WO2002065366A1

WO2002065366A1 - Method and system for ticket purchasing and issuing using ic card

Info

Publication number: WO2002065366A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000231
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jong-Ho Lee
Original assignee: Yonet.Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-02-13
Filing date: 2002-02-14
Publication date: 2002-08-22

Abstract

A method and system for purchasing and issuing tickets for obtaining goods and services using an IC card is disclosed. The method includes the steps of purchasing online a ticket from a ticket issuer using an on-line connection, transmitting from the ticket issuer to the ticket purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased, recording the e-ticket information onto an IC card, reading the e-ticket information from the IC card presented by a user presenting the card, issuing a physical ticket based on the e-ticket information, and updating the e-ticket information in the IC card to reflect the ticket issuance. The present invention has the advantages of increased users convenience and safety in ordering tickets and reduced cost for ticket service providers.

Description

Method and System for Ticket Purchasing and Issuing Using I<^ Card

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

This invention in general relates to ticket dispensing systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to system and method for ticket purchasing and issuing online using an IC card.

Description of Related Art

As the use of the Internet proliferates, many users are interested in purchasing or reserving tickets through the Internet. Ticket transactions are currently being performed on the Internet, but the inconvenience of receiving actual tickets off-line still remains.

A conventional online ticket purchase and reservation method works as follows: A user using a computer terminal connects to a home page of a ticket service provider that administers ticket sales. Through the home page, the user either reserves or purchases a ticket that allow the user to obtain or use a particular service or good at a certain time and place. The user may request the ticket service provider to send the physical ticket by mail or other off-line means. Not only such delivery takes time, but also the delivery charge using such as overnight courier is costly. Therefore, the savings gained by ordering online is offset by the cost involved in the offline delivery.

Alternatively, the user may request the service provider's server to transmit to the user a certificate containing the user's personal information or a reservation number.

When the user's terminal receives the information, the user either prints the ticket certificate for later exchange with a physical ticket or writes down the reservation number.

The user then presents the ticket certificate or the reservation number along with the user's identification to a corresponding ticket counter such as a theatre ticket booth or a train ticket counter. The ticket counter person will then issue a physical ticket after checking the certificate or reservation number as well as the personal identification.

Although the conventional method has the advantage of eliminating the inconvenience of having to visit a ticket counter for reservation of a ticket, there are still inconveniences associated with the method. The user has to take the certificate or the reservation number to the ticket counter and stand in line to wait for his turn to present his identification and receive a physical ticket. In the case of a ticket where there is a predetermined time of use such as a theatre ticket with a performance time or a train ticket with a departure time, the users who purchased or reserved tickets online tend to arrive at the ticket counter shortly before the usage time. As a result, there bound to be more people waiting in line at the ticket counter as the usage time nears. To alleviate the problem, the service provider may have to bear the burden of increasing the number of ticket counters and persons working there.

Therefore, there is a need for an efficient and cost effective method and system for making online purchase and reservation of tickets possible.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient solution for making online purchase of tickets possible. It is another object of the present invention to make online purchase of tickets as securely as possible.

It is yet another object of the present invention to make online purchase of tickets as negotiable as possible for any further transactions such as transferring it to others for a gift or resale. The above-mentioned and other objects are achieved by the present invention that uses an Integrated Circuit Card ("IC card) for storing and modifying ticket information. The method includes the steps of purchasing online a ticket from a ticket issuer using an on-line connection, transmitting from the ticket issuer to the ticket purchaser ticket an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased wherein the e-ticket information is negotiable for any further transactions, recording the e-ticket information onto an IC card, reading the e-ticket information from the IC card presented by a user presenting the card, issuing a physical ticket based on the e-ticket information, and updating the e-ticket information in the IC card to reflect the ticket issuance. The present invention has the advantages of increasing user convenience and safety in ordering tickets and reducing cost for ticket service providers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of online ticket purchase and issuing using an IC card.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system for online ticket purchase and issuing using an IC card.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the process of recording e-ticket information on an IC card.

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the process of modifying e-ticket information recorded on an IC card.

Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the process of issuing a physical ticket based on the e-ticket information record on an IC card. Figure 6 is an illustration of ticket delivery using a transaction center.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of online issuance and presentation of an e-coupon using an IC card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE IN VENTION

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A user using a terminal 20 connects through a network such as the Internet 11 to a ticket server 10 either to purchase or reserve a ticket for obtaining or using goods or services. For example, the ticket may be for an admission to a concert or to riding a train. The ticket server 10 sends an electronic ticket ("e-ticket") 12 containing the information about the ticket purchased to the user's terminal 20. Attached to the user terminal 20 is an Integrated Circuit Card ("IC card") reader/recorder 40 for reading and recording the e- ticket information on an IC card.

