Patent ID: 7567920

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a request for access to a location at a gate access device from a user; generating an authorization request message, wherein the authorization request message includes a request to charge a predetermined amount of money; sending the authorization request message to an issuer for approval; receiving an authorization response message, wherein the authorization response message indicates whether or not the charge is authorized or not authorized; and if the authorization response message indicates that the charge is authorized, then automatically actuating a gate device of the gate access device to allow the user to access the location, wherein the gate access device is a transit gate device, and wherein the method takes less than 1 second to perform, wherein the issuer has a primary computer for processing authorization request messages, and wherein the issuer has a secondary computer for processing authorization request messages from the gate access device, wherein the secondary computer is closer to the gate access device than the primary computer and wherein the secondary computer primarily processes authorization request messages associated with access transactions, but does not process authorization request messages associated with retail transactions.