Secure payment method and system

Terminal apparatus for use by a customer in a secure payment system for payment for a product in electronic form, the terminal apparatus comprising:

• a network interface for connection to a communications network;
• a user interface for allowing a user to generate a request for a product;
• storage means for storing transaction receipts;
• determining means for determining if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding transaction receipt stored in said storage means;
• transmission control means for controlling said network interface to transmit a request for the product over the communications network to a merchant's terminal with any identified transaction receipt for the product;
• and
• reception control means for receiving any transaction receipt for the requested product from said merchant's terminal over the network and storing the received transaction receipt in said storage means.

A method of obtaining a vendible product in electronic form, the method comprising:

• receiving a user selection and generating a request for a product;
• determining if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding stored transaction receipt;
• transmitting the request for the product over a communications network to a vendor with any identified transaction receipt for the product;
• and
• receiving any transaction receipt for the requested product from a vendor over the communications network and storing the received transaction receipt.

A computer apparatus for obtaining a vendible product in electronic form, the apparatus comprising:

• a data memory operable to store data to be processed;
• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable to read and process the data in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to:
• receive a user selection and generating a request for a product;
• determine if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding stored transaction receipt in the data memory;
• transmit the request for the product over a communications network to a vendor with any identified transaction receipt for the product;
• and
• receive any transaction receipt for the requested product from a vendor over the communications network and storing the received transaction receipt in the data memory.

Product vendor apparatus for providing vendible products in electronic form to users over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

• product storage means for storing products in electronic form;
• transaction storage means for storing transaction data to enable the users to be charged for provided products;
• receiving means for receiving a request for a product from a user over the communications network;
• determining means for determining if valid transaction receipt data for the product is included with the request;
• transmitting means for transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid transaction receipt data for the product is received from the user, and for transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction receipt data for the product is not received from the user;
• and
• transaction processing means for recording the transaction for which transaction receipt data is sent in said transaction storage means.

A method of providing vendible products in electronic form to users over a communications network, the method comprising:

• receiving a request for a product from a user over the communications network;
• determining if valid transaction receipt data for the product is included with the request;
• transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid transaction receipt data for the product is received from the user, and for transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction receipt data for the product is not received from the user;
• and
• recording the transaction for which transaction receipt data is sent in a transaction store.

A computer apparatus for providing vendible products in electronic form to users over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

• a transaction store for storing transaction data;
• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to:
• receive a request for a product from a user over the communications network;
• determine if valid transaction receipt data for the product is included with the request;
• transmit the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid transaction receipt data for the product is received from the user, and for transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction receipt data for the product is not received from the user;
• and
• record the transaction for which transaction receipt data is sent in said transaction store.

Transaction aggregation apparatus for aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the apparatus comprising:

• vendor receiving means for periodically receiving transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;
• receipt data receiving means for periodically receiving information on receipt data for products from users' computers;
• transaction reconciliation means for reconciling transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users' computers;
• and
• transaction aggregation means for aggregating reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users' account data and product suppliers' account data.

A method of aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the method comprising:

• periodically receiving transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;
• periodically receiving information on receipt data for products from users' computers;
• reconciling transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users' computers;
• and
• aggregating reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users' account data and product suppliers' account data.

A transaction aggregation computer system for aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the computer system comprising:

• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to:
• periodically receive transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;
• periodically receive information on receipt data for products from users' computers;
• reconcile transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users' computers;
• and
• aggregate reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users' account data and product suppliers' account data.

Computer apparatus for use by a customer for payment for a product in electronic form over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise:
• a client application to control the processor to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network;
• and
• an intermediate application to control the processor to intercept the request, to add unique user identification information to the request, and to send the request over the network.

Apparatus for controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the apparatus comprising:

• user interface means for a user to input spending limit data;
• spending limit data storage means for storing the input spending limit data;
• transaction storage means for storing transaction data for requested and provided products;
• and
• spending control means for monitoring requests for chargeable products over the communications network, for determining the cost of the requested products, for comparing the determined cost or the determined cost and the transaction data in said transaction storage means with the spending limit data in said spending limit data storage means to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded, and for generating an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

A method of controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the method comprising:

• inputting and storing spending limit data;
• storing transaction data for requested and provided products;
• monitoring requests for chargeable products over the communications network;
• determining the cost of the requested products;
• comparing the determined cost or the determined cost and the stored transaction data with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded;
• and
• generating an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

A computer system for controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the computer system comprising:

• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to:
• input spending limit data;
• store the input spending limit data;
• store transaction data for requested and provided products;
• monitor requests for chargeable products over the communications network;
• determine the cost of the requested products;
• compare the determined cost or the determined cost and the stored transaction data with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded;
• and
• generate an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

A method of controlling spending by a user for products in electronic form over a communications network, the method comprising:

• providing a user interface to allow a user to enter the spending control parameters;
• allowing a user to generate a request for a product over the network;
• and
• controlling the passage of the request over the communications network in dependence upon the entered spending control parameters.

A method of providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the method comprising:

• receiving at least one displayable template into which links to products are to be added;
• generating index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product;
• and
• generating a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from a said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

Apparatus for providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a displayable template into which links to products are to be added;
• index generating means for generating index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product;
• and
• interface generating means for generating a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

A computer system for providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the computer system comprising:

• an instruction memory storing processor implementable instructions;
• and
• a processor operable in accordance with instructions stored in the instruction memory;
• wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to:
• receive a displayable template into which links to products are to be added;
• generate index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product;
• and
• generate a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

Data processing apparatus for processing time sensitive data, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving time sensitive data with associated corrected first time over a network from a remote processing apparatus having a first clock, the corrected first time associated with the data being obtained by said remote processing apparatus by correcting time of the first clock using time of a reference clock at a reference computer;
• clock means for providing a second time;
• means for connecting to a reference computer over the network to obtain a reference time;
• determining means for determining a second offset time by comparing the reference time and the second time;
• calculating means for calculating a corrected second time using the second time and the second offset time;
• and
• data processing means for using the corrected first and second time for the processing of the received time sensitive data.