Micro-payment system architecture

A method of facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers in a micro-payment system, comprising:

• establishing accounts for a plurality of sellers in the micro-payment system, the sellers selling items that can be purchased by buyers in micro-payment transactions;
• establishing accounts for a plurality of buyers in the micro-payment system, wherein the buyers can purchase items offered by the sellers;
• aggregating each buyer's purchases and invoicing each buyer for the buyer's respective aggregate purchases;
• and
• aggregating each seller's sales and crediting each seller for the seller's respective aggregate sales.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium having computer program logic embodied therein for brokering between buyers and sellers in a micro-payment system, the computer program logic comprising:
• a seller access module for establishing accounts for a plurality of sellers in the micro-payment system, the sellers selling items that can be purchased by buyers in micro-payment transactions;
• a buyer access module for establishing accounts for a plurality of buyers in the micro-payment system, wherein the buyers can purchase items offered by the sellers;
• and
• an accounting module for enabling the buyers to engage in micro-payment transactions to purchase items offered by the sellers, for aggregating each buyer's purchases and invoicing each buyer for its respective aggregate purchases, and for aggregating each seller's sales and crediting each seller for its respective aggregate sales.

A broker for facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers in a micro-payment system, the broker comprising:

• a seller access module for establishing accounts for a plurality of sellers in the micro-payment system, the sellers selling electronic content that can be purchased by buyers in micro-payment transactions;
• a buyer access module for establishing accounts for a plurality of buyers in the micro-payment system, wherein the buyers can purchase electronic content offered by the sellers;
• a content indexing module for indexing the electronic content offered by the sellers;
• a searching interface module for receiving search queries from the buyers and presenting the buyers with descriptions of the electronic content offered by the sellers that are responsive to the queries;
• an accounting module for enabling the buyers to engage in micro-payment transactions to purchase electronic content identified responsive to the queries, for aggregating each buyer's purchases and invoicing each buyer for its respective aggregate purchases, and for aggregating each seller's sales and crediting each seller for its respective aggregate sales;
• and
• a content proxy module for storing electronic content indexed by the content indexing module and providing the electronic content from the broker to a buyer in response to the buyer purchasing the electronic content.