The e-ticket is "negotiable" in the sense that it is freely transferable unhindered in any further transactions. Since the e-ticket contains all the information of a paper ticket, the e-ticket may be sent to others for a gift or resale before a physical ticket is received.

In conventional methods, even if a customer orders a ticket online, it is difficult for the customer to ascertain or assert the ownership of the ticket ordered until a physical ticket is received by mail or similar means. The present invention is distinguished from the conventional methods in that the ownership of the ticket is transferred at the time of payment clearance or settlement because the ownership is integrated with the e-ticket information so that the e-ticket is negotiable as just as the corresponding physical ticket. This early severance of ownership enhances flexibility of further transactions such as ticket resale or sending tickets for gift.

The IC card, also known as a smart card, contains one or more integrated circuits. A typical IC card has a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for performing calculations, and memory that includes a Read-Only Memory (ROM) for storing an operating system for running the CPU and a Random Access Memory (RAM) for temporary storage. It also includes an EEPROM for storing application-specific information such as e-ticket information. For more details on the IC card, please refer to "Smart Cards: A Case Study," by Jorge Ferrai et al. published Oct. 7, 1998. Preferably, close to the time to use the ticket, be it a concert start time or a train departure time, the user takes the IC card 13 to a ticket dispenser 30, a machine that reads the IC card 13 to dispense a physical ticket 14.

The connection between the user terminal 20 and the ticket server 10 may be a point-to-point connection or a network connection, either of which may include wired or wireless connection.

FIG. 2 shows the block diagram of the system of the present invention. The ticket server 10 may preferably include an encryption program 15 for encrypting the e- ticket information to be sent to the as well as encrypting a message to the user in a secure form, a decryption program 16 for decrypting any encrypted message from the user, and a communication program 17 for enabling communication of messages and e- ticket information to and from the user terminal 20.

The user terminal 20 preferably runs a communication program 22 for enabling communication to and from the ticket server 10, an encryption program 24 for encrypting a message to the ticket server for secure communication, and a decryption program 26 for decrypting any encrypted message or information from the ticket server. As mentioned abve, attached to the user terminal 20 is an IC card reader/recorder 40.

The user terminal 20 also runs an IC card driver 42 for controlling the IC card reader 40 and an IC card recording program 44 for recording the e-ticket information received from the ticket server preferably in an encrypted form on the IC card 13. The e-ticket 12 contains information about services and goods that can be obtained or used using the ticket, such as the name of the service, time and place of the use. As mentioned before, the e-ticket is negotiable to make it freely transferable so that the user can sent it to others as a gift or resale. The ticket dispenser 30 includes a high-speed printer 50 for printing physical paper tickets, a log recorder 60 for recording the logs of ticket dispensing history, and an IC card reader/recorder 70 for reading the IC card 13 presented by the user.

Running on the ticket dispenser 30 is an IC card driver 31 for controlling the IC card reader/recorder 70, an IC card reading program 33 for reading the e-ticket information from the IC card, an IC card recording program 35 for recording the e- ticket information on the IC card or modifying the e-ticket information, an output control program 37 for controlling the high-speed printer 50, and a log recording program 39 for recording the logs of ticket dispensing history on the log recorder 60. The logs may, for example, be used as a reference for preventing any unauthorized attempt to re-print any previously-printed ticket.

In another preferred embodiment, the ticket dispenser 30 has a display (not shown) that displays information about multiple tickets available and allows the user to select a particular ticket among the multiple tickets. For security, the e-ticket information may be encrypted before being recorded in the IC card. In that case, the ticket dispenser 30 should be able to decrypt the e-ticket information before dispensing a ticket.

FIG. 3 shows the flow chart of the software that implements the process of recording e-ticket information on an IC card. At the start (step 100), the user connects to the ticket server 10 of his choice at step 101 preferably through the Internet and purchases a ticket online at step 102. The payment may be made using a conventional method such as using a credit card, typically used in online shopping.

Alternatively, the payment may be made using a new form of electronic or cyber money such as CyberCash or Mondex. Alternatively, the IC card of the present invention may serve the role of electronic money so that the payment may be made using an IC card.

