Multi-tier transaction processing method and payment system in m- and e-commerce

A server for authentication and authorization of automated transactions involving a first party, a second party and a third party, comprising:

• a processor, a storage system coupled with the processor, and communication interfaces, and including instructions stored in the storage system and executable by the processor to execute a multi-tier authentication and authorization protocol which does not reveal identifying information of the first party to the second party, comprising
• a first tier of messages on communication channels between a server and a terminal, or terminals, of the first party and between the server and a terminal, or terminals, of the second party, the messages accomplishing (i) authentication of the first party to the server by a user authentication process that identifies the first party to the server and verifies that the first party has a relationship with the third party, (ii) identification and verification of transaction parameters arranged between the first and second party by receiving business identifier of the second party and a transaction identifier from the first party, by communicating with the second party for determination of at least one additional transaction parameter, and by communicating with the first party for verification of the at least one additional transaction parameter, and (iii) authentication of the server to the first party including delivering the at least one additional transaction parameter determined by the server from the second party to the first party, thereby define a pre-authenticated form of the specific transaction;
• storage of a definition of the pre-authenticated form of the specific transaction in a record of the specific transaction in the server;
• a second tier of messages on communication channels between the server and a terminal of the first party and between the server and a terminal, or terminals, of the second party to obtain authorization from the first and second parties for the server to commit on behalf of the first and second parties to the specific transaction in the pre-authenticated form;
• storage of an indication in the record of the specific transaction in the server confirming said pre-authorization;
• a third tier of messages on communication channels between the server and a terminal of the third party to obtain authorization from the third party for the server to commit to the specific transaction;
• storage an indication in record of the specific transaction in the server confirming said authorization by the third party;
• and
• after obtaining said authorizations from the first, second and third parties, generation at the server a transaction clearance code unique to the specific transaction, delivery of the transaction clearance code to the parties of the specific transaction, and storage of the transaction clearance code in the record of the specific transaction in the server;
• whereby as a result of said multi-tier authentication and authorization protocol, the record of the specific transaction is capable of being used for non-repudiation of the specific transaction by the first, second and third parties, and said transaction clearance code is capable of being used by the second party to prove the commitment of the third party to the specific transaction and capable of being used by the first party to prove the commitment of the second party to the specific transaction.