JP6839185B2 - Sealed bid auction method and system - Google Patents

Description

Cross-reference to related applications The current application is based on serial number 62 / 246,987 of the provisional application filed on October 27, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The disclosure relates to auctions, and more specifically to sealed bidding methods and systems in online auctions. The method allows the seller to transfer or share ownership of the auctioned object, including tangible and intangible and valuable items such as goods, skills, services, spaces or financial resources. .. It can be used for wideband electronic devices including, but not limited to, computers, mobile devices, tablets and the like. In addition, the methods published in this document can be applied to live auctions.

Traditional auctions are in the form of negotiating the price of scarce resources and selling such resources at the optimal price accepted by the buyer and seller. The purpose of the auction is to optimize the seller's profits and minimize the buyer's costs. Traditional auctions are known to the ancient Greeks and first came into contact around 500 BC. American auctions date back to the 1600s and are common after the first migrants arrived on the east coast of the United States during the colonial era, due to the inherent profitability of selling crops, imports, livestock, tools, tobacco, farms, etc. Became known to. Buying and selling at auctions is a quick and efficient way to convert existing assets into cash. Since then, auctions have continued to evolve through various cycles. Auction business developed in the late 1900s, especially in the 1990s, to accommodate the use of technology development by auctioneers to run their businesses faster and more efficiently using technologies such as computers, fuck simili machines, and mobile phones. It has begun to take root as a technology of.

These technological advances have enabled auctioneers today to offer both live and online auctions to meet the different needs of their customers, both near and far. Today, it is technically possible for buyers to participate in sales without being at the auction site. Online auctions are popular because the Internet provides an easy-to-use and convenient platform for exchanging value characteristics between interested parties. Online auctions can be conducted through mobile applications and websites accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

There are open and sealed bid auctions based on existing prior art and auction practices. A public auction is an auction in which the bid is disseminated to all bidders. Public auctions may be in ascending (English) or descending (Netherlands) bidding auction models. In the ascending bid auction model, valuable properties compete in ascending order, and the last bidder who offers the highest bid after a certain amount of time wins. A descending bid auction is an auction model in which the auctioneer starts at a higher asking price and then lowers the price until the bidder accepts it. One of the great advantages of open auctions is that bidders can see each other's bids, making the auction clear and transparent. However, public auctions have many negative consequences associated with transparency about disclosing bids.

On the other hand, while popular and successful in general, online auctions are not without shortages and flaws. For example, fairness is a major issue in open auctions. The flaws in public auctions that accompany online public auctions include "bidding obstruction (shielding) to protect cheap bids", "bid shading", "sakura selling bids", and "auction just before the end of the auction". Rogue bidders, including but not limited to "sniping" and "collusion", may be involved. Such drawbacks may arise because the disclosure of bids is easily manipulated by improper bidders who are involved in the above-mentioned rude activities and abuse the auction process.

"Shielding to protect cheap bids" occurs when a high bid is withdrawn and a lower bid is accepted at the final stage of the auction. "Sakura to sell bids" employs a method of forcing a genuine bidder to artificially bid at a high price so that the bidder pays more for the property he / she wants to buy. "Shading" occurs when a bidder competes for a lower or higher bid than what the auctioned property actually considers to be valuable. The purpose of shading is to deceive other bidders about the actual price of the property.

"Sniping" just before the end of the auction is to bid off just before the end of the auction to prevent other bidders from responding to the price and bid higher. The software is seemingly available to assist in implementation. This mainly applies to sites that have a fixed bid ban. "Collaboration" occurs not only when there is illegal cooperation between buyers to decide not to compete with each other and keep the price low, but also when the seller vendors are in each other's property. It also happens when you bid for a bid and raise the price unreasonably so that the winning buyer pays. "Collaboration" results in "bidding obstruction (shielding) to protect cheap bids", "sakura selling bids" and / or "bid shading", etc., and occurs frequently in auctions.

With all these inherent drawbacks, in order to win in ascending public bidding online auctions, legitimate bidders are often careful not to bid higher, especially in the last few seconds of the auction. The auction must be monitored. When a regular bidder gets a high price and becomes expensive due to another bidder's "sniping just before the end of the auction", the entire auction procedure takes a lot of time and becomes psychologically stressful. become. The bidder realizes that even if he works desperately, he cannot win the victory due to the final "sniping" just before the end of the auction, and he is annoyed before he knows it.

