Billing method using ssl/tls

The billing method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

• wherein the SSL connection is disconnected upon download of the paid content or of the paid data.

The billing method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

• wherein a possibly existing SSL connection is disconnected by the server or an interconnected Internet page prior to selecting an Internet page which is subject to charge and thereupon, a new client authentication takes place for downloading the Internet page which is subject to charge.

The billing method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

• wherein an interrogation is carried out at the client site, in particular, using a dialog box, prior to signing the acknowledgment message, in which the displayed cost for the selected Internet page or the selected data which are subject to charge can be manually acknowledged, the content or the data which are subject to charge being transmitted from the server to the client upon acknowledgment of the cost, or else the interrogation process being terminated.

The billing method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

• wherein cost information is transmitted to the client via signed XML (eXtended Markup Language) pages.

The billing method as recited in claim 10,

• wherein the pages are signed with a price indication and/or with a time indication.

The billing method as recited in claim 11,

• wherein a hash value of the content of the page which is subject to charge is also included in the signature.