Secure payment method and system

• US 20020165821A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Virtual Access (UK) Ltd.
• Inventors: Tree, Ian David
• Granted Patent: US 7,110,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A secure payment method and system for payment for a product in electronic form comprises a customer'"'"'s terminal and a merchant'"'"'s terminal connected by a communications network. A customer uses a customer'"'"'s terminal to request a product and at the customer'"'"'s terminal, it is determined whether the product has previously been paid for by identifying if there is a corresponding transaction receipt stored at the customer'"'"'s terminal. If there is a corresponding receipt this is transmitted with the request to the merchant'"'"'s terminal. At the merchant'"'"'s terminal, when the request is received, if there is an accompanying transaction receipt, the product is transmitted to the customer'"'"'s terminal. If there is no accompanying transaction receipt, the transaction is recorded and a transaction receipt is generated and transmitted to the customer'"'"'s terminal. A central server can be provided to aggregate transactions by periodically polling the merchant'"'"'s terminal to retrieve transaction data and for periodically polling the customer'"'"'s terminal to retrieve receipt data. The receipt data and the transaction data can be reconciled in order to authenticate transactions.

Claims

1. An electronic payment method for payment for a product in electronic form, the method comprising:

at a customer'"'"'s terminal, receiving a user request for the product, determining if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding transaction receipt stored at the customer'"'"'s terminal, and transmitting a request for the product over a communications network to a merchant'"'"'s terminal with any identified transaction receipt for the product;

at the merchant'"'"'s terminal, receiving the request for the product, determining if there is an accompanying transaction receipt, transmitting the product to the customer'"'"'s terminal, and if no accompanying transaction receipt is received, recording the transaction, and generating and transmitting a transaction receipt to the customer'"'"'s terminal; and

at the customer'"'"'s terminal, receiving the requested product, and receiving and storing any transaction receipt for the product.

2. An electronic payment method according to claim 1, wherein method is performed at the customer'"'"'s terminal by an executable application, the user request is initially received by a client application and input to the executable application, the request for the product is received over the network by a server application, and the product is transmitted over the network by the server application.

3. An electronic payment method according to claim 2, wherein the executable application acts as a proxy server for the client application.

4. 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.

5. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, including a processor;

wherein said user interface comprises client application code implementable by said processor, said determining means, said transmission control means and said reception control means comprise executable application code implementable by said processor, and said executable application code is adapted to control the processor to receive the request from said client application code.

6. Terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said executable application code is adapted to act as a proxy server for the client application code.

7. Terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said executable application code is adapted to identify whether or not the request is a request for a chargeable product, to transmit the request unchanged over the communications network if the request is not for a chargeable product, and to add any transaction receipt for the requested product before transmitting the request over the communications network if the request is for a chargeable product.

8. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request with code to identify the request as a request for a chargeable product, and said executable application code is adapted to identify that the request is a request for a chargeable product by identifying the code.

9. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request, and said transmission control means is adapted to encode any receipt as ASCII and add the ASCII to the request before transmitting the request over the communications network.

10. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transmission control means is adapted to transmit transaction receipts stored in said storage means to a payment server.

11. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said reception control means is adapted to receive transaction information from a payment server, the apparatus including transaction reconciliation means for comparing the transaction information with the transaction receipts in said storage means, wherein said transmission control means is adapted to send information on the result of the comparison to the payment server.

12. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said user interface is adapted to allow a user to request a subscription for a regularly provided product, wherein said transmission control means is adapted to transmit the subscription request over the communications network to the merchant'"'"'s terminal, said reception control means is adapted to receive a subscription receipt from said merchant'"'"'s terminal over the network and to store the received subscription receipt in said storage means, and said determining means is adapted to determine if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding transaction receipt or subscription receipt stored in said storage means.

13. Terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transmission control means is adapted to transmit unique user identification information with said request over said communications network, and said transaction receipt includes the unique user identification information.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the user selection is received by a client application, the determining, transmitting and receiving are performed by an executable application, and said executable application receives the request from said client application.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said executable application acts as a proxy server for the client application.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said executable application identifies whether or not the request is a request for a chargeable product, transmits the request unchanged over the communications network if the request is not for a chargeable product, and adds any transaction receipt for the requested product before transmitting the request over the communications network if the request is for a chargeable product.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request with code to identify the request as a request for a chargeable product, and said executable application identifies that the request is a request for a chargeable product by identifying the code.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request, and any receipt is encoded as ASCII and added to the request before transmitting the request over the communications network.

