AGGREGATED HASH-CHAIN MICROPAYMENT SYSTEM

摘要

Disclosed are a system and method for aggregating micropayment hash chains (300, 302, 304). An end user (the 'payer') (100) cryptographically signs 'commitments' and transmits (406) them to a vendor (102). The commitments include an 'accumulated count' field which tracks the total number of micropayments made thus far in the payment transaction between the payer (100) and the vendor (102). The payer (100) can also transmit (408) payment tokens to the vendor (102). These payment tokens include micropayments verified by a hash chain (300, 302, 304). When the vendor (102) seeks (514) reimbursement from a broker (104), the vendor (102) tells the broker (104) the total number of micropayments in the payment transaction and sends verification information to the broker (104). The broker (104) checks (602) this information against a verification system established with the payer (100). If the information is verified to be correct, then the broker (104) reimburses (606) the vendor (102) for the services provided and charges (606) the payer (100). The verification information ensures that the payer (100) and vendor (102) cannot cheat each other.