TWI862471B - Digital transaction apparatus, data assistance device, digital transaction card, operating method and computer-redable medium for secure transaction - Google Patents

Abstract

Digital transaction apparatus and method thereof are provided. The digital transaction apparatus includes: a Data Assistance Device (DAD) including a user interface and a DAD transmitter, and a Digital Transaction Card (DTC) including a DTC receiver and a Digital Transaction Processing Unit (DTPU). The apparatus is configured for storing at least one digital token. The DAD is configured to allow selection of one of the stored at least one digital token by the user interface and transmit the selection to the DTC. The DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token, such that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

Description

Digital transaction device, data auxiliary device, digital transaction card, operation method and computer readable medium for secure transaction

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for implementing secure digital transactions (including both financial and non-financial transactions). The apparatus and methods may be particularly useful for secure transactions involving credit cards and/or debit cards.

Credit cards, debit cards, stored-value cards, and gift cards are examples of cards used for financial transactions throughout the world. In addition, other types of cards such as passes, tags, and booklets (which may be collectively referred to as transaction documents) are used for a variety of financial and non-financial transactions. For example, some jurisdictions require proof-of-age cards for transactions (such as purchasing alcohol or entering age-restricted venues). Other examples of proof-of-age or identity documents include a driver's license, which is sometimes used for identification in connection with transactions. In some countries, passports and/or other similar identification documents are issued in the form of a card or booklet and may be used for transactions where identification is required, including traveling across borders or opening a bank account.

Many transaction documents have a magnetic stripe that may be encoded with information such as a unique identification number, expiration date, or other numeric or alphanumeric information. Other types of transaction documents include contactless stored-value smart cards, for example, closed-loop transit cards (such as Melbourne's EasyCard (Myki) and Hong Kong's Octopus card).

The transaction document may include a chip, smart chip or smart card chip (in this specification, such chips or devices and other similar types of microcircuits will generally be referred to as digital transaction processing units or DTPUs). The DTPU typically includes one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a cryptographic coprocessor and an input/output (I/O) system. For example, credit cards often use an EMV device (where EMV is an acronym for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa). The EMV device (or other type of DTPU) contains encrypted data related to the type of transaction(s) for which the document will be used. EMV devices can be read by a scanner (for example, using contactless, short-distance communication according to ISO/IEC 14443, which is called Near Field Communication (NFC)), by direct contact with the chip connection electrodes, or by other methods of obtaining data from the chip. Such transaction documents that enable use in digital transactions by means of a chip, a magnetic stripe, a chip and magnetic stripe or radio frequency identification (RFID) are referred to throughout this specification as digital transaction documents.

Digital transaction files are configured to operate with various components in a digital transaction system that includes a terminal. For example, credit and debit cards operate with EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) terminals and ATM (Automated Teller Machine) terminals used for point-of-sale (POS) transactions. Other digital transaction files are configured to operate with other types of terminals. These terminals may be operably connected to financial institutions or other third-party organizations to enable digital transactions to occur by authorizing transactions or performing associated processing to enable transactions.

In another example, an identification card (such as an age verification card) is implemented using a chip (or DTPU) containing some or all of the card owner's information, along with verification information to confirm the card's authenticity. The identification card can be used in a digital transaction whereby it is inserted into, slid near, or held near a terminal to confirm the cardholder's age. Other non-financial transactions can be implemented in a similar manner.

Terminals used to transact with digital transaction documents are referred to throughout this specification as digital transaction system devices. For "card-present" transactions, digital transaction system devices may include, for example, POS/EFTPOS terminals, ATMs, and network-connected or stand-alone readers for reading other types of non-financial transaction documents. Digital transaction devices may also be suitable for "card not-present" transactions (for example, online transactions, mail order/telephone order (MOTO) transactions), and may include Internet-connected personal computers, smart phones, and tablet computers. In addition, digital transaction system devices include telephones used to communicate with an operator who uses, for example, a network-connected terminal to enter transaction document data.

A digital transaction document has a unique identification (Unique ID), typically a number, an alphanumeric ID, or a unique name. The Unique ID may be located on or in the digital transaction document, for example, printed or embossed on the document. The Unique ID is also typically recorded in a database, for example, controlled by the issuer of the digital transaction document, and is accompanied by other information (such as name, address, age, and/or financial information associated with the user/owner of the digital transaction document). In the case where a digital transaction document has a chip, an EMV device, or other type of DTPU, the Unique ID is typically stored on the chip, EMV device, or DTPU, respectively.

Credit cards are usually embossed or printed with a Personal/Primary Account Number (PAN) to uniquely identify the account card holder. A standardized PAN has four fields, namely, a system number, a bank/product number, a user account number, and a check digit. This type of PAN usually has 16 digits, but can have between 13 and 19 digits (for example, an American Express PAN has 17 digits). The first digit is the card issuer type (for example, Visa, MasterCard or American Express), and the next 5 to 7 digits are usually called a Bank Identification Number (BIN) and identify the card network, bank, and the products of this bank. The last digit is reserved as a checksum of the previous digits of the PAN. An expiration date is associated with the PAN and usually consists of a month and year code that is four digits but has a limited range. The cardholder's PAN, name or business, and the card's expiration date are usually embossed or printed on the front of a card. Previously, some types of credit cards had a magnetic strip that encoded some or all of the card information.

More recently, financial transaction cards have been carrying a Card Verification Value (CVV) or Card Verification Code (CVC) on the magnetic stripe to make it more difficult to copy a card for fraudulent purposes. The CVC is typically a unique cryptogram, created based on the card information (including, for example, the card PAN and expiration date) and a bank's (or a personalization bureau's) master key, and printed on the card after the personalization information is keyed onto the card. Thus, a person attempting to use a card for fraudulent purposes would need to have the card in their possession for a sufficient period of time to make a copy of the magnetic stripe in order to copy the card, or to read the card and manually record the card number, expiration date, and other details printed on the card.

The same principle is then used for a second CVC (sometimes called Card Verification Value 2 (CVV2), which is usually printed in the signature panel on the back of the card). CVV2 is primarily used to help secure e-commerce and MOTO transactions. This is a second unique code created from the card data and the bank's master key (however, this is a different code than the magnetic stripe CVC). CVV2 does not exist on the magnetic stripe.

Some credit cards also have an associated personal identification number (PIN) code, which is used primarily for "physical card" transactions. The PIN must generally be kept secret and must be entered on a secure and authenticated terminal to ensure that no one can access the PIN. Additionally, in modern credit cards, the PIN may be stored in an encrypted form within a cryptographic block on a chip (e.g., an EMV device).

There are two main categories of transactions using credit cards, including: "card not present" transactions, when using the Internet or MOTO; and "physical card" transactions, such as used with POS/EFTPOS and ATM terminals. Physical card transactions involve EMV device readers (including physical contact readers using electrode pins on a card and contactless readers using, for example, Near Field Communication (NFC)) and/or magnetic stripe readers. These transactions typically use the full 13-19 digit PAN and 4 digit expiration date. Card not present transactions usually require the user to read the PAN and expiration date digits to an operator, or type them into a computer. In some cases, a CVC/CVV2 number is also required.

Other types of digital transaction documents may use various forms of security, such as PINs, passwords, and the like. However, some other types of digital transaction documents do not use this external security and rely solely on the authenticity of the document itself, for example, using holograms and other security devices that are difficult to copy. In addition, some types of non-credit card digital transaction documents may use chips for security, including chips similar to EMV devices.

For example, using a radio frequency (RF) signal to power the EMV internal microprocessor and associated transmitter of the card can enable the theft of card (or other digital transaction files) data. Typically, card data (such as PAN, expiration date and cardholder's name) is transmitted to a wireless terminal. The terminal may be a portable or fixed wireless terminal and, once in proximity to a card, uses RF signals to energize the card to: first, extract card data and copy some card data to a memory storage device, or to online storage (such as the cloud); and second, extract money as a contactless payment (for example, a PayWave and/or tap payment, such transactions are referred to by transactors as tap-and-pay or tap-and-go) using a portable terminal in proximity to the card, based on a transaction level that does not require any authorization. The stolen card data can then be uploaded to a duplicate "fake card" or used in online transactions to make fraudulent purchases. Yet another method used to steal card data for fraudulent use involves hacking into computer databases where card data is stored. This data is then used in transactions, and a card owner may only realize this when they see a list detailing transactions completed with their card or card data.

Other ways to steal card information include phishing scams, where cardholders are tricked into entering a security code along with other card details through a fraudulent website. Phishing therefore reduces the effectiveness of security codes as an anti-fraud measure. However, merchants who do not use security codes typically experience higher card processing costs for transactions, and fraudulent transactions without security codes are more likely to be hacked by the cardholder, which increases costs for merchants. Still other ways that the security of transactions can be compromised are through skimming and man-in-the-middle attacks.

With the advent of e-commerce, an increasing number of transactions are card-not-present type transactions. However, this type of transaction is subject to increasing attacks from fraudsters, including attacks that increase verification that have resulted in a "definite failure" outcome where the cardholder is legitimate but the transaction is declined.

Several solutions have been developed to address this growing fraud, including the use of virtual accounts, authenticating the cardholder separately from the transaction, and using a hardware token to authenticate the user. Another proposed solution involves a mechanism such as a bank sending a code to the user (usually via SMS to the user's smartphone) which can then be used to authenticate a card-not-present transaction. This configuration is often referred to as out-of-band (OOB) messaging, which has unfortunately recently been compromised. In any case, many of these solutions require expensive infrastructure changes (which merchants prefer to avoid) and may only provide protection for a limited time until the configuration is compromised.

With the increasing number of card-not-present transactions, one proposed method for conducting such transactions is an electronic wallet (e-wallet), also known as a digital wallet. An e-wallet provides users with a method to pay for purchases from enabled online merchants. After registration, a user can instantly store their card, billing and shipping information on a website hosted by a suitable entity (such as a bank) and can access that information to pay for goods or services. However, an e-wallet on an NFC-enabled device (such as a smartphone) cannot be used in a large number of physical card transactions (for example, POS/EFTPOS or ATM transactions) because these network transaction devices generally do not support contactless payments and the different backend processes and merchant protocols involved in currently available contactless payment configurations. As a result, the creation and use of e-wallets has experienced limited commercial success and while they remain available to consumers, only approximately 10% of consumers have chosen to install an e-wallet, and consumer take-up rates are now beginning to decline.

A user may prefer to have and carry with him many of the available credit cards, debit cards, stored value cards, government agency cards, and loyalty cards because the user prefers to actually own and control the possession of such cards. In addition, the user may need an ID card, driver's license, age verification card, or passport. Carrying a large number of personal digital transaction documents can be very inconvenient. In addition, a person with so many physical transaction documents may become confused as to the location of a particular digital transaction document (for example, a particular credit card) among all the other digital transaction documents.

One alternative solution to the e-wallet that has been developed to solve the problem of users carrying a large number of credit or debit cards is a credit card sized device having a keyboard (or a touch pad configured as a simplified keyboard) and a small limited functionality graphical user interface (GUI) that is used to select a card among several cards stored on the device and to enter data for various transactions. However, keyboards have limited functionality due to their limited number of keys in the relatively small space available on the card (the area of an average credit card). Keyboards are also considered difficult to use due to their small size and therefore may require a large number of keystrokes to achieve any particular function. Furthermore, a keyboard on a credit card is not a solution for other types of digital transaction documents, such as those used for identification or proof of age. Other attempted solutions include products such as Plastc, Coin, Final, and Wocket. However, the Plastc solution has some operational limitations, and the Wocket solution requires a specific Wocket device. None of these solutions have yet gained widespread commercial acceptance. Furthermore, cards that include a keyboard have been found to have an unacceptably high failure rate when given to customers in view of repeated, perhaps daily, use. It is believed that the high failure rate may be due, at least in part, to the complexity of having a keyboard on a card, which has limited the space available for such a complex electronic device.

Another problem with trying to accommodate multiple credit cards, debit cards, or other digital transaction files on a single card is the limitations caused by using proprietary or standardized chips. These chips or DTPUs are configured to securely store information for only one digital transaction file. For example, a credit card chip (such as an EMVCo standard chip) securely stores information that typically includes the credit card PAN, expiration date, a security code (such as a CCV2 code), and a PIN. The transaction device (such as a POS/EFTPOS terminal) communicates securely with the DTPU to obtain some or all of the information from the DTPU to authorize and verify a transaction. Many DTPUs are also configured to resist attempts to write to the DTPU secure log memory (which may also be referred to as a secure element, or part of a secure element) because many such attempts are made by people attempting to use the card fraudulently. It will be understood that a secure element may include secure memory and an execution environment, and is a dynamic environment in which application code and application data may be securely stored and managed. Furthermore, it will be understood that in a secure element, secure execution of applications may occur. A secure element may be located in a highly secure cryptographic chip (otherwise referred to as a smart card chip). The security of the DTPU also prevents the legal introduction of one or more new digital transaction documents (including PAN, token expiration date, PIN and other data attributes of such documents) into the secure record memory (secure element) of the DTPU, making it impossible for the DTPU to assume the personality (a term used in this article to describe a digital transaction document (or logical digital transaction document) and its attributes) of another document.

Accordingly, the use of a single physical card with multiple attributes (multiple credit and/or debit cards represented or representable on a single physical card) is difficult to encourage given the infrastructure changes required (including modified DTPUs (such as EMVCo devices), modified digital transaction devices (for example, modified POS/EFTPOS terminals), along with any other modifications required in other parts of the credit/debit card payment infrastructure). In addition to technical issues, program providers (such as Visa and MasterCard) have various additional requirements, including that a hologram and logo of the program be present on the physical card.

In this regard, it is desirable to provide a single EMV (or EMV-type device) or other type of DTPU on a digital transaction card (DTC) (e.g., a credit card-sized card) that can selectively employ the characteristics of several different digital transaction documents (or logical digital transaction documents). For example, a user may attempt to use a MasterCard account for one transaction, but use a Visa account for a different transaction. Alternatively, a user may attempt to use a DTC as a credit card, but then use it as an age identification card.

However, to date, there does not exist a sufficiently effective, efficient and/or secure means and/or method for adapting a DTPU (such as an EMVCo specified device) to embody different characteristics than those of the originally installed DTPU.

Another problem with current digital transaction documents is the ability to obtain data from a credit card or other transaction document. Although devices such as EMV devices have been introduced to attempt to limit data theft, these arrangements have not proven completely successful in preventing this type of crime. Increasingly, credit card fraud may incur costs to a bank, a merchant, a user, or all three. Additionally, identity theft is a growing concern for users because a stolen identity can be used to conduct fraudulent financial transactions and other types of crime.