Not only the IC card 13 may contain electronic money but also it may contain reward points or "mileage points" accumulated over a series of purchases. In that case, the reward points or mileage points may also be used toward payment of a good or service.

If the payment is settled at step 103, the ticket server 10 sends e-ticket information to the user terminal 20 at step 104. Upon receiving the e-ticket information, the user records the e-ticket information on an IC card at step 105. When the recordation is complete, the user terminal 20 sends a completion message to the ticket server 10 at step 106.

FIG. 4 shows the flow chart of the software that implements the process of modifying the e-ticket information previously recorded on an IC card. At the start (step 110), a user connects to the ticket server 10 from which the user purchased the ticket but has not used yet. At step 112, the user indicates whether the user desires to either change the ticket, such as changing the departure date of a train ticket, or cancel the ticket. The ticket server then consult the e-ticket information recorded on the IC card at step 113. If the ticket server determines at step 114 that there is valid e-ticket information on the IC card, the ticket server 10 transmits at step 115 a ticket modification message to the user terminal 20, which either changes or cancels the e- ticket information at step 116. When the modification is complete, the user terminal 20 sends a completion message to the ticket server 20 at step 117.

FIG. 5 shows the flow chart of the software that runs on the ticket dispenser 30 to implement the process of dispensing a physical ticket. After the software initialization (step 120), the IC card is inserted into the IC card reader/recorder 70 of the ticket dispenser 30 at step 121. The IC card reader/recorder 70 reads information contained on the IC card at step 122. If the software determines that a paper ticket should be dispensed at step 123, it proceeds to dispense a paper ticket at step 124 and records the ticket dispensing history as a log at step 125. Then the e-ticket information on the IC card is modified at step 126 to reflect the issuance of the ticket.

In another preferred embodiment, the e-ticket information includes information about multiple tickets available. In that case, there will be an additional step where the user is presented with a choice to select a desired ticket among the multiple tickets. The e-ticket information may further include personal identity information or a secret code so that the ticket dispenser 30 can verify the identity of the user presenting the card by asking the personal identify information or the secret code. The ticket will be printed only when such information or secret code matches.

In addition to or as an alternative to the above method of verifying the personal identity, each IC card may be assigned a unique card ID for a security purpose. The ticket is printed only if the unique card ID of the IC card presented is the same as the card ID secretly recorded as part of the e-ticket information on the IC card.

Although a user preferably receives the e-ticket information through the user's terminal, the present invention is limited to such. For example, a user may use a terminal for Internet phone installed in a public place to purchase or reserve a ticket online. Or a user may use a terminal integrated to a ticket dispenser to purchase or reserve a ticket online. FIG. 6 illustrates e-ticket delivery for gift or resale using a transaction center.

As mentioned above, the e-ticket is negotiable for further transfer as a gift or resale. Ticket delivery in such cases may be done preferably through a transaction center, which acts an intermediary to facilitate the handling of online delivery. For example, user A 201 connects to a ticket selling web site 202 to make a request 211 for reserving or purchasing a ticket. The web side 202 then sends the information 212 to the transaction center 203 that transmits a coded e-ticket 213 to user A 201. User A 201 then decides to give his ticket to user B 204 as a gift. User A 201 makes a request 214 to the transaction center to deliver the e-ticket he purchased to user B 204 as a gift. The transaction center 203 sends a notice to user B. If user B accepts, the transaction center sends the e-ticket 216 to user B 204. In the case of resale, the transaction center may act as an exchange place to advertise tickets for resale to potential buyers.

As an alternative embodiment, user A 201 may directly send the e-ticket to user B 204, which may require both users are connected at the same time.

The preferred embodiments have been described in connection with e-tickets for allowing purchase of goods or services, but the present invention may also be applied to electronics coupons ("e-coupons"). Generally, coupons are used to purchase goods or services at discount or bargain prices. The technology of the present invention may be used to download e-coupon information on an IC card so that it can be conveniently carried for later use. FIG. 7 shows an example where a user 301 having an IC card 305 connects through the Internet 302 to a coupon issuer 303 issuing e-coupons and downloads an e- coupon 304 on the user's IC card 305 using an IC card reader/recorder 306. Then the user takes the IC card to a point-of-sale (POS) 307 where the e-coupon 304 is accepted. Located at POS 307 is an IC card reader/recorder 308 that reads the user's IC card 305 to validate the e-coupon 304 so that the user can buy a desired item at discount. The payment may be made using a credit card or the IC card storing electronic money or reward points accumulated for the benefit of the user.

