Payment system and method for use in an electronic commerce system

Abstract

A method and system of payment of goods and services in an electronic commerce system, reduces the transfer and processing costs for each purchase made by a customer from a merchant; using a customer agent, a merchant agent, an account manager associated with the agents for administration of customer accounts and merchant accounts, and a mediating trusted agent associated with one of the account manager and merchant agent for checking transactions during a trading session. The customer agent and merchant agent, account manager, and mediating trusted agent are interconnected by an electronic communication network.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A method for secure delivery of electronic products over a communications network by an automated merchant agent, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving and accepting a signed order from a consumer agent;    encrypting the electronic product with a first key;    signing and sending the encrypted electronic product and the product identity to the consumer agent for verification; and    receiving an acceptance message from the consumer and sending the first key to the customer agent for decryption of the electronic product.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein before the step of sending the first key to the customer agent, the method comprises the further step of: 
 receiving a second key from the consumer via a mediating trusted agents, which signs the second key before delivery to the merchant agent.    
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , wherein the first encryption key is encrypted with the second key before the first key is sent to the customer agent.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein after the verification of the received electronic product by the customer agent, the method further comprises the step of: 
 receiving a refusal message from the customer agent; and    initiating a re-sending of the electronic product.    
     
     
         28 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent for secure delivery of electronic products over a communications network, comprising electronic circuitry configured to: 
 receive and accept a signed order from a consumer agent;    encrypt the electronic product with a first key;    electronically sign and send the encrypted electronic product and the product identity to the consumer agent for verification; and    receive an acceptance message from the consumer and send the first key to the customer agent for decryption of the electronic product.    
     
     
         29 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 28 , wherein before the first key is sent to the customer agent, the electronically-implemented merchant agent is further configured to: 
 receive a second key from the consumer via a mediating trusted agent for signing the second key before delivery to the merchant agent.    
     
     
         30 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 29 , wherein the electronically-implemented merchant agent is further configured to: 
 encrypt the first encryption key with the second key before sending the first key to the customer agent.    
     
     
         31 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 28 , wherein after the verification of the received electronic product by the customer agent, the electronically-implemented merchant agent is further configured to: 
 receive a refusal message from the customer agent; and    initiate a re-sending of the electronic product.    
     
     
         32 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent for secure delivery of electronic products over a communications network, comprising: 
 means for receiving and accepting a signed order from a consumer agent;    means for encrypting the electronic product with a first key;    means for electronically signing and sending the encrypted electronic product and the product identity to the consumer agent for verification; and    means for receiving an acceptance message from the consumer and sending the first key to the customer agent for decryption of the electronic product.    
     
     
         33 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 32 , wherein before the first key is sent to the customer agent, the electronically-implemented merchant agent further comprises: 
 means for receiving a second key from the consumer via a mediating trusted agent for signing the second key before delivery to the merchant agent.    
     
     
         34 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 means for encrypting the first encryption key with the second key before sending the first key to the customer agent.    
     
     
         35 . An electronically-implemented merchant agent according to  claim 32 , wherein after the verification of the received electronic product by the customer agent, the electronically-implemented merchant agent further comprises: 
 means for receiving a refusal message from the customer agent; and    means for initiating a re-sending of the electronic product.