Secure magnetic stripe reader for handheld computing and method of using same

A card stripe read head, comprising:

• a housing;
• a serial number associated with the read head and stored within the housing;
• a detector with at least a portion thereof encapsulated within the housing, the detector configured to detect magnetic card data and generate a first signal representing the card data;
• and
• an encryption engine encapsulated within the housing and in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data.

A method for securing card data, comprising;

• encapsulating at least a portion of a magnetic transition detector within a magnetic read head housing;
• and encapsulating an encryption engine within the magnetic read head housing and a serial number associated with the magnetic read head;
• wherein the detector is configured to detect magnetic card stripe data and generate a first signal representing the card data and the encryption engine is in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data;
• wherein the encryption engine is configured to convert the encrypted signal into the same format that is encoded on the magnetic card stripe at signal levels compatible with magnetic read head output.

A card stripe read apparatus, comprising:

• a housing;
• a detector with at least a portion thereof encapsulated within the housing, the detector configured to detect magnetic card data and generate a first signal representing the card data;
• and
• an encryption engine encapsulated within the housing and in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data:
• wherein the second generated signal includes a serial number associated with the read apparatus along with the card data.

A card stripe apparatus, comprising:

• an encapsulating substance;
• a detector with at least a portion thereof encapsulated within the substance, the detector configured to detect magnetic card data and generate a first signal representing the card data;
• and an encryption engine encapsulated within the substance and in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data;
• wherein the second generated signal contains a serial number associated with the detector along with the card data.

A card stripe read apparatus, comprising:

• a housing;
• a serial number associated with the apparatus and stored within the housing;
• a detector with at least a portion thereof encapsulated within the housing, the detector configured to detect magnetic card data and generate a first signal representing “the card data;
• and
• an encryption engine encapsulated within the housing and in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data.

A card stripe read apparatus comprising:

• an encapsulating substance;
• a serial number associated with the stripe read apparatus and stored within the encapsulating substance;
• a detector with at least a portion thereof encapsulated within the substance, the detector configured to detect magnetic card data and generate a first signal representing the card data:
• and
• an encryption engine encapsulated within the substance and in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data.

A method for securing card data, comprising:

• encapsulating at least a portion of a magnetic transition detector within an encapsulating substance;
• and encapsulating an encryption engine within the encapsulating substance and a serial number associated with the magnetic transition detector;
• wherein the detector is configured to detect magnetic card stripe data and generate a first signal representing the card data and the encryption engine is in communicative contact with the detector, the encryption engine configured to encrypt at least a portion of the card data and generate a second signal including the encrypted card data;
• wherein the encryption engine is configured to convert the encrypted signal into the same format that is encoded on the magnetic card stripe at signal levels compatible with magnetic read head output.