Importance

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Abstract

A loyalty file structure for a smart card includes any number of loyalty files preinstalled by a card manufacturer. Each loyalty file has a password, a file number, a label, an indicator of whether or not the file is currently being rented by a merchant, a length indicator, a data format indicator, and a data region. An issuer creates a unique password for each loyalty file on a card and then issues cards to customers. For customer enrollment at a point-of-sale, a merchant determines if a loyalty file is available. The merchant password is sent to the issuer on-line in real time and is returned along with authorization from the issuer to replace the password of the loyalty file with the merchant password. The file label is changed to a merchant identifier and the file is indicated as being rented. The merchant sends payment or a credit transaction to the issuer for use of the loyalty file. For use with a loyalty program, a merchant terminal finds the loyalty file of a customer's card for that merchant and reads or updates information within that file. The loyalty file on a card is also used with electronic ticketing to store information pertaining to a purchased ticket. Upon later presentation of the card at an airline boarding gate, stored information in the loyalty file is compared with the same information downloaded from the airline host computer. A match indicates a valid purchase and a boarding pass is issued.

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First Claim