It is difficult to detect a rude bidder on the Internet because it is not easy to identify the difference between a rude bidder and a legitimate bidder only by appearance. For example, all online auction systems have a fixed bid ban, and any open bidding system. “Sniping” occurs just before the end of the auction, and the bidder can legally bid at any time from the beginning to the end of the auction. In the event of "sniping" just before the end of the auction, it is almost impossible to identify who is a legitimate and who is a rude bidder. Many public auction online websites claim that there is a way to detect and eliminate rude abusers. Measures have been taken to prevent fraud or tort in online auctions, but currently available systems and action laws are ineffective. For example, a user's suspicious bidding behavior is reported too late, so there are too many variables to produce favorable results for a legitimate auctioneer. User-reported measures require investigation, but take longer than the time given to the bidder, and the auction may end before the issue is resolved. In addition, too many variables are taken into account when determining if a user is abusing the system. In addition, legitimate bidders may not have sufficient evidence that another user is cheating. Even though there are laws that enforce fines or jail for illegal or fraudulent bids, the internet allows them to hide their names, which still allows for mass fraud. Public auctions have many drawbacks, primarily because the bids appear to be public, and one way to overcome these drawbacks is to keep the bids private during the sealed bid auction. So, there is a method of doing it through a sealed bid auction that is not disclosed. This is because in a sealed bid auction, the bidder bids in the first stage of the auction, but the bid amount remains private and invisible to other bidders until it is published in the second stage. It means that.

The sealed bid auction differs depending on the winning bid paid for the property, and there are auction methods of the sealed bid first price and the sealed bid second price. The conventional method of a sealed bid auction is a first-price auction method in which the highest bid bids in the auction. In sealed bids, buyers of first bid price auctions face some problems. The problem of "haunting the winner" exists as one of the common problems not only in the first bid price auction that is open to the public but also in the sealed bid auction. "Haunting of the winner" often occurs when the winning bid exceeds the inherent value of the auctioned property. In particular, buyers and / or successful bidders with limited knowledge of the auctioned property may be overpaid for the property due to improper market evaluation or inexperience of the auctioned property. That's certainly true. To overcome this "winner's slap" -like shortcoming, there is a second method known as the Sealed Second Bid Price Auction (Vickrey), where the winning bidder is the auctioned property. Pay the second highest bid, not the highest bid. In other words, the auction wins the bid with the highest bidder for the target property, but the winning bidder only has to pay the second highest bid, which is inevitably lower than the highest bid price. Potentially reflects the real price of the auctioned property. These types of auctions have some attractive features, such as lower prices for "winners' haunting" because they bid without worrying about overpaying the property.

However, the sealed bid second price auction has its own drawbacks, which can allow bidders to artificially increase bids without considering the actual value of the auctioned property. Inappropriate bidders often use this tactic to win the auction, as the winning bidder only pays the second highest bid. This is because it is very difficult for a legitimate bidder who bids at a realistic price to beat a rude bidder who artificially inflates the bid price, so he bids at the actual perceived price. It may prevent legitimate bidders from participating in the auction. Another drawback of this method is the anguish of the second highest bidder, who won't win the auction but the price is used as the real value of the auctioned property without any compensation.

In addition, there are inherent logical drawbacks to the second pricing method for sealed bidding, as bidders do not pay the price they actually bid. Instead, the winning bidder will pay the bid price of another person, specifically the second highest bid. And the bidder with the second highest bid ends up with no fruit, and that bid is used as a reference for the amount paid by the winning bidder. This method is unfair to legitimate bidders who offer legitimate bids, as another rude bidder can artificially overpric them in an attempt to win the auction. In addition, the bidder who offers the second highest price may come to think that it is just a tool to offer a quoted price without receiving anything in exchange. For example, suppose a stamp worth collecting is currently frequently displayed on an online auction platform. Assuming a total of four bidders, three are legitimate stamp collector bidders, a reality that reflects market prices of $ 25, $ 30, and $ 35, respectively, for a single stamp. Bid amount is presented. If the fourth bidder offers $ 100 at the auction under a prior art method such as a sealed bid second price, the fourth bidder will not only win the auction, but will also win the second highest price of 35. All you have to do is pay the dollar. This amount is significantly lower than the original winning bid of $ 100. Under this prior art auction method, it is more advantageous to artificially bid as high as possible, always win and win against legitimate bidders at the auction, and then pay the second highest price. .. Due to the existence of such fatal drawbacks, the auction of the second bid price of a sealed bid is less common in auction practice.

