align the contactless card with the screen interface in the second configuration and
a card reader having a processor and memory, the data transmission system to provide power to the contactless card in the second configuration while the contactless card is in the slot and proximate to the card reader.

11 . The data transmission system of claim 10 , further comprising an exterior screen interface, coupled with an exterior of the first component or the second component, to display feedback related to alignment of the contactless card.

12 . The data transmission system of claim 11 , the exterior screen interface operable to display how to move the contactless card with respect to the screen interface to align the contactless card with the card reader.

13 . The data transmission system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the screen interface and the exterior screen interface is a capacitive touch screen interface.

14 . The data transmission system of claim 11 , the exterior screen interface to display time, card placement, signal strength, or a combination thereof, based on the feedback.

15 . The data transmission system of claim 10 , wherein the alignment feature comprises an abutment extending from at least one of the first component and the second component, the abutment operable to engage the contactless card.

16 . A method comprising:
providing a mobile device operable to transmit data with a contactless card, the mobile device comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first and second components are foldable with respect to one another between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and wherein the contactless card is covered by the second component in the closed configuration and uncovered by the second component in the open configuration; providing a slot recessed into at least one of: the first component and the second component; receiving the contactless card through the slot when the first and second components are in the closed configuration; providing an alignment feature along an interior side of the first component, the alignment feature aiding alignment of the contactless card with respect to an interior screen interface of the first component;
determining whether the contactless card is aligned on the interior screen interface; and
providing feedback on an exterior screen interface regarding placement of the contactless card based on whether the contactless card is aligned on the interior screen interface.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising performing data transmission between the contactless card and a card reader of the mobile device while the contactless card is proximate to an antenna of the card reader.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining a configuration change of the first and second components from the open configuration to the closed configuration; and initiating data transmission between the contactless card and the card reader of the mobile device in response to the configuration change of the first and second components.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising visibly displaying the alignment feature via the interior screen interface while the mobile device is in the open configuration.

20 . The method of claim 16 , the exterior screen interface, coupled with an exterior of the first component or the second component, to display feedback related to alignment of the contactless card in the closed configuration.

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Rule Jeffrey
• Ilincic Rajko
• Hart Colin

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06Q20/341

  Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip · CPC title

• G06Q20/34

  using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06K19/005

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement to facilitate insertion into a holding device, e.g. an arrangement that makes the record carrier fit into an etui or a casing (ticket holders A45C11/18) · CPC title