20. A method according to claim 14, including transmitting stored transaction receipts to a payment server.

21. A method according to claim 14, including receiving transaction information from a payment server, comparing the transaction information with the stored transaction receipts, and sending information on the result of the comparison to the payment server.

22. A method according to claim 14, including receiving a user subscription selection, generating a request for a subscription for a regularly provided product, transmitting the subscription request over the communications network to the vendor, receiving a subscription receipt from said vendor over the communications network, storing the received subscription receipt, and determining if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding stored transaction receipt or subscription receipt.

23. A method according to claim 14, unique user identification information is transmitted with said request over said communications network, and said transaction receipt includes the unique user identification information.

25. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise a client application, and an executable application, and said executable application is adapted to receive the request from said client application.

26. A computer apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said executable application is adapted to act as a proxy server for the client application.

27. A computer apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said executable application comprises code to control said processor to identify whether or not the request is a request for a chargeable product, to transmit the request unchanged over the communications network if the request is not for a chargeable product, and to add any transaction receipt for the requested product before transmitting the request over the communications network if the request is for a chargeable product.

28. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request with code to identify the request as a request for a chargeable product, and said executable application comprises code to control said processor to identify that the request is a request for a chargeable product by identifying the code.

29. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said client application comprises a web browser, said request comprises a HTTP request, and said executable application comprises code to control said processor to encode any receipt as ASCII and to add to the ASCII to the request before transmitting the request over the communications network.

30. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, including transmitting stored transaction receipts to a payment server.

31. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to receive transaction information from a payment server, compare the transaction information with the transaction receipts in said data memory, and send information on the result of the comparison to the payment server.

32. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to receive a user subscription selection, generate a request for a subscription for a regularly provided product, transmit the subscription request over the communications network to the vendor, receive a subscription receipt from said vendor over the communications network, store the received subscription receipt, and determine if the product has been paid for previously by identifying if there is a corresponding stored transaction receipt or subscription receipt.

33. A computer apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to transmit unique user identification information with said request over said communications network, and said transaction receipt includes the unique user identification information.

35. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, including a processor, wherein said receiving means and said transmitting means comprise server program code implementable by said processor, and said determining means and said transaction processing means comprise application program code interfaced to said server program code.

36. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said request comprises a HTTP request;

transaction receipt data, if present, is encoded in the request as ASCII; and

said determining means is adapted to decode any transaction receipt data in a received request and to encode transaction receipt data as ASCII and add the ASCII to a HTTP header sent with the product before the product is transmitted over the communications network by said communication means.

37. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said determining means is adapted to generate transaction receipt data for the product for transmission over the communications network by said communication means if valid transaction receipt data is not received with the request for a product.

38. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the request includes information uniquely identifying the user, including user validation means for performing a validation of the received information and for preventing the transmission of the requested product by the transmission means if the validation fails.

39. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 38, including unauthorised user storage means for storing information on users who are not authorised to receive products, wherein said validation means is adapted to compare the received information uniquely identifying the user with the information in said unauthorised user storage means and to prevent the transmission of the requested product by the transmission means if the comparison identifies that the user is not authorised.

40. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said receiving means is adapted to receive a subscription request for a product from a user, including subscription means for providing subscription receipt data for the product, wherein said transmission means is adapted to transmit the subscription receipt data to the user, said determining means is adapted to determine if valid subscription receipt data for the product is included with the request for the product;

and said transmitting means is adapted to transmit the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid subscription receipt data for the product is received from the user with the request for the product, and for transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction or subscription receipt data for the product is not received from the user with the request for the product.

41. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, including transaction storage control means for transmitting the transaction data stored in said transaction storage means to a payment server over said communications network.

42. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said transaction storage control means is adapted to delete the transaction data stored in said transaction storage means after the transmission of the transaction data to said payment server over said communications network.

43. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 34, including index storage means for storing an index of the products stored in said product storage means, and user interface means to allow a user to access the index storage means to use the index to generate a request for a product.