For some digital transaction documents (such as credit cards), tokens are sometimes used to increase the security of the transaction. For credit cards, the token is usually a number that is the same length as the credit card's PAN and that replaces the PAN in a transaction. The token should not be able to be decrypted to obtain the original PAN by a person attempting to use the credit card fraudulently, and therefore that person cannot impersonate the credit card and use the credit card PAN and other personal details of a cardholder for online transactions. Accordingly, if a credit card is used in a high-risk, low-security environment, tokens are a means of protecting sensitive data. The security of tokens is primarily based on the impracticability of determining the original PAN (or other data) when only the proxy token value is known. Tokenization can be used instead of or in conjunction with other encryption techniques for transactions with digital transaction documents.

A token (or digital token) may be generated by a third party such as a credit card issuer, a financial institution, or a security provider for a credit card. Tokens are also used to secure other non-financial transactions such as those involving driver's licenses. The token may be generated as a password using a selected input from, for example, the credit card's PAN (or some other unique ID from a digital transaction file) and/or the card's expiration date. The token used for a transaction may be selected from a pool of tokens based on the ID of the merchant or terminal where the transaction is occurring, the date of the transaction, the time of the transaction, or various other criteria. De-tokenization to extract the original PAN typically occurs during the processing of a transaction and is typically performed by the credit card issuer, financial institution, or security provider that issued the token.

Typically, tokens are generated during the process of creating and issuing a credit card to its owner/user. Each card may have one or more tokens associated with it. Where a card has multiple tokens, each token may be selectively used for different transactions or different types of transactions.

Tokens have several problems, including not being user selectable to allow the user to control security and how the token is used. For example, a user may attempt to be able to select tokens for certain transactions or transaction types. Another problem is that the same token may need to be used for several different transactions, thus limiting the security provided by the token. This is particularly the case with a digital transaction file such as a credit card. Even if a digital transaction file has several tokens associated with it, the tokens will still need to be reused or reissued after several transactions. It is difficult to issue new tokens to a credit card, for example, because the infrastructure for issuing new tokens has been developed to issue new tokens when a new credit card is created and issued.

One way to prevent fraudulent use of a stolen or compromised credit card or other type of transaction document is to simply cancel the document, including canceling the document's unique identifier (e.g., canceling a credit card account number), and issue a new document with a new expiration date. The provider of the document may have a mechanism to invalidate the old document (e.g., invalidate the old account number) and issue new numbers to existing users. However, it can sometimes take a significant amount of time to deliver a new document (e.g., delivering a credit card by mail), and the delay can be a significant inconvenience to the user. In the example of a credit card, the issuance of a new card results in a temporary suspension of the user's ability to maintain payments by automatic transfer from the credit account.

In addition, file owners often prefer immediate or near immediate ("instant") feedback regarding the use of their cards for financial transactions or other types of transactions (e.g., a card or other such file is used for identification, travel, and other purposes). Card owners may also prefer immediate feedback regarding account balances and other information associated with their cards or other digital transaction files. In addition, owners of cards and other digital transaction files may prefer the ability to block the use of a file immediately or with minimal delay. This may be useful if the owner is aware of or suspects fraudulent transaction(s) using one or more of their digital transaction file(s).

One of the objectives of the present invention is to overcome or at least improve at least one of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and/or to provide at least one useful alternative to the prior art devices, systems and/or methods.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a digital transaction device operable with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token being associated with a digital transaction document, and each digital transaction document being associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction document for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the digital transaction device comprising: a data-assisted device (DAD) comprising a user interface and a DAD transmitter; and a digital transaction card (DTC) , comprising a DTC receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU), wherein the device is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens, wherein the DAD is configured to allow selection of one of the stored at least one digital token by the user interface and transmit the selection to the DTC, and wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token so that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a data-assisted device (DAD) that can be used in conjunction with a digital transaction card (DTC) receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) having a DTC, and can be used in conjunction with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token being associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file being associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, and the DAD includes a user interface and a DAD transmitter, wherein the DAD is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens in cooperation with the DTC, such that the at least one token is stored in the DTC, the DAD, or both the DTC and the DAD, and wherein the DAD is configured to allow selection of one of the stored at least one digital tokens by the user interface and transmit the selection to the DTC, such that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a digital transaction card (DTC) operable with a data-assisted device (DAD) having a user interface and a DAD transmitter, and operable with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token being associated with a digital transaction document, and each digital transaction document being associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction document for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the DTC comprising a DTC receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTC). TPU), wherein the DTC is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens in cooperation with the DAD, such that the at least one token is stored in the DTC, the DAD, or both the DTC and the DAD, wherein the DTC is configured to receive data transmitted from the DAD representing a selected one of the stored at least one digital token, and wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token such that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for transacting using a digital transaction device including a data-assisted device (DAD) having a user interface and a DAD transmitter, the digital transaction device also including a digital transaction card (DTC) having a DTC receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU), wherein the digital transaction device can operate with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the method comprising implementing a selected digital token so that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction file represented by the selected digital token.

In yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for conducting a transaction using a digital transaction device including a DAD having a user interface and a data-assisted device (DAD) transceiver, the digital transaction device also including a digital transaction card (DTC) receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) having a DTC, wherein the digital transaction device can be operated with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the method comprising operating the user interface to select one of at least one of the plurality of digital tokens stored in the device.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method in which a user receives a digital transaction card (DTC) from an issuing institution for use according to any one or more of the above statements.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method in which an issuing institution issues a digital transaction card (DTC) according to any one or more of the above statements.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method in which an issuing institution issues a digital transaction card (DTC) for use according to any one or more of the above statements.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method in which an issuing organization issues an operation code containing software and/or firmware to a data assisted device (DAD) and/or to a digital transaction card (DTC) for use according to any one or more of the above statements.

Summary of (several) embodiments of the present invention

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a digital transaction device that can be operated with multiple digital tokens, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, and the digital transaction device includes: a data-assisted device (DAD), which includes a processor, a user interface, a DAD transceiver and a DAD memory; and a digital transaction card (DTC), which includes a DTC transceiver, a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) and a DTC memory, wherein the DTC can be connected only to the DAD and exclude all other DADs to enable secure transmission of data between the DAD and the DTC via respective transceivers, wherein the device is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens, wherein the DAD is configured to allow selection of one of the stored at least one digital token via the user interface and transmit the selection to the DTC, wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token so that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token, and wherein the DTC is configured to interface with the at least one digital transaction device, thereby implementing the digital transaction when the DTC is operable as the tokenized associated digital transaction document.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a DAD that can be used with a DTC having a DTC transceiver, a DTPU and a DTC memory, and can be used with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, and the DAD includes a processor, a user interface, a DAD transceiver and a DAD memory, wherein only the DAD can be connected to the DTC to exclude all other DADs to achieve Data is securely transmitted between the DAD and the DTC via respective transceivers, wherein the DAD memory is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens in cooperation with the DTC memory such that the at least one token is stored in the DTC memory, the DAD memory, or both the DTC memory and the DAD memory, and wherein the DAD is configured to allow selection of one of the stored at least one digital tokens via the user interface and transmit the selection to the DTC such that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a DTC that can be used with a DAD operation having a processor, a user interface, a DAD transceiver and a DAD memory, and can be used with a plurality of digital token operations, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein each digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the DTC includes a DTC transceiver, a DTPU and a DTC memory, wherein the DTC can be connected only to the DAD and exclude all other DADs to achieve secure transmission of data between the DAD and the DTC through their respective transceivers, wherein the DTC memory The DTC is configured to store at least one of the plurality of digital tokens in cooperation with the DAD memory, such that the at least one token is stored in the DTC memory, the DAD memory, or both the DTC memory and the DAD memory, wherein the DTC is configured to receive data transmitted from the DAD representing a selected one of the stored at least one digital token, wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token, such that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token, and wherein the DTC is configured to interface with the at least one digital transaction device for implementing the digital transaction when the DTC is operable as the tokenized associated digital transaction document.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for trading using a digital transaction device including a DAD having a processor, a user interface, a DAD transceiver and a DAD memory, wherein the digital transaction device also includes a DTC having a DTC transceiver, a DTPU and a DTC memory, wherein the DTC can be connected to only one DAD and exclude all other DADs, and the digital transaction device can be operated with a plurality of digital tokens, each digital token is associated with a digital transaction file, and each digital transaction file is associated with one or more digital tokens, wherein the digital A digital token represents a tokenized associated digital transaction document for a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the method comprising: operating the user interface to select one of at least one of the plurality of digital tokens stored in the device; connecting the DAD and the DTC to enable data representing the selected digital token to be transmitted from the DAD to the DTC through respective transceivers, wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token, so that the DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token.

In still other embodiments, the DTC may be connected to the DAD using a physical connector, such as a data cable. In such embodiments, the data cable may be adapted to plug into a USB port on the DAD at one end, with the other end adapted to clamp or clip onto a portion of the DTC. The DTC may have electrodes or metal plates at or toward one of its edges to allow for clamping or clipping of the other end of the data cable.

In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of digital symbols is stored on the DAD. In other embodiments, at least one of the plurality of digital symbols is stored on the DTC, wherein the digital symbol is selected by the DAD by an indicator or name associated with a digital symbol, but the digital symbol itself is not stored on the DAD, so that the selection of the symbol is communicated to the DTC via data indicating which symbol has been selected, and the DTC implements the selected symbol from its memory based on the indicating data. In still other embodiments, a portion of each of the at least one of the plurality of digital symbols is stored on the DAD. Another portion of each corresponding at least one of the plurality of digital symbols is stored on the DTC, wherein the selection is based on the portion stored on the DAD. The selected portion of the digital token is transmitted to the DTC, and in this way the portion of the digital token that matches the selected portion is determined at the DTC, and the two portions of the digital token can be combined to form the entire digital token, which can then be implemented by the DTC.

In one embodiment, the DAD is enabled to store and/or provide selection of a logical digital transaction file implemented as a digital transaction file on the DTC. Each logical digital transaction file has a unique identification, such as a personal/primary account number (PAN) of a credit card. Selection of the file may occur before selection of a token associated with the file. In the case where a file has only one token, selection of the file may be considered selection of the associated token because a further selection process is not required. In some embodiments, selection of a token automatically indicates the logical digital transaction file to be selected because tokens are associated with only one file.

As with digital tokens, logical digital transaction files may be stored in DAD memory, DTC memory, or a portion of each logical digital transaction file may be stored in both DAD memory and DTC memory. Selection of a logical digital transaction file may be by a representative diagram or a similar screen display. In an embodiment, a user selects a desired digital transaction file and then selects a desired digital token associated with the selected transaction file. In another embodiment, a user may select a digital transaction file and select a predetermined token based on the content context determined by the DAD. For example, if the DAD senses different locations, a token may be automatically selected based on the sensed location.

In the case where logical digital transaction files and tokens are stored in whole or in part on the DTC, the DAD may have representations of selectable files and tokens, but not all or a portion of the unique identification (unique ID) information of the files and tokens. In such an embodiment, the selected files and tokens may be delivered to the DTC as representative data indicating only the files and tokens that have been selected without containing the entire unique ID information of the files and tokens. For example, the DAD may contain only a portion of the PAN of a credit card and a portion of a token associated with the credit card. In another example, the DAD may have only a name or nickname assigned to the credit card and token without any portion of the PAN or token number stored thereon.

In various embodiments, some digital transaction documents will have only one associated token and other digital transaction documents will have multiple associated tokens. It should be understood that the embodiments discussed in this specification include both options unless otherwise stated or unless the inclusion of both options renders one embodiment impossible to implement.

In various embodiments, a digital transaction file will not need to be stored in the device (in DAD memory or DTC memory) because the token(s) stored in the device will be sufficient to identify its(the) associated digital transaction file(s). For example, in the case where the digital transaction file is a credit card, the card number (PAN) is not stored on the device and instead, the token associated with the credit card is sufficient to identify the specific credit card. In this example, the credit card PAN may include the 4 typical leading digits that identify the card as being of a specific type or brand (MasterCard, Visa, etc.). A token for a specific credit card may have the same four leading digits, but with different remaining digits so that the token identifies the card with which it is associated. It will be appreciated that not storing a PAN in the device (in DAD memory or DTC memory, for example) should increase the security of the digital transaction document. In such instances, only the digital token is selected by the DAD, with the associated digital transaction document automatically identified and selected.

In various embodiments, the digital transaction document may be a credit card, debit card, bank account, stored-value card, passport, identity card, age verification card, membership card, government agency card, driver's license, and/or various other types and categories of digital transaction documents that are typically implemented as cards, documents or booklets or implemented electronically. It should be understood that in this specification, the term "logical" refers to a set of characteristics for each digital transaction document. Characteristics may include data such as a unique ID, ownership information, and expiration date of the digital transaction document. The identification information may be a unique ID number. A change in a DTC from expressing one digital transaction document to expressing another digital transaction document may also be referred to as a change in a DTC "characteristic".

In various embodiments, the digital transaction device may include a point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal, an automated teller machine (ATM), an Internet-connected computer or personal computer (PC), and other such electronic devices. The digital transaction device may also include an infrastructure including a telephone and call center enabled for mail order/telephone order (MOTO) type transactions.

In an embodiment, the unique ID of the digital transaction document may be a PAN, or a similar type of unique ID, such as a unique alphanumeric ID or a unique name.

In other embodiments, the DAD may be a smart phone, computer tablet, laptop, PC, lock device, or other suitable device for storing digital tokens and operable to allow a user to select a digital token and transmit data representing the selected digital token. The DAD may also include a customized DAD suitable for that purpose. In other embodiments, the DAD may be a wearable device (such as a smart watch), or may be enabled to operate in conjunction with such a wearable device.

In one embodiment, selection via a user interface may include a touch screen selection from, for example, a smart phone. The touch screen may operate by displaying a list, a drop-down list, or other screen design, or may employ graphics on the screen. The user interface may also be a simple display with, for example, buttons on a lock ring. In the case where the DAD is a PC or laptop, it may employ a screen and keyboard to provide a user interface. However, users generally prefer that the DAD be a portable DAD.

In various other embodiments, the DTC may include other features, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying the selected digital token, the selected logical digital transaction document, and/or information about the same. For example, if the logical digital transaction document is a credit card, the GUI on the DTC may display the PAN, the selected token associated with the selected logical digital transaction document, the card brand logo, the expiration date of the credit card, and may also display a virtual or simulated hologram of the credit card brand. In another embodiment, the DTC may only display the selected token and not the associated PAN. The DTC may also include a real hologram displayed somewhere on its surface.

In other embodiments, the DTC may include a processor for processing requests (e.g., security requests, storage requests). The processor may also control the GUI display.

In various embodiments, the DTC may also include a button or a similar device to activate the connection with the DAD. In some embodiments, the respective transceivers for the DAD and the DTC may be adapted for Bluetooth ^™ , Low Energy Bluetooth ^™ , Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (NFC), ANT+, or other types of contactless or wireless communication transceivers. In other embodiments, the transceiver may require contact between the DAD and the DTC in order to transfer data, or in order to establish a connection between the two.

In an alternative embodiment, the memory on the DTC may be on an EMV chip (which is an acronym for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) or another type of similar or compatible chip.

