Patent ID: 7584149

Claim:
A method for implementing a loyalty program using a first host computer which facilitates securing a portion of content from a source to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), said method comprising the steps of: receiving, by said first host computer, a consumer identifier (consumer ID) and a retailer identifier (retailer ID); receiving, by said first host computer, product description data which includes a purchase price, and a retailer item identifier; calculating, by said first host computer, a first set of reward points based on said consumer ID and said purchase price corresponding to said retailer item identifier; calculating, by said first host computer, a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID and said purchase price corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier related to said retailer item identifier; calculating, by said first host computer, a third set of reward points based on said consumer ID and said purchase price corresponding to affiliated Service Establishment (SE) numbers; combining, by said first host computer, said first set of reward points, said second set of reward points, and said third set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID, wherein said PDA is used to exchange said reward points for an item; receiving, by said first host computer, a request for first content from said PDA; retrieving, by said first host computer, said first content, wherein said first content is encrypted; decrypting, by said first host computer, said first content; locating, by said first host computer, an embedded link within said first content, wherein said embedded link includes navigation information for retrieving second content; encrypting, by said first host computer, said first content; retrieving, by said first host computer, said second content from a second host computer using said embedded link, wherein said second content is retrieved prior to transmitting said encrypted first content to said PDA; transmitting, by said first host computer, said encrypted first content and said second content to said PDA, wherein at least one of: said encrypted first content and said second content includes an item for purchase using said reward points; receiving, by said first host computer and from said PDA, a purchase request for said item from said PDA; and using, by said first host computer, at least a portion of said reward points to complete said purchase request.