A method and apparatus for generating bids for bidding agents in an auction. Bids are sorted by decreasing bid amount for regular bids and upper limit for order bids to form a sorted set of bids, wherein each bid includes a quantity and wherein the bids include order bids. A first bid is identified requesting a quantity in which an unallocatable portion is present. A number of order bids is selected from the bids, wherein the number of order bids are higher in the sorted set of bids than the first bid and have an allocation requirement less than the unallocatable portion of the of the first bid. A price is set for the order bids higher than the first bid and not in the aforementioned selected bids.

Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between computing systems, such as by using an authorization system to automatically authorize financial payments between parties in accordance with previously specified private authorization instructions of at least one of the parties. In some situations, some or all of the payments are associated with commerce-related or other transactions, such as transactions initiated by a consumer via the Web to acquire items from a retailer. The authorization instructions may include predefined instruction sets that regulate conditions under which a potential payment can be authorized, with the instruction sets each associated in some situations with a reference. After one or more parties each supply one or more such references or otherwise indicate one or more such instruction sets for use with a potential payment, the authorization system can determine whether to authorize the payment based on whether the instruction sets are compatible or otherwise satisfied.

A system and method for creating digital currency has a first automated teller machine operably connected to a central computer. A program initiated on the first automated teller machine with an initiation button functions to enable the first automated teller machine to receive physical currency with a currency scanner, to determine a sum of currency. The program then signals the central computer to create an account in a database, and to create a unique alphanumeric code associated with the account. The account includes the sum of currency. The unique alphanumeric code includes a first portion that includes the sum of currency in digital form, and a second portion that is random or user determined.

A system and method are disclosed for transparently providing certificate validation and other services without requiring a separate service request by either a relying customer or subscribing customer. In a preferred embodiment, after the subscribing customer digitally signs a document (e.g., a commercial document such as a purchase order), it forwards the document to a trusted messaging entity which validates the certificates of both the subscribing customer and relying customer and the respective system participants of which they are customers. If the certificates are valid, the trusted messaging entity appends a validation message to the digitally-signed document and forwards the document to the relying customer. A validation message is also preferably appended to a digitally-signed receipt from the relying customer and transmitted to the subscribing customer. In this way, both the relying customer and subscribing customer obtain certification of their respective counterparty to the transaction.

A method and apparatus for securing hypertext transfer protocol sessions authenticates a user's credentials before creating a session. The present invention then associates the session with the credentials. Subsequent requests are submitted with the session ID and the user credentials to be associated with the session. Therefore, an unauthorized user that has obtained a session ID cannot gain access to sensitive content associated with the session without possessing the valid credentials.