Abstract: An apparatus for and method of transacting business over a network, such as the Internet. The technique is applicable to a number of e-commerce applications, but the low transaction cost permits its use with microsales involving micropayments of less than one U.S. dollar. An Internet user requests a purchase from a content provider via the user's Internet Service Provider. The Internet service provider records the transaction in a transaction log. The content provider records the transaction in an invoice log. At the end of a billing cycle, a transaction reconciler performs a reconciliation of all transaction logs from all Internet service providers with all invoice logs from all content providers. After correction of any errors found, each Internet service provider is billed by the transaction reconciler for all purchases made by its subscribing users during the purchase period.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of transacting business over a network, such as the Internet. The technique is applicable to a number of e-commerce applications, but the low transaction cost permits its use with microsales involving micropayments of less than one U.S. dollar. An Internet user requests a purchase from a content provider via the user's Internet Service Provider. The Internet service provider records the transaction in a transaction log. The content provider records the transaction in an invoice log. At the end of a billing cycle, a transaction reconciler performs a reconciliation of all transaction logs from all Internet service providers with all invoice logs from all content providers. After correction of any errors found, each Internet service provider is billed by the transaction reconciler for all purchases made by its subscribing users during the purchase period.