Cards and devices with magnetic emulators and magnetic reader read-head detectors

Abstract

A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to act as a magnetic stripe read-head detector and a data transmitter. A multiple layer flexible PCB may be fabricated to include multiple magnetic emulators. Layers of the flexible PCB may include magnetic shielding in order to reduce interference from the magnetic emulators to particular read-heads on a magnetic stripe reader.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A card comprising:
 an electronic device operable to communicate information to a magnetic stripe reader;   a first layer of magnetic shielding, wherein said first layer of magnetic shielding is located over said electronic device; and   a second layer of magnetic shielding, wherein said second layer of magnetic shielding is located over said electronic device, wherein said second layer is located at a point above said first layer.   
     
     
         7 . The card of  claim 6 , further comprising a battery. 
     
     
         8 . The card of  claim 6 , further comprising a processor. 
     
     
         9 . A card comprising:
 a first electronic device operable to communicate information to a magnetic stripe reader; and   a first magnetic field limiting layer.   
     
     
         10 . The card of  claim 9 , wherein the first magnetic field limiting layer is on the first electronic device, and
 the first magnetic field limiting layer on the first electronic device includes a space.   
     
     
         11 . The card of  claim 9 , wherein the first magnetic field limiting layer is directly on the first electronic device,
 the first electronic device is operable to generate a magnetic field,   the first magnetic field limiting layer directly on the first electronic device includes a space,   a material of the first magnetic field limiting layer limits the magnetic field, and   the space passes the magnetic field.   
     
     
         12 . The card of  claim 9 , further comprising a second magnetic field limiting layer. 
     
     
         13 . The card of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second magnetic field limiting layer,   wherein the first magnetic field limiting layer and the second magnetic field limiting layer are on opposite sides of the first electronic device.   
     
     
         14 . The card of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second magnetic field limiting layer,   wherein at least one of the first magnetic field limiting layer and the second magnetic field limiting layer is configured to block communications between the first electronic device and at least one read-head of a card reader.   
     
     
         15 . A printed circuit board, comprising:
 a first layer including a first electronic device;   a second layer including a first magnetic field limiting material;   a third layer including a second electronic device, the second layer between the first and third layers; and   a fourth layer including a second magnetic field limiting material, the third layer between the second and fourth layers.   
     
     
         16 . The card of  claim 15 , wherein the first magnetic field limiting material and the second magnetic field limiting material at least partially overlap.