An assembly of a card and a card reader, the card reader comprising a reading head configured to be positioned over a predetermined curve of the card while sensing the electromagnetic field and to output a signal relating to the field sensed, the card comprising an oblong field generator comprising at least two end portions configured to output at least part of the electromagnetic field, wherein the end portions are at least 1.8 mm wide and positioned so that, when projected on to a plane of the surface, an edge of each end portion is positioned no more than 0.5 mm from the curve and/or the curve not overlap the end portions in the projection. The curve is defined by the path of the reading head over the card. The card has a generator displaced in relation to standard cards where the generator is positioned directly under the curve.

A piece of jewellery, wherein the jewellery comprises at least one tag or chip programmed with at least a unique identification code, and a tag reader is configured to read the tag or chip when the tag reader and the piece of jewellery touch, or come into close contact and, display a message or content associated with the unique identification code.

The present invention provides integrated circuit chips having chip identification aspects. The chips include magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures, and more specifically, include permanent bit strings used for chip identification and/or authentication. Systems and processes for chip identification are also disclosed herein. The MTJ element structures provided herein can have a defined resistance profile such that the intrinsic variability of the MTJ element structure is used to encode and generate a bit string that becomes a fingerprint for the chip. In some embodiments, an oxygen treatment covering all or a selected portion of an array of MTJ elements can be used to create a mask or secret key that can be used and implemented to enhance chip identification.

A card configured to output an magnetic field on or at a surface thereof, the card comprising an elongated magnetically conducting material on or at the surface of the card, the magnetically conducting material having a first and a second guide ends, and a field generator positioned so as to feed a magnetic field into the magnetically conducting material. The magnetically conducting material is positioned at the position where the reading head travels and forms a return path for the field generated by the field generator, whereby field from the generator is fed to the reading head via the magnetically conducting material.

A data-bearing medium has an array of data-bearing elements. The array of data-bearing elements represents an array of bits. A certain number of the bits repeat within the array of bits. Positions of the bits in each row of the array of bits are circularly shifted from positions of the bits in an immediately preceding row.

The invention provides systems and methods for protecting information related to personal accounts and other kinds of information displayed on personal and identification cards. In some embodiments, the invention further provides a credit card with a card portion displaying a first part of an account number and an electronically readable region. The credit card may also include a sleeve portion that holds the card portion and that may display a second part of an account number. The sleeve portion may have a window through which the first part of the account number is visible, so that the first and second parts of the account number provide a complete valid account number.

A flexible card may include a dynamic magnetic stripe communications device having multiple layers, such as an electromagnetic generator, a magnet, and a shield. A shield may form a non-flexible layer within the stack and may bend, but the shield may not be able to stretch or compress. Flexible layers may surround and adhere to the shield such that when the card is flexed, the flexible layers may stretch and compress with the movement of the shield. The dynamic magnetic stripe communications device may include one or more coils. Each coil may contain a stepped material, such that a length of a lower layer of the stepped material is longer than a length of a middle layer of the stepped material which is longer than a length of a top layer of the stepped material.

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 piece of jewellery, wherein the jewellery comprises at least one tag or chip programmed with at least a unique identification code, and a tag reader is configured to read the tag or chip when the tag reader and the piece of jewellery touch, or come into close contact and, display a message or content associated with the unique identification code.

A card configured to output an magnetic field on or at a surface thereof, the card comprising an elongated magnetically conducting material on or at the surface of the card, the magnetically conducting material having a first and a second guide ends, and a field generator positioned so as to feed a magnetic field into the magnetically conducting material. The magnetically conducting material is positioned at the position where the reading head travels and forms a return path for the field generated by the field generator, whereby field from the generator is fed to the reading head via the magnetically conducting material.