JP2002304543A - Electronic commercial transaction server to which virtual market is applied and its system and commercial transaction method using the same system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic commercial transaction system whose efficiency, optimization, and manpower reduction can be realized by executing commercial transaction negotiation between a buyer and seller which is normally performed by a person on a computer network and a commercial transaction method using this system. SOLUTION: This electronic commercial transaction system is provided with a virtual market 14 having a demand agent 141 to which the merchandise buying condition of a buyer 4 is inputted through a computer network as a demand function and a supply agent 142 to which the merchandise selling condition of a seller 15 is inputted through the computer network as a supply function while repeating a process to calculate the conditions untill the total sum of the demand functions coincides with the total sum of the supply functions and the demand agent 141 and the supply agent 142 respectively reset the demand functions and the supply functions based on the matched conditions, and the respective agents provide transaction plans to the buyer 4 and the seller 5 by converging the matched conditions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to online commerce through a computer network, and negotiates prices, quantities, delivery dates, and the like performed by a person in a normal transaction on behalf of sellers and buyers in an electronic commerce system. In this way, both sellers and buyers can conduct transactions that meet their own conditions without any hassle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the rapid spread of computer networks, a technology has been developed that enables secure and secure business transactions on the Internet. An electronic commerce server called an electronic mall or an electronic mall has been developed. Many have been opened.

For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-99585, in a situation where there are a large number of online shopping malls connected to a computer network, product information is searched on behalf of a user, and a product that best meets the user's purchase request is disclosed. If you do not find the product you want, you will continue to search for products on a regular basis, and on behalf of the user, you will find information such as bargain sale information, new product information, seasonal product information, inventory information, etc. There is disclosed a search-based reservation and purchase system that constantly monitors product information to improve user convenience.

[0004]

As described above, the user (buyer) only searches for the product information presented by the seller and makes a reservation purchase of a product that meets his / her purchase request. Negotiate with the seller about prices, quantities, delivery dates, etc.

[0005] The present invention is to improve the efficiency, optimization, and labor saving of commercial transactions based on current intuition and experience by allowing buyers and sellers to negotiate commercial transactions, usually performed by humans, on a computer network. An electronic commerce system, an electronic commerce server, and a commercial transaction method using the same are provided.

[0006]

According to a first electronic commerce system of the present invention, a buyer's merchandise purchase conditions are entered via a computer network as a demand function and a seller's merchandise sale conditions are entered as demand functions. Having a supply agent input as a supply function via a computer network, calculating a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match, and based on the posting condition, The demand agent and the supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively, and again set the posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match. By repeating the calculation process until the above-mentioned posting conditions converge, the proposed transaction is offered to the buyer and the seller. It is those with a virtual market to provide.

A second electronic commerce system according to the present invention sets a buyer's merchandise purchase condition and a seller's merchandise sale condition input via a computer network as a demand function and a supply function, and executes the buyer's business transaction. Enter the above demand function into the acting demand agent,
The supply function is input to a supply agent acting on behalf of the seller, and a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match is calculated, and the demand is calculated based on the posting condition. A process in which an agent and a supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively, and again calculate a posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match. Is repeated until the above-mentioned posting conditions converge, thereby providing an e-commerce server for providing the buyer and the seller with a commercial transaction plan.

[0008] In a third electronic commerce system according to the present invention, in the first or second electronic commerce system, a buyer and a seller make a final transaction decision on the provided commercial transaction plan.

In a first commercial transaction method according to the present invention, a buyer of a product uses any one of the first to third electronic commerce systems.

[0010] In a second commercial transaction method according to the present invention, a seller of a product uses any one of the first to third electronic commerce systems.

[0011] A first electronic commerce server according to the present invention comprises:
The buyer's merchandise buying conditions, via a computer network, a demand agent that is input as a demand function, and the seller's merchandise selling conditions, via a computer network, a supply agent that is input as a supply function, A condition (posting condition) where the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match is calculated, and based on the posting condition, the demand agent and the supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively. Again, by repeating the process of calculating a posting condition in which the total of the reset demand function and the total of the reset supply function match until the above posting condition converges, It is provided with a virtual market that provides a transaction plan.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing Embodiment 1 of an electronic commerce system to which a virtual market according to the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is an e-commerce server, 2 is a network, 3 is a client, 4 is a buyer, 5 is a seller,
11 is a WWW server for connecting the electronic commerce server 1 to the network 2, 12 is a function setting unit for setting a demand function and a supply function, 13 is a database, 14 is a virtual market, and the client 3 is a buyer 4 and a seller 5 2 is a terminal device or the like connected to the device 2.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of buyers 4 and a plurality of sellers 5 register as members with the electronic commerce server 1,
The information is stored in the database 13 as a customer master as shown in FIG.

