Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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DEBIT ~ARD ~Y~l~ ~ND 1~-l~o~
FOR IMPLEh~N-llN~ lN~N-l l V~ AWARD PROGR~M
Notice
Copyright ~ 1996 Maritz, Inc. A portion of the
disclosure of this patent document contains material
which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no ob~ection to the facsimile reproduction by
anyone o~ the patent document or the patent disclosure,
as it appears in the Patent and Tr~m~rk Office patent
files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright
rights whatsoever.
Bach~ o~d of the Invention
1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to a computer and data
processing system ~or implementing an incentive award
program and, in particular, a system which employs debit
cards allowing participants to purchase rewards by
electronic debit transactions.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Motivational programs are well-known in the prior
art. In general, such programs have been ~m; n; stered by
incentive c~mp~n;es which have contracted with a
sponsoring company for providing a motivational or
incentive program to promote the sales of the sponsoring
company's products or services or to improve the
performance of the sponsoring company's personnel. Based
on various criteria, such as a participant's per~ormance,
the participant accumulates points over a period of time.
Computer programming and data processing have been used
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to report to the participants the number of points that
have been achieved at certain periods of time during the
program. When the participant decides to take advantage
of the awarded points, the participant is generally
provided with a voucher or other document which entitles
the participant to obtain products or services.
Although such systems are highly effective, they can
be expensive to administer and the paperwork involved in
maint~;n;ng such systems can be extensive. There is a
need for an incentive award program system which
m;n;m;zes the paperwork needed to administer the system
and, in particular, m;n;m;zes or eliminates the paperwork
needed to support a transaction by which a participant
obtains rewards.
Sl -~y of the Invention
It is an object of this invention to provide a
system for implementing an incentive award program which
employs debit cards. It is another object of this
invention to provide a system which implements an
incentive award program which m;n;m;zes or eliminates the
need for paperwork to support transactions by which
participants obtain rewards. It is another object of
this invention to provide a system for implementing an
incentive award program which employs debit cards bearing
identi~ication o~ the customer or sponsor of the
incentive award program. It is another object of this
invention to provide a system for implementing an
incentive award program which uses debit cards rather
than credit cards so that debit transactions at the time
of sale are transparent to merchants and so that
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merchants can process debit transactions using debit
cards of the invention in a similar m~nner to the
processing of credit card transactions.
The invention comprises a system for implementing an
incentive award program for a customer having
participants. The program permits the participants to
obtain as a award products and/or services from
authorized merchants who are part of the incentive award
program and who are part of a credit/debit card network.
The credit card network also includes unauthorized
merchants who are not part of the incentive award program
and who are part of a credit card network. Each merchant
has access via an input/output (I/O) port to a
credit/debit card network processor of transactions. The
system comprises a plurality of debit cards, a filter
processor and software, responsive to a debit transaction
initiated by a merchant using an initiating card having
an initiating account number, for transmitting debit
transaction data from the credit card network processor
to the filter processor. Each debit card is assigned to
one participant and has a unique account number
corresponding to an award account of the participant.
The filter processor accesses the following program data:
data identifyiny the authorized unique account numbers of
the participants, data identifying the authorized
merchants, and data indicating the balance in each
participant~s award account. The filter processor
interfaces with the credit card network processor. The
credit card network processor has software responsive to
a transaction initiated by a merchant using an initiating
card having an initiating account number, for
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transmitting to the filter processor the following debit
transaction data: the initiating account number of the
card initiating the debit transaction, merchant
identification data of the initiating merchant, and data
regarding the amount of the initiated debit transaction.
The filter processor includes software for evaluating the
debit transaction data transmitted to the filter
processor by the credit card network processor by
comparing the debit transaction data to the program data.