44. Product vendor apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said index storage means is adapted to store the index as web pages with hypertext links comprising requests for products, and said user interface means comprises a web server for providing the index web pages to a web browser operated by a user.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the receiving and the transmitting are performed by a server application, and the determining and the transaction processing are performed by an application program interfaced to said server application.

47. A method according to claim 45, wherein said request comprises a HTTP request;

transaction receipt data, if present, is encoded in the request as ASCII;

any transaction receipt data in a received request is decoded, and transaction receipt data is encoded as ASCII and added to a HTTP header sent with the product before the product is transmitted over the communications network.

48. A method according to claim 45, wherein transaction receipt data for the product is generated for transmission over the communications network if valid transaction receipt data is not received with the request for a product.

49. A method according to claim 45, wherein the request includes information uniquely identifying the user, the method including performing a validation of the received information and preventing the transmission of the requested product if the validation fails.

50. A method according to claim 49, including storing information on users who are not authorised to receive products, comparing the received information uniquely identifying the user with the stored information and preventing the transmission of the requested product by the transmission means if the comparison identifies that the user is not authorised.

51. A method according to claim 45, including receiving a subscription request for a product from a user, providing subscription receipt data for the product, transmitting the subscription receipt data to the user, determining if valid subscription receipt data for the product is included with the request for the product, transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid subscription receipt data for the product is received from the user with the request for the product, and transmitting the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction or subscription receipt data for the product is not received from the user with the request for the product.

52. A method according to claim 45, including transmitting the stored transaction data to a payment server over said communications network.

53. A method according to claim 52, including deleting the stored transaction data after the transmission of the transaction data to said payment server over said communications network.

54. A method according to claim 45, including storing an index of the products, and allowing a user to access the index to use the index to generate a request for a product.

55. A method according to claim 54, wherein said index is stored as web pages with hypertext links comprising requests for products, and a web server provides the index web pages to a web browser operated by a user.

57. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise a server application for performing the receiving and the transmitting, and an application program interfaced to said server application for performing the determining and the transaction processing.

58. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein said request comprises a HTTP request;

and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to encode the transaction receipt data, if present, in the request as ASCII, to decode any transaction receipt data in a received request, to encode transaction receipt data as ASCII, and to add the ASCII to a HTTP header sent with the product before the product is transmitted over the communications network.

59. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to generate transaction receipt data for the product for transmission over the communications network if valid transaction receipt data is not received with the request for a product.

60. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the request includes information uniquely identifying the user, and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to perform a validation of the received information and to prevent the transmission of the requested product if the validation fails.

61. A computer apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to store information on users who are not authorised to receive products, to compare the received information uniquely identifying the user with the stored information, and to prevent the transmission of the requested product by the transmission means if the comparison identifies that the user is not authorised.

62. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to receive a subscription request for a product from a user, to provide subscription receipt data for the product, to transmit the subscription receipt data to the user, to determine if valid subscription receipt data for the product is included with the request for the product, to transmit the requested product over the communications network to the user with no charge if valid subscription receipt data for the product is received from the user with the request for the product, and to transmit the requested product over the communications network to the user with transaction receipt data for the product if valid transaction or subscription receipt data for the product is not received from the user with the request for the product.

63. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to transmit the transaction data stored in said transaction store to a payment server over said communications network.

64. A computer apparatus according to claim 63, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to delete the stored transaction data after the transmission of the transaction data to said payment server over said communications network.

65. A computer apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to store an index of the products, and to allow a user to access the index to use the index to generate a request for a product.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise:

instructions for controlling the processor to store said index as web pages with hypertext links comprising requests for products, and a web server to provide the index web pages to a web browser operated by a user.

68. Transaction aggregation apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said receipt data receiving means is adapted to receive receipt data for products from users'"'"' computers, and said transaction reconciliation means is adapted to reconcile transactions by comparing the received transaction data from said product vendor and said receipt data from said users'"'"' computers.

69. Transaction aggregation apparatus according to claim 67, including interface means for allowing users and product suppliers to access their respective account data.

