Patent ID: 6889198
Filing Date: 2005-05-03
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method of tracking smart card merchant loyalty program information for a customer, comprising: storing loyalty program information in a loyalty register of a loyalty program application on a purchase log part of a transaction log on a smart card microcomputer, wherein the loyalty program application is capable of storing loyalty program information for a plurality of merchants, each identified by a unique merchant identifier, in a plurality of loyalty registers and wherein the loyalty program information includes information related to transactions with at least one merchant for the customer and the loyalty register is identified by the unique merchant identifier the customer and the loyalty register is identified by the unique merchant identifier associated with the merchant to enable transactions with the merchant to be matched with the loyalty register for the merchant; storing transaction information on the purchase log part of the transaction log on the smart card microcomputer about transactions with the merchant for the customer at a merchant terminal, wherein the transaction information includes the unique merchant identifier and a unique transaction number associated with each transaction with the merchant in ascending numerical order; comparing the stored transaction information with the stored loyalty program information at a stand-alone terminal that is independent of the merchant terminal; automatically identifying transaction information stored on the purchase log part of the transaction log at the stand-alone terminal about at least one transaction with the merchant for which an associated transaction number is numerically greater than any transaction number for a transaction with the merchant stored in the stored loyalty program information; and automatically adding the identified transaction information to the stored loyalty program information at the stand-alone terminal.