Method and system for micropayment transactions
First Claim
1. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T, the method comprising:
- A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, and causing a second party to receive at least a portion of said data string C;
B. the second party associating with said at least a portion of C an item V, wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
C. the second party determining whether V satisfies a property P, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies said property P;
D. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether V satisfies said property P; and
E. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount a, only if V satisfies said property P.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A micropayment system and method is presented for a payor U to establish payment to payee M for a transaction T, which typically has a very low value Tv. The micropayment scheme minimizes the bank'"'"'s processing costs, while at the same time climinating the need for users and merchants to interact in order to determine whether a given micropayment should be selected for payment. In one embodiment, the micropayment scheme includes time constraints, which require that an electronic check C for the transaction T be presented to a bank B for payment within a predetermined time/date interval. In another embodiment, the micropayment scheme includes a selective deposit protocol, which guarantees that a user is never charged in excess of what he actually spends, even within a probabilistic framework. In another embodiment, the micropayment scheme includes a deferred selection protocol, which provides the bank with control and flexibility over the payment selection process.
112 Citations
117 Claims
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1. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, and causing a second party to receive at least a portion of said data string C;
B. the second party associating with said at least a portion of C an item V, wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
C. the second party determining whether V satisfies a property P, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies said property P;
D. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether V satisfies said property P; and
E. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount a, only if V satisfies said property P. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for a user U to establish payment to a merchant M for a transaction T having a transaction value TV, the method comprising:
-
A. the user establishing a public key and a corresponding secret key for a first digital signature scheme, and deriving from T a data string C=SIGU(T) to create an electronic check containing C, wherein SIGU(T) represents the digital signature of the user U for the transaction T in said first digital signature scheme;
B. the user causing the merchant to receive said data string C;
C. the merchant establishing a public key and a corresponding secret key for a second digital signature scheme, and associating with said data string C an item V=SIGM(C), wherein SIGM(C) represents the digital signature of the merchant M for said data string C in said second digital signature scheme;
D. the merchant computing the value F(V)=F(SIGM(C)), where F represents a public function that operates on a bit string to output a number between 0 and 1;
E. the merchant comparing F(SIGM(C)) with a constant s to determine whether F(V)<
s, and if so, causing a bank to obtain said public key of the merchant;
F. the bank using said public key of the merchant to verify that F(SIGM(C))<
s; and
G. only if F(SIGM(C))<
s, the bank causing the merchant to receive an amount A=[TV*1/s];
wherein s is a constant greater than 0 and less than 1, and represents the probability that the electronic check be selected for presentation to the bank.
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27. A system for establishing payment for a transaction T, the system comprising:
-
A. communications means for transmitting data between a first party, a second party, a third party, and a fourth party;
B. a first processing means operative by a first party for deriving, inputting, and storing a data string C related to T;
C. a second processing means operative by a second party and responsive to C, for associating an item V with at least a portion of C, and for determining whether V satisfies a property P;
wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
D. means, selectively operative by the second party when V satisfies P, for causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies P; and
E. means, selectively operative by the third party when V satisfies P, for causing a fourth party to receive an amount A.
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28. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party receiving from a second party at least a portion of a data string C, wherein said data string C is related to T;
B. the first party associating with said at least a portion of C an item V, wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the second party; and
C. the first party determining whether V satisfies a property P, and only if so, the first party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies said property P, thereby enabling the third party to cause a fourth party to receive an amount A upon verification that V satisfies P.
