Patent ID: 8762264

Claim:
A communication system comprising: an IC card including a unique user identifier corresponding to a user; a first management apparatus configured to generate first type information based on a first transaction conducted between the first management apparatus and a first terminal including a first IC card interface that receives the user identifier from the IC card and transfers the user identifier to the first management apparatus, and manage the first type information by associating the user identifier with the first type information when the user identifier is received from the first IC card interface; a second management apparatus that is separate from the first management apparatus and is configured to generate second type information based on a second transaction conducted between the second management apparatus and a second terminal including a second IC card interface that receives the user identifier from the IC card and transfers the user identifier to the second management apparatus, and manage the second type information by associating the user identifier with the second type information when the user identifier received from the second IC card interface; wherein the second management apparatus includes a processing section that is configured to convert the first type information into the second type information based on a conversion factor and to combine the converted first type information with the second type information, in response to a combination request received through the first management apparatus.