Protocol Architecture
DOMAIN-MAP-01

MTK Across Domains

One entitlement protocol, many industry languages.

MTK is not a gift card system, loyalty system, ticketing system, insurance system, or travel booking system. It is a protocol for modelling, evaluating, exercising, delegating, mutating, and reconciling entitlements across domains. A gift card balance, loyalty benefit, event ticket, insurance coverage, and travel reservation may look different at the business level — but they share the same underlying structure: someone issues a right, someone holds or benefits from it, rules govern whether it can be used, and a verified action changes its state. Different industries use different language for the same structural pattern.

Cross-Domain Mapping

Industry vocabulary mapped to MTK primitives

Each card below shows how a familiar industry concept maps onto a canonical MTK primitive. The domain terms (redeem, claim, check in, board) are translations of the consume primitive — not alternatives to it. The protocol verb is always consume.

Domain
Gift Cards
IssuerMerchant / Brand
HolderGift Card Owner
BeneficiaryRecipient
ContainerWallet
EntitlementBalance
ConstraintExpiry / Merchant rules
Consume / Domain ActionRedeem
AuthorisationVoucher Validation
MutationBalance Reduced
VerificationVoucher Check
SettlementMerchant Payout
DelegationSend Gift
RevocationVoid / Freeze Card
ReconciliationBatch Redemption Settlement
Domain
Loyalty
IssuerProgramme Operator
HolderMember
BeneficiaryMember / Household Member
ContainerAccount
EntitlementPoints / Benefit
ConstraintTier / Earning Rules
Consume / Domain ActionSpend / Redeem
AuthorisationTier / Rule Validation
MutationPoints Reduced / Benefit Used
VerificationMember Check
SettlementPartner Settlement
DelegationFamily Points / Pooled Account
RevocationSuspend Account
ReconciliationPartner Ledger Matching
Domain
Ticketing
IssuerEvent Organiser
HolderTicket Holder
BeneficiaryAttendee
ContainerBooking / Wallet
EntitlementTicket / Admission Right
ConstraintEvent Time / Seat / Entry Rules
Consume / Domain ActionCheck In / Admit
AuthorisationGate Scan / Admission Approval
MutationTicket Marked Used
VerificationBarcode / QR / Identity Check
SettlementVenue Settlement
DelegationTicket Transfer
RevocationCancel Ticket
ReconciliationBox Office / Platform Reconciliation
Domain
Insurance
IssuerInsurer
HolderPolicyholder
BeneficiaryInsured Party / Named Driver
ContainerPolicy
EntitlementCoverage
ConstraintPolicy Terms / Exclusions
Consume / Domain ActionClaim
AuthorisationClaim Approval
MutationClaim State Updated
VerificationEvidence / Documentation
SettlementInsurer Payout
DelegationNamed Driver / Beneficiary
RevocationCancel / Suspend Cover
ReconciliationClaim Audit / Recovery
Dual State System — ENUM-RATION-01

The insurance domain illustrates how domain-specific workflows compose on the canonical 5-state lifecycle (PENDING → ISSUED → ACTIVE → CONSUMED → REVOKED). The claim workflow adds 17 states (draft → triggered → claim_initiated → evidence_submitted → assessed → approved / part_approved / declined → paid / settled → closed / disputed / resolved) as a business-process layer. The canonical lifecycle governs protocol truth; the claim workflow governs the insurance business process. They coexist on the same entity but are architecturally separate. Not every domain requires this depth — simpler domains may map directly onto the 5-state canonical lifecycle.

Domain
Travel
IssuerAirline / Hotel / Supplier
HolderBooker / Traveller
BeneficiaryPassenger / Guest
ContainerReservation / PNR
EntitlementTravel Right
ConstraintFare Rules / Availability / Identity
Consume / Domain ActionCheck In / Board / Use Segment
AuthorisationBoarding / Supplier Approval
MutationSegment Used / Booking Updated
VerificationPassport / Ticket / Supplier Confirmation
SettlementSupplier Reconciliation
DelegationPassenger Transfer
RevocationCancel Booking / Deny Boarding
ReconciliationSupplier / GDS / Channel Reconciliation
Illustrative scope

These examples are illustrative translations, not a complete legal or operational model for each industry. MTK's entitlement model can represent these patterns. Vertical-specific productisation is a separate implementation concern.

Protocol Anatomy

The same pattern in different words

Each of the following looks domain-specific, but structurally each is the same operation:

  • A gift card is redeemed.
  • Loyalty points are spent.
  • A ticket is checked in or admitted.
  • Insurance coverage is claimed.
  • A passenger checks in or boards using a travel right.

