Patent ID: 6549912
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: G06Q,G07F,Y10S

Abstract:
A system that facilitates implementation of a loyalty program by a merchant, said system comprising:a smart card including a data file and an associated file password necessary to access said data file, said data file not accessible by said merchant without authorization from an issuer, said smart card being issued to a customer by said issuer; a card reader device that reads from and writes to said smart card and is associated with said merchant; a communications network connecting to said card reader device; and an issuer computer under control of said issuer connected to said communications network, said issuer computer being arranged to accept a request from said merchant for access to said data file, and being further arranged to transmit an authorization to said card reader device to allow said merchant to access said data file of said smart card with the permission of said customer, said authorization operating to allow the replacement of said file password with a merchant password known to said merchant, whereby said merchant may use said data file for implementation of said loyalty program for the benefit of said customer.