[0014] The buyer 4 registers in the e-commerce server 1 a product to be purchased on an input screen as shown in FIG. At this time, a plurality of buying conditions such as price, quantity, and delivery date are input. The purchase condition is sent to the function setting unit 12 via the WWW server 11, and a demand function is set in the function setting unit 12. The demand function is data as shown in FIG. Are stored in the database 13 as a product master as shown in FIG. 5 and a demand table as shown in FIG. Although FIG. 4 shows a general function of price and quantity, the function may be a multidimensional function in consideration of conditions such as a delivery date.

[0015] The seller 5 registers information on the commodities that can be supplied to the electronic commerce server 1. At that time, price, quantity,
Enter multiple desired selling conditions such as delivery date. The selling condition is sent to the function setting unit 12 via the WWW server 11, and the supply function is set in the function setting unit 12. The supply function is data as shown in FIG. The condition information is stored in the database 13 as a product master as shown in FIG. 5 and a supply table as shown in FIG. The information on the buying condition, the information on the selling condition, the demand function, and the supply function stored in the database 13 are input to the virtual market 14 when the transaction start time of the virtual market 14 comes.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing the concept of the virtual market shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
Is a demand agent 1 that does business on behalf of buyers
41, a supply agent 142 that conducts business transactions on behalf of the seller, and a product 143.
The demand agent 141 is input with buyer conditions, ie, a demand function, the supply agent 142 is supplied with supply conditions, ie, a supply function, and the product 143 is information on product buying conditions, information on selling conditions, and a market described later. Is entered.

FIG. 9 shows the function setting unit 12 and the virtual market 1
6 is a flowchart for explaining an algorithm in FIG. The algorithm shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Step 1: At a certain time, a virtual market 14 is opened, a demand function is input from the database 13 to the demand agent 141, a supply function is set to the supply agent 142, and a product purchase is made to the product 143. Condition information and sale conditions are set.

Step 2: When the demand function and the supply function are set in the demand agent 141 and the supply agent 142, respectively, the demand agent 141 and the supply agent 142 are sent to the virtual market 14.

After the opening of the virtual market 14, information on goods (buying conditions or selling conditions) registered by another buyer 4 or seller 5 from the client 3 to the e-commerce server 1.
, The demand function or the supply function is set in the demand agent 141 or the supply agent 142,
Demand agent 141 and supply agent 142
Are sent to the virtual market 14.

It should be noted that the buyer 4 requests the demand agent 1 for each of all the products 143 to be purchased at present within the resource constraints of its own budget, warehouse, and the like.
The demand function is input to the supply agent 41, and the seller 5 inputs the supply function to the supply agent 142 for each of the products 143 that the seller 5 has as an inventory and a production plan. That is, the demand agent 141 and the supply agent 1
Each 42 can handle a demand function and a supply function of a plurality of commodities.

Step 3: The virtual market 14 is a product 143
For each time, the sum of the demand function input to the demand agent 141 and the sum of the supply functions bid for the supply agent 142 are obtained, and a condition (for example, market price) where the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply functions match is calculated. , The market condition of the calculated product 143 in the market (hereinafter referred to as a posting condition) is obtained.

Step 4: The posting condition obtained in Step 3 is given to the product 143 as posting condition information.

Step 5: New demand agent 14
When 1 or the supply agent 142 is input, the process returns to Step 3. When the demand agent 141 and the supply agent 142 update their own demand function and supply function by seeing the new posting condition, the process returns to Step 1. If it is determined that the posting conditions have sufficiently converged for all the commodities and there is no unprocessed input, the converging posting conditions are set as equilibrium conditions (eg, final market price) in Ste
Proceed to p6.

Step 6: The demand agent 141 and the supply agent 142 store the converged posting conditions in the database 13 as a draft of a commercial transaction result.

Step 7: It is determined whether or not it is the transaction end time, and if it is the transaction end time, the process ends. If it is not the transaction end time, the process returns to Step 1.

[0027] The buyer 4 and the seller 5 transmit the commercial transaction results stored in the database 13 in Step 6 to, for example,
It can be seen on a display screen as shown in FIG. Buyer 4 and seller 5 view the proposed transaction results and enter the final business decision into the commerce server.

According to the present embodiment, the virtual market 14 is provided inside the electronic commerce server 1, and negotiations on commercial transactions such as price, quantity, delivery date, etc. performed by a person in a normal transaction are performed by the virtual market 14
Demand agent 141 and supply agent 14
2 acts on behalf of the buyer 4 and the seller 5, respectively, so that both the buyer 4 and the seller 5 can perform a transaction that meets their conditions without hassle.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram illustrating a virtual market according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of application in an electronic commerce market in which there are a plurality of buyers 4 and sellers 5. However, as shown in FIG. 11, a single seller 5 may be used. The supply agent 142 sets a supply function based on supply conditions such as supply price, inventory, and production plan in the supply agent 142, and develops the algorithm shown in FIG.
Negotiate commercial transactions with and automatically present prices and delivery dates.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram illustrating a virtual market according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Contrary to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG.
In this case, a purchase agent such as a desired purchase price and a delivery date is set as a demand function in the demand agent 141 of the buyer 4, and the algorithm shown in FIG. 141 is
It is possible to negotiate with the supply agent 142 of the seller 5 and automatically present an efficient transaction.