In yet other embodiments, the DTC is configured to be inserted into a POS/EFTPOS terminal or an ATM.

In still other embodiments, for example, if the DTC includes non-static memory storage or some form of powered transceiver (such as Bluetooth ^™ ), the DTC includes a battery for memory storage. A battery may also be used to power the DTC to process encryption and to change the digital transaction files and/or digital tokens represented by the DTC by implementing changes to the logical digital transaction files and/or associated digital tokens stored on the DTC.

In one embodiment, the DTC may be adapted to express a default "return to zero" characteristic, where the data in place of a logical digital transaction document requiring a unique ID may be a series of predetermined numbers (e.g., all zeros). In one example, where the logical digital transaction document is a credit card, the unique ID may be the credit card PAN or a related digital token, and the DTC setting is returned to express a return to zero characteristic by overwriting or replacing the PAN or related digital token with all zeros.

In an optional embodiment, the DTC may also be configured to store a logical digital transaction file and/or associated digital token for a selected period. The period may be predetermined by the issuer of the DTC and/or the issuer of the digital token (which may be an issuer different from the issuer of the DTC). Alternatively, the storage period may be selected by the user. In other variations, the period may be dynamically selectable and may be selected by the user for each transaction or for a single logical digital transaction file and/or (several) associated digital tokens on the DTC. In other embodiments, the storage period of the logical digital transaction file and/or (several) associated digital tokens on the DTC may be determined based on the selected logical digital transaction file and/or (several) digital tokens or based on the transaction type or both.

In embodiments, the DTC and the digital transaction device may interface with each other by various methods. In some embodiments, the interface may be achieved by inserting the DTC into the digital transaction device. In other embodiments, the interface between the DTC and the transaction device may be via NFC, wherein the DTC and/or the device each has a transceiver and antenna for communication. In still other embodiments, the DTC may include a magnetic stripe, wherein the digital transaction device includes a magnetic stripe reader. In still other embodiments, the DAD may include a transceiver configured for communication with the digital transaction device, allowing transactions to be conducted directly through the DAD as appropriate.

In an embodiment, a DTC includes a wearable payment device, which includes a payment device incorporated into a number of jewelry pieces (such as a ring, bracelet, and pendant). DTC also includes any implantable payment device, which includes a chip (DTPU) and transceiver configuration that can also be appropriately configured for subcutaneous implantation.

In other embodiments, the DAD may be a smartphone or other suitable device, such as a lock or keychain configured to operate as a DAD. In some embodiments, the DAD may be or may include a wearable device, such as a watch or other piece of jewelry. In this regard, some smartphones currently operate using a wearable wrist (or watch-like) device. It is envisioned that in the future smartphones may be fully incorporated into a wearable device, and the DAD may be such a device. In the case where the DAD includes a smartphone that operates with a wearable wrist (or watch-like) device, it should be understood that the wearable component may have its own unique ID, which may be used to cooperate with the unique IDs for a smartphone and DTC, respectively, to secure the connection and data transmission between the DAD and the DTC.

In an embodiment, each DAD may be linked to multiple DTCs. However, each DTC may be linked to only one DAD to the exclusion of all other DADs.

In embodiments, the linking between the DTC and the DAD may be implemented by using a unique ID for the DTC and another unique ID for the DAD. In some embodiments, the linking of the DTC and the DAD may occur (at least partially) before the DTC is sent to a user, for example, the linking may be implemented by a DTC issuer, including a bank, a card (or DTC) issuing facility, a card (or DTC) "personalization" facility, or other types of third-party institutions that can implement a "partial" linking. In one example, a partial linking may be implemented by having the DTC issuer set up the DTC and provide an application ready to be downloaded by a user to the user's DAD (e.g., a smartphone), where activating the application will cause the smartphone to find and link to the DTC issued to the user. In other embodiments, linking may be implemented by the user and may occur when the user receives a DTC.

In some embodiments, the link between the DTC and the DAD is permanent or semi-permanent and cannot be unlinked or relinked without permission and required action from, for example, one of the aforementioned third parties. For example, to unlink a DTC and a DAD that is uniquely linked to the DTC, a unique code may be entered on the DAD and uploaded to the DTC. This resets the DTC to a default state. In the default state, the DTC may "find" a newly assigned unique ID for a different DAD (e.g., an IMEI number for a smartphone or another suitable unique ID). This unlinking/relinking may be useful when a user replaces their DAD (e.g., a smartphone). In yet other embodiments, the link may be temporary and may be performed by the user. For example, a user may form a link a short time before an expected transaction occurs, and may unlink after the transaction is completed, a preset short duration after the transaction.

In further embodiments, the DTC may have a magnetic stripe and the DAD may have a magnetic stripe reader and/or writer.

In yet another embodiment, the DTC is configured to store only one logical digital transaction file and associated digital token(s) at any given time. In this regard, in order to change a logical digital transaction file stored on the DTC, a user must overwrite or delete a previously stored logical digital transaction file and its associated token(s) if there is a logical digital transaction file embodied in the DTC at the time.

In another embodiment, the DTC may be configured to simultaneously store more than one logical digital transaction file and associated token(s) for each file.

In another embodiment, the DTC may be configured to store a primary logical digital transaction file and (several) of its associated tokens, and a secondary logical digital transaction file and (several) of its associated tokens. In yet another embodiment, the DTC may be configured to store a primary logical digital transaction file and (several) of its associated tokens, and one or more secondary logical digital transaction files and (several) of the associated tokens of each secondary logical digital transaction file. In some embodiments, the primary logical digital transaction file and (several) of its associated tokens may be permanently stored on the DTC, wherein one or more secondary logical digital transaction files and (several) of the associated tokens of each secondary logical digital transaction file are temporarily stored on the DTC. In yet other embodiments, one or more sub-logical digital transaction files and (several) associated tokens of each sub-logical digital transaction file may be permanently stored on the DTC and referenced by a code stored on the DAD.

In an embodiment where the DTC and DAD are dynamically linked (i.e., linked by the user at a time of selection), the linking and selection of the desired logical digital transaction document from the DAD may occur in any order.

In an embodiment, in order to have secure communication between the DTC and the DAD, security may be implemented by linking the DTC and the DAD, or security may be implemented for data transmission between the DTC and the DAD. In other embodiments, security may be implemented for both the link and the data transmission.

In yet other embodiments, the DAD may include an e-wallet that may be configured to operate with one or more of the logical digital transaction files and (several) associated tokens stored on the DAD. In the case where the logical digital transaction file is a debit card or a credit card, this configuration may be used to replenish funds. In addition, the DAD may include functionality that allows a user to observe transactions completed using DTCs (or by other means, such as online transactions) in real time. This may allow a user to monitor all transactions completed by all logical digital transaction files in a device (which may include multiple DTCs linked to the DAD or linkable to the DAD) in a single screen or using a single smartphone application. In addition, the associated digital tokens used for a transaction may be displayed to the user. This may further allow the user to cancel, stop, suspend or otherwise appropriately dispose of one or more logical digital transaction files if the user detects or perceives that one or more logical digital transaction files have been abused or used fraudulently. The system may also be adapted to allow the user to cancel, stop, suspend or otherwise appropriately dispose of one or more logical digital transaction files on a token-by-token basis, such that only a particular token associated with a file is disabled, while the file may still be used with other associated tokens. The user may also cancel, stop, suspend or otherwise appropriately dispose of one or more logical digital transaction files if the user seeks to limit, for example, spending or other financial or non-financial transactions that occur using one or more logical digital transaction files. This may also be done on a token-by-token basis.

In another embodiment, the DAD may be enabled to send alerts to the user when a transaction or a selected category or type of transaction is conducted using the DTC. For example, the DAD may alert the user that a logical digital transaction document (such as a passport) has been used for identification at an airport. Additionally, alerts may be implemented on a token-by-token basis. In another example, the DAD may alert the user that a credit card has been used to purchase goods or services (such as a taxi ride) that are not included in a list of authorized transaction categories selected by the user (such as fuel and groceries).

In other embodiments, the DAD and/or DTC may be configured to allow a user to categorize transactions. Categories may be predefined and/or defined by the user. Categories may be configured to allow the user to monitor and/or limit transactions, such as credit spending within the category. A category may be associated with only one (logical) digital transaction file, or may be associated with several logical digital transaction files. Tokens may also be used to categorize transactions using one digital transaction file.

In yet another embodiment, a DAD may be configured to allow a user to transfer funds to another user with a DAD. Transfers may be limited to the same or similar (logical) digital transaction document type, and may be limited in quantity. In a further embodiment, a DTC may be configured to transfer funds to another DTC (owned by the user or another user), or to another DAD (owned by the user or another user).

Furthermore, in another embodiment, third parties (such as financial institutions, police, customs, government, employers, spouses, parents, and other interested parties) may be authorized and able to cancel, stop, suspend, or otherwise appropriately dispose of one or more logical digital transaction files or selected token(s) associated with the files in the system. This may be useful, for example, if a user has a gambling addiction and prefers to have a third party monitor and prevent access to credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, or other types of financial logical digital transaction files in order to prevent the user from excessive gambling.

In other embodiments, the DAD may be configured to store data representing loyalty points, frequent flyer points, or other associated transaction-related documents attached to a (logical) digital transaction document or multiple (logical) digital transaction documents. The DAD may also be enabled to update loyalty points, frequent flyer points, and other associated transaction-related documents during or after a transaction or at other times. For example, loyalty points may be used during a transaction to reduce the cost of an item purchased using DTC and DAD. The DAD may also be enabled to increase loyalty points, frequent flyer points, and other associated transaction-related documents if a user visits a specific shopping store or is within a predetermined distance of a store.

In yet another embodiment, if the DTC includes a primary logical digital transaction file that is, for example, permanently stored on the DTC, the primary logical digital transaction file may be a faulty or forged logical digital transaction file such that data copied from the DTC (where only the primary logical digital transaction file is stored on the DTC) will be useless for any digital transaction. Alternatively, the primary logical digital transaction file may be represented by a unique ID (such as a zeroed identity) that is incomplete, expired, or all zeros. For example, where the primary digital transaction file is a credit card, the card's PAN may be incomplete, expired, or all zeros. In this embodiment, only the secondary logical digital transaction file stored on the DTC will be authentic and can be used in a digital transaction when embodied as a digital transaction file on the DTC. In addition, a secondary logical digital transaction file and (some) of its associated digital tokens may be stored or embodied as a tokenized digital transaction file on the DTC for only a short period of time (e.g., five minutes) in order to reduce the risk of theft of the data representing the logical digital transaction file and the token. This configuration reduces the risk that an unauthorized user can simulate the associated digital transaction file and token. Alternatively, the primary logical digital transaction file stored on the DTC may include incomplete data, rendering the DTC unusable for digital transactions until a user downloads the secondary data and saves the secondary data to the DTC (and associated token data) to render the primary logical digital transaction file complete and usable for digital transactions.

In yet another embodiment, each logical digital transaction file or each subset of logical digital transaction files stored on the DAD may have a personal identification number (PIN) associated therewith. The PIN may be a static PIN, or may be a dynamically generated PIN. In other embodiments, the PIN may be displayed on the user interface of the DAD. The PIN may be accessed by a secure method for display on the screen of the DAD, such as a finger swipe or other such security methods as are commonly implemented on smartphones. In another embodiment, the DAD may be configured to allow a user to update a PIN for a particular logical digital transaction file or several logical digital transaction files. In embodiments, the PIN may also be associated with a particular token of a file, such that each token of the file has a different PIN.

In an embodiment, the method includes causing the activated DTC to operate in conjunction with a digital transaction device to perform digital transactions.

In some embodiments, tokens for a primary logical digital transaction document are provided prior to issuing a DTC to a user. Tokens may be sent to the DAD via a secure network so that a token may be selected at a transaction for a transaction conducted using an associated logical digital transaction document (already stored on the DTC at the time of issuance). Alternatively, tokens associated with the primary document may be loaded onto the DTC at the time of issuance, with selection being effected by the DAD at the time of a transaction. Secondary logical digital transaction documents may be issued to users after the DTC is issued via a secure network component to the DAD, and the associated digital tokens of each secondary document may be issued along with the associated secondary documents.

In other embodiments, tokens may be issued to a DTC for storage thereon, wherein at the time of a transaction one of the tokens is selected via the DAD for use in the transaction.

In yet another embodiment, tokens may be a fixed or expandable pool, with tokens used in a round-robin fashion, where the next token is selected in sequence. Alternatively, tokens may be randomly (or pseudo-randomly) selected from the pool. In a further embodiment, tokens may be used only once, where a pool of used or expired tokens is replaced as each token in the pool is used or expired. The pool of tokens may also be replenished before each token is used or expires, for example, when ten unused or unexpired tokens remain in the pool, the user may be alerted that a token replenishment is required. It will be appreciated that single-use tokens may improve the security of an associated digital transaction document and transaction.

In another embodiment, the user can choose when to replace tokens in a token pool. In this embodiment, the user can request a new pool or an extension of one of their existing token pools from a token provider.

In a further embodiment, a primary user of a given digital transaction file can assign tokens to a secondary user of the file. For example, a primary credit card holder can assign token(s) from a pool of tokens to a secondary holder of the credit card. This can be used as a way to control the spending of the secondary credit card user to limits, amounts, or categories of spending.

In still other embodiments, where tokens are designated for use only in certain transaction types, a third party (such as a token issuer, government agency, or other controller of token use) has the authority to allow tokens to be issued only for selected transaction types. In one example, the authority to control the issuance of tokens may only allow tokens to be issued for a credit card used for non-gaming expenditures.

In some embodiments, the token is generated only by a third party provider who issues the token to the user. In other embodiments, the token may also be issued by another third party provider. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the token may be generated locally by the user (for example, via DAD). The locally generated token may be securely copied to a third party for matching during a transaction to thereby authorize the transaction. The token may be generated as a password using one or more of the following: unique ID of the associated document, expiration date, unique ID of DAD, time, date, location, and various other random, pseudo-random, or non-random inputs.

Readers familiar with the relevant technology will understand that in embodiments of the present invention, a digital transaction device that includes and requires both a data-assisted device (DAD) and a digital transaction card (DTC) for a digital transaction provides a multi-factor authentication (including authorization, authentication, and both authorization and authentication) for digital transactions, the factor being that a user (e.g., a person attempting to use a financial digital transaction to pay for goods and/or services) requires two items (i.e., DAD and DTC and also knowledge of how to use the two items to effect a transaction). Therefore, if a person has both a DAD and a DTC when attempting to conduct a digital transaction, the possibility of the person obtaining the two items by fraud, theft, or deception is significantly reduced. For example, if the DAD is a smart phone, then a person attempting to conduct a fraudulent transaction would be able to steal a legitimate DTC and the owner's smart phone would be impossible compared to the sole theft of a legitimate credit card such as one currently used to conduct digital transactions. Additionally, if someone attempting to conduct a fraudulent transaction manages to steal a legitimate DTC, it would be extremely difficult for that person to emulate or spoof the DTC owner's smartphone, including any additional hardware and software necessary to operate the DTC to conduct a digital transaction.

