RFC 3506 (rfc3506) - Page 2 of 15

Requirements and Design for Voucher Trading System (VTS)

RFC 3506              Voucher Trading System (VTS)            March 2003


   4.  Scope of VTS Specifications ...................................7
       4.1 Voucher Trading Protocol ..................................7
       4.2 VTS-API ...................................................8
       4.3 Generic Voucher Language ..................................8
   5.  GVL Requirements ..............................................8
       5.1 Semantics .................................................8
       5.2 Syntax ....................................................9
       5.3 Security .................................................10
       5.4 Efficiency ...............................................10
       5.5 Coordination .............................................10
       5.6 Example of GVL ...........................................10
   6.  Application Scenarios ........................................11
   7.  Q & A ........................................................13
   8.  Security Considerations ......................................13
   9.  Acknowledgments ..............................................13
   10. References ...................................................13
   11. Authors' Addresses ...........................................14
   12. Full Copyright Statement......................................15

1. Background

   It is often necessary to credit loyalty points, collect digital
   coupons or gift certificates, etc, to complete purchases or other
   trading transactions in the real world.  The importance of these
   activities is also being recognized in Internet Commerce.  If a
   different issuing or collecting system to handle such points or
   coupons must be developed for each individual application, the
   implementation cost will be excessive, inhibiting the use of such
   mechanisms in electronic commerce.  Consumers may also be forced to
   install a number of software modules to handle these points or
   coupons.

   A voucher is a digital representation of the right to claim services
   or goods.  Using vouchers, a wide-range of electronic-values,
   including points or coupons, can be handled in a uniform manner with
   one trading software module.

   This document presents the terminology and model for a Voucher
   Trading System (VTS) that circulates vouchers securely; it also lists
   design principles and requirements for a VTS and the Generic Voucher
   Language (GVL), with which diverse types of vouchers can be
   described.









Fujimura & Eastlake          Informational