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29. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party receiving from a second party information I enabling the first party to verify that an item V satisfies a property P;
wherein said item V is associated with at least a portion of a data string C derived from T by a third party, and wherein V is substantially unpredictable by said third party;
B. the first party, upon receiving L verifying whether V satisfies said property P; and
C. the first party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if V satisfies said property P.
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30. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, wherein C includes information IN regarding said time t;
B. the first party causing a second party to receive at least a portion of said data string C, wherein said at least a portion of C includes information IN;
C. the second party associating with said at least a portion of C an item V, wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
D. the second party determining whether V satisfies a property P, and if so, the second party at time t′
causing a third party to receive information IN and information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies said property P;
E. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether V satisfies said property P; and
F. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if;
a) V satisfies said property P, and b) |t′
−
t| is less than a predetermined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, and causing a second party to receive at least a portion of said data string C;
B. the second party determining whether a property P holds between said at least a portion of C and a quantity Q depending on C, wherein Q is substantially unpredictable by the first party, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify that said property P is satisfied;
C. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether said property P is satisfied; and
D. only upon verifying that said property P holds between said at least a portion of C and Q, the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T;
B. a second party deriving a sequence of values VLi associated with a sequence of times ti (i=1, . . . , n), wherein for at least one integer m greater than 1 and less than n, |t−
tm| is less than a predetermined amount;
C. the first party causing the second party to receive at least a portion of said data string C, wherein said portion includes information regarding the time t of said transaction T;
D. the second party determining whether a property P holds between said portion of C, and one of said value VLm associated with tm, and a quantity Q depending on VLm;
E. if P holds, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify that said property P is satisfied;
F. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether Q satisfies P; and
G. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if Q satisfies said property P. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a transaction t, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, wherein C includes information regarding t;
B. a second party deriving a sequence of values Vi associated with a sequence of time units ti (i=1, . . . , n);
wherein each pair of adjacent time units ti+1 and ti defines a time interval Δ
ti=ti+1−
ti; and
wherein for at least an integer m greater than 1 and less than n, said time t is within the time interval Δ
tm;
C. at the beginning of said time interval Δ
tm, the second party deriving a value Qm associated with Vm, wherein Qm is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
D. during said time interval Δ
tm;
a) the first party causing the second party to receive at least a portion of C;
b) the second party determining whether a property P holds between said portion of C and Qm, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify that said property P is satisfied;
E. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether Q satisfies P; and
F. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if Q satisfies said property P. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from T a data string C related to T, wherein C includes information F regarding t;
B. a second party deriving a sequence of values xi (i=0, 1, . . . , n) associated with a sequence of time values ti (i=0, 1, . . . , n), and making x0 public;
wherein xi=H(xi+1) for i=0, 1, . . . , n−
1, where H is a one-way hash function;
wherein each pair of adjacent time values ti+1 and ti defines a time interval Δ
ti=ti+1−
ti; and
wherein for at least an integer m greater than 1 and less than n, said time t is the time interval Δ
tm;
C. during said time interval Δ
tm, the first party causing the second party to receive at least a portion of C, wherein said portion includes F;
D. during said time interval Δ
tm, the second party determining whether a property P holds between Qm and said portion of C, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify that said property P is satisfied;
E. the third party, upon receiving I, verifying whether Qm satisfies P; and
F. the third party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if Q satisfies said property P. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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67. A system for establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the system comprising:
-
A. communications means for transmitting data between a first party, a second party, a third party, and a fourth party;
B. a first processing means operative by a first party for deriving, inputting, and storing a data string C related to T, wherein C contains information F regarding the time t;
C. a second processing means operative by a second party and responsive to C, for associating an item V with at least a portion of C, and for determining whether V satisfies a property P;
wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
D. means, selectively operative by the second party when V satisfies P, for causing a third party to receive F, and information I enabling the third party to verify;
a) whether V satisfies P; and
b) wherein |t′
−
t| is less than a predetermined amount;
E. means, selectively operative by the third party when V satisfies P, and |t′
−
t| is less than a predetermined amount, for causing a fourth party to receive an amount A.
