A mobile card reader can be configured to connect to an input module of a mobile device. The mobile card reader can scan a magnetic stripe card from a structure exposed to lightning strikes in order to output a lightning-indicator signal to the input module. The lightning-indicator signal can be analyzed to determine a magnitude of a lightning strike to which the magnetic stripe card and the structure have been exposed.

The present invention describes a tag comprising a magnetic element in the form of a microwire of 80-250 microns with giant magnetoimpedance which, when joined to an object, allows for the wireless detection of same by modulating the reflectivity of the microwire. Detection is performed by using a system that emits an electromagnetic wave that has a frequency between 1 and 20 GHz and a low frequency magnetic field (0.01-50 Hz), and detects the modulation of the reflectivity of the microwire. Thus, objects at distances greater than 1 m can be detected.

A coil module includes a substrate; an upper coil disposed on at least one surface of the substrate in an upper portion of the substrate; a lower coil disposed on at least one surface of the substrate in a lower portion of the substrate; and a lower outer pattern disposed on an outer side of the lower coil in the lower portion of the substrate and connected to either one or both of the upper coil and the lower coil.

A smart electronic wallet with reconfigurable multiple-account transaction card is provided. The system and method provide measures for storing a plurality of account identifiers from a plurality of traditional single-use transaction cards into a storage memory in a smart wallet. The system and method also provide for storing a reconfigurable multiple-account transaction card within the smart electronic wallet and allowing for it to be dynamically and selectively reconfigured for any one of the plurality of account identifiers stored within the smart electronic wallet. Additionally, a consumer is able to initiate a transfer or trade of transaction cards across different smart electronic wallet devices.

A card reader for processing an inserted magnetic card may be equipped with a front sensor arranged in the vicinity of an insertion opening for a magnetic card to detect the insertion of the magnetic card, a rear sensor for detecting the magnetic card when the magnetic card is fully inserted, a magnetic field generating unit for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the insertion opening for a magnetic card, and a control unit for controlling a magnetic field to be generated by said magnetic field generating unit at a first strength or at a second strength weaker than the first strength. The control unit may control the strength of the magnetic field to be generated by the magnetic field generating unit at the second strength while the first time period elapses after the rear sensor has detected the magnetic card and then has stopped sensing it.

The present disclosure concerns a magnetic reader (MR)sensor device for reading magnetic stripes, the MR sensor device comprising a substrate provided on a wafer, a back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect layer and a plurality of magneto-resistive sensor elements embedded within the BEOL interconnect layer; the MR sensor device comprising a protective layer having a Vickers hardness of at least 3 GPa. The present disclosure further concerns a method for manufacturing the MR sensor device. The MR sensor device can be brought close to the surface to the magnetic stripe so that the magnetic stripe can be read with an increased resolution.

A transaction card includes an anodized card body having a front and rear face. Various information and security features may be provided on the front face and on the rear face. A magnetic stripe may be provided on the rear face of the anodized card body. The magnetic stripe may be adhered within a slot formed within the rear face of the anodized body. Alternatively, the magnetic stripe may be provided via an overlay that is adhered to the rear face of the anodized body, and the magnetic stripe may be integral with the overlay or adhered to the overlay after the overlay is applied to the anodized card body. The transaction card may also include a hologram. The hologram may be integral with the overlay or may be applied to the overlay that has been arranged on the anodized card body.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a magnetic recording medium having a jet-black magnetic stripe which is not tinged with red. The present invention is directed to a magnetic recording medium including: a magnetic recording layer on a substrate; and a protective layer (a) on the magnetic recording layer, wherein the protective layer (a) contains an aniline coloring material. The magnetic recording medium is advantageous in that the magnetic stripe is jet-black and has excellent design properties, and therefore can be widely used for credit cards, bank cards and the like.

A transaction card may include a body having a first part connectable with a second part, and a magnetic stripe on a first main side of the body. A first section of the magnetic stripe is provided on the first part of the body, and a second section of the magnetic stripe is provided on the second part of the body. The transaction card may further include an engagement member extending from the first part of the body for retention within a slot of the second part of the body, the slot embedded within the body between the first main side and a second main side.

Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.