The filter processor evaluating software includes
software for generating validating data for the debit
transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data
indicates that the debit transaction has been initiated
by an authorized merchant using the unique account number
of a participant having a sufficient balance in the
participant's corresponding award account to cover the
debit transaction. The filter processor evaluating
software includes software for generating invalidating
data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit
transaction data indicates that the initiating account
number is not one of the authorized account numbers. The
~ilter processor evaluating software includes software
for generating invalidating data for the debit
transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data
indicates that the initiating merchant is not one of the
authorized merchants. The filter processor evaluating
software includes software for generating invalidating
data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit
transaction data indicates that the balance in the award
account corresponding to the initiating account number is
insufficient to cover the amount of the initiated debit
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transaction. The filter processor includes software for
transmitting the validating or invalidating data to the
credit card network processor. The credit card network
processor provides the validating or invalidating data
for the evaluated debit transaction to the initiating
merchant.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent
and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Brief Description o~ the Drawin~s
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system according to
the invention illustrating the hardware components and
their interconnection.
Figures 2 and 3 are flow charts illustrating the
decision steps of the invention as implemented by the
various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a
pre-authorization debit transaction.
Figures 4A and 4B are flow charts illustrating the
decision steps of the invention as implemented by the
various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a
force post debit transaction.
Figures 5A and 5B are flow charts illustrating the
decision steps of the invention as implemented by the
various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a
settlement/commissions debit transaction.
Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of
data within a system according to the invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate
corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
One preferred embodiment of hardware of a debit card
system 100 according to the invention is illustrated in
block diagram form in Figure 1. Debit card system 100
implements an incentive award program managed by an
~m; n; strator for a customer having participants who are
part of the incentive award program. As used herein, an
incentive award program may be any incentive plan or
policy used to encourage or reward the participant, the
participant's performance, the participant's use of
particular merchants which sell goods and/or services, or
a combination of these. Frequently, such programs are
referred to as loyalty, frequency, affinity, retention,
or performance improvement programs. This is because
such programs encourage or improve participant loyalty,
affinity, retention, quality of performance or frequency
of performance. The program permits the participants to
obtain as a motivational award products and/or services
from authorized merchants who are part of the incentive
award program. As part of the incentive award program,
authorized merchants have a contractual and/or business
relationship with the ~m; n; strator and have agreed to
participate in the incentive award program and the
handling of debit transactions and commissions as
described in more detail below.
The debit card system 100 of the invention may be
preferably implemented as part of a pre-existing credit
card network 102 in which the authorized merchants
participate. Such credit card networks tend to be
worldwide and rather extensive so that it is contemplated
that such networks may also include unauthorized
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merchants who are not part o~ and who are not
participating in the incentive award program but who are
a part o~ and who are participating in the credit card
network.
In general, credit card network 102 implements the
debit card system 100 and includes a credit card network
processor 104 having a plurality of input/output (I/O)
ports 106 which would form the credit card network by
interconnecting merchants 108, 110 and 112, such as by
phone lines. As illustrated in Figure 1, merchant 108 is
an authorized merchant having a card reader which
accesses the credit card network processor 104 via I/O
port 106A. Merchant 110 is also an authorized merchant
having access to the credit card network processor 104
via I/O port 106B by call-in access. In other words,
merchant 110 places a call to a third party having access
to the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port
106B by computer or some other known technique. Merchant
112 is illustrated as an unauthorized merchant m~n;ng
merchant 112 is not a part o~ the incentive award
program. As illustrated, merchant 112 has access to
credit card network processor 104 via I/0 port 106C by a
card reader. It is also contemplated that other
authorized and unauthorized merchants are a part o~ the
credit card network 102. For simplicity, only three
merchants are illustrated. For example, other authorized
merchants may also be a part o~ the network 102 and
access processor 104 via a call-in access rather than a
card reader access.
The debit card system 100 includes a plurality o~
debit cards 114. Bach debit card 114 is considered
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unique and is assigned to one participant o~ the
incentive award program. Each debit card 114 has a
unique account number which is generally printed on the
card such as by raised lettering and may also be encoded
on a magnetic strip which is part of the debit card.
This unique account number corresponds to an award
account of the participant. The award account is the
vehicle by which the customer rewards its participants
with points which allow the participants to take
advantage of the incentive award debit card system 100.
