Payment method and system

A method of electronic payment by a bearer to a merchant using a payment medium, comprising the steps of:

• pre-storing data in the payment medium or in databases of a payment server, said pre-stored data being accessible through a link to a central system or on a local replication, said pre-stored data being organized as follows:
• data relating to sources of financing or financers are stored in a bearer/financing database;
• data relating to merchants and categories of items comprising products, goods and services are stored in a merchant/article (MA) database;
• and
• data representing charging and checking rules, defined for each source of financing by the bearer of the payment medium or by a financer are stored in a rules and checks (RIC) database;
• selecting applicable charging and checking rules by utilizing said pre-stored data for said each item presented for purchase using the payment medium by the payment server;
• collating pre-stored data with data associated with said each item presented for purchase, data associated with conditions of the purchase, and said data relating to merchants and categories of items from the MA database by the payment server;
• determining a source of financing for all or part of a price of said each item presented for purchase during a payment using the selected charging and checking rules and the collated pre-stored data by the payment server;
• and
• performing successive charges for said each item presented for purchase during the payment based on the determined source of financing by the payment server.

A system of electronic payment for items by a bearer to a merchant, the items comprising goods, products or services, the system comprising:

• a payment medium unique to the bearer;
• a payment server;
• a payment terminal, connected to the payment server, reads and authenticates the payment medium, and transmits payment data to the payment server;
• a purchase terminal, connected to the payment server, identifies the items purchased and transmits data identifying the items purchases the payment server;
• and
• a data storage device, in the payment medium or in the payment server, accessible through a link to a central system or on a local replication, and comprises:
• a bearer/financing database for storing data relating to the sources of financing or financers;
• a merchant/article (MA) database for storing data relating to merchants and categories of items;
• a rules and checks (RIC) database for storing data representing the charging and checking rules for each source of financing defined by the bearer of the payment medium or by a financer;
• and
• wherein the payment server, for each item presented for purchase during a payment, utilizes the data stored in the data storage device to select an applicable charging and checking rules and collate the data stored in the data storage device with data associated with said each item presented for purchase, data associated with conditions of the purchase, and said data relating to merchants and categories of items from the MA database;
• wherein the payment server determines a source of financing for all or part of a price of said each item presented for purchase during the payment using the selected charging and checking rules and the collated data;
• and
• wherein the payment server performs successive charges for said each item presented for purchased during the payment based on the determined source of financing.

A remote system of electronic payment for items (goods, products or services) by a bearer to a merchant, the items comprising goods, products or services, the system comprising:

• a payment medium, unique to the bearer groups, several sources of financing;
• a purchase server identifies the items presented for purchase by the bearer;
• a payment server connected to the purchase server receives data from the purchase server;
• a data storage device, in the payment medium or in the payment server, accessible through a link to a central system or on a local replication, and comprises:
• a bearer/financing database for storing data relating to the sources of financing or financers;
• a merchant/article (MA) database for storing data relating to merchants and categories of items;
• a rules and checks (RIC) database for storing data representing the charging and checking rules for each source of financing defined by the bearer of the payment medium or by a financer;
• and
• wherein the payment server, for each item presented for purchase during a payment, utilizes the data stored in the data storage device to select an applicable charging and checking rules and collate the data stored in the data storage device with data associated with said each item presented for purchase, data associated with conditions of the purchase, and said data relating to merchants and categories of items from the MA database;
• wherein the payment server determines a source of financing for all or part of a price of said each item presented for purchase during the payment using the selected charging and checking rules and the collated data;
• and
• wherein the payment server performs successive charges for said each item presented for purchased during the payment based on the determined source of financing.