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68. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the method comprising:
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A. a first party receiving from a second party at time t′
information I enabling the first party to verify that an item V satisfies a property P;
wherein said item V is associated with at least a portion of a data string C that is derived from T by a third party and that includes information regarding t; and
wherein V is substantially unpredictable by said third party;
B. the first party, upon receiving L verifying whether V satisfies said property P; and
C. the first party causing a fourth party to receive an amount A, only if;
a) V satisfies said property P; and
b) |t′
−
t| is less than a predetermined amount.
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69. A method of establishing payment for a transaction T characterized in part by a time t, the method comprising:
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A. a first party receiving from a second party at least a portion of a data string C, wherein said data string C is related to T, and wherein said portion of C includes information on t;
B. the first party associating with said at least a portion of C an item V, wherein V is substantially unpredictable by the second party; and
C. the first party determining whether V satisfies a property P, and if so, the first party at a time t′
causing a third party to receive information I enabling the third party to verify whether V satisfies said property P, thereby enabling the third party to cause a fourth party to receive an amount A, provided thata) V satisfies P; and
b) |t′
−
t| is less than a predetermined amount.
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70. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . Ti, . . . Tn, wherein an index i, between 1 and n, can be associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi, the method comprising:
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A. a first party using a probabilistic payment scheme to generate a check Ci for each transaction Ti and causing a second party to receive said Ci, wherein Ci includes an indication of the index i;
B. the second party selecting the checks Cj (1≦
j≦
n) that are payable in a manner that prevents the first party from predicting in advance which checks Cj will be selected to be payable;
C. the second party causing a third party to receive information Ij enabling the third party to verify that a selected check Cj is payable;
D. the third party, in response to receipt of Ij, verifying that a selected check Cj is payable; and
E. only if Cj is payable, a fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CRj, and causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Dj so that, for all index j between 1 and n, and for any selection of payable checks, D=D1+D2+ . . . +Dj is no greater than TVagg=TV1+TV2+ . . . +TVj. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . Ti, . . . Tn, wherein an index i, between 1 and n, can be associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from each transaction Ti a data string Ci related to Ti, and causing a second party to receive said data string Ci;
B. the second party associating with each data string Ci an item Vi, wherein Vi is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
C. the second party determining whether Vi satisfies a property Pi, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information Ii enabling the third party to verify whether Vi satisfies said property Pi;
D. the third party, in response to receipt of Ii, verifying whether Vi satisfies said property Pi; and
E. only if Vi satisfies said property Pi, a fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CRi, and causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Di;
wherein said debit amount Di is less than or equal to said credit amount CRi. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A method of paying for a plurality of equal-valued transactions T1, T2, . . . Ti, . . . Tn, each having a value TV, the method comprising:
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A. a first party deriving from each transaction Ti a data string Ci related to Ti, and causing a second party to receive said data string Ci;
wherein each data string Ci comprises a progressive serial number Si, said serial number Si being sequentially ordered starting from 1 and being representative of a position of Ci relative to other data strings in an ordered succession of data strings Cj (j=1, . . . , n);
B. the second party associating with Ci an item Vi, wherein Vi is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
C. the second party determining whether a property Pi holds between Ci and Vi, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information Ii enabling the third party to verify whether Vi satisfies Pi;
D. the third party verifying whether Vi satisfies Pi; and
only if Vi satisfies Pi;
a) a fifth party determining the value of Smax, wherein Smax represents the largest of any serial number Sk contained in Ck for which;
i) 1 k<
n;
ii) Ck is received by second party before receiving Ci;