In general, debit cards are very different and
distinguishable from credit cards. Credit cards are a
type of credit instrument such as credit accounts which
allow users to buy products and/or services by drawing
against their established credit line and repaying the
bank or other institution which advances the credit. In
contrast, debit cards are a type of debit instrument
similar to checking accounts or other account systems
which allow users to conveniently spend pre-existing cash
assets which are deposited in advance by the user in the
debit accounts. Any time a user would like to spend some
of the deposited cash, a debit instrument such as a debit
card is used to trans~er a portion of the deposited cash
assets to a particular merchant in exchange ~or products
and/or services obtained by the user. A debit card
offers the services of an account from which funds or
points can be withdrawn without the need for paper to
effectuate the debit transaction. It is an electronic
account that transfers amounts from one account to
another as a holder o~ the card uses the card to make
purchases. Once a card holder or participant uses their
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debit card for a purchase, the purchase amount is
withdrawn ~rom their account to pay for or cover the
services or products being purchased.
Another aspect o~ the debit card system 100 o~ the
invention is a filter processor 116 which would
preferably be supplied by and controlled by a bank or
other financial institution. The filter processor 116
interfaces with the credit card network processor 104 via
an I/O port 118 such as a phone line or radio frequency
link. For example, the credit card network 102 may be
any well-known commercial network such as the Mastercard
credit card network or the Visa Card credit card network
and filter processor 116 may be any of a plurality of
financial institutions affiliated with and linked to such
networks for A~m; n~ stering credit cards issued by the
financial institution. Normally, filter processor 116
would be provided with data identifying the authorized
unique credit card account numbers of credit cards issued
by the financial institution. According to the debit
card system 100 of the invention, filter processor 116
also accesses program data including data identi~ying the
authorized unique account numbers of the participants of
the incentive award program. Each unique account number
has been assigned to one particular participant and that
participant's debit card or cards bears the assigned
unique account number, which account number corresponds
- to the award account of the participant. In addition,
the filter processor accesses program~ data including data
identifying the authorized merchants 108 and 110. This
merchant identification data which is part of the program
data forms a significant aspect of the debit card system
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100 of the invention. This merchant identification data
is not normally needed to process credit card
transactions because for each credit card transaction, it
is assumed that all merchants that access the credit card
network 102 are part of the credit card system. In
contrast, all merchants may not be part of the debit card
system 100 of the invention. If there are more
authorized merchants than unauthorized merchants, such
merchant identification data may take the form of a list
of unauthorized merchants.
In addition, the filter processor 116 accesses
program data including data indicating the balance of
each participant's award account. This balance is
controlled and maintained by the customer and would have
a point value which is converted into a currency value in
the course of a debit transaction, as will be explained
in greater detail below.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the program data may be
accessible to the filter processor 116 via an I/O port
120 which interconnects the filter processor 116 to a
host processor 122 of the ~Am;n;strator. As a result of
this interconnection, the program data may be provided to
the filter processor 116 on a real time and/or batch
basis. Optionally, it is also contemplated that an
intermediary processor 124 of the administrator may be
located between terminals 126 for implementing the system
of the invention and the host processor 122. The
int~rm~A;ary processor 124 would allow the ~m; n; strator
to generate reports and otherwise manipulate the program
data independent of the host processor 122 and
independent of the I/O port 120 which interconnects the
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host processor 122 to the filter processor 116. Although
the ~m; n; strator, bank, and customer are indicated as
separate entities, it is contemplated that the bank and
~m; n; stration may be the same entity, in which case
processors 116, 122, and 124 may be a single processor
computer. Alternatively, the customer may be both the
~m; n; strator and/or the bank.
A debit transaction is initiated by a merchant using
an initiating card having an initiating account number.
The initiating card may be one of the debit cards 114 of
the debit card system 100 or may be some other type of
card, such as a credit card, which is not a part of the
debit card system 100 but which may be used with the
credit card network processor 104 to access a card user's
credit. In general, credit cards and debit cards may
have the same physical appearance and structure.
Therefore, an initiating merchant may choose not to
det~rm;ne whether the initiating card is one of the debit
cards 114 of the system or some other card. Therefore,
the debit transaction is transparent to the initiating
merchants to the extent that the initiating merchant does
not have to distinguish between debit transactions using
the debit card and transactions using a credit card and
can process both debit card transactions and credit card
transactions in the same manner.
