| 摘要 |
A bank or credit card issuing authority provided consolidated membership/rewards card has standard credit card features including cardholder's name, card number, expiration date, secret code and a permanently coded permanent magnetic strip. The card has a programmable second magnetic strip with inductors directly below the strip energized by a CPU in the card recording a merchant provided loyalty or discount number. The cardholder selects a merchant from a list displayed card screen by pressing up and down buttons and a 'go' button to program the second magnetic strip. A USB connector associated with the card is used for uploading merchant data from a personal computer and transmitting the card discount number to a USB enabled cash register. The cash register provides eligible discounts for purchases upon receipt of the card discount number by swiping the second magnetic strip or by establishing USB connectivity. Payment is made using the permanent magnetic strip of the card or by other payment means. Discounts and membership rewards are thereby provided to a cardholder without need for carrying a plurality of merchant issued membership/rewards cards. Credit card functionality facilitates immediate payment for the purchases made.
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