70. Transaction aggregation apparatus according to claim 67, including payment interface means for interfacing to a financial institution for the transfer of funds to settle the reconciled transactions in the users'"'"' accounts, and fund transfer means for the transfer of funds received for reconciled transactions in the users accounts to respective product suppliers'"'"' funds holding means.

14. 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.

24. 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.

34. 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.

45. 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.

56. 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.

67. Transaction aggregation apparatus for aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the apparatus comprising:

vendor receiving means for periodically receiving transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;

receipt data receiving means for periodically receiving information on receipt data for products from users'"'"' computers;

transaction reconciliation means for reconciling transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users'"'"' computers; and

transaction aggregation means for aggregating reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users'"'"' account data and product suppliers'"'"' account data.

71. A method of aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the method comprising:

periodically receiving transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;

periodically receiving information on receipt data for products from users'"'"' computers;

reconciling transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users'"'"' computers; and

aggregating reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users'"'"' account data and product suppliers'"'"' account data.

72. A method according to claim 71, wherein receipt data for products is received from users'"'"' computers, and transactions are reconciled by comparing the received transaction data from said product vendor and said receipt data from said users'"'"' computers.

73. A method according to claim 71, including allowing users and product suppliers to access their respective account data.

74. A method according to claim 71, including transferring funds from a financial institution to settle the reconciled transactions in the users'"'"' accounts, and transferring funds received for reconciled transactions in the users accounts to respective product suppliers'"'"' funds holding means.

75. A transaction aggregation computer system for aggregating transactions for products in electronic form from a plurality of product vendor apparatus by a plurality of users, the computer system comprising:

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;

periodically receive transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses for a plurality of product transactions by a plurality of users;

periodically receive information on receipt data for products from users'"'"' computers;

reconcile transactions using the received transaction data from said product vendor apparatuses and said information on receipt data from said users'"'"' computers; and

aggregate reconciled transactions for individual users and for individual suppliers of the products in users'"'"' account data and product suppliers'"'"' account data.

76. A transaction aggregation computer system according to claim 75, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to receive receipt data for products from users'"'"' computers, and to reconcile transactions by comparing the received transaction data from said product vendor and said receipt data from said users'"'"' computers.

77. A transaction aggregation computer system according to claim 75, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow users and product suppliers to access their respective account data.

78. A transaction aggregation computer system according to claim 75, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to interface to a financial institution for the transfer of funds to settle the reconciled transactions in the users'"'"' accounts, and to transfer funds received for reconciled transactions in the users accounts to respective product suppliers'"'"' funds holding means.

80. A secure payment method according to claim 79, wherein the client application comprises a web browser and the server application comprises a web server and at least one associated application for authenticating the user, recording the sending of the requested product, and for controlling the web server to send the requested product.

79. A secure payment method for payment for a product in electronic form over a communications network, the method comprising:

at a user'"'"'s computer, executing a client application to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network, and executing an intermediate application to intercept the request, to add unique user identification information to the request, and to send the request over the network; and

at a product provider'"'"'s computer, executing server application means to receive the request, to authenticate the user using the user identification information, and, if the user is authenticated, to send the requested product over the network to the user, and to record the sending of the product as a transaction in a transaction store to allow the billing of the user for the product.

81. Computer apparatus for use by a customer for payment for a product in electronic form over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

client application program means to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network; and

intermediate application program means for intercepting the request, for adding unique user identification information to the request, and for sending the request over the network.

82. Computer apparatus according to claim 81, wherein the client application program means comprises a web browser application executed by the computer apparatus for generating a HTTP request for the product;

and the intermediate application program means comprises an executable application executed by the computer application simultaneously with the web browser application to intercept the HTTP request, to add the unique user identification information to the request, and to send the modified HTTP request over the network.

83. Computer apparatus for use by a customer for payment for a product in electronic form over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

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;

a client application to control the processor to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network; and

an intermediate application to control the processor to intercept the request, to add unique user identification information to the request, and to send the request over the network.

84. Computer apparatus according to claim 83, wherein the client application comprises a web browser application to control the processor to generate a HTTP request for the product;

and the intermediate application comprises an executable application executed by the computer application simultaneously with the web browser application to control the processor to intercept the HTTP request, to add the unique user identification information to the request, and to send the modified HTTP request over the network.