iii) the third party has verified that Vk satisfies Pk; and
iv) said first party has been debited by a nonzero amount Dk;
b) said fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR; and
c) said fifth party causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Di, where Di is given by;
(Si−
Smax)*TV. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92)
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93. A method for a user U to establish payment to a merchant M for a plurality of transactions Ti (i=1, . . . , n) having transaction values TVi (i=1, . . . , n), the method comprising:
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A. the user U establishing a public key and a corresponding secret key for a first digital signature scheme, and deriving from each Ti a data string Ci=SIGU(Ti) and creating an electronic check CHi that contains Ci and a serial number Si;
wherein SIGU(Ti) represents the digital signature of the user Ui for the transaction Ti in said first digital signature scheme;
wherein Si is a progressive serial number representative of an order of said data string Ci relative to the other data strings in an ordered succession of data strings Cj (j=1, . . . , n) derived by said first party;
B. the user U causing the merchant M to receive said electronic check CHi containing Ci and Si;
C. the merchant M establishing a public key and a corresponding secret key for a second digital signature scheme, and associating with said data string Ci an item Vi=SIGM(Ci), wherein SIGM(Ci) represents the digital signature of the merchant M for said data string Ci in said second digital signature scheme;
D. the merchant M computing the value F(Vi)=F(SIGM(Ci)), where F represents a public function that operates on a bit string to output a number between 0 and 1;
E. the merchant M comparing F(SIGM(Ci)) with a constant s (0<
s<
1) to determine whether F(Vi)<
s, and if so, causing a bank to obtain said public key of the merchant M;
F. the bank using the merchant'"'"'s public key to verify that F(SIGM(Ci))<
s; and
G. only if F(SIGM(Ci))<
s,a) a fifth party determining the value of Smax, wherein Smax represents the largest serial number Sj contained in any CHj in said ordered succession upon which payment was made;
b) said fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR; and
c) said fifth party causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Di. - View Dependent Claims (94)
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95. A system for establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, wherein an index i, between 1 and n, can be associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi, the system comprising:
-
A. communications means for transmitting data between a first party, a second party, a third party, and a fourth party;
B. a first processing means operative by a first party for deriving, inputting, and storing a data string Ci (i less than or equal to n and greater than or equal to
1),wherein Ci is related to a transaction Ti, and wherein Ci includes a progressive serial number Si representative of the position of the check Ci relative to other checks in an ordered succession of checks Cj (j=1, . . . , n);
C. a second processing means operative by a second party and responsive to Ci, for associating an item Vi with at least a portion of Ci, and for determining whether Vi satisfies a property Pi, wherein Vi is substantially unpredictable by the first party; and
wherein said second processing means are selectively operative by the second party, when Vi satisfies Pi, for causing a third party to receive information Ii enabling the third party to verify whether Vi satisfies Pi; and
D. means, selectively operative by the third party when Vi satisfies Pi, for determining the value of Smax, for causing a fourth party to receive an amount CRi, and for causing the first party to be debited by an amount Di, wherein for all index i between 1 and n, D1+D2+ . . . +Di is no greater than TVi+TV2+ . . . +TVi.
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96. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, wherein an index i, between 1 and n, can be associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party receiving from a second party at least a portion of a data string Ci for each Ti, wherein each data string Ci is generated from Ti using a probabilistic payment scheme, and wherein each Ci includes an indication of the index i;
B. the first party selecting the checks Cj (j less than or equal to n and greater than or equal to
1) that are payable in a manner that prevents the first party from predicting in advance which checks Cj will be selected as payable;
C. for each selected check Cj, the first party causing a third party to receive information Ij enabling the third party to verify that the selected check Cj is indeed payable, thereby enabling the third party, upon verification that Cj is payable, to cause a fourth party to receive a credit amount CRj and the second party to be debited by a debit amount Dj so that, for all index j between 1 and n, and for any selection of payable checks Cj, D=D1+D2+ . . . Dj is no greater than TVagg=TV1+TV2+ . . . +TVj.
