Hub and spokes pin verification

1. A method of conducting electronic credit card payments to a payment acquirer using a merchant's device, a buyer's mobile device and a payment server, the merchant's device comprising a card reader and a mobile phone, said method comprising:

initiating an electronic credit card payment transaction by executing a payment application in said merchant's device;

entering sales information in said merchant's device;

entering a credit card into said card reader of said merchant's device;

entering buyer identification information and generating a Personal Identification Number (PIN) entry request in said merchant's device;

transmitting an encrypted purchase message from said merchant's device to a payment server, wherein said encrypted purchase message comprises a PIN entry request and at least one of sales information, buyer identification information and encrypted credit card information read from said credit card in said card reader;

receiving and decrypting said encrypted purchase message in said payment server;

determining, in the payment server, said buyer's contact information using said buyer's identification information in said decrypted encrypted purchase message;

transmitting, from said payment server, a PIN code request to a buyer's mobile device based on said buyer's contact information;

receiving said PIN code request in said buyer's mobile device, and launching a secure PIN entry application in said buyer's mobile device;

entering a PIN code in said secure PIN entry application;

encrypting the entered PIN code in the buyer's mobile device;

transmitting a PIN code block comprising said encrypted PIN code to said payment server;

receiving said PIN code block in said payment server;

determining, in said payment server, if a verification of said PIN code is performed off-line or on-line, wherein said off-line verification comprising the steps:

i. transmitting said PIN code block from said payment server to said merchant's device;

ii. decrypting, in said merchants device, said PIN code block and verifying said PIN code block against PIN information in said credit card;

iii. transmitting sales information from merchant's device to said payment server;

iv. transmitting said credit card information and said sales information from said payment server to a bank server;

v. verifying said credit card information and sales information in said bank server;

wherein said on-line verification comprising the steps:

i. transmitting said PIN code block, said credit card information and said sales information from said payment server to said bank server;

ii. verifying said PIN code, said credit card information and said sales information in said bank server;

producing a verification message in said bank server based on said verification;

transmitting said verification message from said bank server to said payment server;

generating a receipt message in said payment server based on received verification message;

transmitting said receipt message to said buyer's mobile device and said merchant's device via said payment server; and

displaying said receipt message in said buyer's mobile device and in said merchant's device completing said electronic debit or credit card payment.

2. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 1 , wherein the step of entering PIN code in said secure PIN entry application also comprising:

entering buyer security information; and

encrypting said buyer security information and including it in said PIN code block.

3. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 2 , wherein the step of receiving said PIN code block in said payment server also comprising:

decrypting said buyer security information at said payment server, and verifying said buyer security information against said buyer identification information.

4. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 1 , wherein said buyer identification information may be any of: the buyer's mobile phone number, an e-mail address, postal address, a social security number, a signature, a one-time code, a pre-registered identification number, a photograph and biometric information.

5. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 1 , wherein said step of launching a secure PIN entry application in said buyer's mobile device entails launching an encrypted web interface that is uniquely encrypted for each PIN input occasion, or a dedicated web browser capable of decrypting the PIN input web component and ensuring secure input of the PIN code.

6. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 1 , wherein said transmission between said merchant's device and said payment server, between said payment server and said buyer's mobile device, and between said payment server and said bank server is encrypted using standard secure socket layer communication.

7. The method of conducting electronic credit card payments according to claim 1 , wherein said receipt message is stored on the payment server, and is accessible by the buyer and/or the merchant using a web browser, the merchant's device or the buyer's mobile device .

8. A system for conducting electronic credit card payments comprising:

a merchant's device including a card reader and a mobile phone;

a payment server;

a buyer's mobile phone; and

a bank server, wherein said merchant's device, payment server, buyer's device and bank server have a transceiver and a processor,

wherein said merchant's device is configure to initiate an electronic credit card payment transaction by executing a payment application, the payment application including logic configured to

receive entry of sales information,

receive data from a credit card into said card reader,

receive entry of buyer identification information and

generate a Personal Identification Number, PIN, entry request, and

transmit an encrypted purchase message from said merchant's device to the payment server, wherein said encrypted purchase message comprises a PIN entry request and at least one of sales information, buyer identification information and encrypted credit card information read from said credit card in said card reader,

wherein said payment server is configured to

receive and decrypt said encrypted purchase message,

determine said buyer's contact information using said buyer's identification information in said decrypted encrypted purchase message, and

transmit, from said payment server, a PIN code request to a buyer's mobile device based on said buyer's contact information,

wherein said buyer's mobile device is configured to

receive said PIN code request and launch a secure PIN entry application,

receive a PIN code in said secure PIN entry application,

encrypt the entered PIN code, and

transmit a PIN code block comprising said encrypted PIN code to said payment server,

wherein said payment server is configured to

receive said PIN code block,

determine if a verification of said PIN code is performed off-line or on-line,

wherein said off-line verification comprises

wherein said payment server is configured to

transmit said PIN code block from said payment server to said merchant's device,

wherein said merchant's device is configured to

decrypt said PIN code block and verify said PIN code block against PIN information in said credit card,

transmit sales information from merchant's device to said payment server,

wherein said payment server is configured to

receive said sales information from said merchant's device,

transmit said credit card information and said sales information from said payment server to a bank server,

wherein said back server is configured to

verify said credit card information and sales information;

wherein said on-line verification comprises

wherein said payment server is configured to

transmit said PIN code block, said credit card information and said sales information from said payment server to said bank server,

wherein said bank server is configured to

verify said PIN code, said credit card information and said sales information,

wherein said bank server is configured to

produce a verification message based on said verification,

transmit said verification message from said bank server to said payment server,

wherein said payment server is configured to

generate a receipt message based on received verification message, and

transmit said receipt message to said buyer's mobile device and said merchant's device via said payment server,

wherein said buyer's mobile device and said merchant's device are configured to display said receipt message completing said electronic debit or credit card payment.