The systems and methods available in the prior art do not remedy the ongoing shortcomings. An object of the present invention is to provide an auction base that gives bidders equal chances of winning based on a fairer bidding system and method.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention can classify users into two different categories, vendors and bidders, depending on the purpose of participating in the auction. A "vendor" is a party to the auction, making tangible and / or intangible auctioned properties available to bidders and receiving payment if the auction is successful. For the purposes of the present invention, a tangible auction object means any kind of object having physical shape and monetary value. This includes, but is not limited to, goods, equipment, buildings, land, spaces, inventions, etc. Intangible auctions are those that have no physical form, such as services or skills, but have monetary value, and are owned or possessed by individuals, entities, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and / or agents of government agencies. It refers to those who have and can temporarily transfer such rights to another person. A "bidder" (auctioneer) is an auctioneer who bids for the auction, and the winning bidder pays the vendor the price for the auction.

According to one feature of the present invention, a server that communicates with at least one of a plurality of vendors in the vendor-side computer and at least one of a plurality of registered bidders in the bidder-side computer through the communication network. In a system consisting of a server that communicates with one another, the server receives at least one auction request for at least one auction target from at least one vendor-side computing device, and the above-mentioned auction request is at least one vendor-side calculation. The device has at least one description and auction period of the auctioned object entered by at least one registered vendor, and the aforementioned server is the said plurality of registered bidders from at least one bidder-side computing device. At least one sealed bid that is presented to at least one auction request and received by at least one bidder's calculator during the auction period and communicated to the server is the bid amount to be auctioned. Any bidder ID assigned by the server to each of at least one sealed bid received from at least one bidder's computer during the auction period, including, and a data record of at least one sealed bid will be sent to the server. Stored and its data record contains at least one arbitrary bidder ID, at least one actual bidder ID, at least one time stamp, and at least one bid amount. At the end of the auction period, a server communicating with at least one of the registered vendors and at least one of the registered bidders via the communication network will each place at least one sealed bid. Determine the winning bidder based on the data record.

According to at least one feature of the present invention, a registered bidder is assigned any ID required for bidding, and the bidder is a bidder of two different bid categories, a bidder of bid category 1 or a bidder of bid category 2. Self-determine one of the above. Bid category 1 bidders pay the entire winning bid, and bid category 2 bidders have the opportunity to recalculate the final winning bid with a "price protection certificate" paid prior to bidding. The recalculation is based on the "price protection formula" and the final bid is the "price protection fee", the "second highest bid", and the "difference between the winning bid and the second highest bid". Calculated using a "predetermined ratio to". In this method, the server receives at least one auction request for at least one auction target from at least one vendor computer having at least one auction target description and auction period, and multiple auctions are held based on the auction request. At least one sealed bid is received by one of the bidders during the auction period and the steps presented to the bidder, and at least one sealed bid contains the bid price to be bid on. It consists of a step of communicating each sealed bid to the server, a step of assigning an arbitrary bidder ID by the server to each of at least one sealed bid received from at least one bidder's computer during the auction period, and at least one bid. Includes a person ID, at least one actual bidder ID, at least one time stamp, and a step of creating a data record containing at least one bid amount and storing it on the server. A method comprising the step of determining the said successful bid by the said server at the end of the auction period according to the said data record for each of the at least one sealed bid. Price references are provided for past auctions and transactions within the system.

The above discussion of preferred embodiments is provided for introductory purposes only. None of this section shall be taken as a limitation of the claim that defines the scope of the invention (invention).

A system construction according to a model example of an existing invention (invention) is shown. A database according to a model example of an existing invention (invention) is shown. A data record according to an exemplary embodiment of an existing invention (invention) is shown. A calculation device according to a model example of an existing invention (invention) is shown. A calculation device according to a model example of an existing invention (invention) is shown. The bidding procedure from the bidder side according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The continuation of the bidding procedure from the bidder side according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The distribution procedure of the "price protection fee" according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The bidding procedure from the vendor side of the seller according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The continuation of the bidding procedure from the vendor side according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The continuation of the bidding procedure from the vendor side according to the exemplary embodiment of the existing invention (invention) is shown. The procedure for determining the winning bidder when there are two or more winning bids with the same highest bid is shown.

As is known in the prior art, a traditional auction means a transfer of ownership of the auctioned item. The present invention includes, but is not limited to, traditional auctions in which goods are sold from one party to another with ownership. An exemplary embodiment of the invention not only allows the transfer of ownership of the auctioned property, but also transfers the possession of the auctioned object from one party to another without transferring the actual ownership. Allows you to do. The transfer of possession may or may not include a transfer of ownership.