Upon initiating the debit transaction, debit
- transaction data is provided to the credit card network
processor 104 via one of the I/0 ports 106. For example,
authorized merchant 108 may initiate a debit transaction
by using its card reader to read the initiating card and
provide card identification information via I/O port
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106A. Simultaneously therewith, merchant identification
is also provided to the credit card network processor
104. In addition, the initiating merchant also provides
data indicating the amount of the initiating debit
transaction.
In response to a debit transaction initiated by a
merchant using the initiating card having the initiating
account number, debit transaction data is transmitted
from the credit card network processor to the filter
processor. Preferably, this transmission process is
accomplished by a means such as software executed by the
credit card processor which provides the debit
transaction data via I/O port 118.
In summary, the filter processor 116 is provided
with program data from the host processor 122 via I/O
port 120 and is also provided with debit transaction data
from the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port
118. Preferably, the filter processor 116 includes
means, such as software executed by the filter processor
for evaluating the debit transaction data transmitted to
the filter processor 116 by the credit card network
processor 118 by comparing the debit transaction data to
the program data. This filter processor evaluating means
or software, such as illustrated in Figures 2-5 and
described in detail below, includes means or software for
generating validating data for the debit transaction when
the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the
debit transaction has been initiated by an authorized
merchant 108, 110 using the uni~ue account number of one
of the participants having a sufficient balance in the
participant~s corresponding award account to cover the
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debit transaction. The validating data may be in the
form of a signal provided to the merchant indicating that
the debit transaction has been "APPROVED." The filter
processor evaluating means or software generates
invalidating data in response to the initiated debit
transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data
indicates that the initiating account number is not one
of the authorized account numbers. The validating data
may be in the form of a signal provided to the merchant
indicating that the debit transaction has been
"DISAPPROVED." For example, the initiating account
number may be a credit card account number. Credit card
account numbers are not part of the participant account
numbers defined by the program data which is stored in
host processor 122 and provided via I/O port 120 to
~ilter processor 116. Initiating a transaction using
such a credit card account number would result in
invalidating data being generated.
The filter processor evaluating software also
includes means or software for generating invalidating
data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit
transaction data indicates that the initiating merchant
is not one of the authorized merchants. For example, if
unauthorized merchant 112 initiated a debit transaction,
merchant 112 would not have an identification number
which is part of the list of authorized merchants of the
~ program data. Therefore, invalidating data for the debit
transaction would be generated.
The filter processor evaluating means or software
also includes means or software for generating
invalidating data for the debit transaction when the
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14
evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the
balance in the award account corresponding to the
initiating account number is insufficient to cover the
amount of the initiated debit transaction. For example,
assume a debit card 114 of the debit card system 100 is
used to initiate the debit transaction and that such
initiating card has a participating account number which
has been provided to the filter processor 116 by the host
processor. Along with the account number, host processor
112 would provide the participant award account balance
in points. The filter processor 116 would convert these
points to a dollar value as shown in Figure 3. If the
converted dollar value does not equal or exceed the
dollar value of the initiating debit transaction,
invalidating data is provided to the credit card network
processor 104 via I/O port 118. It is contemplated that
the filter processor may convert the points into any
currency denomination which corresponds to the currency
d~nom;n~tion of the initiated debit transaction.
The filter processor also includes means or software
~or transmitting the validating or invalidating data to
the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 118 so
that the credit card network processor provides the
validating or invalidating data for the evaluated debit
transaction to the initiating merchant via I/0 port 106.
In general, a complete debit transaction according
to the invention has three parts which preferably occur
in the following order: a pre-authorization process
including the conversion of points to a currency, such as
illustrated in Figures 2A, 2B, and 3; a force post
process such as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B; and a
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settlements/ commissions process such as illustrated in
Figures 5A and 5B.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3 which describe the pre-
authorization process, the process begins with a merchant
108, 110 or 112 initiating a debit transaction at step
202. In particular, the merchant submits the
authorization debit transaction including the debit
transaction data to the credit card network 102 at step
204. Upon contacting the network 102 via one o~ the I/O
ports 106, the processor 104 is able to determine the
identity of the initiating merchant and ~orwards the
merchant's identi~ication data with the authorization
debit transaction data at step 206. In addition, step
206 ~orwards a merchant identi~ication number with the
debit transaction as a fraud prevention measure. The
identi~ication number may be any number or code, such as
a number assigned by processor 130, which uniquely
identifies each merchant. For example, in the MasterCard
system, the ICA (Interbank Card Association) number may
be used as the identification number.)