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97. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, wherein an index i, between 1 and n, can be associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi and can be represented by a corresponding data string Ci, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party receiving from a second party information Ij enabling the first party to verify that a check Cj is payable;
wherein said check Cj is selected by the second party from a plurality of checks Ci (i=1, . . . , n) derived by a third party from a corresponding one of said plurality of transactions Ti (i=1, . . . , n); and
wherein the selection of said check Cj is substantially unpredictable by said third party;
B. the first party, upon receiving Ij, verifying whether Cj is indeed payable; and
C. the first party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CRi, and causing the third party to be debited by a debit amount Di,
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98. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . Ti, . . . Tn, wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi that is a multiple of a unit value UV, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from each transaction Ti a data string Ci corresponding to Ti, and causing a second party to receive Ci;
wherein each data string Ci includes information on said integer index i and said value TVi of Ti in the form of a vector (Si, Si+vi−
1);
wherein for all i between 1 and n, Si is a progressive serial number that is sequentially ordered and that is representative of a position of Ci relative to other data strings in an ordered succession of data strings Cj(j=1, . . . , n); and
wherein vi is an integer depending on i and indicative of the value TVi of Ti, and is given by vi=TVi/(UV);
B. the second party selecting the checks Cj (1≦
j≦
n) that are payable in a manner that prevents the first party from predicting in advance which checks Cj will be selected to be payable;
C. the second party causing a third party to receive information Ij enabling the third party to verify that a selected check Cj is payable;
D. the third party, in response to receipt of Ij, verifying that a selected check Cj is payable; and
E. only if Cj is payable;
a) a fifth party determining the value of Smax, wherein max is an integer such that 1≦
max<
i≦
n, and vmax=TVmax/(UV); and
wherein Smax represents the largest of any serial number Sk (1≦
k<
n) contained in Ck for which;
i) Ck is received by the second party before receiving Ci; and
ii) the third party has verified that Vk satisfies Pk; and
iii) said first party was debited by a non-zero amount Dk, and b), said fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR; and
c) said fifth party causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Di, where Di is given by;
(Si+vi−
1−
Smax)*UV.
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99. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . , Ti, . . . Tn, wherein an index i between 1 and n is associated with each Ti, and wherein each transaction Ti is characterized in part by a transaction value TVi that is an integral multiple of a unit value UV, the method comprising:
-
A. a first party deriving from each transaction Ti a data string Ci corresponding to Ti and causing a second party to receive Ci;
wherein each data string Ci includes information on said integer index i and said value TVi of Ti in the form of a vector (Si, Si+vi−
1);
wherein for all i between 1 and n, Si is a progressive serial number that is sequentially ordered and that is representative of a position of Ci relative to other data strings in an ordered succession of data strings Cj(j=1, . . . , n); and
wherein vi is an integer depending on i and indicative of the value TVi of Ti, and is given by vi=TVi/(UV);
B. the second party associating with Ci an item Vi, wherein Vi is substantially unpredictable by the first party;
C. the second party determining whether a property Pi holds between Ci and Vi, and if so, the second party causing a third party to receive information Ii enabling the third party to verify whether Vi satisfies Pi;
D. the third party verifying whether Vi satisfies Pi; and
only if Vi satisfies Pi;
a) a fifth party determining the value of Smax, wherein max is an integer such that 1≦
max<
i≦
n, and vmax=TVmax/(UV); and
wherein Smax represents the largest of any serial number Sk (1≦
k<
n) contained in Ck for which;
i) Ck is received by the second party before receiving Ci; and
ii) the third party has verified that Vk satisfies Pk; and
iii) said first party was debited by a non-zero amount Dk, and b) said fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR; and
c) said fifth party causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount Di, where Di is given by;
(Si+vi−
1−
Smax)*UV.