Although the preferred embodiments above have been described using the IC card as an example, the invention is limited to such. Those skilled in the art would readily realize that other kinds of media may be used if they can store digitized information that can be read and modified. For example, a stick-shaped flash memory may be used that can be connected to a desktop PC or notebook PC through a USB port.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to those embodiments. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skilled in the art that many modifications can be made to the structure and form of the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:[Method claims around business actors, purchaser, issuer, IC card]

1. A method for issuing a ticket for obtaining goods or services, comprising the steps of: purchasing a ticket from a ticket issuer connected to a ticket purchaser through a connection by making payment; transmitting from the issuer to the purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; recording the e-ticket information received by the purchaser on an IC card having a memory chip; reading the e-ticket information recorded in the IC card presented by a user carrying the IC card; issuing a physical ticket to the user based on the e-ticket information read from the IC card; and updating the e-ticket information in the IC card reflecting the ticket issuance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is the purchaser.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is different from the purchaser.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection includes a wired connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is through the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection includes a wireless connection

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: reserving a ticket to be purchased before the step of purchasing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is made using a credit card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is made in electronic money.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: requesting modification of ticket information from the purchaser to the issuer; transmitting the modification information from the issuer to the purchaser; and modifying the ticket information in the IC card to reflect the ticket modification.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting said e-ticket information before said step of transmitting.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted e-ticket information before said step of reading.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting said received e-ticket information before said step of recording.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted e-ticket information before said step of reading.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said IC card is identified by a unique ID.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said e-ticket information includes the ID of the IC card to be presented by the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: identifying the ID of the IC card presented by the user; and. comparing the read ID with the ID included in the ticket information read from the card.

18. The method claim 1, wherein the ticket information includes personal information of the ticket user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: asking personal information of the user; and comparing the answered personal information with the personal information of the ticket user included in the ticket information read from the card.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the e-ticket information includes reward points that for the benefit of the user for obtaining goods or services in discount.

[Method claims: recording medium ticket server, user terminal, ticket machine] 21. A method for issuing a ticket for obtaining goods or services, comprising the steps of: purchasing a ticket from a ticket issuer using a ticket server connected to a ticket purchaser using a user terminal through a connection by making payment; transmitting from the ticket server to the user terminal an e-ticket containing e- ticket information about the ticket purchased evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; recording the e-ticket information received by the user terminal in a recording medium; presenting the recording medium to a ticket dispenser that reads the e-ticket information; issuing a physical ticket by the ticket dispenser to the user based on the e-ticket information read from the medium; and updating the e-ticket information in the IC card reflecting the physical ticket issuance.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the medium is an IC card.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the medium is a flash memory card.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the medium is a rewritable disk.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the user terminal includes a computer.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the user terminal is located at user's premise.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the user terminal is located in public.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of: making reservation of a ticket to be purchased before the step of purchasing a ticket.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is made using a credit card.

30. The method of claim 21 , wherein the payment is made in electronic money.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is made using reward points accumulated over a series of purchases.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of: requesting modification of ticket information from the purchaser to the issuer; transmitting the modification information from the ticket server to the user terminal; and modifying the ticket information in the IC card to reflect the ticket modification.

33. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of encrypting said ticket information before said step of transmitting by the ticket server.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted ticket information before said step of reading by a user terminal.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of encrypting said received ticket information before said step of recording on the medium.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted e-ticket information before said step of reading from the medium.

[method claim: gift, directly from issuer]

37. A method for sending a ticket for obtaining goods or services to another person as a gift, comprising the steps of: purchasing an ticket from a ticket issuer connected to a purchaser through a connection by making payment; transmitting from the issuer to a recipient an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; recording the e-ticket information received by the recipient on an IC card; presenting the IC card by the recipient carrying the IC card; and issuing a physical ticket to the user based on the e-ticket information read from the IC card.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the payment is made using a credit card.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the payment is made in electronic money.

[method claim: gift, through transaction center]

40. A method for sending a ticket for obtaining goods or services to another person as a gift, comprising the steps of: purchasing a ticket from a ticket seller connected to a purchaser through a connection by making payment; transmitting information about the ticket purchased from the ticket seller to a transaction center; transmitting from the transaction center to the purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; and recording the e-ticket information on a first IC card.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the steps of: requesting the transaction center to send the ticket to the recipient as a gift; modifying the e-ticket information stored in the first IC card; notifying the recipient about the gift to request acceptance; if accepted, transmitting from the transaction center to the recipient an e-ticket containing information about the ticket sent as a gift; recording the e-ticket information on a second IC card; presenting the IC card by the recipient carrying the second IC card; and issuing a physical ticket to the recipient based on the e-ticket information read from the second IC card.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the payment is made using a credit card.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the payment is made in electronic money.

