The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1999
Kazue Sako, Tokyo, JP;
Kazue Sako, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A coding function section in a bidder sub-system is supplied with a code parameter that corresponds to a bid to be offered, and the bid is coded using the code parameter. A tender opening system decodes received bids using a decode parameter corresponding to a highest or lowest bid amount in a predetermined bid range, and any bid that is successfully decoded using the decode parameter is accepted as the contract price. If no bid is decoded using the decode parameter of the highest/lowest amount of the range, the tender opening system attempts to decode all bids using the decode parameter of the next highest/lowest bid in the range. In this manner information regarding unaccepted bids is kept confidential by not publishing the decode parameters concerning the bids inferior to the winning bid.