85. A secure payment method for payment for a product in electronic form over an Internet Protocol network, the method comprising:

at a user'"'"'s computer, executing a client application to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network, and executing an intermediate application to intercept the request, to add unique user identification information to the request, and to send the request over the network.

86. A method according to claim 85, wherein the client application comprises a web browser application for generating a HTTP request for the product;

and the intermediate application comprises an executable application executed simultaneously with the web browser application to intercept the HTTP request, to add the unique user identification information to the request, and to send the modified HTTP request over the network.

87. A secure payment server for providing vendible products in electronic form to a user over a communications network, the server comprising:

a transaction store for storing transaction data;

web server application program means to receive a HTTP request for a product from a user over the network, the HTTP request including unique user identification information encoded therein;

associated application program means interfaced to said web browser application program means to authenticate the user using the user identification information, and, if the user is authenticated, to control said web server application program means to send the requested product over the network to the user, and to record the sending of the product as transaction data in the transaction store to allow the billing of the user for the product.

88. A secure payment server according to claim 87, wherein said associated application program means comprises at least one executable application.

90. Apparatus according to claim 89, including exchange rate data storage means for storing exchange rate data;

wherein said spending limit data storage means is adapted to store the spending limit data in a first currency, said products are chargeable in one or more second currencies different to said first currency, and said spending control means is adapted to use the exchange rate data in said exchange rate data storage means in the determination of the cost of the requested products.

91. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to input at least one spending limit amount and at least one associated spending limit period as said spending limit data, and said spending control means is adapted to comparing the determined cost and the transaction data in said transaction storage means with the spending limit data in said spending limit data storage means to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

92. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to input a spending limit amount for a single transaction, and said spending control means is adapted to comparing the determined cost with the spending limit data in said spending limit data storage means to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

93. Apparatus according to claim 92, wherein said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to input at least one spending limit amount for a single transaction and at least one associated warning to be output to the user if the spending limit is exceeded, said spending limit data storage means is adapted to store an indication of the or each associated warning, and said spending control means is adapted to comparing the determined cost with the spending limit data in said spending limit data storage means to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded and to select a warning to be output to a user from said spending limit data storage means dependent upon the spending limit exceeded.

94. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said spending control means is adapted to prevent transmission of requests for products over the communications network if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

95. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to enter a spending limit override instruction, and said spending control means is adapted to allow the request for the product to be transmitted over the network only if a spending limit override instruction is input.

96. Apparatus according to claim 95 wherein said user interface means is adapted to allow a user to input a spending limit override instruction as a password, wherein said spending control means is adapted to validate the input password.

97. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said request includes cost data, and said spending control means is adapted to determine the cost of said product from said cost data.

98. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said spending control means is adapted to receive cost data for the requested product from the product provider over the communications network, and to determine the cost of said product from said cost data.

99. Apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said spending control means is adapted to output the warning after the product has been received from the product provider.

89. Apparatus for controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the apparatus comprising:

user interface means for a user to input spending limit data;

spending limit data storage means for storing the input spending limit data;

transaction storage means for storing transaction data for requested and provided products; and

spending control means for monitoring requests for chargeable products over the communications network, for determining the cost of the requested products, for comparing the determined cost or the determined cost and the transaction data in said transaction storage means with the spending limit data in said spending limit data storage means to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded, and for generating an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

100. A method of controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the method comprising:

inputting and storing spending limit data;

storing transaction data for requested and provided products;

monitoring requests for chargeable products over the communications network;

determining the cost of the requested products;

comparing the determined cost or the determined cost and the stored transaction data with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded; and

generating an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

101. A method according to claim 100, wherein the spending limit data is stored in a first currency, said products are chargeable in one or more second currencies different to said first currency, and exchange rate data is used in the determination of the cost of the requested products.

102. A method according to claim 100, wherein at least one spending limit amount and at least one associated spending limit period are input as said spending limit data, and the determined cost and the transaction data in said transaction storage means are compared with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

103. A method according to claim 100, wherein a spending limit amount for a single transaction is input, and the determined cost is compared with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

104. A method according to claim 103, wherein at least one spending limit amount for a single transaction and at least one associated warning to be output to the user if the spending limit is exceeded are input, an indication of the or each associated warning is stored in association with the or each spending limit, and the determined cost is compared with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded and to select a warning to be output to a user dependent upon the spending limit exceeded.