[method claim: resale directly from 1^st purchaser to 2^nd purchaser]

44. A method for sending for resale a ticket for obtaining goods or services, comprising: purchasing a ticket from a ticket issuer connected to a first purchaser through a connection; transmitting from the issuer to a purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; recording the information about the ticket purchased on a first IC card; transmitting the e-ticket from the first purchaser to a second purchaser; recording the e-ticket information received by the second purchaser on a second IC card; reading the ticket information recorded in the second IC card presented by the second purchaser; and issuing a physical ticket to the second purchaser based on the ticket information read from the IC card.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said payment is made using a credit card.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said payment is made in electronic money.

[method claims: ticket resale through a transaction center]

47. A method for sending a ticket for resale electronically, comprising: purchasing a ticket from a ticket seller connected to a first purchaser through a connection by making payment; transmitting information about the ticket purchased from the ticket seller to a transaction center evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; transmitting from the transaction center to the first purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket purchased; and recording the e-ticket information on a first IC card.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the steps of: requesting the transaction center to send the ticket to the second purchaser for resale; modifying the e-ticket information stored on the first purchaser's IC card; notifying the second purchaser about the ticket to be transmitted; transmitting from the transaction center to the second purchaser an e-ticket containing information about the ticket sent for resale; presenting the IC card by the second purchaser carrying the IC card; and issuing a physical ticket to the second purchaser based on the e-ticket information read from the IC card.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said payment is made using a credit card.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said payment is made in electronic money.

[System claims: IC card, ticket server, user terminal, ticket dispenser]

51. A system for purchasing and issuing a ticket for obtaining good or services, comprising: a ticket server for transmitting an e-ticket containing information about a ticket purchased by a purchaser evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; an IC card for storing e-ticket information; a user terminal, connected to the ticket server in a connection, for receiving the e-ticket from the ticket server and for recording the e-ticket information to the IC card; and a ticket dispenser for reading the e-ticket information from the IC card presented and for dispensing a physical ticket based on the e-ticket information read from the IC card.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said connection includes a wired connection.

53. The system of claim 51 , wherein said connection is through the Internet.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein said connection includes a wireless connection.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein said ticket server further comprises an encrypter for encrypting the e-ticket information before transmission to the user terminal.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said user terminal further comprises a decrypter for decrypting the encrypted e-ticket information received.

57. The system of claim 51, wherein said user terminal further comprising an encrypter for encrypting the e-ticket information before recordation on the IC card.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said ticket dispenser further comprises a decrypter for decrypting the e-ticket information read from the IC card.

59. The system of claim 51, wherein said ticket dispenser further comprises a user interface for checking the ID of the user.

60. The system of claim 51, wherein said ticket dispenser comprises: a display for displaying ticket information; a keyboard for entering user input; and a printer for printing a physical ticket.

[System claims: recording medium, ticket server, user terminal, ticket dispenser]

61. A system for purchasing and issuing a ticket for obtaining good or services, comprising: a ticket server for transmitting an e-ticket containing information about a ticket purchased by a purchaser evidencing the ownership of the e-ticket assigned to the user and the negotiability of the ticket for any further transactions; a recording medium for storing e-ticket information; a user terminal, connected to the ticket server through online, for receiving the e- ticket from the ticket server and for recording the e-ticket information onto the medium; and a ticket dispenser for reading the e-ticket information from the medium presented and for dispensing a physical ticket based on the e-ticket information read from the medium.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein said medium is an IC card.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein said medium is a flash memory card.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein said medium is a rewritable disk.

[Method claim: e-coupon]

65. A method for issuing an electronic coupon that can be used in conjunction with purchase of goods or services at discount, comprising the steps of: connecting online to an e-coupon issuer and requesting the issuer to issue an electronic coupon to a user; downloading information about the e-coupon on the user's IC card; and presenting the e-coupon information on the IC card at a point-of-sale in conjunction with making payment for a good or service; and updating the e-coupon information on the IC card to reflect the use of the e- coupon.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein said payment is made using a credit card.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein said payment is made using the IC card.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein said payment is made using reward points accumulated for the benefit of the user.