US-20260127402-A1 - METAL CARD WITH BIOMETRIC FEATURES

US20260127402A1US 20260127402 A1US20260127402 A1US 20260127402A1US-20260127402-A1

Abstract

Metal transaction cards and methods of making metal transaction cards are disclosed. One metal transaction card includes at least one metal layer and an inlay layer comprising a biometric sensor and one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader, a secure element configured to exchange information with the card reader pursuant to processing a financial transaction, and at least one logic component connected to the biometric sensor. The logic component is configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information and to enable processing of the financial transaction only upon a detected match between the detected and stored information.

Inventors

Adam Lowe

Assignees

COMPOSECURE, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229

Claims (20)

1 . A metal transaction card comprising: at least one metal layer; a biometric sensor; one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader; a secure element configured to exchange information with the card reader pursuant to processing a financial transaction; at least one logic component connected to the biometric sensor and configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information and to enable processing of the financial transaction only upon a detected match between the detected and stored information; visible indicia on an outer surface of the card aligned with the biometric sensor to signify a lateral location of the sensor relative to a periphery of the card; wherein at least a portion of the at least one metal layer and/or a further layer overlies the biometric sensor, and the biometric sensor is partially or entirely not visible from a front outer surface of the card; and wherein one or more the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, and the at least one logic component are disposed on an inlay having lateral dimensions smaller than the lateral dimensions of the card.
2 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , further comprising at least one non-metal layer disposed between a first surface of the inlay layer and the metal layer.
3 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , further comprising at least one other layer assembled on a second surface of the inlay layer.
4 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the one or more payment interface components comprises a set of physical contacts configured to interface with a card reader and accessible from a surface of the card.
5 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the one or more payment interface components comprises one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader.
6 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the one or more antennae is configured for contactless communication with a card reader in the nature of short-range wireless interconnection.
7 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the one or more payment interface components comprises a dual interface chip comprising a set of physical contacts configured to interface with a card reader and accessible from a surface of the card, one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader, and the secure element in a single integrated payment module.
8 . The metal transaction card of claim 4 , wherein the at least one logic component further comprises the secure element connected to the set of physical contacts.
9 . The metal transaction card of claim 8 , wherein the at least one logic component comprises the secure element, a microprocessor configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information, computer memory for storing the stored information, and one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader in a single integrated secure processing module.
10 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , further comprising at least one opening in the metal layer.
11 . The metal transaction card of claim 10 , wherein the one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader comprises contacts accessible through the at least one opening.
12 . The metal transaction card of claim 10 , wherein the biometric sensor is accessible through the at least one opening.
13 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor.
14 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor comprises an image capture device.
15 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to detect a change in reflected radiation corresponding to biometric user information.
16 . The metal transaction card of claim 15 , wherein the biometric sensor is an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
17 . The metal transaction card of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, and the at least one logic component are distributed among more than one inlay with one or more conductive elements conductively connecting at least one to another of the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, and the at least one logic component, wherein at least one of the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, the at least one logic component, and the one or more conductive elements comprise a printed circuit board (PCB).
18 . A method for making a transaction card, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one metal layer; (b) providing an inlay layer comprising a biometric sensor, one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader; a secure element configured to exchange information with the card reader pursuant to processing a financial transaction; and at least one logic component connected to the biometric sensor and configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information and to enable processing of the financial transaction only upon a detected match between the detected and stored information, wherein at least a portion of the at least one metal layer and/or a further layer overlies the biometric sensor; (c) providing visible indicia on an outer surface of the card aligned with the biometric sensor to signify a lateral location of the sensor relative to a periphery of the card; and (d) assembling the card with the biometric sensor and the one or more payment interface components in communication with the inlay and configured to obtain transaction information and biometric information originating from a location on or above the metal layer, wherein the biometric sensor is partially or entirely not visible from an outer surface of the card, and the inlay has lateral dimensions smaller than the lateral dimensions of the card.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: (e) providing at least one non-metal layer; (f) providing at least one other layer; (g) disposing the at least one non-metal layer between a first surface of the inlay layer and the at least one metal layer and disposing the at least one other layer on a second surface of the inlay layer.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein step (b) further comprises distributing the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, and the at least one logic component among the at least one inlay layer, with one or more conductive elements conductively connecting at least one to another of the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, and the at least one logic component, and wherein at least one of the biometric sensor, the one or more payment interface components, the secure element, the at least one logic component, and the one or more conductive elements comprise a printed circuit board (PCB).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No. 17/766,805, filed Apr. 6, 2022, which is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/056814, filed Oct. 22, 2020, which is related to, and claims priority to the U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/925,926 , filed Oct. 25, 2019, entitled METAL CARD WITH BIOMETRIC FEATURES, and the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Biometric sensors such as fingerprint detection devices are becoming ubiquitous in the field of security, including in connection with payment devices, such as mobile phones and transaction cards. For example, standard plastic credit cards with biometric sensors have been documented in a number of patent applications, including but not limited to U.S. Published Patent Application No. US20090145972A1 and US20180357457A1, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Consumers increasingly have an interest in using premium transactions cards, such those made of metal, ceramic, or a combination thereof, which poses additional considerations for providing biometric features. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the invention comprises a metal transaction card, the metal transaction card comprising at least one metal layer and an inlay layer comprising a biometric sensor and one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader, a secure element configured to exchange information with the card reader pursuant to processing a financial transaction, and at least one logic component connected to the biometric sensor. The logic component is configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information and to enable processing of the financial transaction only upon a detected match between the detected and stored information. The card may further comprise at least one non-metal layer disposed between a first surface of the inlay layer and the metal layer and/or least one other layer assembled on a second surface of the inlay layer. The one or more payment interface components may comprise a set of physical contacts configured to interface with a card reader and accessible from a surface of the card. The one or more payment interface components may comprise one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader, such as via short-range wireless interconnection, such as by using Bluetooth® or NFC technology. The one or more payment interface components may comprise a dual interface chip comprising a set of physical contacts configured to interface with a card reader and accessible from a surface of the card, one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader, and the secure element in a single integrated payment module. The logic component may further comprise the secure element connected to the set of physical contacts. The logic component may comprise the secure element, a microprocessor configured to compare information detected by the biometric sensor to stored information, computer memory for storing the stored information, and one or more antennae configured for contactless communication with a card reader in a single integrated secure processing module. The transaction card may further comprise at least one opening in the metal layer, in which case the one or more payment interface components configured to interface with a card reader may comprise contacts accessible through the opening and/or the biometric sensor may be accessible through the opening. The biometric sensor may be a fingerprint sensor, an image capture device and/or configured to detect a change in reflected radiation corresponding to biometric user information, such as an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. In some embodiments, the biometric sensor may not be visible from an outer surface of the card, in which case visible indicia on an outer surface of the card may be aligned with the biometric sensor to signify a lateral location of the sensor relative to a periphery of the card. Another aspect of the invention is a method for making a transaction card as described herein, the method comprising the steps of providing the metal layer, providing an inlay layer, and assembling the card with the biometric sensor and the one or more payment interface components in communication with the inlay and configured to obtain transaction information and biometric information originating from a location on or above the metal layer. The method may comprise providing at least one non-metal layer, at least one other layer, and disposing the non-metal layer between a first surface of the inlay layer and the metal layer and disposing the other layer on a second surface of the inlay layer. The step of assembling the card may comprise a hot lamination step or a cold lamination step. The met