In addition, the identi~ication number may include
merchant location information to further identify each
location. This location information may be a number or
code which distinguishes each location. Such location
information would be particularly useful in cases where a
single merchant may have multiple locations and not all
- locations are authorized merchants which have the
authority to access the debit card system 100 o~ the
invention. For example, a hotel may have a registration
desk location, a gift shop location and a restuarant
location and only the gi~t shop location may be
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16
authorized to access the debit card system 100. In this
case, the merchant identification information would
include location information and the filter processor 116
would be programmed to distinguish between authorized and
unauthorized locations as well as being programmed to
distinguish between authorized and unauthorized
merchants. In some existing credit card systems, the
merchant identification number (such as the ICA number)
and/or a merchant location number have not been uniquely
assigned. In such systems, such numbers would have to be
modified to be standardized and unique so that such
numbers may be used as part of the debit card system 100
and so that such numbers may be filtered by filter
processor 116.
Next, the processor 104 transmits the authorization
debit transaction data including the ICA and merchant
numbers to the filter processor 116 of the bank via I/O
port 118 by step 208. The filter processor 116 receives
the authorization debit transaction data at step 210 and
begins its analysis thereof.
At step 212, filter processor 116 evaluates a prefix
of the initiating card identification number to determine
whether the initiating card is a debit card. In general,
it is contemplated that debit card account numbers would
have a different prefix than credit card and other card
account numbers. If the initiating card is not a debit
card as defined by its prefix, the process proceeds to
step 214 to generate invalidating data because the
process is employing a non-debit card. If step 212
determines that the initiating card is a debit card, the
process proceeds to step 216 to confirm that the
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initiating merchant is one of the authorized merchants
de~ined by the program data, i.e., ICA/merchant data is
part of program data. If the merchant is not an
authorized merchant, the process proceeds to step 218 to
indicate invalidating data because the initiating
merchant is not a merchant taking part in the incentive
award program and, there~ore, does not have the right to
use the debit card. If the initiating merchant is an
authorized merchant, the process proceeds to step 220 to
determine whether or not the initiating debit card has a
valid debit card account number as defined by the program
data. I~ the initiating card does not, the process
proceeds to step 222 to generate invalidating data
because that the debit card account number is not part of
the program data.
If the initiating debit card is a valid debit card
number, the process proceeds to step 224 to evaluate the
DDA (~m~n~ deposit account) portion of the initiating
account number. If the DDA portion is invalid, the
process proceeds to step 226 to generate invalidating
data because of an invalid DDA account number. If the
DDA account is valid, the process proceeds to step 228 to
determine the number of points available for the
particular account number. I~ the number o~ points when
converted to a currency does not equal or exceed the
value of the initiating debit transaction, the process
proceeds to step 230 to generate invalidating data
because of insufficient points to complete the debit
transaction.
The process continues with Figure 3. If sufficient
points are available to cover the debit transaction, the
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18
process proceeds to step 236 to debit the account
balance. A~ter step 236, the process proceeds to step
238 to generate validating data provided by the filter
processor 116 via I/O port 118 to the processor 104 and
eventually to the initiating merchant.
Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the force post process
which generally occurs 24/48 hours a~ter the completion
of the pre-authorization process of Figure 2 which
resulted in the generation o~ validating data and a
completed debit transaction. Referring to Figure 4A, the
merchant completes the debit transaction at step 402 and
more particularly at step 404 by submitting a debit card
force post debit transaction to processor/acquirer 130
(see Fig. 1). Next, the merchant's processor/acquirer
submits the force post debit transaction through the
credit card network 102 generally by access via a
separate I/O port such as I/O port 106D (Fig. 1). At
step 408, the credit card network processor 104 forwards
the ICA and merchant data with force post debit
transaction.
At step 410, the credit card network 102 sends the
force post debit transaction data including the ICA and
merchant number to the ~ilter processor 116 of the bank.