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100. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions Ti (i=1, . . . , n), each transaction Ti having a value TVi, the method comprising:
-
a. a first party deriving from each Ti a data string Ci related to Ti, and causing a second party to receive said data string Ci;
b. the second party uniquely associating groups of said data strings Ci (i=1, . . . , n) into m lists Lk, where k=1, . . . , m;
wherein each list Lk includes data strings Ck1, . . . , Cklk, and wherein Σ
mk=1lk=n;
c. the second party committing to Lk (k=1, . . . , m), by computing a commitment CMk for each Lk, and causing a third party to receive CMk (k=1, . . . , m);
d. the third party, in response to receipt of CMk (k=1, . . . , m), selecting one or more integer indices i1, i2, . . . ir, and causing the second party to receive said indices i1, i2, . . . ir, wherein 1≦
ir≦
m;
e. in response to receipt of said indices i1, i2, . . . ir, the second party de-committing CMi1, CMi2 . . . CMir, thereby revealing Li1, . . . , Lir to the third party; and
f. a fifth party causing a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR, and causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount D. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114)
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115. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, each transaction Ti having a value TVi, the method comprising:
-
A. for each Ti, a first party receiving from a second party a data string Ci derived from Ti;
B. the first party uniquely associating groups of said data strings Ci (i=1, . . . , n) into m lists Lk, where k=1, . . . , m;
wherein each list Lk includes data strings Ck1, . . . , Cklk, and wherein Σ
mk=1lk=n;
C. the first party committing to Lk (k=1, . . . , m), by computing a commitment CMk for each Lk, and causing a third party to receive CMk (k=1, . . . , m), thereby enabling the third party to select one or more integer indices i1, i2, . . . ir, wherein 1≦
ir≦
m;
D. upon receipt of said indices i1, i2, . . . ir, the first party de-committing CMi1, CMi2 . . . CMir, thereby revealing Li1, . . . , Lir to the third party and enabling the third party to cause a fourth party to receive a credit amount CR, and the second party to be debited by a debit amount D.
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116. A method of establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, wherein each transaction Ti has a value TVi and can be represented by a corresponding data string Ci derived from Ti, and wherein groups of said data strings Ci (i=1, . . . , n) can be uniquely associated into m lists Lk (k=1, . . . , m), each list Lk includes data strings Ck1, . . . , Cklk (Σ
-
mk=1lk=n), the method comprising;
A. a first party receiving from a second party a commitment CMk for each of the m lists Lk (k=1, . . . , m);
B. the first party, upon receiving CMk (k=1, . . . , m), selecting one or more integer indices i1, i2, . . . ir, wherein 1≦
ir≦
m, and causing the second party to receive said indices i1, i2, . . . ir, thereby enabling the second party to de-commit CMi1, Ci2 . . . CMir so as to revealing Li1, . . . , Lir to the first party;
C. the first party causing a third party to receive a credit amount CR, and a fourth party to be debited by a debit amount D.
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mk=1lk=n), the method comprising;
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117. A system for establishing payment for a plurality of n transactions T1, T2, . . . , Ti, . . . , Tn, each Ti having a value TVi, the system comprising:
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A. communications means for transmitting data between a first party, a second party, a third party, and a fourth party;
B. a first processing means operative by a first party for deriving, inputting, and storing a data string Ci (1≦
i≦
n) for each Ti;
C. a second processing means operative by a second party and responsive to receipt of Ci (i=1, . . . n), for uniquely associating groups of said data strings Ci (i=1, . . . , n) into m lists Lk (k=1, . . . , m), and for inputting and storing said lists Lk(k=1, . . . , m);
wherein each list Lk includes data strings Ck1, . . . , Cklk, and wherein ρ
mk=1lk=n;
said second processing means being further operative by the second party for computing a commitment CMk for each Lk, and for inputting and storing said commitments CMk (k=1, . . . , m);
D. a third processing means, operative by the third party upon receipt of said commitments CMk, for selecting one or more integer indices i1, i2, . . . , ir, and for causing the second party to receive said indices i1, i2, . . . , ir, wherein 1≦
ir≦
m for all r;
E. a fourth processing means, operative by the second party upon receipt of said indices i1, i2, . . . , ir, for de-committing CM, thereby revealing to the third party; and
F. means, operative by the third party upon revelation of Li1, . . . , Lir, for causing the first party to be debited by a debit amount D and for causing a, fourth party to receive a credit amount CR.
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Specification