105. A method according to claim 100, wherein the transmission of requests for products over the communications network is prevented if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

106. A method according to claim 100, including inputting a spending limit override instruction, and allowing the request for the product to be transmitted over the network only if a spending limit override instruction is input.

107. A method according to claim 106, wherein said input a spending limit override instruction is a password, including validating the input password.

108. A method according to claim 100, wherein said request includes cost data, and the cost of said product is determined from said cost data.

109. A method according to claim 100, wherein cost data for the requested product is received from the product provider over the communications network, and the cost of said product is determined from said cost data.

110. A method according to claim 100, wherein the warning is output after the product has been received from the product provider.

146. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a computer to carry out the method of any one of claims 14 to 23, 45 to 55, 71 to 74, 79, 80, 85, 86, 100 to 110, 124 to 125, 126 to 131, and 144.

111. A computer system for controlling the spending of a user when requesting chargeable products in electronic form over a communications network from a product provider, the computer system comprising:

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;

input spending limit data;

store the input spending limit data;

store transaction data for requested and provided products;

monitor requests for chargeable products over the communications network;

determine the cost of the requested products;

compare the determined cost or the determined cost and the stored transaction data with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded; and

generate an output if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

112. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein said products are chargeable in one or more second currencies different to a first currency, and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to store exchange rate data;

to store the spending limit data in said first currency, and use the stored exchange rate data in the determination of the cost of the requested products.

113. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow a user to input at least one spending limit amount and at least one associated spending limit period as said spending limit data, and to comparing the determined cost and the stored transaction data with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

114. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow a user to input a spending limit amount for a single transaction, and to comparing the determined cost with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded.

115. A computer system according to claim 114, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow a user to input at least one spending limit amount for a single transaction and at least one associated warning to be output to the user if the spending limit is exceeded, to store an indication of the or each associated warning, and to comparing the determined cost with the stored spending limit data to determine if the spending limit represented by the spending limit data is exceeded and to select a warning to be output to a user dependent upon the spending limit exceeded.

116. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to prevent transmission of requests for products over the communications network if the requested product causes a spending limit represented by the spending limit data to be exceeded.

117. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow a user to enter a spending limit override instruction, and to allow the request for the product to be transmitted over the network only if a spending limit override instruction is input.

118. A computer system according to claim 117 wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to allow a user to input a spending limit override instruction as a password, and to validate the input password.

119. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein said request includes cost data, and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to determine the cost of said product from said cost data.

120. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to receive cost data for the requested product from the product provider over the communications network, and to determine the cost of said product from said cost data.

121. A computer system according to claim 111, wherein and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to output the warning after the product has been received from the product provider.

123. Computer apparatus according to claim 122, wherein said intermediate application program means is adapted to allow a user to enter a spending lock parameter, and to prevent the passage of the request in response to the entered spending lock parameter.

125. A method according to claim 124, wherein a user is allowed to enter a spending lock parameter, and the passage of the request is prevented in response to the entered spending lock parameter.

127. A method according to claim 126, wherein the or each displayable template comprises HTML, and said plurality of displayable index interfaces comprises a hierarchical set of linked web pages, each with hypertext links to products or groups of products.

128. A method according to claim 127, wherein the or each HTML template includes tags to identify the position in which the links to products are to be added.

129. A method according to claim 126, wherein said displayable index interfaces are generated for products and groups of products available at a site, and said index data is transmitted to a remote central computer for the indexing of products at a plurality of sites centrally.

130. A method according to claim 126, wherein the products have a cost associated with them, the method including inputting cost data for the products, wherein cost information is included in the displayable index interfaces to indicate the cost of retrieval of the products to the user.

131. A method according to claim 126, wherein the links comprise images, and the displayable index interfaces are generated by automatically arranging the images in the index interfaces in accordance with the order of their associated products or groups of products in the index data.

133. Apparatus according to claim 132, wherein said receiving means is adapted to receive said at least one displayable template as HTML, and said plurality of displayable index interfaces comprises a hierarchical set of linked web pages, each with hypertext links to products or groups of products.

