Electronic bidding method for receiving a bidding form from a bidder for a supplied item via a virtual server secured until a bidding due date

• US 20030158808A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishisaka, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

In an electronic bidding method used by a bidder to bid for a bid item supplied on a network, a virtual server is generated for each newly supplied bid item when a supplier makes an entry of the bid item for a bidding. The virtual server is secured until a bidding due date of the supplied bid item. Bidding forms transmitted from bidders for the bid item can be received via the virtual server until the bidding due date, and can be managed by the virtual server.

Claims

1. An electronic bidding method for bidding for a supplied item laid open via a network, the method comprising:

a virtual server securing step of generating a virtual server corresponding to a newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier, and securing said virtual server until a bidding due date of said supplied item; and

a bidding form managing step of enabling a bidding form transmitted from a bidder for the supplied item to be received via the corresponding virtual server until said bidding due date, and managing the received bidding form.

2. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said virtual server securing step includes a certificate obtaining step of obtaining a certificate certifying said bidder from a third-party certification organization authenticating said bidder upon receiving a bid participation application form from said bidder for said supplied item, the method further comprising:

an application form verifying step of verifying a signature of said bidder by decoding the encoded bid participation application form by using a public key included in said certificate;

a valid duration changing step of changing a valid duration of said certificate to a bid-opening date of said supplied item; and

a bidder certificate managing step of authenticating and managing said bidder for each supplied item until said bid-opening date by managing said certificate as a bidder certificate.

3. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

an authenticating step of authenticating the bidder for the supplied item subjected to a bid opening on the bid-opening date, according to said bidder certificate managed by said bidder certificate managing step; and

a bid-opening step of performing the bid opening with respect to said bidding form transmitted from said bidder, according to a result of the authentication performed by said authenticating step.

4. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bidding form managing step includes a bidding form verifying step of verifying the signature of said bidder creating said bidding form, by decoding the encoded bidding form by using a public key included in said bidder certificate.

5. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bidding form managing step includes a bidding form verifying step of verifying the signature of said bidder creating said bidding form, by decoding the encoded bidding form by using a public key included in said bidder certificate.

6. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said bidding form is an electronic document applied with an electronic signature and further encoded, and

said bidding form managing step manages the verified signature by attaching said verified signature to said encoded bidding form.

7. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said bidding form is an electronic document applied with an electronic signature and further encoded, and

said bidding form managing step manages the verified signature by attaching said verified signature to said encoded bidding form.

8. A program for causing a computer to conduct a bidding for a supplied item laid open via a network, the program comprising:

virtual server securing program code for generating a virtual server corresponding to a newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier, and securing said virtual server until a bidding due date of said supplied item; and

bidding form managing program code for enabling a bidding form transmitted from a bidder for the supplied item to be received via the corresponding virtual server until said bidding due date, and managing the received bidding form.

9. The program as claimed in claim 8, wherein said virtual server securing program code includes certificate obtaining program code for obtaining a certificate certifying said bidder from a third-party certification organization authenticating said bidder upon receiving a bid participation application form from said bidder for said supplied item, the program further comprising:

application form verifying program code for verifying a signature of said bidder by decoding the encoded bid participation application form by using a public key included in said certificate;

valid duration changing program code for changing a valid duration of said certificate to a bid-opening date of said supplied item; and

bidder certificate managing program code for authenticating and managing said bidder for each supplied item until said bid-opening date by managing said certificate as a bidder certificate.

10. A computer readable recording medium storing program code for causing a computer to conduct a bidding for a supplied item laid open via a network, the recording medium comprising:

virtual server securing program code means for generating a virtual server corresponding to a newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier, and securing said virtual server until a bidding due date of said supplied item; and

bidding form managing program code means for enabling a bidding form transmitted from a bidder for the supplied item to be received via the corresponding virtual server until said bidding due date, and managing the received bidding form.

11. The recording medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein said virtual server securing program code means includes certificate obtaining program code means for obtaining a certificate certifying said bidder from a third-party certification organization authenticating said bidder upon receiving a bid participation application form from said bidder for said supplied item, the recording medium further comprising:

application form verifying program code means for verifying a signature of said bidder by decoding the encoded bid participation application form by using a public key included in said certificate;

valid duration changing program code means for changing a valid duration of said certificate to a bid-opening date of said supplied item; and

bidder certificate managing program code means for authenticating and managing said bidder for each supplied item until said bid-opening date by managing said certificate as a bidder certificate.

12. A bidding system for bidding for a supplied item laid open via a network, the system comprising:

a virtual server generated for each newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier so as to enable a bidding form transmitted from a bidder for the supplied item to be received until a bidding due date designated for said supplied item, and to manage the received bidding form;

virtual server securing means for securing said virtual server until said bidding due date; and

bidder certificate managing means for authenticating and managing said bidder for each supplied item until a bid-opening date designated for said supplied item,

wherein said virtual server securing means and said bidder certificate managing means are connected to said virtual server via the network.

13. The bidding system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said virtual server securing means includes:

certificate obtaining means for obtaining a certificate certifying said bidder from a third-party certification organization authenticating said bidder; and

first notifying means for notifying said virtual server of the obtained certificate, and

said virtual server includes;

application form verifying means for verifying a signature of said bidder after decoding an encoded bid participation application form received from said bidder for said supplied item by using a public key included in said certificate;

valid duration changing means for changing a valid duration of said certificate to said bid-opening date of said supplied item; and

second notifying means for notifying said bidder certificate managing means of said certificate as a bidder certificate.

14. A supplier terminal for registering a supplied item to be laid open on a network, the terminal comprising:

screen displaying means for displaying a screen on a display unit so as to cause a supplier to designate a bidding due date and a bid-opening date and to input supplied item information concerning said supplied item.

15. A bidder terminal for bidding for a supplied item laid open on a network, the terminal comprising:

bid participation screen displaying means for displaying a bid participation screen on a display unit so as to cause a bidder to input bidder information identifying said bidder and to designate a certificate certifying said bidder issued by a third-party certification organization;

first electronic signature applying means for applying an electronic signature of said bidder to bid participation information including said bidder information and said certificate obtained from said bid participation screen; and

first transmitting means for transmitting said bid participation information applied with said electronic signature to a bidding server controlling a bidding for the supplied item desired by said bidder.

16. The bidder terminal as claimed in claim 15, comprising:

bidding screen displaying means for displaying a bidding screen on a display unit so as to cause a bidder to designate a bidding form;

second electronic signature applying means for applying an electronic signature of said bidder to said bidding form; and

second transmitting means for transmitting said bidding form to said bidding server.