Therea~ter, steps 412, 414, 420, 422, 424, and 425
parallel and essentially duplicate steps 212, 214, 220,
222, 224, and 226 of Figure 2A. Assuming that the ~orce
post debit transaction is a debit card having a valid
card number and a valid DDA account, the process proceeds
to step 426 which pPrm~npntly adjusts the participant's
point balance account and to step 427 which converts the
~orce post point value to dollars. The process then
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19
proceeds to step 428 to confirm that sufficient funds
(converted from points) are available in the
~m; n; strator's account to cover the debit transaction.
If not, the process proceeds to step 430 to invalidate
the debit transaction for insufficient funds. Otherwise,
the process proceeds to step 432 to determine whether the
debit transaction is a credit (refund) or debit. If it
is a credit, step 434 is executed to credit the
administrator's dollar account balance. Otherwise, steps
436 and 438 are executed to debit the administrator's
dollar account balance against the participating award
account balance and complete the processing of the force
post debit transaction.
After the force post debit transaction, possibly a
week to two weeks, the third and final portion of the
debit transaction is executed by the posting of
settlements/commissions. Referring to Figure 5A, the
settlements/commissions process begins with the
~m; n; strator receiving a redemption file from the bank
at step 502 indicating the details of completed force
post debit transactions. These completed debit
transactions now become settlement transactions which are
processed at step 504 by loading the redemption file into
the ~m; n; strator's processor 122 or 124. The supplier's
profile is looked up at step 506. If no profile is found
at step 508, the settlement transaction is processed as
- an exception to the redemption file at step 510.
Otherwise, the process proceeds with step 512 in which
the ~m; n; strator's processor looks up the commission
percentage from the supplier's profile.
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Continuing with Figure 5B, the administrator's
processor calculates the commission due to the
administrator at step 514, looks up the billing method
from the supplier profile at step 516, creates a
settlement/commission detail report at step 518, and
determines the type of billing method at step 520. If
the billing method is not a m~nl~l billing method, the
process proceeds to step 522 to execute a process
automated clearing house (ACH) billing method.
Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 524 to create a
m~nll~l invoice, then to step 526 to attach an invoice to
the settlement/ commission report and finally to step
52 8, which also proceeds after step 522, to mail the
settlement commission report to the supplier/merchant.
Figure 6 illustrates the data flow between the
A~lm; n; strator's processors 122, 124, the filter processor
116 of the bank, the credit card network 102 including
the I/O ports 106 and the credit card network processor
104, the merchants 108, 110, 112, and the
acquirer/processor 130. In addition, Figure 6
illustrates the customer to indicate that the customer
provides enrollment, issuance, and points information to
the ~m;n~trator. In addition, the participant with
debit card 114 iS illustrated to show that the
participant initiates travel/merch~n~l;se orders and
receives a periodic account statement from the
information that is in the filter processor.
It is also contemplated that the debit card system
100 according to the invention may have several optional
features. For example, the ~min;strator may have a
commission account and via an automated clearing house
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21
may debit a transaction commission amount ~or each
validated debit transaction to the commission account of
the program ~m;n;strator while crediting the transaction
commission amount to an account of the initiating
merchant. More particularly, the credit card network
processor 104 may deduct the commission amount credited
to the initiating merchant from the merchant's proceeds
from the validated debit transaction.
Optionally, the debit cards may be embossed with
information identifying the customer so that whenever a
participant uses a debit card the participant is r~m;n~d
that such card provides rewards which have been supplied
by the customer.
It is also contemplated that many types of optional
reports, some of which have been noted above and in
Figure 6, may also be generated by the debit card system
100. For example, the filter processor 116 may generate
redemption reports for each merchant indicating debit
card transactions by participants. In this case, the
filter processor 116 generates a rewards account report
for each participant indicating debit transactions by
such participant and indicating the amount of points in
such participant's award account.
In order to m;n;m;ze the number of participant
account numbers which are part of the program data
provided by the host processor 122, it is contemplated
~ that the filter processor 116 may delete from the program
data authorized unique account numbers which have not
initiated a debit transaction for a predetermined period
of time, e.g., six months.
CA 0221~969 lss7-os-ls
W096/29668 PCT~S96/0372
In view of the above, it will be seen that the
several objects of the invention are achieved and other
advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above
products and methods without departing from the scope of
the invention, it is intended that all matter contained
in the above description and shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in
a limiting sense.
