There are ways you can simulate (stimulate?) an uptick using ECNs. On the Nasdaq it is techncially called the Bid Rule. The inside Bid must be equal to or higher than the last trade for an uptick situation to occur. Ergo, if you step up, or make the software step up, with an equal bid no matter how small, you then have an uptick situation.
Talk to your software developer ;-)
"Soooo, how much software do you want to buy..."
Indeed.