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 7,630,920 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishisaka, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/268,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,615 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 26- 27, 705/37, 705/50, 705 64- 79
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• 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 opened via a network executed by a computer, the method comprising:

generating a virtual server by generating a virtual server name corresponding to a newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier and registering the virtual server name to a host definition information file which manages a correspondence between a host name and an IP address by the computer, wherein the virtual server name corresponds to a port number;

securing said virtual server until a bidding due date of said supplied item by managing the virtual server name and the bidding due date by the computer; and

enabling a bidding form transmitted from a bidder by referring to the virtual server name and the bidding due date, and managing the received bidding form by the computer, wherein

said securing by the computer includes 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 bid participation application form to which an electronic signature is applied, the method further comprising;

verifying the electronic signature of said bidder by using a public key included in said certificate by the computer;

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

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

2. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

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

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.

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

4. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bidding form is an electronic document applied with an electronic signature, and

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

5. The electronic bidding method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bidding form managing includes verifying the electronic signature of said bidder creating said bidding form, by using a public key included in said bidder certificate.

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

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

7. A computer readable recording medium storing program code readable by a computer for causing the computer to conduct a bidding for a supplied item opened via a network by executing a process comprising:

generating a virtual server by generating a virtual server name corresponding to a newly supplied item according to an entry of said supplied item by a supplier, and registering the virtual server name to a host definition information file which manages a correspondence between a host name and an IP address, wherein the virtual server name corresponds to a port number;

securing said virtual server until a bidding due date of said supplied item by managing the virtual server name and the bidding due date; and

enabling a bidding form transmitted from a bidder by referring to the virtual server name and the bidding due date, and managing the received bidding form, wherein

said virtual server securing includes 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 and to which an electronic signature is applied, the process further comprising;

verifying the electronic signature of said bidder by using a public key included in said certificate;

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

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