Importance

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Abstract

A payment unit is provided for serving a customer making a purchase. The customer has an electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price. The payment unit includes a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet and a transaction manager. The transaction manger is operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse or receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between the paid sum and the purchase price.

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First Claim