Customized Application Delivery for Secure Loyalty Cards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional customer loyalty cards are labor-intensive to administer and carry, and their electronic counterparts face security threats due to variable benefits and lack of tamper-proofing, especially when considering user and terminal-specific parameters.
Innovation Solution
A method for providing customized applications downloadable to user terminals, which involves an application server storing templates and feature sets for various terminal types, determining user and terminal-specific parameters, and creating customized applications that are securely delivered with header manipulation to ensure compatibility and privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional plastic loyalty cards with magnetic stripes are used, then data security and tamper-proofing are maintained, but administration and mailing become labor-intensive operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical plastic cards with electronic copies stored on user terminals. The electronic loyalty card is a digital reproduction of the physical card's functionality, eliminating the need for physical production, mailing, and administrative handling while maintaining security through cryptographic techniques and server-based validation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical physical card system with an electronic software-based system. Instead of magnetic stripes on plastic, the solution uses encrypted data stored on user terminals and validated through server communication, replacing physical infrastructure with digital infrastructure that automates administration
2Productivity
If electronic loyalty cards are implemented without customization, then administration becomes automated and efficient, but security threats increase due to variable benefits and lack of terminal-specific adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements customization where the electronic loyalty card adapts to specific user terminals and benefit types. Different cryptographic parameters, security features, and card configurations are applied locally based on the terminal characteristics and the specific loyalty program requirements, ensuring each card is optimized for its intended environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes security parameters based on terminal type and card characteristics. The system determines terminal-specific properties and adjusts cryptographic settings, security features, and technical parameters accordingly, creating a dynamic security model that adapts to different environments rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach
3Reliability
If customized applications are created for each user terminal, then security and user-specific parameters are addressed, but device complexity and development costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal template-based system that can generate customized electronic loyalty cards for multiple terminal types. A single template design serves multiple purposes across different devices, with automatic adaptation of parameters and features based on the target terminal, eliminating the need to create separate applications for each device type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary determination of terminal type and properties before card generation. The system proactively identifies the user's terminal characteristics and pre-configures the appropriate security parameters and technical settings, so that when the card is created, all customization decisions have already been made based on the terminal profile
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual card distribution is used, then user-specific customization is possible, but the process becomes labor-intensive and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated system where the electronic loyalty card is self-generated and self-delivered to the user's terminal. The server automatically determines terminal type, customizes the card parameters, and pushes or provides the card to the user without manual intervention, enabling the system to serve itself rather than requiring human operators for each card distribution
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for providing a user terminal with an application, which is customized in respect of user- specific parameters and terminal-specific properties. An application server stores a template for the customized application and a feature set for each of several terminal types; receives a request (2-2) for creation of the customized application, and determines the user-specific parameters based on the request; sends the user terminal a data message (2-10) which triggers a request (2-14) from the user terminal; determines the user terminal's type based on the request (2-14); determines the terminal-specific properties based on the determined type; creates the customized application based on the template, the user-specific parameters and the terminal- specific properties; inserts the customized application into a set of delivery files for a data communication system and transmits (2-26) the set of delivery files to the user terminal.