The invention is directed to a keycard sanitizer. The sanitizer employs one or more of three different methods to sanitize keycards turned in by customers: ultraviolet light projectors, sanitizer sponges, and sanitizer sprayers. A plurality of drying sponges and a sanitizer drain are also provided. Preferably, a detachable feeder tray and a detachable receiver tray are provided to feed keycards into a card entrance slot on the sanitizer, and receive keycards as they are expelled from an exit slot on the sanitizer, respectively. The sanitizer enables the management of a business to sanitize keycards and reissue the keycards to incoming customers, saving the expense of discarding and replacing used keycards.

The present invention is generally directed towards a card and package assembly and methods of making the same. Card and package assemblies in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention may include a package, a data card, the data card packaged at least in part within the package, and an activation indicia, the activation indicia comprising a first portion printed on the package and a second portion printed on the data card. Methods of packaging a data card in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention may include steps of manufacturing or otherwise obtaining a data card, manufacturing or otherwise obtaining a package, determining an activation indicia, packaging the data card at least in part within the package, and printing the activation indicia in part on the data card and in part on the package.

A credit card with an obscurable account identifier. The credit card further comprises a substrate defining a first surface with a chromogenic feature wherein the chromogenic feature is capable of changing from a first state and a second state based on an activating trigger. In the first state, the chromogenic feature appears with a first optical property that obscures the account identifier, and in the second state, the chromogenic feature appears with a second optical property that reveals the account identifier.

A Transition Smart Card (TSC) is disclosed herein. The TSC receives data card information from credit and debit cards via a mobile phone. The TSC is used to present the financial card information card readers, such as magnetic card readers, for performing financial transactions. The TSC may connect with the mobile phone wirelessly or through a nest coupled to the mobile phone to receive financial card information for presentation to a magnetic card reader. The TSC may include a data display screen, a biometric device to authenticate a user, a dynamic broadcasting module for transmitting magnetic data, an ON/OFF switch to activate the card for use, and a rechargeable battery configured to be charged by proximity to another device such as a smart phone. The nest may include solar cells and other energy harvesting devices to obtain and provide electricity to the TSC.

Example embodiments of biodegradable cards and systems and methods making the same are provided. A biodegradable card can comprise a biodegradable substrate, a magnetic particle slot within the biodegradable substrate configured to receive magnetic particles, a high coercivity magnetic stripe comprising magnetic particles printed on the biodegradable substrate and encoded with payment account data, and a biodegradable water resistant coating, wherein the coating covers at least the magnetic stripe.

Provided are compact transaction cards. In some approaches, a body of the card includes first and second sections rotatably coupled together, wherein the first and second sections define a first main side opposite a second main side, an insertion end perimeter opposite a second end perimeter, and a first side perimeter opposite a second side perimeter. The body may include a chip along the first main side, the chip being located on the first section of the body. A magnetic stripe may be provided along the second main side of the body, wherein the magnetic stripe is located on the second section, wherein the magnetic stripe extends parallel to the insertion end perimeter when the first and second sections are in a first configuration, and wherein the magnetic stripe extends perpendicular to the insertion end perimeter when the first and second sections are in a second configuration.

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.

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relates to a payment card, and more specifically to a payment card with obfuscated personal identification information and a method of generating the same. In one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a substrate, one or more sets of personal identification information, and a masking layer. The substrate is formed from a water-insoluble material. The one or more sets of personal identification information is formed on the substrate. The masking layer is selectively positioned on the substrate to obscure at least one set of personal identification information. The masking layer is formed from a water-soluble material.

A method implemented in an electronic entity capable of implementing a plurality of applications includes the following steps: detecting an electrical signal (D; D); reading, in a memory of the electronic entity, information relating, among the plurality of applications, to a previously selected application; and transmitting a command (CMD) to deliver an indication associated with the application to which the read information relates. An associated electronic entity is also described.

A fluid treatment cartridge includes a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a treatment media contained within the housing. The fluid treatment cartridge includes a detection member comprising at least one closed electrically conductive loop having at least two spatially separate sections. Each of the sections generates a magnetic response when at least one section is electromagnetically excited. The magnetic response of each section is predetermined by the physical shape of the section and comprises at least one of a predetermined magnetic phase response and a predetermined magnetic amplitude response. The predetermined magnetic response of at least one other section of the closed electrically conductive loop corresponds to at least a one digit code.