Smart business card system
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorKumar Marappan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A business card that contains printed textual information on the first side and magnetic media for storing electronic information on a second side. The second side contains all of the printed information displayed on the first side of the document. The business card also allows users to include additional information on the second side such as attached files and hyperlinks. To write and read to and from the business card, a reader/writer is disclosed. The reader/writer interfaces to a desktop computer. A software program in the personal computer enables reading and writing data to and from the business card. Because the data to be read is in XML format, any application capable of handling data in XML format will be able to process the information scanned from the card.
Claims38
A method of transmitting a file from a Smart Business Card to a computer comprising;
- inserting a Smart Business Card into a Smart Business Card Read/Write device, said Smart Business Card being rectangular in shape and sized substantially the same as a business card and said Smart Business Card comprising printed data and a storage media;
- writing information comprising electronic data to said Smart Business Card using said Smart Business Card Read/Write device, said electronic data being stored within said storage media;
- creating a content descriptor file on the Smart Business Card;
- creating a content file on the Smart Business Card;
- wherein the second side of the Smart Business Card is a magnetic media;
- wherein when the Smart Business Card is inserted into the Smart Business Card Read/Write device, the first descriptor file and the first content file can be exported to a computer;
- and
- wherein said electronic data is substantially similar to said printed data.
An apparatus for transmitting electronic files between a Smart Business Card and a computer comprising:
- a Smart Business Card comprising printed data and electronic data stored on a storage media;
- wherein said Smart Business Card is rectangular in shape and sized substantially the same as a traditional business card;
- a Smart Business Card Read/Write device electrically coupled to a computer, said Smart Business Card Read/Write device reading said electronic data on said Smart Business Card;
- software located in a memory of said computer;
- said computer being directed by said software to perform steps comprising:
- creating a first content descriptor file on said Smart Business Card;
- creating a first content file on said Smart Business Card;
- wherein said second side is a magnetic media;
- and
- wherein when said Smart Business Card is inserted into said Smart Business Card Read/Write device, the first content descriptor file and the first content file can be exported to the computer.
A system for transmitting electronic files in XML format comprising:
- a Smart Business Card having printed data and electronic data;
- wherein said Smart Business Card is rectangular in shape and sized substantially the same as a traditional business card;
- wherein said electronic data comprises a content descriptor file and a content file;
- a Smart Business Card Read/Write device receiving said Smart Business Card;
- a computer in communication with said Smart Business Card Read/Write device;
- software located in a memory of said computer;
- wherein said software directs said computer to utilize said Smart Business Card Read/Write device to read said electronic information from said Smart Business Card;
- wherein said software directs a computer to create the content descriptor file on the Smart Business Card;
- wherein said software directs said computer to create the content file on the Smart Business Card;
- wherein the second side of the Smart Business Card is a magnetic media;
- wherein when the Smart Business Card is inserted into the Smart Business Card Read/Write device, the content descriptor file and the content file can be exported to the computer;
- and
- wherein, upon said Smart Business Card Read/Write device reading said Smart Business Card, said electronic information is copied to a record in a database in said computer.
An apparatus for transmitting electronic files between a Smart Business Card and a computer:
- a Smart Business Card comprising printed data and electronic data stored on a storage media;
- wherein said Smart Business Card is rectangular in shape and sized substantially the same as a traditional business card;
- a Smart Business Card Read/Write device;
- means for connecting said Smart Business Card Read/Write device to said computer;
- means for creating a content descriptor file on the Smart Business Card;
- means for creating a content file on the Smart Business Card;
- wherein the second side of the Smart Business Card is a magnetic media;
- and
- wherein when the Smart Business Card is inserted into the Smart Business Card Read/Write device, the first descriptor file and the first content file can be exported to a computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.