STORED ELECTRONIC VALUE METHOD FOR SMART CARDS

摘要

A smart card is used within a system for the loading of value items sold by vendors and for the purchase of goods or services from vendor agents. The user of the smart card purchases value items from multiple vendors who identify the transaction by a purchase confirmation number. The user logs onto a centralized transaction service company and submits through a secure channel the confirmation number. The service company then contacts the one or more vendors to obtain the value items electronically. These value items are then transmitted via the secure channel to the user for loading into the user's smart card. The user can then apply the value items at each of a plurality of vendor agents because each of the agents utilizes the same application program for reading and using the data on the smart card. The smart card itself has one universal application program with a data field that is divided into groups for each of the vendors who supply value items to the user. Each time the smart card is used, the value items removed are reported back to the transactional service company for updating the account of the user. Should the smart card be lost, the service company can identify the remaining balance in the card and have remaining value unit items loaded in a replacement card that is provided to the user.