The canonical protocol verb for all of these is consume (PSL-002). The domain-specific terms (redeem, spend, admit, claim, board) are translations — they describe the same protocol operation in vertical-native language.

Every exercise operation requires:
01A valid, issuance-traceable entitlement
02A holder or beneficiary
03Applicable constraints evaluated
04Evidence or verification
05An authorisation decision
06A protocol-controlled state change (mutation)
07Possible settlement or reconciliation
Protocol Safety

Why containers are not truth

Wallets, accounts, bookings, policies, and reservations are often containers. They may display, group, or reference entitlements — but they are not automatically the authoritative source of entitlement truth.

MTK treats entitlement truth as discrete, traceable, and evaluation-driven. A wallet showing a balance, a policy showing coverage, or a PNR showing a booking are presentations. The protocol truth remains with the discrete, issuance-traceable entitlement records and the evaluation engine that governs whether they can be exercised.

An authorisation is a decision record — the outcome of the evaluation process. Authority is the underlying permission, role, or delegated power that enables an actor to request or perform an operation. These are distinct concepts and must not be used interchangeably.

Container
Entitlement
Examples
Wallet, Account, Policy, Booking, Reservation, PNR
Examples
Balance, Points, Ticket, Coverage, Travel Right, Benefit
Role
Groups, presents, or references one or more entitlements
Role
The discrete protocol-tracked right governed by MTK
Protocol truth?
No. Containers present state. They are not authoritative.
Protocol truth?
Yes. Discrete, issuance-traceable, evaluation-governed.
Core Invariant

Containers may present aggregated state, but protocol truth must remain discrete, issuance-traceable entitlements. The evaluation engine — not the container — determines whether an entitlement can be exercised.

A carrier (QR code, barcode, token) may reference or transport evidence, but does not determine truth. Reconciliation later aligns provisional or offline actions against authoritative truth.

Domain Workflow Composition

Canonical lifecycle and domain-specific workflows

Some domains map directly onto the canonical 5-state lifecycle. Others build richer domain-specific workflows on top of it. Both patterns are valid — MTK supports them without losing protocol coherence.

Canonical 5-State Lifecycle — All Domains
PENDING ISSUED ACTIVE CONSUMED REVOKED
Insurance Domain Workflow — Composed on top of canonical lifecycle (ENUM-RATION-01)
draft triggered claim_initiated evidence_submitted assessed approved paid settled closed

The claim workflow (17 states) governs the insurance business process. The canonical lifecycle governs protocol truth. They coexist on the same entity but are architecturally separate. This is a concrete example of how domain-specific workflows compose on the canonical lifecycle without replacing it.

Protocol Primitives

MTK primitive set

These are the foundational concepts that appear across every domain mapping. Domain-specific terms are translations of these primitives — not independent concepts.

Issuer
The party that creates, funds, backs, or authorises the entitlement.
Holder
The party currently holding or controlling access to the entitlement.
Beneficiary
The party permitted to use or benefit from the entitlement.
Container
The wallet, account, booking, policy, or reservation that groups or presents entitlements. Not authoritative truth.
Entitlement
The discrete protocol-tracked right, value, benefit, claim, access, or permission.
Constraint
The rules that determine whether the entitlement can be used.
Verification
The evidence or checks required before use.
Authorisation
The decision record confirming use is permitted. Distinct from authority (the basis or power to act).
Exercise / Consume
The act of using the entitlement. Canonical protocol verb: consume (PSL-002). Domain terms (redeem, claim, check in) are translations.
Mutation
The resulting state change after authorised consumption or another permitted protocol operation.
Delegation
Transfer or controlled use of the entitlement by another party.
Settlement
The downstream financial, operational, or accounting resolution.
Reconciliation
Later alignment between provisional action and authoritative truth.
Revocation / Suspension
Blocking, cancelling, restricting, or pausing entitlement use.
Protocol Value

Why a shared model matters

A common entitlement model across verticals enables capabilities that domain-specific systems cannot provide in isolation.

Interoperability. Entitlements from different domains can be evaluated, delegated, and reconciled against the same protocol rules.
AI-agent readability. A consistent vocabulary and evaluation surface means AI agents can interpret entitlement state reliably across verticals.
Safer delegation. Delegation with explicit authority boundaries works the same way regardless of domain.
Better auditability. Protocol-level event records and evaluation traces are consistent across gift cards, loyalty, and insurance alike.
Reusable evaluation. Constraint evaluation, authorisation, and mutation logic does not need to be rebuilt for each vertical.
Cross-domain adoption. Integrators who understand one domain's MTK implementation can apply the same patterns to any other.