In an embodiment, the DAD and DTC are operable to transmit data therebetween, which may further assist in reducing the incidence of fraudulent digital transactions. For example, the DAD may be used to transmit a one-time PIN (OTP) to the DTC prior to each and every transaction, the OTP being requested by a digital transaction system device during a digital transaction and requiring the user to enter the PIN to complete the transaction. In any case, it is expected that transmitting data between the DAD and the DTC will assist users in managing and monitoring their digital transactions.

In some embodiments, the DTPU is an EMV device, or a device that complies with one or more EMVCo specifications. In other embodiments, the DTPU is an EMV device (otherwise compliant with one or more EMVCo specifications) that is constructed to read a secure storage area (scratch memory/scratch memory area) for the purpose of establishing the characteristics of the card in which the DTPU is installed. The secure storage area or scratch memory may be within the constructed EMV device, within the constructed EMV device storage area (memory), or within some other secure memory.

In embodiments, the CPU of the DTPU and/or a CPU external to the DTPU but residing within the DTC (referred to as an external DTC processor) is activated only after the CPU or external CPU securely identifies itself to a connected DAD (such as a smartphone). In some embodiments, the link between the DAD (e.g., a smartphone) and the DTC uses strong encryption for the transmission of IDs and data. The link may be unique to each set (smartphone and DTC).

In embodiments, the connection between the DAD and the DTC is wireless and may be formed using respective transceivers of the DAD and the DTC. In still other embodiments, the DTC may be connected (i.e., operable to establish communication) with the DAD using a physical connector, such as a data cable. In such embodiments, the data cable may be adapted to be plugged into a communication port (such as a USB port) on the DAD at one end, with the other end adapted to be clamped or clipped onto a portion of the DTC. The DTC may have an electrode or metal plate at or toward one of its edges to connect with the cable when the other end of the data cable is clamped or clipped to the DTC. In some embodiments, the respective transceivers for the DAD and DTC may be adapted for Bluetooth ^™ , Low Energy Bluetooth ^™ , Wi-Fi, NFC, ANT+ or other types of contactless or wireless communication transceivers. In embodiments, the DTC may include a button or similar device to activate the connection with the DAD.

In various embodiments, the DAD is operable to transfer data to the DTC without forming a direct link between the DAD and the DTC. In these embodiments, the DAD is used to transfer data to a (cloud) connected third party device via the Internet, for example. A link between the DAD and the third party device used for data transfer may be temporary and may be terminated once the data has been fully transferred. The third party device is connected, for example, to a network (perhaps via another third party, such as a payment processor), which enables the third party device, subsequent to forming a link with the network, to form a link and communicate with a digital transaction system device (such as a point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal or automated teller machine (ATM)), and thereby connect to the digital transaction system device. The third party device is enabled to transmit data previously received from the DAD to the digital transaction system device. A holder of a DTC (who may be a person different from the owner and/or operator of the DAD) may bring the DTC to the digital transaction device, and by inserting or placing the DTC near the device, the DTC holder may obtain data from the digital transaction system device. In this way, data from the DAD may be transmitted to the DTC indirectly and asynchronously. This indirect data transfer between the DAD and the DTC may also be reversed, such that the DTC may use the same infrastructure of digital transaction system devices to indirectly and asynchronously transfer data to the DAD, the network including payment processors, third-party devices and the Internet. It will be appreciated that indirect and asynchronous data transfer may be useful in situations where a first person has a DAD and wishes to send data to a DTC controlled by a second person who is geographically remote from the first person. For example, a mother operating her DAD may prefer to increase the spending limit of a DTC operated by her son who is traveling in a foreign country.

In an embodiment, an external DTC CPU controls the reading and re-reading of a DTPU (e.g., an EMV device), and updates the memory contents of the DTPU.

In embodiments, the link between the DTC and the DAD may be implemented by using a unique ID for the DTC and another unique ID for the DAD. In some embodiments, the linking of the DTC and the DAD may occur (at least in part) before the DTC is sent to a user. For example, the linking may be implemented by a DTC issuer, including a bank, a card issuing facility, a card "personalization" facility, or other types of third-party institutions capable of implementing a "partial" link. In one example, a partial linking may be implemented by the DTC issuer creating the DTC and providing an application ready to be downloaded by a user to the user's DAD (e.g., a smartphone), where activating the application causes the smartphone to search for and link to the DTC issued to the user. In other embodiments, the linking may be implemented by the user and may occur when the user receives the DTC.

In some embodiments, the link between the DTC and the DAD is permanent or semi-permanent and cannot be unlinked or relinked without permission and required action from, for example, one of the aforementioned third parties. For example, to unlink a DTC and a DAD that is uniquely linked to the DTC, a unique code may be entered on the DAD and uploaded to the DTC. This resets the DTC to a default state. In the default state, the DTC may "look for" a newly assigned unique identifier for a different DAD (e.g., an IMEI number for a smartphone or another suitable unique ID). This unlinking/relinking may be useful when a user replaces their DAD (e.g., a smartphone). In yet other embodiments, the link may be temporary and performed by the user. For example, a user may form a link a short time before an expected transaction occurs, and may unlink after the transaction is completed and a predefined short duration after the transaction.

In an embodiment where the DTC and DAD are dynamically linked (i.e., linked by the user at a time of choice), the linking and selection of the desired LDTDP from the DAD may occur in any order.

In embodiments, in order to have secure communication between the DTC and the DAD, security may be implemented by linking the transaction card and the DAD, or security may be implemented for data transmission between the transaction card and the DAD. In other embodiments, security may be implemented for both the link and the data transmission.

In various embodiments, the digital transaction device may include a POS/EFTPOS terminal, an ATM, an Internet-connected computer or personal computer, and other such electronic devices. The digital transaction device may also include infrastructure such as a telephone and call center enabled for mail order/telephone order (MOTO) type transactions.

In embodiments, the DTC and the digital transaction device may interface with each other by various methods. In some embodiments, the interface may be achieved by inserting the DTC into the digital transaction device. In other embodiments, the interface between the transaction card and the transaction device may be achieved by near field communication (NFC), wherein the card and/or the device each has a transceiver and antenna for communication. In still other embodiments, the DTC may include a magnetic stripe, wherein the digital transaction device includes a magnetic stripe reader. In still other embodiments, the DAD may include a transceiver configured for communication with the digital transaction device, so that transactions can be conducted directly through the DAD as appropriate. In still other embodiments, the DTC is configured to be inserted into a POS/EFTPOS terminal or an ATM and is approximately the same size as a credit/debit card.

In further embodiments, the DTC may have a magnetic stripe and the DAD may have a magnetic stripe reader and/or writer.

In yet another embodiment, a DAD may be configured to allow a user to transfer funds to another user with a DAD. Transfers may be limited to the same or similar LDTDP and associated (logical) digital transaction document types, and may be limited in quantity. In a further embodiment, a DTC may be configured to transfer funds to another DTC (owned by the user or owned by another user), or to another DAD (owned by the user or another user).

Furthermore, in another embodiment, a third party (such as a financial institution, police, customs, government, employer, spouse, parent, and other interested parties) may be authorized and able to cancel, stop, suspend, or otherwise appropriately dispose of (including temporarily suspending) one or more LDTDPs containing a logical digital transaction file in a device or selected token(s) associated with the file. This may be useful, for example, if a user has a gambling addiction and prefers to have a third party monitor and prevent access to credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, or other types of financial logical digital transaction files in order to prevent the user from excessive gambling. In the instance of an attempted fraudulent transaction and cancellation/reissue of a logical digital transaction file, an alert may be provided to the user advising the cancellation of a file and the availability of a replacement file for collection/download to a user's DAD and subsequent use to effectuate a transaction using a DTC employing the characteristics of the most recently issued (replacement) file.

In one embodiment, the method includes causing an activated DTC to operate in conjunction with a digital transaction device to perform digital transactions.

Although the various security and convenience benefits are immediately apparent to those skilled in the relevant art upon reading the specification, there has heretofore not been a sufficiently effective, efficient and/or secure means and/or method for adapting a DTPU (such as an EMVCo specified device) to exhibit different characteristics than those of the originally installed DTPU using one or more configurations according to the embodiments of the present invention.

Although a modification to the basic operating firmware of a certified EMV device causes the device to lose its certification credentials, an embodiment of the present invention may still be implemented using a firmware modification to an existing certified EMV device. Of course, once the firmware has been modified, re-certification of the device with the modified firmware is required before the device can be used.

In this embodiment, the firmware of an existing EMV device is modified to enable the EMV device to receive and execute an added command set from an external network transaction device (such as an ATM or EFTPOS device (or a device that initiates a network transaction device)) that enables the secure memory of the EMV device to be modified.

16A: Point of Sale Electronic Funds Transfer System (POS/EFTPOS) terminal

16B: Online transaction terminal

18: Logical digital transaction documents/additional credit cards/additional cards

30: Smart phone interface

100:Device

102: Digital transaction device/point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal/merchant terminal

104: Digital Transaction Processing Unit (DTPU)

106: Smartphone/Data Assisted Device (DAD)

108: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

110: User Interface

112: Electrode/external contact plate

114: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) transceiver

116: Smart phone transceiver

200: Physical card/digital transaction card (DTC)

202: User Interface

204: Smartphone

206: VISA card/digital transaction card (DTC)

208: MasterCard/Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

210: Zero Characteristic Digital Trading Card (DTC)

300: Wearable devices

302: Smartphone

304: Merchant terminal

306: Ring

308: Smartphone case

310:EMV devices

312: Select Printing Identification

314: Top Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

316: Second Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

318: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

320: Display

322: Fourth Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

324: Display

326: Scroll key/return key

402: Personalized company

404: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Integrator

406: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Manufacturer

408: Security Provider

412: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

414: Data Assisted Device (DAD)/Smart Phone

415: Link/Link Process

419: Main digital transaction documents

420: User

422: EMV chip/digital transaction processing unit (DTPU)

423:Button

424: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Display

428: Display/Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Namespace

430: Smartphone interface/screen

440: Issuing financial institution

442: Security Requester/Token Requester

444:Seeds

446:Customer Service

502: Financial institutions

503:IMEI number/unique ID

504: Security Requester/Token Requester

505: Provided

508:Customer Service

510:Key

512: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

514: Data Assisted Device (DAD)/Smart Phone

520: User

524: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Display

526: Unique ID

534:Financial institution search section

536:Counter

538: Seed/Secret Key

540: Application link

544: Out-of-band (OOB) notification

554: Internet download

556: Cloud

602: Personalized company

604: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Integrator

606:Contactless Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Manufacturer

608: Security Provider

610: Issuing financial institutions

611: Security Requester/Token Requester

612: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

614: Smartphone

616:Seeds

618:Customer Service

620: User

640: Application

702:Major card issuing financial institutions

708: Customer Service Section

710: List

712: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

714: Smartphone

716: Financial institution issuing supplementary card

720: User

806:Symbol Supplier

808: Customer Service Section

810:OOB (out of band)

812: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

814: Smartphone

818: Additional credit card

822: Chip

912: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

950: Old smartphone

952: New Smartphone

1002: First Screen

1004: "Settings" title

1006: "Settings" button

1012: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

1014: Smartphone

1020: User

1023: Link button

1032: Next screen

1034: "Status" title

1036: "Application code" button

1038: "Key" key-in field

1040: "Pair with card" button

1042: Final Screen

1044: "Congratulations" message

1046:Keep

1104: Main card logo

1106: Hologram

1108: Primary card expiration date

1110:Signature

1112: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

1112f:Front side

1112r: Dorsal side

1114: Card Verification Value (CVV)

1119: Main card

1202: The first smart phone screen

1204: "PIN (Personal Identification Number)" button

1206: "Slide" button

1208: "Biological Characteristics" button

1210: Next screen/smart phone screen

1211: "Current" title

1212: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

1213:「VISA」card

1214: Smartphone

1215: "Change to" title

1217: "MasterCard" button

1218: "Bank transfer" button

1219: "American Express" button

1220:User

1221: "Diners Club Card" button

1224: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Graphical User Interface (GUI) Display

1234: "Set MasterCard as preferred payment method" message

1236: "Yes" button

1238: "No" button

1242: Smart phone screen

1244: "Security" title

1246: "Yes" button

1248: "No" button

1252: Smart phone screen

1254: "Status" title

1256: "Biometrics set/not set" indicator/"touch card" command

1258: "Card Link" indicator

1260: New selected document number/symbol number

1262: Screen

1263: Panel

1264: "Create OTP" button

1267: 4 leading digits/title "Expiration Date"/Expiration Date

1268: Panel

1269: Card verification value (CW)

1270: Merchants

1272: Processing

1274: Valid credit card issuing financial institution

1280: Screen

1282: "Transaction limit exceeded" message

1284: "Yes" button

1286: Message

1288: "No" button

1312: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

1316: Merchant Point of Sale/EFTPOS Terminal

1318: Merchant acquiring institution

1320:User

1321: Credit card number

1324: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) Graphical User Interface (GUI) Display

1330: Smart phone screen

1332: Stuck track

1334: Security Provider

1336:Major card issuing financial institutions

1338: Bio-characterization technology

1340: Security assurance information

1342: Internet

1344:Other logical digital transaction files to mark unique ID

In order to better understand the present invention and to show how it may be performed, selected embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising an embodiment of a digital transaction card (DTC) and an embodiment of a data-assisted device (DAD) in the form of a smart phone, wherein the device is used for a transaction with a digital transaction device (in this example, a point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal); FIG. 2A is a graphical representation of a device according to an embodiment communicating with the DAD of FIG. FIG. 2B is a graphical representation of a DTC for selecting a digital transaction document using a DAD, and selecting characteristics of the DTC derived from selecting the desired characteristics on the DAD, and transmitting the selected characteristics to the DTC; FIG. 2B is a graphical representation of a DTC for selecting a digital transaction document using a DTC user interface, in the embodiment of FIG. 2B, the DTC user interface includes various touch-activated switches and a display; FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are diagrams of various embodiments of a DTC in the form of a watch, a ring, a smartphone protective case and a credit card body, respectively. The graphic representation shows the credit card body of FIG. 3D according to a minimum viable product embodiment in the case of a non-interface embodiment and an interface embodiment; FIG. 4 is a functional flow chart showing various parts of a system and steps in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a functional flow chart showing a system and steps in a method for setting up a digital transaction card (DTC) according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a functional flow chart showing an initial setting with security; FIG. 7 is a functional flow chart showing the step of adding a secondary logic digital transaction file to the DTC; FIG. 8 is a functional flow chart showing the step of adding a secondary logic digital transaction file to the DTC; FIG. 9 is a functional flow chart showing the steps of linking a data-assisted device (DAD) to a DTC according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a series of screens in a DAD according to a method in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 shows a DTC according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 12A shows a screen of a DAD in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention for a physical card transaction; FIG. 12B is a view similar to FIG. 12A for a card-not-present transaction; FIG. 13 is a functional flow chart showing an example of payment using a DTC DAD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG1 details the major components of a device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a digital transaction card (DTC) (108), a data-assisted device (DAD) in the form of a smart phone (106), and a digital transaction device (102), which in this example is a point-of-sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal (102). These terminals (102) may be referred to herein as merchant terminals, and may interface with the DTC (108) based on a contactless near-field communication capability in accordance with ISO/IEC 14443 between a terminal transceiver (not shown) and a DTC transceiver (114). The terminal (102) may also interface with a smartphone transceiver (116) and communicate therewith in accordance with the ISO/IEC 14443 communication protocol. The terminal (102) may also interface with the DTC (108) via physical contacts or with a magnetic strip on the DTC (108). In the embodiment shown, the terminal (102) requires the DTC (108) to be inserted into the terminal (102) for interface via physical contacts. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the smartphone (106) wirelessly interfaces with the DTC (108) via NFC, and the DTC (108) wirelessly interfaces with the terminal (102) by communicating in accordance with ISO/IEC 14443, which is a subset of the NFC communication format.