134. Apparatus according to claim 133, wherein the HTML templates include tags to identify the position in which the links to products are to be added.

135. Apparatus according to claim 132, wherein said interface generating means is adapted to generate said displayable index interfaces for products available at a site, the apparatus including transmission means for transmitting said index data to a remote central computer for the indexing of products at a plurality of sites centrally.

136. Apparatus according to claim 132, wherein the products have a cost associated with them, the apparatus including inputting means for inputting cost data for the products for inclusion in the index data, wherein said interface generating means is adapted to use the cost data to generate the displayable index interfaces to include cost information to indicate the cost of retrieval of the products to the user.

137. Apparatus according to claim 132, including an image storage means for storing images for the links, wherein said interface generating means is adapted to generate the displayable index interfaces by automatically arranging the images in the index interface in accordance with the order of their associated products or groups of products in the index.

139. A computer system according to claim 138, wherein the displayable template comprises HTML, and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to generate said plurality of displayable index interfaces as a hierarchical set of linked web pages, each with hypertext links to products or groups of products.

140. A computer system according to claim 139, wherein the HTML templates include tags to identify the position in which the links to products are to be added.

141. A computer system according to claim 138, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to generate said displayable index interfaces for products available at a site, and to transmit said index data to a remote central computer for the indexing of products at a plurality of sites centrally.

142. A computer system according to claim 138, wherein the products have a cost associated with them, and the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to input cost data for the products, and to include cost information in the displayable index interfaces to indicate the cost of retrieval of the products to the user.

143. A computer system according to claim 138, including an image store for storing images for the links, wherein the instructions stored in the instruction memory comprise instructions for controlling the processor to generate the displayable index interfaces by automatically arranging the images in the index interface in accordance with the order of their associated products or groups of products in the index.

122. Computer apparatus for use by a customer for controlling spending by a user for products in electronic form over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

client application program means to allow a user to generate a request for a product over the network; and

intermediate application program means for controlling the passage of the request over the communications network in dependence upon spending control parameters, and having a user interface for allowing a user to enter the spending control parameters before operation of the client application program means.

124. A method of controlling spending by a user for products in electronic form over a communications network, the method comprising:

providing a user interface to allow a user to enter the spending control parameters;

allowing a user to generate a request for a product over the network; and

controlling the passage of the request over the communications network in dependence upon the entered spending control parameters.

126. A method of providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the method comprising:

receiving at least one displayable template into which links to products are to be added;

generating index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product; and

generating a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from a said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

132. Apparatus for providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a displayable template into which links to products are to be added;

index generating means for generating index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product; and

interface generating means for generating a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

138. A computer system for providing a user interface for the retrieval of products in electronic form, the computer system comprising:

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 displayable template into which links to products are to be added;

generate index data representing an index of products to be accessed, the index being organised hierarchically in a manner dependant upon the type of product; and

generate a plurality of displayable index interfaces, each index interface being formed from said template with added links to products or groups of products, the links being arranged in accordance with the structure and order of the hierarchical index.

144. A method of processing time sensitive data over a communications network, the method comprising:

at a first processing apparatus having a first clock giving a first time, connecting to a reference computer over the network to obtain a reference time, determining a first offset time by comparing the reference time and the first time, calculating a corrected first time using the first time and the first offset time, processing the data using the corrected first time, and sending the data with associated corrected first time to a second processing apparatus; and

at the second processing apparatus having a second clock giving a second time, connecting to a reference computer over the network to obtain a reference time, determining a second offset time by comparing the reference time and the second time, calculating a corrected second time using the second time and the second offset time, and using the corrected second time for the processing of the data with associated corrected first time sent by said first processing apparatus.

145. Data processing apparatus for processing time sensitive data, the apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving time sensitive data with associated corrected first time over a network from a remote processing apparatus having a first clock, the corrected first time associated with the data being obtained by said remote processing apparatus by correcting time of the first clock using time of a reference clock at a reference computer;

clock means for providing a second time;

means for connecting to a reference computer over the network to obtain a reference time;

determining means for determining a second offset time by comparing the reference time and the second time;

calculating means for calculating a corrected second time using the second time and the second offset time; and

data processing means for using the corrected first and second time for the processing of the received time sensitive data.