Methods for payment and merchant systems

Abstract

Methods for payment and/or merchant system which facilitates the payment of very small monetary amounts, making the payment more secure for the user. The method for a payment system for at least one online shop relies on an identifier of a user device for recording at least one identification number of the user device, for receiving and confirming direct debit orders, and for storing the direct debit orders. Such method monitors the total of the debit amounts in relation to the identification number and to request a user of the user device to register after a predetermined time interval and/or on exceeding a predetermined value of the total payable, in order to settle at least part of the total payable.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method for a payment system comprising the steps of:
 receiving, over a network, an identifier of a user device and information indicative of requested item for purchase from a network-accessible merchant by the user device;   determining, based on the user device identifier, a creditworthiness indicator associated with the user device;   transmitting an authorization signal to the network-accessible merchant for the requested purchase without concurrently requiring payment for the purchases, when the creditworthiness indicator satisfies predetermined conditions;   monitoring a total outstanding purchase balance associated with the user device; and   transmitting a request signal to the user device for settlement of at least a part of the total outstanding purchase balance when the total outstanding balance will have exceeded a predetermined threshold amount and/or accrued over a period of time that exceeds a predetermined time interval.   
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining step comprises the step of determining whether the user device identifier is included in a maintained list of identifiers. 
     
     
         12 . The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the maintained list of identifiers includes uncreditworthy identifiers. 
     
     
         13 . The computer implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving step comprises information regarding the requested item for purchase, and further comprises evaluating whether the user device has previously been provided access to the requested item. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the authorization signal is generated in substantial absence of registration or login to the payment system or to the network-accessible merchant computer by a user associated with the user device. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the authorization signal is generated in substantial absence of identifying a user associated with the use device. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the user device identifier is a MAC address of the user device. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , Wherein the user device identifier is associated with a HTTP cookie stored within the user device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the network-accessible merchant transmits the item to said user device based on the authorization signal in substantial absence of receipt of payment by the payment system, and wherein said item is digital content. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method for a network-accessible merchant comprising the steps of:
 receiving, over a network, request information and an identifier of a user device, wherein the request information represents a request to purchase an item from the network-accessible merchant by the user device;   receiving information from the user device indicating acceptance of a fee to be paid for the item;   storing information related to the fee in association with the user device identifier;   monitoring a total outstanding balance of fee(s) associated with the user device identifier;   transmitting a request signal for settlement of at least a part of the total outstanding purchase balance when the total outstanding fees balance exceeds a predetermined threshold amount; and   transmitting an authorization signal to the network-accessible merchant when the total outstanding fees balance has not exceed the predetermined threshold amount.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the user device identifier is a MAC address of the user device. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the user device identifier is associated with a HTTP cookie stored within the user device. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of transmitting the authorization signal to the network-accessible merchant occurs in substantial absence of receipt of payment for the fee. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the storing, monitoring and request signal transmitting steps are performed by a network-accessible payment system associated with the network-accessible merchant computer. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of transmitting a request for authorization to the network-accessible payment system, said request including the user device identifier and information indicative of the fee; and receiving from the network-accessible payment system an authorization request signal. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a follow-up request from the payment system; and 
 transmitting to the user device information indicative of the follow-up request and link to a payment system server. 
 
     
     
         26 . A computer-implemented method for a network-accessible merchant comprising the steps of:
 receiving, over a network, request information and an identifier of a user device, wherein the request information represents a request to purchase an item from the network-accessible merchant by the user device;   receiving information from the user device indicating acceptance of a fee to be paid for the item;   storing information related to the fee in association with the user device identifier;   monitoring a total outstanding balance of fee(s) associated with the user device identifier;   transmitting a request signal for settlement of at least a part of the total outstanding purchase balance when the total outstanding fees over a period of time exceeds a predetermined time interval; and   transmitting an authorization signal to the network-accessible merchant when the total outstanding fees over a period of time does not exceed the predetermined time interval.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the user device identifier is a MAC address of the user device. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the user device identifier is associated with a HTTP cookie stored within the user device. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of transmitting the authorization signal to the network-accessible merchant occurs in substantial absence of receipt of payment for the fee. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the storing, monitoring and request signal transmitting steps are performed by a network-accessible payment system associated with the network-accessible merchant computer. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30  further comprising the step of transmitting a request for authorization to the network-accessible payment system, said request including the user device identifier and information indicative of the fee; and receiving from the network-accessible payment system an authorization request signal. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a follow-up request from the payment system; and 
 transmitting to the user device information indicative of the follow-up request and link to a payment system server. 
 
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the network-accessible merchant transmits the item to said user device based on the authorization signal in substantial absence of receipt of payment by the payment system, and wherein said item is digital content. 
     
     
         34 . (New The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the network-accessible merchant transmits the item to said user device based on the authorization signal in substantial absence of receipt of payment by the payment system, and wherein said item is digital content.