Canadians have a long history of creating some of the world's leading inventions. Sir Alexander Graham Bell introduced the telephone in 1876, James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 and Toronto's Norman Breakey devised the paint roller in 1940. More recently, James Gosling developed the JAVA software programming language.

Canadian ingenuity extends to credit card innovations, too. Below are seven of the most intriguing card-related creations from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office's patents database.

1. The forget-me-not credit card alarm
Close your wallet without returning a credit card to its rightful place, and this remarkable gadget sounds warning alerts.

The benefits: Reduces the risk of forgetting your credit card at checkout counters and automated teller machines.
Other uses: Besides wallets, this innovative reminder system also works in purses and briefcases.

2. The home "Find It Pad"
Picture a wall-mounted electronic keypad with nine numbered keys. You assign specific credit cards to the keypad by attaching a corresponding thin-plastic sensor to each card. If you lose a card, press the pertinent key on the wall keypad. This sends an electronic signal to the missing card's sensor, which triggers an alarm that leads you to the card.

The benefits: Locates cards misplaced around home within 1,000 feet of the electronic keypad.
Other uses: The thin-plastic sensors can also be attached to valuable documents and files that you might otherwise lose.

3. Women's boot wallets
The inner and outer linings of this footwear have hidden pockets for carrying credit cards. Cardholding pockets can be permanent or removable.

The benefits: Replaces women's purses in certain situations and limits the risk of lost or stolen cards.
Other uses: Women's boot wallets come with different types of pockets that can hold keys, cell phones and other valuables.

4. TV commercial frequent rewards system
After signing up with their credit cards, commercial-watching fans earn credits and prizes for watching ads on advanced interactive televisions. Advertisers provide the bulk of revenues for this system, which grants bonus credits when you buy products and services featured in the commercials.

The benefits: Enables you to shop via television within the comfort of your home.
Other uses: The frequent rewards system generates valuable reports on consumer buying preferences.

5. Eight-in-one personalized credit card
With four separate magnetic strips on each side, this card replaces up to eight credit, debit and consumer rewards cards. Banking machines, card readers and similar point-of-sale devices can read each magnetic strip.

The benefits: Reduces time spent looking for individual cards, saves space and is convenient.
Other uses: Multiple magnetic strips encourage card issuers to offer cross-promotions and combined incentives.

6. Built-in signature protection
Most credit card signature panels are made with special clay. Not only do signatures deteriorate on this clay, criminals patch over the original script then apply a forged one. This Canadian innovation replaces clay with protective transparent film over pressure-reactive chemicals. When you first sign your credit card, coloured-dye is released that makes your signature permanent.

The benefits: Keeps signatures readable and tamper-proof.
Other uses: Legal documents would also benefit from this ingenious signature protection.

7. Online game tournaments
The Canadian patent holder for this tournament system of electronic games envisioned global competitions for an unlimited number of online games, from crosswords to golf. Players use their credit cards to participate, with associated player and game handicaps stored online.

The benefits: Offers one convenient system for competing in multiple tournaments against international players.
Other uses: This invention also features global messaging and advertising.

Not all inventions showcased in this article are destined for success. For example, the eight-in-one personalized credit card uses magnetic strips; most card companies plan to replace strips with embedded chips. But what these patented creations do show is inspired Canadian creativity.