# US 7,607,583 B2 · Clear contactless card > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,583 B2 - Document ID: US7607583B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/871,981 - Filed: 2007-10-13 - Published: 2008-08-28 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2001-07-10 - Assignees: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. - Inventors: Michael J Berardi; Michael Bliman; David S Bonalle; Jennifer Anne Elwood; Becky Vander Eyk; Matthew C Hood; Susan E Isenberg; Leigh Malnati; Alexandra Mayers; Sue Mueller; Zarita Norcross; Peter D Saunders; Kathryn D Scheding; Sejal Ajit Shah; Lisa Skilling-Belmond; John R Williamson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607583B2 ## CPC - G06Q 20/14: specially adapted for billing systems - G06K 7/0008: {General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer} - G06K 19/02: characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine - G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs} - G06K 19/077: Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier - G06K 19/08: using markings of different kinds {or more than one marking of the same kind} in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means - G06K 19/16: the marking being a hologram or diffraction grating - G06Q 20/00: Payment architectures, schemes or protocols (apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12) - G06Q 20/04: Payment circuits - G06Q 20/327: {Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices} - G07F 7/086: {by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer (for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10)} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a process for producing an transparent or translucent transaction card having multiple features, such as a holographic foil, integrated circuit chip, RFID circuitry, silver magnetic stripe with text on the magnetic stripe, opacity gradient, an invisible optically recognizable compound, a translucent signature field such that the RFID circuitry and signature on back of the card is visible from the front of the card and an active thru date on the front of the card. The invisible optically recognizable compound is an infrared ink and/or film, which can be detected by a sensor found in an ATM or card assembly line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A card, a through portion of which is substantially transmissive to visible light, comprising: a machine recognizable compound containing an infrared blocking material, said machine recognizable compound substantially uniformly covering said card that is substantially transmissive to visible light; and a first transponder associated with said card, said first transponder responsive to a first RF interrogation signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said card is at least one of a transaction card, identification card, smartcard, credit card, charge card, debit card, access card, information storage card, and electronic commerce card. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said first transponder is operable to receive said first RF interrogation signal, authenticate said first RF interrogation signal, and transmit a transponder account data, said card further comprising: a transponder authentication circuit in communication with said first transponder for authentication of a first verification data; and a transponder database for storing said transponder account data, said transponder database in communication with said first transponder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes at least one of a chemical, solution, dye, layered material, pigment, encapsulated pigment, coating, film, thread, plastic, ink, concentrate, thermoplastic matrix, thermoset matrix, fiber, paper, and planchette. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes at least one of an invisible, visible and colored compound. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes an infrared ink. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes an infrared ink comprising in the range of about 0.001 to 40.0 wt. (%) of an infrared activated material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes an optically recognizable compound. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound is configured to at least one of block, diffuse, reflect, refract and absorb infrared light. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes at least one of a binder, UV absorber, reflector, antioxidant, optical brightener, color shifter, chemical configured to improve processing, and chemical configured to adjust rheological properties. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound includes PET plastic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, further comprising a transponder protocol/sequence controller configured to control the order of operation of said first transponder, a second transponder, said transponder authentication circuit, and said transponder database, said protocol/sequence controller in communication with at least one of said first transponder, said second transponder, said transponder authentication circuit, and said transponder database. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said transponder includes a biometric circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a holographic foil, an integrated circuit chip, a magnetic stripe, an opacity gradient, embossed characters, signature field, text and logo, associated with said card. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said transponder comprises at least one antenna operable to receive said interrogation signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound substantially blocks infrared light from being transmitted through said portion that is substantially transmissive to visible light. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A card according to claim 1, wherein said transponder is configured to provide information in magnetic stripe format. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A card of claim 1, wherein said machine recognizable compound contains an infrared blocking material substantially covering said portion. ### Claim 19 A method of fabricating a card at least a through portion of which is substantially transmissive to visible light, comprising: placing a substantially continuous machine recognizable compound over at least two layers of PET IR forming a subassembly, a portion of said subassembly being substantially transmissive to visible light; and placing RFID circuitry between at least one layer of the PET and the machine recognizable compound. ### Claim 20 A method for fabricating a card including placing an IR film substantially continuously over two layers of PET GS, a combined portion of said layers and said IR film being substantially transmissive to visible light, and incorporating RFID circuitry between said two layers. ### Claim 21 A card, a through portion of which is substantially transmissive to visible light, comprising: an infrared blocking material associated with all machine recognizable points of said portion that is substantially transmissive to visible light; and an RFID transponder associated with said card.