Secure auction systems
First Claim
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1. A method for making transactions in a secure auction service network having a plurality of servers connected to a plurality of bidding terminals, said transaction being subject to a distributed protocol, said method comprising:
- submitting from said bidding terminals monetary bids and distributing each of said monetary bids among said servers during a bidding period subject to a distributed protocol;
closing said bidding period;
verifying at said servers validity of monetary value of each of said monetary bids by utilizing said distributed protocol;
collectively determining a winning bidding terminal among said plurality of bidding terminals;
wherein said distributed protocol requires that said monetary bids be encoded using public information and private keys for distribution to said servers;
wherein said distributed protocol requires that said encrypted monetary bids be individually distributed in shares among said servers; and
wherein said distributed protocol requires that said servers validate said monetary bids by decrypting said encrypted monetary bids using said private keys and evaluating the consistency with said public information.
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Abstract
The apparatus and method of the present invention provide secure auction service for use in a network having servers and bidding terminals. The auction service makes transactions among servers and bidding terminals subject to a distributed protocol. The distributed protocol distributes submitted bids among the multiple servers, closes a bidding period, verifies validity of monetary value of each submitted bid by utilizing said distributed protocol and determines a winning bidder.
485 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for making transactions in a secure auction service network having a plurality of servers connected to a plurality of bidding terminals, said transaction being subject to a distributed protocol, said method comprising:
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submitting from said bidding terminals monetary bids and distributing each of said monetary bids among said servers during a bidding period subject to a distributed protocol; closing said bidding period; verifying at said servers validity of monetary value of each of said monetary bids by utilizing said distributed protocol; collectively determining a winning bidding terminal among said plurality of bidding terminals; wherein said distributed protocol requires that said monetary bids be encoded using public information and private keys for distribution to said servers; wherein said distributed protocol requires that said encrypted monetary bids be individually distributed in shares among said servers; and wherein said distributed protocol requires that said servers validate said monetary bids by decrypting said encrypted monetary bids using said private keys and evaluating the consistency with said public information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for making transactions in a service network having a plurality of servers and a plurality of remote stations connected to said servers, said transactions being subject to distributed protocols, said method comprising:
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submitting offers from said remote stations to said servers by; i. encoding each of said offers into a plurality of shares utilizing said distributed protocols; ii. individually distributing said shares of each of said offers among said servers; reconstructing at said servers portions of said offers by utilizing said distributed protocol; verifying collectively among said servers the validity of said portions of said offers; accepting collectively among said servers at least one of said verified offers based on a predetermined rule; wherein said distributing step includes the steps of sending public information to said servers and sending private keys to appropriate servers; and wherein said verifying step includes the step of evaluating consistency of said decrypted share with said public information. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A secure auction system for making transactions subject to distributed protocol comprising:
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a plurality of bidding terminals configured for submitting monetary bids and individually distributing said monetary bids among a plurality of servers connected to said bidding terminals during a bidding period; said servers configured for closing said bidding period, for collectively verifying a validity of monetary value of each of said monetary bids by utilizing said distributed protocol and for collectively determining a winning bidding terminal; wherein said bidding terminals encode said monetary bids using public information and private keys; and wherein said servers verify said monetary value of each of said monetary bids by decrypting said monetary bids with said private keys and evaluating the consistency with said public information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification