US 5,192,947 A · Credit card pager apparatus

Abstract

A low cost, low power consumption pager of approximate credit card size which can serve as both a pager and a credit card or telephone calling card. The pager is powered by a flat, flexible battery, and is comprised of low power consumption pager circuitry. The circuit is turned on and off at regular intervals to converse energy. The pager holder is altered to incoming messages by a combination of audio and visual signals. The pager can be activated or deactivated by itself or in concert with other pager devices by a single cell. The pager includes a magnetic strip, or the like, for encoding identification and security data and for performing account verification. The audio circuit on the pager can emit audio signals of varying pitch and amplitude, each combination representing a distinct class of messages. Each pager can emit a unique sound distinguishing that pager from all others in a group. The circuit responds to signals for overriding the reception of messages and for turning off the audio cirucit, if circumstances warrant it.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A disposable credit card pager apparatus, comprising:

paging circuit means, indicator means coupled to said paging circuit means, said paging circuit means receiving paging signals directed to it from a remote transmitter location and in response thereto activating said indicator means to the holder of the apparatus;
housing means in the shape and size of a credit card and constructed for utilization in a standard credit card reader;
account identification means containing account identification information and located on said housing means for credit card usage in a standard credit card reader by the holder of the apparatus;
processing means in said housing means associated with the account identification means for processing information received from the paging signals;
a thin flat battery in said housing means, said indicator means, said paging circuit means and said processing means being integrated with as well as energized by said thin flat battery, and
wherein said housing means comprises a hingeable flap portion thinner than the rest of said housing means, said account identification information being on said thinner flap portion to thereby permit the hingeable flap portion to conform to ANSI credit card standards.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Credit card pager apparatus

Life of this patent

Credit card pager apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33