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.

A carrier medium encoding computer readable code for controlling a computer to carry out a method of obtaining a vendible product in electronic form, the code comprising code for:

• 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 carrier medium encoding computer readable code for controlling a computer to carry out a method of providing vendible products in electronic form to users over a communications network, the code comprising code for:

• 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 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.