METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PAYING FOR WEB CONTENT, VIRTUAL GOODS AND GOODS OF SMALL VALUE

摘要

The subject application relates to electronic commerce (i.e. e-commerce or e-payment) technology and more particularly, to a method and system for paying for items of small value including web content and virtual goods, over communication networks such as the Internet. One embodiment described is directed to a method of electronic payment between a payer and a payee comprising generating a secure electronic transaction by a payer device, the secure electronic transaction including a certificate having an extension setting out transaction rules. The secure electronic transaction is routed through a selected payment path of network entities from the payer device to a payee device, a network entity on each layer of a hierarchy in the path adding a respective certificate to the secure electronic transaction, along with respective extensions setting out transaction rules. Other aspects of the invention are also described, such as how to determine a selected path.

主权项

1. A method of electronic payment between a payer and a payee comprising:
generating a secure electronic transaction by a payer device, the secure electronic transaction including a payment certificate having an extension setting out transaction rules; routing the secure electronic transaction through a payment path of network entities from the payer device to a payee device, particular ones of said network entities adding a respective payment certificate to the secure electronic transaction, each of said respective added payment certificates having an extension setting out transaction rules; and receiving the secure electronic transaction at the payee device, including the payment certificates from each of said network entities in the payment path.