Patent attributes
A transaction apparatus (10) includes a multifunction card (12) and a portable terminal (14). The multifunction card includes a programmable memory (18). The programmable memory is used to store indicia corresponding to account data from a plurality of conventional magnetic stripe cards. The programmable memory further includes signature data representative of user-identifying signature. The signature data can comprise a scanned user-identifying written signature. A user can operate the apparatus to select one of the accounts stored in memory. The user can also use the apparatus to transmit the signature data via wireless communication during a transaction. The transmitted signature data can be compared to an actual user signature written on an electronic signature pad for a determination of correspondence.