[0031]

According to the first and third electronic commerce systems according to the present invention, a buyer's merchandise purchase conditions are input as a demand function via a computer network, and a seller's merchandise sale conditions are input. Has a supply agent input as a supply function via a computer network, and calculates a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function coincide with each other. Based on the above, the demand agent and the supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively, and again, the posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match. By repeating the process of calculating until the above posting conditions converge, Since the virtual market demand agent and the supply agent perform the buyer and seller on behalf of the buyer and seller, respectively, the buyer and the seller do not have to deal with their own conditions. Can be done.

According to the second and third electronic commerce systems according to the present invention, the buyer's merchandise purchase condition and the seller's merchandise sale condition input via the computer network are set as a demand function and a supply function, The demand function is input to the demand agent acting on behalf of the buyer's commerce, the supply function is input to the supply agent acting on behalf of the seller's commerce, and the condition that the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match (Posting condition) is calculated, and based on the posting condition, the demand agent and the supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively, and again set the sum of the reset demand functions. The process of calculating the posting conditions that match the sum of the corrected supply functions is repeated until the above-mentioned posting conditions converge. Thus, since the electronic commerce server that provides the buyer and the seller with a commercial transaction plan is provided, the demand agent and the supply agent perform the buyer and the seller on behalf of the buyer and the seller, respectively. Transactions that meet the conditions can be performed without any hassle.

According to the first commercial transaction method of the present invention,
Since the buyer of the product uses any of the first to third electronic commerce systems, the buyer can perform a transaction that meets his or her condition without hassle.

According to the second commercial transaction method of the present invention,
Since the seller of the product uses any one of the first to third electronic commerce systems, the seller can perform a transaction that meets his own conditions without any hassle.

According to the first electronic commerce server according to the present invention, the buyer's merchandise purchase conditions are input as a demand function via the computer network, and the seller's merchandise sales conditions are transmitted through the computer network. And a supply agent that is input as a supply function via the supply agent, calculates a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match, and based on the posting condition, the demand agent And the supply agent resets its own demand function and supply function, and again calculates a posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match. Virtual, which provides a transaction plan to the buyer and seller by repeating until the above-mentioned posting conditions converge. Commerce system in which a demand agent and a supply agent respectively perform a buyer and a seller on behalf of a buyer and a seller, so that both the buyer and the seller can perform a transaction that meets their conditions without hassle. Can be built.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic commerce system to which a virtual market according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a customer master.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for a desired product for purchase.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a demand function and a supply function.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a product master.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a demand table.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a supply table.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram illustrating a concept of a virtual market according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of negotiation of each agent in the virtual market.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a commercial transaction result.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram illustrating a concept of a virtual market according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram illustrating a concept of a virtual market according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 e-commerce server, 2 computer network, 3 clients, 4 buyers, 5 sellers, 11
WWW server, 12 function setting unit, 13 database, 14 virtual market, 141 demand agent, 14
2 Supply agents, 143 commodities.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A demand agent in which a buyer's merchandise buying conditions are input as a demand function via a computer network, and a supply agent in which a seller's merchandise selling conditions are input as a supply function via a computer network. And calculating a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match, and based on the posting condition, the demand agent and the supply agent respectively have their own demand function and supply By resetting the function, again, by repeating the process of calculating a posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match until the above posting condition converges, An e-commerce system comprising a virtual marketplace for providing a business transaction plan to the buyer and the seller. Tem. 2. A buyer's merchandise buying condition and a seller's merchandise selling condition input through a computer network are set as a demand function and a supply function, and the demand function is input to a demand agent acting on behalf of the buyer. Then, the supply function is input to a supply agent acting on behalf of the seller's business, and a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match is calculated, and based on the posting condition, The demand agent and the supply agent reset their own demand function and supply function, respectively, and again calculate the posting condition where the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match. The above process is repeated until the above-mentioned posting conditions converge, so that the buyers and sellers An electronic commerce system comprising an electronic commerce server to provide. 3. The electronic commerce system according to claim 1, wherein a buyer and a seller make a final transaction decision on the provided commercial transaction plan. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the buyer of the product is
A commercial transaction method using the electronic commerce system according to any one of the above. 5. The product according to claim 1, wherein the seller of the product is
A commercial transaction method using the electronic commerce system according to any one of the above. 6. A demand agent in which a buyer's merchandise purchase condition is input as a demand function via a computer network, and a supply agent in which a seller's merchandise sale condition is input as a supply function via a computer network. And calculating a condition (posting condition) in which the sum of the demand function and the sum of the supply function match, and based on the posting condition, the demand agent and the supply agent respectively have their own demand function and supply By resetting the function, again, by repeating the process of calculating a posting condition in which the sum of the reset demand function and the reset sum of the supply function match until the above posting condition converges, An e-commerce server comprising a virtual market for providing a transaction plan to the buyer and the seller. .