초록 ▼

A system and method facilitates a fair exchange of time-independent information goods between a first party's computer and a second party's computer over a network, such as the Internet. The first party's computer creates a digital contract proposal concerning the exchange of information goods. The

A system and method facilitates a fair exchange of time-independent information goods between a first party's computer and a second party's computer over a network, such as the Internet. The first party's computer creates a digital contract proposal concerning the exchange of information goods. The first party's computer digitally signs the contract proposal and stipulates a condition which, when satisfied by the second party, will create a valid contract. The first party's computer then transmits the signed contract proposal over the network to the second party's computer. The second party has one of two options: (1) satisfy the condition in the contract proposal to create a valid contract and return the valid contract to the first party, or (2) store the signed contract proposal without satisfying the condition and supply the information goods to the first party. Upon receipt of the contract or goods from the second party, the first party's computer supplies its information goods to the second party's computer. In the event that either party reneges, the non-reneging party can produce the valid contract and submit it to an adjudicator for enforcement and remedy.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [26.] A computer-implemented method for fair exchange of information goods over a network between a first party and a second party, the first party having first goods descried in a definition D.sub.1 and the second party having second goods described in a definition D.sub.2, the computer

[ I claim:] [26.] A computer-implemented method for fair exchange of information goods over a network between a first party and a second party, the first party having first goods descried in a definition D.sub.1 and the second party having second goods described in a definition D.sub.2, the computer-implemented method comprising:(a) computing a first hash value h(D.sub.1) of the definition D.sub.1 of the first goods;(b) computing a second hash value h(D.sub.2) of the definition D.sub.2 of the second goods;(c) creating a two-part contact proposal CP at the first party containing terms for the exchange of the first and second goods, the contract proposal containing an offer portion OP to be signed by the first party and an acceptance portion AP to be signed by the second party, whereupon both signatures the contract proposal becomes a valid contract;(d) including in the proposal portion and the acceptance portion the hash values h(D.sub.1) and h(D.sub.2) to uniquely identify the first and second goods;(e) computing a third hash value h(AP) of the acceptance portion AP of the contact proposal CP;(f) digitally signing the offer portion OP of the contract proposal CP using a digital signature unique to the first party;(g) including as party of the signed offer portion explicit terms indicating that contract proposal will become a valid contract upon the second party digitally signing the acceptance portion AP which has the identical third hash value h(AP);(h) transmitting the contract proposal CP with the signed offer portion to the second party;(i) receiving the contract proposal CP and signed offer portion at the second party;(j) performing, at the second party, one of the following steps: (1) digitally signing the acceptance portion AP of the contract proposal CP which has the identical third hash value h(AP) using a digital signature unique to the second party to create a valid contract and returning the valid contract to the first party, or (2) storing the contract proposal with signed offer portion without signing the acceptance portion and supplying the second goods identified in the definition D.sub.2 to the first party;wherein steps a-j are performed between the first and second parties without participation by a third party.