It will be appreciated that many types of intelligent devices or computing devices, such as smart phones (106), are not able to interact with many types of POS/EFTPOS terminals (102) and automated teller machines (ATMs). To complete a transaction with one of these terminals, it is necessary to use a debit or credit card. However, a debit or credit card will each have a single "identity," or physical embodiment that includes only a single digital transaction document. For example, currently, a physical transaction card may only have the identity of a MasterCard or a Visa card, and cannot selectively and continuously adopt the identity of both a MasterCard and a Visa card at different times.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the DTPU (104) on the DTC (108) is an EMV device (where EMV is an acronym for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa), or a device that complies with one or more EMVCo specifications that has been adapted to allow for the expression of several different features. These current DTPU or EMV devices may include read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and/or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). The DTPU (104) may contain other types of memory, and the DTPU (104) may include a central processing unit (CPU) (104) for controlling the operation of the DTPU (104). The DTPU CPU can work in conjunction with a cryptographic coprocessor that handles the task of encrypting and decrypting data, thereby freeing the DTPU CPU to perform other processing tasks. Communication between the DTPU (104) and the electrodes (112) on the surface of the DTC (108) is achieved by a system input/output (system I/O) (108) of the DTPU (104).

Similar to a standard EMV device, the DTPU (104) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is located in a plastic credit card body using electrodes (112) for external communication. However, the DTPU (104) may also use a wireless transceiver to communicate externally with the terminal (102).

In one embodiment in which the operating firmware of an EMV device is modified, the DTPU (104) EEPROM may be divided into two memory areas. In some embodiments, the division may be by partition (or virtual partition), by using a suitable file structure, or by using a suitable directory structure. In this exemplary embodiment, a portion of the EEPROM is used as a temporary memory (temporary area). During operation, the temporary memory has at least one logical digital transaction file package (LDTDP) written to its temporary memory from the LDTDP storage memory. Another portion of the EEPROM is used as a secure recording memory (secure element). During operation, at least one LDTDP is retrieved from the temporary memory and written to the secure element, and the at least one LDTDP is accessed by the DTPU CPU when the DTPU is activated to read the secure element. When the DTPU CPU accesses the LDTDP, the DTPU (104) is able to adopt the characteristic represented by the LDTDP so that the DTC (108) can be used for transactions with the characteristic.

In other embodiments, instead of using a single EEPROM divided into two memory areas (a temporary memory area and a secure recording memory area), there may be two separate memory chips each containing one of a temporary memory and a secure recording memory. These memory devices (or chips) can be configured in the DTPU (104) to have no direct connection in order to increase security, especially for the secure recording memory, which should only be directly accessible by certain designated components in the DTPU (104) (such as the DTPU CPU).

In DTC (108), according to one embodiment of the present invention, an external DTC CPU different from and additional to the DTPU CPU may be located. The DTPU (104) may be controlled by controlling the DTPU CPU. The external DTC CPU and firmware associated therewith may allow data (including LDTDP) to be transferred to the DTPU (104) via system I/O. The external DTC CPU and firmware may be operated to instruct the DTPU CPU to copy data (for example, one or more LDTDPs) to a temporary memory. The DTC CPU may also be operated to instruct the DTPU CPU to transfer data in the temporary memory to a secure log memory.

Data containing the LDTDP may be stored in the smart phone (106) or in an LDTDP storage memory on the DTC (108) itself in a memory separate from the memory in the DTPU (104). The configuration depicted in FIG. 1 allows the LDTDP to be stored in the LDTDP storage memory and copied from the LDTDP storage memory to the temporary memory. The copying from the LDTDP storage memory to the temporary memory may be controlled by the external DTC CPU, which in turn controls the operation of the DTPU CPU. The operation of the external DTC CPU may be controlled by the DAD (106), which is operated by a user via the user DAD user interface 110.

In another step of an example operation, data containing one or more LDTDPs is loaded from the temporary memory into the secure log memory of the DTPU (104).

In an embodiment, a link is established between a smart phone (a DAD) (106) and a DTC (108), using strong encryption for identification and transmission of data therebetween. The link may be unique for each pair of a smart phone (106) and a DTC (108).

The external DTC processor (or DTC CPU) is typically activated only after securely identifying itself to the connected smartphone. The DTC processor on the DTC (108) controls the reading and re-reading of the DTPU (104) and the updating of the DTPU (104) to express new characteristics. In some embodiments, the external DTC CPU can be activated by pressing an on/off switch on the DTC (108). In other embodiments, the DTC CPU is activated (and powered) by the DAD (106).

In an embodiment, after securely connecting the smart phone (106) and the DTC (108), the smart phone (106) uploads the correctly formatted data (for example, an LDTDP) to a designated secure storage area (for example, a temporary memory) through the external DTC CPU after meeting certain standards and passing various compliance checks, and then transmits an instruction to the DTPU processor to do the following: ‧ Check whether the designated storage area (temporary memory) contains data in a designated format (an LDTDP); ‧ If the data meets a designated standard and passes various checks, the DTPU processor copies or moves the data to a designated area ( Secure Log Memory); ‧The processor then sends an instruction to the DTPU (104) to read the data in the specified area (Secure Log Memory) and take action based on the data contained in the area, which can be described as a DTPU (104) expressing the characteristics of a specific file represented in the LDTDP in the Secure Log Memory; ‧The DTPU processor can then be instructed to search for specific headers and other data identifiers within a series of parameters before acting on the data.

Readers familiar with the relevant technology will understand that the DTPU (104) can be an EMV device constructed using an enlarged storage area, which is explicitly instructed to check and/or monitor a secure storage area (which may be referred to as a secure recording memory or secure element). The EMV device can also receive commands from an external processor (for example) residing in the DTC (108).

In an embodiment, the external DTC processor simply transfers the data to the memory area(s) of the DTPU (104), and once in this memory area, the DTPU processor is responsible for further copying, reading, writing and/or processing of the data. However, in other embodiments, the data may remain under the control of the external DTC processor, where the external DTC processor (CPU) may issue instructions to the DTPU processor (CPU) to operate to copy, read, write and/or process the data.

In another embodiment, the DTPU processor verifies the data before transmitting it to a secure location (secure recording memory). In addition, the DTPU processor instructs the EMV device to load the data or update itself after completing the check and verification of the data.

In various embodiments, all memory storage (LDTDP storage memory, temporary memory, and secure log memory) may be located on the EMV device. Alternatively, some memory storage may be located on a chip external to the DTPU but connected to the EMV device. The memory storage may be file-based, using data files (electronic files) located in a directory file (DF) having a root directory or master file (MF).

The firmware on the external DTC processor may be native firmware (using machine language), but may be interpreted code executed according to an interpreter-based operating system (including Java Card, MultOS, or BasicCard). Since both the external DTC CPU and the DTPU CPU provide instructions, the external DTC CPU will benefit from having the same firmware as the DTPU CPU, thus allowing instructions to be provided in the same format. In this regard, if and when the firmware for the external DTC CPU is updated, it may be beneficial to also update the firmware for the DTPU CPU. In some embodiments, the firmware for both the external DTC CPU and the DTPU CPU may be stored in the same location, accessible by both CPUs, so only an update to one firmware repository is required. However, a single source of firmware may have security implications.

FIG. 1 details a DTC (108) that can form a communication link with a smartphone transceiver (116) of a smartphone (106) via a DTC transceiver (114) to enable data transfer therebetween. In an embodiment of the present invention where a digital transaction file is associated with a user attempting to conduct a transaction, the user can operate the user interface (110) of the smartphone (106) to select a particular digital file and activate the digital file in the DTC (108). Once the DTC (108) adopts the desired characteristics and adopts the characteristics of the digital transaction file selected by the user operating his smartphone (106), the DTC (108) can then be used to conduct transactions with the DTC (108). At this point, the DTC (108) operates using all of the properties of the selected digital transaction file, which once activated as a file to be installed as a file owned by the DTC, becomes a property of the DTC. In other words, once a DTC becomes a physical embodiment of a file, the file becomes a "property" of the DTC.

Specifically, the DTC (108) having the selected characteristics for selection of a digital transaction document may then be used to conduct transactions based on an existing infrastructure of a digital payment transaction network including an ATM (not shown) and/or a merchant terminal (102) as shown in FIG. 1 to implement a series of transactions.

In the case of using a DTC (108) having a selected digital transaction file as its feature, a merchant terminal (102) communicating with the DTC (108) can be implemented in FIG1 by using any existing communication means between the DTC and the merchant terminal. The illustrated example includes a transaction between the DTC (108) and a merchant terminal (102) implemented by physical contacts between the DTC (108) and the merchant terminal (102), the physical contacts typically including physical contacts between an external contact plate (112) of a payment device incorporated in the DTC (108) and electrodes (not shown) residing in the merchant terminal (102).

A further example of conducting a transaction between a DTC (108) and a merchant terminal (102) includes the use of contactless near field communication capabilities of the DTC (108) and the merchant terminal (102) and in the example where the DTC (108) includes a magnetic stripe, a magnetic stripe reader of the terminal (102) and the DTC (108) is used to effectuate the transaction.

The embodiment in FIG. 1 has been described above according to an embodiment including a firmware-modified EMV device.

Similarly, the embodiments described in FIGS. 2A , 2B , and 3A to 3D may be implemented using a configuration involving a firmware-modified EMV device.

Referring to FIG. 2A , a DTC in the form of a physical card ( 200 ) with an associated DAD user interface ( 202 ) is graphically illustrated, which steps through a process of selecting a different characteristic for the DTC ( 200 ).

In the embodiment of FIG. 2A , at the beginning of the process of selecting a characteristic, the DTC ( 200 ) does not have a particular characteristic. A user may operate a smart phone ( 204 ) and communicate with the DTC ( 200 ) according to a contactless near-field communication protocol to select a desired characteristic of the DTC ( 200 ). In the specific example of FIG. 2A , the smart phone ( 204 ) has executed software to present available card characteristics to a user who has selected a VISA card as a preferred characteristic of the DTC ( 200 ). In one embodiment, the user may need to provide biometric identification (such as a fingerprint) in order to operate the smart phone ( 204 ) to select a characteristic of the DTC ( 200 ).

Once the smartphone (204) communicates the user's selection of a VISA card as the characteristic to be adopted by the DTC (200), the relevant selection and/or data is transmitted from the smartphone (204) to the DTC (200) and upon receiving the selection and/or data of the LDTDP representing a VISA card, the DTC immediately adopts the VISA card's characteristic (206). At a subsequent point in time, the user may prefer to change the DTC's characteristic to a MasterCard and may operate the software on their smartphone to select a MasterCard characteristic for the purpose of achieving a characteristic change in the DTC. Referring to FIG. 2A , the smartphone ( 204 ) has been operated to select a MasterCard quality and after transmitting the relevant selection and/or LDTDP data to the DTC ( 200 ), the DTC immediately adopts a MasterCard quality and thereafter, the DTC ( 200 ) will operate as a consumer MasterCard ( 208 ).

Finally, once a consumer has completed a transaction using their DTC, they may prefer to cause the DTC to have a zeroing feature, and referring to FIG. 2A , the smart phone (204) is operated to recognize the consumer's preference to lock their DTC by assigning the zeroing feature to the DTC. Upon transmitting the user's request, the smart phone (204) immediately causes the DTC (200) to adopt the zeroing feature (200).

In the embodiment of FIG. 2A , the DTC ( 200 , 206 , 208 ) is a modified DTPU executing software that has been modified to allow/enable the DTC to employ different characteristics including a return-to-zero characteristic based on the data command sent to the DTC by the DAD ( 204 ).

Communication between the DAD and the DTC can be achieved by the DAD processor communicating with a DTC external processor via respective transceivers (shown as a smartphone transceiver (116) and a DTC transceiver (114) respectively in FIG. 1), and wherein the DTC external processor having received instructions and/or data from the DAD communicates cooperatively with the EMV device to cause the EMV device to adopt a desired characteristic according to the instructions and/or data received by the DTC from the DAD.

Referring to FIG. 2B , the same steps depicted in FIG. 2A are illustrated with respect to the change of a characteristic of a digital transaction card. The reader will note that the DTC in FIG. 2B is a DTC (210) having a zeroed characteristic that includes a user interface, which is described in more detail below, particularly with reference to FIG. 3D . In the example of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2B , the request to change the characteristic of the DTC (210) is implemented by a DTC user interface that is comparable to the DAD user interface (see FIG. 2A ). With respect to the DTC (200) in FIG. 2A, the zeroing characteristic DTC (210) in FIG. 2B is transformed into a VISA card (206) by the user operating the user interface on the zeroing characteristic DTC (210) (which includes a scroll key and a return key and a display on the DTC).

When attempting to change the characteristic from a VISA card (206) to a MasterCard card (208), the user operates the DTC scroll key and observes the display showing available characteristics in sequence as the scroll key is repeatedly pressed. Once a MasterCard characteristic is displayed, the user may press the reset key and change the DTC characteristic accordingly. The DTC (208) may be changed again to a reset characteristic by the user operating the DTC user interface to display and select a reset characteristic and implement the reset characteristic.

Referring to FIG. 3A , a DTC in the form of a wearable device ( 300 ) is illustrated along with a DAD in the form of a smart phone ( 302 ) and a merchant terminal ( 304 ). In this particular embodiment, the wearable device ( 300 ) is a watch that also provides the functionality of displaying the current time and any other functionality available from the wearable device ( 300 ). Increasingly, wearable devices are being adopted by consumers to combine the functionality of many separate items, thereby reducing the complexity of conducting transactions because once the functionality of a DTC is incorporated into a wearable device ( 300 ), it is no longer necessary to carry a separate DTC. Wearing the wearable device ( 300 ) enables the user to conduct transactions using the device they would normally wear. In the example of FIG. 3A , the wearable device (300) is illustrated as communicating with a smart phone (302) and a merchant terminal (304) via contactless near-field communication. Of course, although all three devices are illustrated as being in close proximity, readers skilled in the art will understand that the wearable device (300) need not be in contactless near-field communication with both a smart phone (302) and a merchant terminal (304) at the same time and that communication between the respective devices may occur separately at different times.

