Importance

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Abstract

In a card charging system, especially for public transport services, a host ticket facility is operable by both credit cards usable at a card read/write device and concessionary payment cards usable at a contactless card reader, and a security and transaction device located between the card readers and the host facility stores in separate storage devices full fares and concessionary fares which the host facility is able to calculate. A card charging system, especially but not exclusively for payment of public transport fares is described, having one or more card readers and a security and transaction device connected between the card reader(s) and a host facility and for transmitting information back to a clearing centre, wherein the security and transaction device includes a number of non-volatile storage devices for error counting and transmitting related performance data back to the clearing centre. A card charging system can include a security and transaction (TSM) device located between a smart card reader, such as a contactless card reader, and a host facility to enable a purchase to be made in return for a credit debited from the card, wherein the TSM device stores each individual use of a card and transmits information relating to the time and amount debited, and downloads such information to a clearing centre to enable the latter to keep a log of individual card usage and thereby enable fraud detection.

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First Claim