Referring to FIG. 3B , an alternative wearable device in the form of a ring ( 306 ) is illustrated as being in contactless near field communication with a DAD in the form of a smartphone ( 302 ) and a merchant terminal ( 304 ). Again, in the illustration in FIG. 3B , the communication between the smartphone ( 302 ), the wearable device in the form of a ring ( 306 ) and a merchant terminal ( 304 ) occurs using contactless near field communication.

Referring to FIG. 3C , yet another embodiment is illustrated in which the DTC is provided in the form of a smartphone case (308). In this particular embodiment, a DAD in the form of a smartphone (302) communicates with a DTC in the form of a smartphone case (308), which in turn communicates with a merchant terminal (304). All communications illustrated in FIG. 3C occur according to contactless near field communications in accordance with ISO/IEC 14443 and in this particular embodiment, rather than being a wearable device, the DTC takes the form of another convenient device, namely, a smartphone case (308), because users regularly purchase cases for their smartphones in order to protect their smartphones from damage. Of course, in the embodiment of FIG. 3C , if a consumer is to use a DTC in the form of a smart phone case (308) and attach the case (308) to the smart phone (302), the DAD in the form of the smart phone (302) and the DTC in the form of a smart phone case (308) are simultaneously owned by the consumer.

The reader will appreciate that a DTC can be configured in a number of different ways, and that there is a range of possible DTC implementations from one with minimal (or limited) functionality/connectivity but which will be less expensive to produce and less prone to failure, to one with maximum functionality and including features to assist user interaction and thus will be considered more "user friendly" but which will be more expensive to produce and will be more likely to be prone to failure. Figure 3D provides a graphical representation of four DTCs having a credit card outline, whereby each includes an EMV device (310) and an optional printed identification (312) (in the embodiment shown, the name of the card owner), and the features of the functionality/connectivity of the four DTCs represent significant differences in the user experience with respect to digital transactions.

For example, the topmost DTC (314) depicted in FIG. 3D represents a card with minimal functionality/connectivity and includes an EMV device (310) that has been firmware modified to enable NFC wireless connectivity between the EMV device and a DAD (302) and change the characteristics of the DTC (314), but excludes an external DTC processor (referred to as an MCU), Bluetooth connectivity, and any form of display or scroll/home keys. In a specific embodiment, a DTC (314) configured with minimal functionality/connectivity may be issued to a user such that the EMV device (310) has multiple characteristics pre-loaded. More generally, after the DTC (314) is delivered to the user, the DAD (302) may be used to transmit one of a plurality of characteristics to the EMV device (310) or to transmit several characteristics for simultaneous storage by the EMV device (310).

The second DTC (316) depicted also represents a card with minimal functionality/connectivity that includes an EMV device (310) that is firmware modified and enables wireless connectivity (such as Bluetooth and/or NFC) between the EMV device and a DAD (302) to change the characteristics of the DTC (316). The DTC (316) also includes an MCU (not shown in FIG. 3D). A DTC (316) configured with relatively minimal functionality/connectivity but including an MCU can be issued to a user, wherein the EMV device (310) accesses data that implements multiple characteristics. Alternatively, after the DTC (316) is delivered to the user, the DAD (302) may be used to transmit one of the multiple characteristics to the EMV device (310) or to transmit several characteristics for simultaneous storage by the EMV device (310).

The third DTC (318) depicted in FIG3D represents a medium functionality/connectivity card including an EMV device (310) that is firmware modified and enables wireless connectivity (such as Bluetooth and/or NFC) between the EMV device (310) and a DAD (302) and changes the characteristics of the DTC (318). The DTC (318) also includes a display (320) that may be in the form of a simplified 4-digit alphanumeric interface for displaying information including (but not limited to) selected characteristics loaded (or previously stored) on the card, a unique ID or abbreviation of the selected characteristics, an expiration date for the document, a temporary PIN number, a PAN number or portion thereof, and/or a name of the card owner. A DTC (318) configured with medium functionality/connectivity may be issued to a user so that the EMV device (310) may access data regarding multiple characteristics. Alternatively, after the DTC (318) is delivered to the user, the DAD (302) may be used to transmit one of the multiple characteristics to the EMV device (310) or to transmit several characteristics for simultaneous storage by the EMV device (310).

The fourth DTC (322) depicted in Figure 3D represents a card with a high level of functionality/connectivity and includes an EMV device (310) that is firmware modified and enables NFC or Bluetooth wireless connectivity between the EMV device (310) and a DAD (302) and transmits multiple properties to the EMV device (310) after delivery of the card. The DTC (322) also includes a more comprehensive display (324) and scroll/home keys (326) to enable user input including input to enable selection of a stored property. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that including a user interface on the card enables the use of the DTC (322) even when a DAD (302) such as a user's smartphone is not present (for example, if the DAD is not carried by the user or has a discharged battery).

符號表示一特徵存在，且

符號表示一特徵不存在，且應理解，實施例之此列出僅表示可經組態具有特徵之不同組合之可能實施例之一選擇且非旨在表示一詳盡列出。 Table 1 is a graph of the DTC embodiments (314, 316, 318, and 322) depicted in FIG. 3D when the EMV device associated with the DTC is firmware modified, detailing the combination of features present in each embodiment.

The symbol indicates that a feature exists, and

The symbol denotes the absence of a feature, and it is understood that this listing of embodiments represents only one selection of possible embodiments that can be configured with different combinations of features and is not intended to represent an exhaustive listing.

In the first embodiment of Table 1, the DTC (314) requires the use of a data-assisted device (DAD) (such as a smart phone) with a modified NFC capability to pass data to a firmware-modified EMV device. As previously described, a firmware-modified EMV device has an external DTC CPU that includes firmware that is operable to write data (e.g., LDTDP data) to a temporary memory so that when the DTPU is activated, the DTPU copies the data to a secure log memory (secure element) in the DTPU in a manner that causes the DTC to employ a specific card quality or assist in conducting a digital transaction in some other manner. Data about each characteristic may be stored in memory associated with the DAD, wherein communication between the DAD and the DTC may be in the form of instructions to download and copy data to the secure element for the purpose of updating the characteristics of the DTC. The firmware modified DTC (314) is limited to use with an NFC enabled DAD and use of an EMV device with modified contactless communication capabilities to securely receive data received from the NFC enabled DAD, but has the advantages of being able to employ multiple characteristics for a single project and low cost and low fault proneness, because the DTC (314) does not include an MCU, display or scroll/home keys.

The firmware modified DTC (316) also requires the use of a data assist device (DAD) such as a smart phone to pass data to a firmware modified EMV device, as described above. The difference between DTC (314) and DTC (316) is that DTC (316) includes an MCU that can store data about multiple characteristics (and/or data that may be related to changing some other digital transaction parameters) instead of storing data in DAD memory, and can accept a secure working session between a DAD with wireless connectivity (NFC or Bluetooth) and a DTC containing an MCU that also has wireless connectivity (NFC or Bluetooth). Advantages of using a firmware modified DTC (316) include low cost and low fault proneness, the absence of a requirement for an NFC enabled DAD where the MCU can accept communications with a separate Bluetooth enabled (for example) phone, the ability to employ multiple features for a single scheme, and the presence of an MCU that can facilitate secure data transfer from the DAD and does not require the use of an EMV device with modified contactless communication capabilities.

The DTC (318) in Table 1 also requires the use of a data-assisted device (DAD) such as a smart phone to pass data to a firmware modified EMV device that can establish a secure session between a DAD with wireless connectivity (NFC and/or Bluetooth) and the DTC via a contactless interface. The DTC (318) includes an MCU that can accept wireless communications from an NFC-enabled and Bluetooth-enabled DAD and thereby establish a secure session between most phones and the DTC containing the MCU. Advantages of using DTC (318) include low to moderate cost, low to moderate failure tendency, and no need to use a separate NFC-enabled DAD, but given that DTC (318) includes an MCU and display (320), there is a higher cost associated with the production of DTC (318) compared to DTC (314) and DTC (316).

When using the DTC (322) described in Table 1, those skilled in the art will appreciate that it is not necessary to use a DAD (such as a smart phone), but the DAD can be used to change the characteristics of the card or assist in a digital transaction in some other way. In any case, the DAD is required to initially set up the card and download/store the characteristics in the MCU, but after the initial setup, the card itself can be used to change the operating parameters of a card's characteristics or assist in a digital transaction in some other way using the scroll key/home key (326). An MCU is used to accept wireless communications (both Bluetooth and NFC) from the DAD during an initial setup, and is further programmed to accept commands from a local interface that may include, for example, a scroll key/home key (326), and convert key presses into commands. When the scroll key/home key (326) is used to change the characteristics of the DTC (322) or perform some other task that assists in digital transactions, the transmission is authorized by the local interface, which authorizes the MCU to select stored data and copy the stored data to the secure element.

The DTC (322) has the advantage of selecting a characteristic locally from a number of concurrent characteristics stored on the card without the risk of discovering card details during an update or change (i.e., a change of state/update) because the card details are not transmitted. Further advantages include reduced time to implement an update or change (i.e., a change of state/update), the minimum amount of data required to implement a change of characteristics, and the ability to change DTC characteristics without using a DAD. However, the DTC (322) has a higher production cost and may have a higher fault tendency due to its complexity.

In the following, embodiments of the apparatus and method of the present invention are illustrated, which discuss a possible logical digital transaction file or digital transaction file type and its associated token for a financial transaction. The illustrated logical digital transaction file/digital transaction file and its associated token involve a credit card as a primary digital transaction file (primary credit card), and other secondary digital transaction files (secondary credit cards) and their associated tokens. However, it should be understood that the present invention can be more widely applied to other types of digital transaction files and their associated tokens, such as stored value cards, membership cards, transportation cards, driver's licenses, passports, age verification cards, identity cards and other financial and non-financial transaction files.

A digital transaction document is considered to mean a card, document or other physical object or, in the case of a bank account, for example, the physical presence of the bank account in a computing system. A "logical" digital transaction document is a representation of a digital transaction document that contains data related to a particular digital transaction document. The data may include a unique identification of the document (unique ID), an expiration date or any other such information that uniquely identifies the digital transaction document and other information about the digital transaction.

For example, for a credit card, the unique ID is a personal/primary account number (PAN), and the associated token(s) is a replacement number for the PAN, which is the same digits as the replaced PAD, but a different number that has been securely generated.

FIG. 4 shows exemplary components in a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. One component is a digital transaction card (DTC) (412) and another component is a data-assisted device (DAD) (414). In this example, the DAD is a smart phone, but it could be a computer tablet, some other form of portable computing DAD, or a specific DAD manufactured for the purposes of the present invention.

The system is used for payment at one of two exemplary digital transaction devices, including a point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal (16A) and an online transaction terminal (16B). The online transaction terminal may include a personal computer (PC) or any other device enabled for such online (card-not-present/DTC-not-present) transactions.

The DTC (412) has a primary digital transaction file (419) which is a primary credit card. As a logical digital transaction file, the primary credit card is loaded onto the DTC (412) and this can be done before being supplied to the user (420). In addition, the token(s) associated with the primary credit card can be loaded onto the DTC before being supplied to the user. The user can link (415) the smart phone (414) to the DTC (412) because the DTC (412) is supplied with the pre-loaded primary digital transaction file (primary credit card) (419) and the associated token(s). The linking process (415) is further detailed in Figures 2, 3 and 7 showing the initial setup of a DTC (412).

FIG. 4 shows exemplary steps for establishing a DTC (412) and issuing the DTC (412) to a user (420). There may be several actors providing a DTC (412), including an entry company 402, a DTC (card) integrator (404), a DTC (card) manufacturer (406), and a security provider (408). The security provider (408) provides token(s) associated with a given digital transaction document. Other actors issuing a DTC (412) may include an issuing financial institution (440), such as a bank or other similar party. The issuing financial institution (440) may act as a security requester (token requester) (442), which is provided with, for example, a seed (444). The issuing financial institution's (440) customer service (446) may interact with the user (420), who requests a DTC (412) and supplies the financial institution with the required information, such as name, date of birth, details of their DAD (which in the case of a smartphone may be the IMEI number or another suitable unique ID for the smartphone).

The financial institution (440) may then generate a secure cryptographic key which is provided to the personalization company (402) for use in establishing the DTC (412).

In this embodiment, the DTC (412) is a credit card type transaction card. The DTC (412) has an EMV chip (where EMV is an acronym for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) (Digital Transaction Processing Unit (DTPU)) (422), a button (423) that can be used to connect the DTC to a smartphone (414), for example, by using Bluetooth ^™ for completing the connection. The DTC (412) also has a DTC display (424) that can be used to display a simplified graphical user interface of a unique ID of a selected logical digital transaction file that is loaded onto the DTC and implemented on the DTC (412) so that it acts as the digital transaction file. In the case where the DTC is implemented as a tokenized digital transaction document, the DTC display (424) displays the token number. In the example shown in Figure 4, the digital transaction document is a primary credit card or one of a plurality of secondary credit cards.

The DTC (412) also has a component that displays an expiration date for the particular digital transaction document for which it is operating. The DTC also has a space for a display (428) for the name of the person (420) who owns the DTC. In some embodiments, the name of each and every logical digital transaction document will be the same, i.e., the name of the user (420). However, in other embodiments, the name associated with a particular logical digital transaction document may be different, for example, if a person uses the DTC (412) for both personal use and corporate use. In this regard, the DTC name space (428) may be just a printed name, or may be a simplified graphical user interface (GUI) enabled to display different names. The different names may be displayed depending on the token selected for a transaction.

The DAD (414) for a smart phone includes a smart phone interface (430), which in FIG4 is a screen (430) and a keyboard. Alternatively, the smart phone may include a touch screen so that a keyboard is not required.

FIG. 4 also depicts the initial setup of a DTC (412) and a smart phone (414), the actors involved in establishing and issuing a DTC, and the use of the DTC in a transaction. FIG. 4 also shows the connection (415) of the DTC (412) to a smart phone (414). The details of the steps of issuing a DTC (440) (including actors) and DTC issuance (including the issuance of a major credit card in some embodiments) are also illustrated.

The DAD (414) being a smart phone has an IMEI number or another suitable unique ID to uniquely identify the smart phone. The smart phone may use Android and/or iOS operating systems or any other suitable operating system. In an embodiment, the smart phone (414) includes wireless connection technology, such as near field communication (NFC) and/or Bluetooth ^TM or Bluetooth ^TM LE.

The DTC (412) has a DTC chip (422) which may be a certified smart card chip (DTPU) (422) so as to be normally operable to communicate data only with an external read/write device. Examples of certified smart card chips may comply with one or both of the following certification standards ISO/IEC 7816 or ISO/IEC 14443. In addition, the certified smart card chip may comply with other standards such as Common Criteria EAL4+/EAL5+ (ISO/IEC 15408 Information Technology - Security Technology - Evaluation Criteria for IT Security Parts 1 to 3), FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and 4, ISO/IEC 7816 Identification Card, Integrated Circuit Card Parts 1 to 5, ISO/IEC 14443 Identification Card - Contactless Integrated Circuit Card - Proximity Card Parts 1 to 4, and EMVCo.

FIG5 shows an exemplary setup of a DTC (512) operating in a system having a DAD (514) which is a smart phone having a smart phone interface (30). In this example, the setup begins with a user (520) extracting the IMEI number or another suitable unique ID (503) from the smart phone (514). The IMEI number, which is a unique ID of the smart phone (514), is provided (505) to the relevant financial institution (502), also referred to as the issuing financial institution. The financial institution (502) records and processes the submitted IMEI number and user details, and after recording these details, the financial institution looks up the record in a lookup section (534) and uses the seed/secret key (538) information to populate an application and sends an application link (540) to the smartphone (514) via an out-of-band (OOB) notification (544). The application link (540) in a software application (app) in the smartphone (514) is made available via an internet download (554) such as from the cloud (556), and the app can be operated by the user (520) by clicking on it on the smartphone (514). When the seed/secret key (538) is downloaded to the smartphone (514), this portion of the setup is complete and the user (520) can continue to connect the smartphone to the DTC (512).

FIG. 5 also shows a DTC (512) having a DTC display (524) showing a unique ID (526), in which case the unique ID (526) is the tokenized number of the primary credit card (sometimes referred to as a dynamic tokenized number), i.e., the primary logical digital transaction document causes the DTC (512) to appear as a tokenized digital transaction document (i.e., a tokenized primary credit card).

Figure 5 also shows the issuing financial institution (502) acting as a security requester (token requester) (504) and obtaining a key (510), passing the key (510) to customer service (508) and then to lookup (534), using a counter (536) to develop a seed/secret key (538) and then passing it to the smartphone (514) via an application link (540).

FIG6 shows exemplary steps for setting up a DTC (612) such as provided by a personalization company (602), involving both a DTC integrator (604) and a contactless DTC manufacturer (606). The personalization company (602) also works with a security provider (608), which is a token provider that generates one or more tokens for each credit card, which in turn works with the issuing financial institution (610), which is a security requester (token requester) (611). The financial institution (610) creates a seed (616), which is provisioned via customer service (618) as an application (640) loaded with the IMEI of the smartphone or another suitable unique ID and security details for the smartphone.

In this manner, FIG. 6 demonstrates an exemplary method in which a DTC (612) may be provided preloaded with a primary logical digital transaction document (in this example, a primary credit card) and its associated token. The DTC (612) and the smart phone (614) each have details of the primary logical digital transaction document and the associated token, so that a user (620) may operate the smart phone (614) to select the primary logical digital transaction document on the DTC (612), and then select one of the primary logical digital transaction document's associated digital tokens, and so as to cause the DTC (612) to act as the tokenized primary digital transaction document.

At this point, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, logical digital transaction files may be partially stored on the DTC (612) and other portions of the logical digital transaction files may be stored on the smart phone (614), such that the smart phone may be operated to select a particular logical digital transaction file and select a token associated with the logical digital transaction file for a transaction, and such that the smart phone may cause the DTC (612) to act as a tokenized digital transaction file associated with the selected logical digital transaction file and the selected associated token.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment in which a DTC (712) that already has a primary logical digital transaction file (primary credit card) and associated tokens loaded thereon may have additional secondary logical digital transaction files (18) and their associated tokens loaded thereon via a smart phone (714). In this example, the second logical digital transaction file (18) is another credit card.

In this example, the user (720) supplies or enters the additional card (18) details to the primary card issuing financial institution (702) through the customer service section (708) of the primary card issuing financial institution (702). In one embodiment, the primary card (or DTC) issuing financial institution can verify by making a transfer with a reference number or a transfer with two unique monetary amounts and a loan (which can be made on each of the additional credit cards (18) added to the primary card). When the user (720) has a list (710) issued by a specific secondary card (or DTC) issuing financial institution (716), the list will show a transfer with a reference number or a transfer with two unique amounts and a loan. The user (720) reads the list (710) and enters or submits row details from the list to verify that the user (720) is the actual owner of each additional secondary credit card added to the primary card (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4). When the primary card (or DTC) issuing financial institution (702) is satisfied that the user (720) is the correct owner of the additional credit card, the primary card issuing financial institution may request the user to add the additional card to the financial institution (702) and read the card to extract the public encryption key for a password used to use, for example, a POS/EFTPOS terminal. Alternatively, the primary financial institution (702) may send a request to a financial institution (716) that has issued additional cards for a public encryption key in a password for use at a POS/EFTPOS terminal. When the primary card issuing financial institution (702) is satisfied that the user (720) is the correct owner of the additional card (18), the institution (702) may send the code to the user's registered smartphone (714) via an OOB message. The user (720) then has the code, which when selected, can be used to load one of the secondary logical digital transaction files (secondary credit cards) selected from the smartphone (714) into the DTC (712).

In an embodiment, a digital token associated with a secondary card(s) 18 may be issued simultaneously with the secondary card(s) using the methodology shown in FIG. 7. Alternatively, the token may be issued after the secondary card(s) are issued but still using a methodology similar to that shown in FIG. 7, wherein the token(s) or tokens are verified using the transfer/loan method discussed above.

FIG. 8 shows the process steps for adding additional security by adding additional payment tokens for each of the additional credit cards (818), the additional security tokens being provided to the smart phone (814) via the customer service section (808) via OOB (810). For a transaction, a token is selected to be implemented on the DTC (812) as a tokenized digital transaction document, wherein the DTC (812) displays the token number in a display. The token provider (806) may also be a provider of a chip (822) for the DTC (812). The token provider generates a token that is used as a substitute for the PAN of the credit card. The user may add a token only once, or add tokens on a regular basis, for example, if the token is set to expire after a specific date or if the token is a one-time use token. The User may also search for further tokens if the tokens are designated for specific transaction types and the User wishes to conduct those types of transactions.

FIG. 9 shows that a DTC (912) can be operated using different types of smart phones. However, the DTC can only be linked to one DAD (smart phone) to the exclusion of all other DADs.

As shown in FIG. 9 , a user may decide to purchase a new smartphone (952), in which case the DTC (912) will need to be updated in order to be able to link with the new smartphone. In this example, an old smartphone (950) is linked with the DTC (912), but the user wishes to link the new smartphone (952) with the DTC (912). The link is, for example, a two-way encrypted transmission. The DTC (912) may be loaded with matching seeds and dynamic keys at the time of manufacture so that it can only be linked with one smartphone (950). In order for the DTC (912) to link with the new smartphone (952), a dynamic code may be constructed from, for example, a dynamic key or a seed may be made available to the authenticated owner. A dynamic key or seed is used to disconnect or unlink the old smartphone (950) from the DTC (912). The DTC may then be loaded with a matching seed and/or dynamic key in order to link with the new smartphone (952). The seed and dynamic key are based on the IMEI of the smartphone or another suitable unique ID of the smartphone. It should be understood that the code linking the DTC to the smartphone must be unique for each DTC, and the serial number for each DTC may be unique. In this regard, the link between a smartphone and a DTC may occur only between the smartphone and the DTC based on the matching IMEI or another suitable unique ID of the smartphone and the DTC serial number.

FIG. 10 shows a screen on a smart phone (1014) during an example process for initial pairing (linking) of a smart phone (1014) with a DTC (1012).

In the first screen (1002), the smart phone displays a title "Settings" (1004), and under the title (1004) is a "Settings" button (1006), and under the button (1006) is an indicator showing "Internet Connection".

The next screen (1032) displays a title "Status" (1034) that includes an "Apply Code" button (1036) and a "Key" input field (1038), as well as a "Pair with Card" (alternatively, "Pair with DTC") button (1040). In the final screen (1042), a "Congratulations" message (1044) is displayed indicating to the user (1020) that the smartphone (1014) is linked to the DTC (1012).

In one embodiment, the smart phone (1014) is also connected to the DTC (1012) by a connection button (1023), which is pressed and held (1046) so that it can be connected to the smart phone (1014).

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a DTC (1112) having a front side (1112f) and a back side (1112r) with several indicators showing, for example, personalized details associated with the primary logical digital transaction file stored on the DTC (1112). Printed on the front side (1112f) of the DTC is the logo (1104) of the primary card (1119), as well as a hologram (1106) attached to the DTC (1112). The DTC (1112) may also display the primary card expiration date (1108). On the back side of the DTC (1112), there may be a panel for the signature (1110) of the primary card owner. The card verification value (CVV) (1114) may also be printed, as well as other identifying details. In some embodiments, where the details are printed or otherwise permanently marked on the DTC (1112), the details will only be about the primary logical digital transaction document stored on the DTC (1112), such as a user's name, CVV, expiration date. Where a DTC (1112) displays details in a changeable GUI, the details may be about the logical digital transaction document (including the primary logical digital transaction document and the secondary logical digital transaction document) currently represented as the digital transaction document of the DTC.

In an exemplary transaction, the merchant checks for a valid DTC may include the following: 1. The DTC (1112) contains a full color DTC issuer logo, 2. The DTC number (or alternatively, the primary card number) is a valid length of 12 to 19 digits, 3. The first four digits of the DTC number displayed on the DTC display are the same as the digits printed directly below, 4. The expiration date is in the future and in the correct format "MM/YY", 5. The hologram or hologram strip may be located on the front or back of the DTC. If located on the front of the DTC, it may be located above the logo, if located on the back of the DTC, it may be located above or below the signature panel, 6. A magnetic strip is present on the DTC and is located above the signature panel and should appear smooth and straight with no signs of tampering. On some DTCs, a full video tape may be used instead of a magnetic stripe, and 7. The four digits printed on the signature panel must match the last four digits of the account number, followed by the three-digit Card Verification Code (CVC) number.

12A shows an exemplary embodiment of using a smart phone (1214) to select a different logical digital transaction file (different credit card) for updating a DTC (1212) for a transaction using the selected logical digital transaction file. The first smart phone screen (1202) has a "Login" title followed by three buttons for selecting the security type, including a "PIN (Personal Identification Number)" button (1204), a "Slide" button 1206, and a "Biometrics" button (1208). The user (1220) selects one of the options (1204), (1206) or (1208), and then the smart phone (1214) displays the next screen (1210), which displays a "Payment Options" title, and below the title displays a "Current" title (1211), which indicates the file currently operating on the DTC (1212). In this example, the smart phone screen (1210) shows that the current operating file is a "VISA" card (1213).

The user can operate a screen (1210) to select one of four other files (credit cards) that are available on the DTC (1212) and listed under the "Change To" heading (1215). The additional files used for financial transactions include a "VISA" button (1217), a "MasterCard" button (1218), a "Bank Transfer" button (1219), and an "American Express" button (1221). The user (1220) selects one of the files under the "Change To" heading, which then causes the smart phone (1214) to display the next screen (1252), which displays the message "Payment Method" (1234), and below the message are two buttons, a "Yes" button (1236) and a "No" button (1238). The user (1220) may press one of the buttons to determine whether MasterCard would be the preferred payment method.

The next smart phone screen (1242) displays security options for the user, with a "Change Token" title (1244) and a "Yes" button (1246) and a "No" button (1248). At screen (1242), the user can select, for example, whether to change the current token for the current transaction file operation. If "Yes" (1246) is selected, the user may then be presented with a list of associated tokens so that one of the listed tokens can be selected. As previously mentioned, in various embodiments, the token may be presented in the list simply as a token number. In other embodiments, the token may be presented as a symbol, for example, as a diagram.

The next smart phone screen (1242) displays the status and includes a "Status" heading (1254), below which is an indicator that reads "Biometrics Set/Not Set" (1256). The screen (1242) also displays the command "Touch Card" (alternatively, "Touch DTC") (1256), and an indicator that reads "Card Linked" (alternatively, "DTC Linked") (1258) indicating that the smart phone (1214) and the DTC are linked.

The smartphone (1214) then transmits the data to the DTC (1212) to update the DTC with the new selection document and token details and causes the DTC GUI display (1224) to display the new selection document (credit card) number (1260) as the tokenized number. In one embodiment where the DTC (1212) implements only one document (credit card), as an additional security precaution, the DTC (1212) may also print the 4 leading digits (1267) of a single credit card so that all displayed token numbers (1260) associated with that credit card must have the same 4 leading digits.

The smartphone then displays a screen (1262) with further security, including a "Create OTP" button (1264) which, when pressed by the user (1220), displays a one-time PIN (OTP) in a panel (1268).

The user may then present the DTC (1212) to a merchant (1270), which then processes (1272) the DTC via communication with the issuing financial institution (1274) of the valid credit card (digital transaction document).

In some examples, a transaction may exceed standard limits and the smart phone (1214) may display a message "Exceeding Limit Transaction" (1282) on a screen (1280). The user (1220) may then authorize the exceeding limit transaction by pressing a "yes" button (1284) beneath a message (1286) inviting the user to authorize the transaction. Alternatively, the user (1220) may press a "no" button (1288) such that the transaction is not authorized and does not proceed.

FIG. 12B (which depicts a card-not-present transaction) is a view similar to FIG. 12A , wherein the smart phone also displays a screen (1262) having a panel (1263) for displaying a unique identifier associated with a selected token of a selected logical digital transaction document (in this example, the tokenized number (1260) of the selected credit card (digital transaction document)). The smart phone screen (1261) also displays the expiration date (1267) below a heading "Expiration" (1267). The smart phone screen (1262) may also display the CVV (1269) of the selected document in the CVV display panel.

FIG. 13 shows an exemplary in-store or physical card (physical DTC) transaction using the system in an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the user (1320) decides to use a primary card to make a purchase and selects a token for the card. The tokenized primary card number is displayed on the DTC GUI display (1324). The user (1320) presents the DTC (1312) to the merchant POS/EFTPOS terminal (1316), which is a digital transaction device with an EMV reader. The EMV reader obtains details including the password, token, token expiration date, and token requester ID. The POS/EFTPOS terminal obtains the primary credit card details, possibly by using card track (1332), via a merchant acquirer (1318). The secure tokenized primary card details are then passed through a payment processor and through a security provider (token provider) (1334) using security procedures to de-tokenize the tokenized number in order to determine the PAN (or other type of unique ID on file if not a credit card on file), which is then provided to the primary card issuing financial institution (1336) to process the payment (or other type of transaction if not a credit card on file).

In an exemplary embodiment, after reading the primary card details from the DTC (1312), the POS/EFTPOS terminal (1316) creates a password generated from the details (including (for example) biometrics (1338) and other security (token) assurance data (1340)), where a number is given to the type and level of authorization from the details obtained from the chip (DTPU) in the DTC (1312). The password may also include the merchant POS/EFTPOS terminal identification number, the purchase price and other relevant details for transmission to the merchant acquirer (1318).

Figure 13 also shows an online or card-not-present transaction using a major credit card on a DTC (1312) using one of the options of a smartphone or via the internet (1342). The user reads the credit card number (1321), expiration date and CVV number from the DTC (1312) or smartphone screen (1330) and types in the details online or reads them out to a merchant via a smartphone. The merchant captures the information and can proceed with the transaction using the correct authorization code provided.

FIG. 13 also shows that the transaction DTC (1312) can be used with a selected other logical digital transaction document and associated selected token, the details of which are displayed on the DTC GUI (1324), namely the other logical digital transaction document tokenized unique ID (1344).

In this way, the system can be used for both physical card (physical DTC) transactions and card-not-present (no-DTC) transactions.

It should be understood that in this specification, the term "logical" refers to a set of characteristics for each digital transaction document. Characteristics may include data such as a unique ID of the digital transaction document, ownership information, expiration date, and the like. The identification information may be a unique ID number. A change from a DTC expressing one digital transaction document to a DTC expressing another digital transaction document may also be referred to as a change in the "characteristics" of the DTC.

Throughout this specification and subsequent claims, unless the context otherwise requires, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising" will be understood to mean the inclusion of a recited number or step, or group of numbers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other number or step or group of numbers or steps.

Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that many variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as detailed in the embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

100:Device

102: Digital transaction device/point of sale/electronic fund transfer system (POS/EFTPOS) terminal/merchant terminal

104: Digital Transaction Processing Unit (DTPU)

106: Smartphone/Data Assisted Device (DAD)

108: Digital Transaction Card (DTC)

110: User Interface

112: Electrode/external contact plate

114: Digital Transaction Card (DTC) transceiver

116: Smart phone transceiver

Claims (43)

A digital transaction device operable with one or more digital tokens, each of the one or more digital tokens being associated with a digital transaction document of a plurality of digital transaction documents, and each of the plurality of digital transaction documents being associated with the one or more digital tokens, wherein each of the one or more digital tokens represents a tokenized associated digital transaction document for conducting a digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, the digital transaction comprising a contact A digital transaction device for implementing a contactless digital transaction and a contactless digital transaction, the digital transaction device comprising: a data-assisted device (DAD), which comprises a user interface and a DAD transmitter; and a digital transaction card (DTC), which comprises: a DTC receiver; a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU), which is used to implement the contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device; and an external contact board, which is used to implement the DTPU with the at least one digital transaction device. The contact digital transaction between at least one digital transaction device; wherein the digital transaction device is configured to store at least one of the one or more digital tokens and the DAD is configured to allow one of the one or more digital tokens stored to be selected as a selected digital token through the user interface and transmit the selected digital token to the DTC, and wherein the DTC is configured to perform the contact digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. The DTC is enabled to operate as the tokenized associated digital transaction document represented by the selected digital token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DAD further comprises a receiver and the DTC further comprises a transmitter, and thus, data can be transmitted between the DAD and the DTC. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the DAD is operable to select and transmit the one or more digital tokens representing one or more selectable characteristics, wherein each of the one or more selectable characteristics represents a specific data corresponding to a card specifically used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected digital token selected and transmitted comprises one or more instructions. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the one or more instructions include an instruction to change a current characteristic of the DTC to a selected characteristic selected from one or more selectable characteristics, wherein each of the one or more selectable characteristics represents a specific data corresponding to a card specifically used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. The digital transaction device of claim 3 further includes storing the one or more digital symbols related to the one or more selectable characteristics on the DAD, and changing a current characteristic of the DTC to a selected characteristic, which includes: receiving an instruction to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic by the DAD and by operating the user interface of the DAD; transmitting data related to the selected characteristic to the DTC through the DAD transmitter; C receiver; and implementing a change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic in the DTC according to the data, so that when the DTC operates with the at least one digital transaction device to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the at least one digital transaction device recognizes the selected characteristic, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. The digital transaction device as claimed in claim 3 further includes storing the one or more digital symbols related to the one or more selectable characteristics on the DTC, and changing a current characteristic of the DTC to a selected characteristic, which includes: receiving an instruction to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic by the DAD and through the operation of the user interface of the DAD; transmitting the instruction to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic through the DAD transmitter. input to the DTC receiver; and implement a change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic in the DTC according to the instruction, so that when the DTC is operated in conjunction with the at least one digital transaction device to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the at least one digital transaction device recognizes the selected characteristic, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the DTC includes a user interface. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the one or more digital tokens, which are selected from the DAD and transmitted to the DTC and contain data about the one or more selectable characteristics, are stored on the DTC and can be individually selected by operation of the user interface of the DTC. The digital transaction device of claim 9 further includes changing a current characteristic of the DTC to a selected characteristic, which includes: receiving one or more commands to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic through the operation of the user interface of the DTC; and implementing a change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic in the DTC according to the one or more commands, so that when the DTC is operated with the at least one digital transaction device to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the at least one digital transaction device recognizes the selected characteristic, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the user interface of the DTC includes a scroll key that enables a user to select a selected characteristic from the one or more selectable characteristics, and the user interface of the DTC further includes a display indicating the one or more selectable characteristics. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DTC includes a DTC external processor for receiving and storing the transmitted selected digital token. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DTC includes a display for displaying information. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DTPU is an EMV device operating according to firmware, wherein the firmware has been modified to enable the EMV device to receive and execute an extended command set that, when executed, allows data to be written to a secure memory element of the EMV device. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 14, wherein writing the data to the secure memory element of the DTPU requires executing multiple EMV device commands. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one digital transaction device interfaces with the EMV device by physically connecting to a contact terminal of the EMV device or by contactless connection (ISO 14443 standard) or by interaction between a magnetic stripe reader associated with the at least one digital transaction device and a magnetic stripe of the DTC. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the DTC is a wearable device comprising a watch, a wristband, a ring or a piece of jewelry. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one digital transaction device is any one or more of a POS/EFTPOS terminal, an ATM, an Internet-connected computer or a personal computer. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the characteristic is any one or more of the following: a credit card; a debit card; a bank account; a stored-value card; a passport; an identity card; an age verification card; a closed-loop stored-value card; a membership card; a library card; a public transportation card; a government agency card; a driver's license, and a card or document used to identify the owner of the card or document. A digital transaction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DAD is any one or more of: a smart phone; a computer tablet; a laptop; a personal computer (PC); a wearable device including a smart watch; a lock device; and a processing device including a user interface and operable to transmit instructions to a DTC. A data-assisted device (DAD) is operable with a digital transaction card (DTC) having a DTC receiver and a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU), and is operable with one or more digital tokens, each of the one or more digital tokens being associated with a digital transaction file in a plurality of digital transaction files, and each of the plurality of digital transaction files being associated with the one or more digital tokens, wherein each of the one or more digital tokens represents a digital transaction file for use with a digital transaction file. A digital transaction card (DAD) is a digital transaction device for performing a digital transaction, wherein the digital transaction includes a contact digital transaction and a contactless digital transaction. The DAD comprises: a user interface and a DAD transmitter, wherein the DAD is configured to store at least one of the one or more digital tokens in cooperation with the DTC, so that the one or more digital tokens are stored in the DTC, the DAD, or both the DTC and the DAD. The DTC includes: a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) for implementing the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device; and an external contact board for implementing the contact digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device, wherein the DAD is configured to allow one of the one or more stored digital tokens to be selected as a selected digital token through the user interface and transmit the selected digital token to the DTC , so that when the DTC is enabled to conduct the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device, it operates as the tokenized associated digital transaction file represented by the selected digital token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A DAD as claimed in claim 21, wherein the DAD further comprises a receiver. A digital transaction card (DTC) operable with a data-assisted device (DAD) having a user interface and a DAD transmitter, and operable with one or more digital tokens, each of the one or more digital tokens being associated with a digital transaction document of a plurality of digital transaction documents, and each of the plurality of digital transaction documents being associated with the one or more digital tokens, wherein each of the one or more digital tokens represents a digital device for communicating with at least one A digital transaction device is provided for performing a digital transaction with a tokenized associated digital transaction file, the digital transaction including a contact digital transaction and a contactless digital transaction, wherein the DTC is configured to store at least one of the one or more digital tokens in cooperation with the DAD, so that the at least one digital token is stored in the DTC, the DAD, or both the DTC and the DAD, and the DTC comprises: a DTC receiver; a digital transaction processing unit ( a DTC configured to receive data transmitted from the DAD and representing a selected digital token of the at least one digital token stored therein, and wherein the DTC is configured to implement the selected digital token so that the DTC When enabled to conduct the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device, the operation becomes the tokenized associated digital transaction file represented by the selected digital token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A digital transaction card as claimed in claim 23, wherein the DTC further comprises a transmitter. A digital transaction method using a digital transaction device, wherein the digital transaction device comprises: a data-assisted device (DAD) having a user interface and a DAD transmitter, and the digital transaction device also comprises a digital transaction card (DTC) having: a DTC receiver; a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) for implementing a contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device; and an external contact board for implementing a contact digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device; wherein the digital transaction device can be operated with one or more digital tokens, each of the one or more digital tokens is associated with a digital transaction file in a plurality of digital transaction files, and each of the plurality of digital transaction files is associated with the one or more digital transaction files. A plurality of digital tokens are associated, wherein each of the one or more digital tokens represents a tokenized associated digital transaction file used to conduct the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device, and the digital transaction method comprises: implementing a selected digital token so that when the DTC is enabled to conduct the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device, it operates as the tokenized associated digital transaction file represented by the selected digital token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A digital transaction method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the selected digital token comprises one or more instructions. A digital transaction method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the selected digital token is associated with one or more selectable characteristics, wherein each of the one or more selectable characteristics represents a specific data corresponding to a card specifically used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card, wherein the method further includes changing the current characteristic of the DTC to a selected characteristic, which includes: receiving an instruction to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic by the DAD and through the operation of the user interface of the DAD; The DAD transmitter transmits data about the selected characteristic to the DTC receiver; and implements a transmitted change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic in the DTC according to the data, so that when the DTC operates with the at least one digital transaction device to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the at least one digital transaction device recognizes the selected characteristic, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. A digital transaction method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the DTC includes a user interface having a home button and a scroll button, and the selected digital token is related to one or more selectable characteristics, wherein each of the one or more selectable characteristics represents a specific data corresponding to a card specifically used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card, and the method further includes: selecting one of the one or more selectable characteristics as a selected characteristic through the user interface of the DTC, and causing the DTC to subsequently adopt the selected characteristic. The digital transaction method of claim 28 further includes changing a current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic, which includes: receiving one or more instructions to change the current characteristic of the DTC to the selected characteristic by operating the user interface of the DTC; and implementing a change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic in the DTC according to the one or more instructions, so that when the DTC is operated with the at least one digital transaction device to realize the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the at least one digital transaction device recognizes the selected characteristic, wherein the current characteristic represents one of the one or more selectable characteristics, which has been previously selected to be used for the current contact or contactless digital transaction. A digital transaction method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the DTPU is an EMV device, and implementing the change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic includes writing the selected digital token related to the selected characteristic into a secure memory element of the EMV device, so that when the EMV device is activated, the EMV device reads the selected digital token in the secure memory element, thereby causing the DTC to adopt the selected characteristic. A digital transaction method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the DTPU is an EMV device including firmware, the firmware causing the EMV device to be operable to receive and execute an extended command set, thereby enabling the EMV device to implement the change from the current characteristic to the selected characteristic. A method of operating a data-assisted device (DAD) and a digital transaction card (DTC), comprising: selecting at least one digital token as a selected digital token through a user interface of the DAD; and transmitting the selected digital token to a receiver associated with the digital transaction card (DTC) having a digital processing unit (DTPU) through a DAD transmitter associated with the DAD, the DTPU being used to implement a contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, wherein the DTC also includes an external A contact board is provided for realizing a contact digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device, wherein when the DTC is subsequently used to realize the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the DTC operates according to the selected digital token selected and transmitted, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and realize the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A method of operating a digital transaction card (DTC), comprising: receiving at least one user-selected digital token from a data-assisted device (DAD), wherein the DTC includes: a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) for implementing a contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device; and an external contact board for implementing a contactless digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device; and implementing the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction by the DTC, wherein the DTC operates according to the at least one user-selected digital token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the at least one user-selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. The method of claim 33 further comprises: receiving, by the DTC, one or more mini-applications, the one or more mini-applications containing data and/or instructions defining the at least one user-selected digital token representing a characteristic so that the DTC can use the characteristic to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, wherein the characteristic represents a specific data corresponding to a specific card used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card. A computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a data-assisted device (DAD), cause the one or more processors to: receive at least one selected token via a user interface of the DAD; and transmit the at least one selected token via a DAD transmitter to a receiver associated with a digital transaction card (DTC) having a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU), the DTPU being used to implement a contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device, wherein the DTPU C also includes an external contact board for implementing a contact digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device; wherein when the DTC is subsequently used to implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, the DTC operates according to the at least one selected token selected and transmitted, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the at least one selected digital token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. A computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a digital transaction card (DTC), cause the one or more processors to: receive a user selection token from a data-assisted device (DAD), wherein the DTC has: a digital transaction processing unit (DTPU) for implementing a contactless digital transaction with at least one digital transaction device; and an external contact board for implementing the A contact digital transaction between the DTPU and the at least one digital transaction device; and then implementing the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction, wherein the DTC operates according to the user selection token, wherein the DAD, the DTC and the at least one digital transaction device are separated from each other, wherein the user selection token can be operated to enable the DTPU to select and implement the contact digital transaction or the contactless digital transaction with the at least one digital transaction device. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: receive one or more mini-applications, the one or more mini-applications containing data and/or instructions defining at least one characteristic to enable the DTC to implement a transaction using the at least one characteristic, wherein each of the at least one characteristic represents a specific data corresponding to a specific card used for identity identification or financial transactions and used to identify the owner of the card. A digital transaction method, comprising: receiving a DTC configured to operate according to request item 1 or request item 23 from an issuing institution. A digital transaction method, comprising: Issuing a DTC configured to operate according to request item 1 or request item 23 by an issuing institution. A digital transaction method comprising: receiving from an issuing institution a DTC configured to operate according to the method of claim 25 or claim 33. A digital transaction method, comprising: issuing a DTC configured to operate according to request item 25 or request item 33 by an issuing institution. A digital transaction method, comprising: an issuing institution issuing an operation code including software and/or firmware to a data-assisted device (DAD) and/or a digital transaction card (DTC) to enable the DAD and/or DTC to operate according to request item 1. A digital transaction method, comprising: an issuing institution issuing an operation code including software and/or firmware to a data-assisted device (DAD) and/or a digital transaction card (DTC) to enable the DAD and/or DTC to operate according to claim 25.