Ownership of a property is the control that a person exercises over a valuable property, and the transfer of possession requires the other party to be willing to own the property in exchange for monetary value. That is. If you do not transfer ownership, sharing will occur. Sharing is limited to individuals, entities, nonprofits, or government agents, providing resource optimization through redistribution, sharing, and reuse of surplus capacity such as goods, spaces, and services. , Can be done in various ways.

The Sharing Economy Business (CEB), which is a sharing economy business, includes, but is not limited to, sharing, lending, and renting. In general, CEBs share goods for auction, skill sharing (professional or personal service skills), shared space (housing or office space sharing), transportation sharing (car sharing), It can be classified into sharing of services such as sharing of financial resources (loan) and sharing of other details completely different from the above classification. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide the basis for sharing any of the above resources of monetary value. Since resource sharing means a level of personal interaction at some point in time, bidders may be subject to pre-approval by the vendor before the bid is presented and before the auction begins.

When sharing goods, vendors can list valuable assets in high-demand auctions and solicit bids from bidders who need to share such property. Bidder pre-approval procedures may be required as ownership may be shared without transfer, with some risk. As a result, the winning bidder and vendor may agree on a shared payment amount at the auction site through the methods and systems published herein. The winning bidder can frequently reuse the use of valuable properties according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

In skill sharing, vendors can provide individuals with specific expertise or set of specific skills that may be in high demand by bidders when resources are scarce. Upon request, bidders may bid to acquire the desired skills possessed by the vendor. Sharing details, such as bidder eligibility, may be subject to pre-approval by the vendor. As a result, the winning bidder and vendor may agree on payments and sharing through the methods and systems disclosed herein in the auction. For example, a highly skilled, talented and popular singer can auction the skills to perform at private parties and special events. The bidder who offers the highest bid compared to other bidders can win the auction and enjoy, for example, a singer's concert at a Christmas or New Year's party.

When sharing a space, the vendor can enumerate the spaces that the vendor owns but does not necessarily own the space. Vendors can solicit bids from bidders who need to rent or lease space in a particular location for a period of time. Successful bidders and vendors may agree on payment amounts and sharing through the methods and systems disclosed in this auction. For example, during the holiday season, if there are hotel rooms that are in high demand by guests, the hotel may auction off the remaining rooms available. Doing so will not only allow the hotel to sell the room, but also give the best price as many people are looking for accommodation during special events such as vacations and the Soccer World Cup. Obtainable. This method benefits the seller and the bidder mutually. Sellers can get the best price for the available space and bidders are given the opportunity to get the space they want, as long as they can offer the best price.

There are different categories of service sharing depending on the type of service. As a result, the winning bidder and vendor may agree on payments and sharing through the methods and systems disclosed at this auction. For example, to share a means of transportation, a vendor may list a carpool commute offer with details of the offer within the auction. For example, carpool with a bidder from point A to point B at a specific time. Bidder may be subject to pre-approval by the vendor prior to participating in the auction. Bidder who is interested in carpooling bids at the desired payment price.

To share funding, for example, a vendor interested in lending can list loan details, including a certain amount over a period of time, on the auction list. Bidder interested in lending money is subject to pre-approval by the vendor before bidding. The winning bidder can bid for a loan if he / she can bear a higher interest rate than anyone else. The winning bidder and the vendor can agree on the interest, etc. of the loan at the auction by the method and system disclosed in this auction.

The present invention further provides a system for online sealed bidding auctions, mitigating the risks associated with online auctions, and optimizing the interests of vendors and bidders. Bidder and vendors for this auction may include, but are not limited to, various types of users such as, but not limited to, individuals, businesses, nonprofits or agents of government agencies. The system includes vendor and bidder information without disclosing the bidder's actual ID, tangible and / or intangible auctioned part information for the auction, and a database of successful bids within a specific time period. Consolidate means for maintaining one or more databases, not limited to this. The database serves as a reference for potential bidders and vendors regarding the prices of past auctioned properties, especially if the bidders and vendors lack the appropriate knowledge and experience.

System users wishing to participate in an online auction may register an account with the system, including user contracts for relevant rules set up for both vendors and bidders prior to the start of the auction. Account registration includes personally identifiable information and valid financial information. This includes, but is not limited to, names, addresses, emails, telephone numbers, valid financial information, and more. User accounts are verified by the system via email or phone. In an exemplary embodiment of the system, a user can register only one account by email and / or by phone number using a username. The account can be used to place bids or post auction targets for auction. To register an account, this system requires a legitimate name, address, and financial information to prevent fraudulent activity such as creating multiple accounts. System users need to include debit cards, credit cards, ^{third party payment systems such as PayPal TM} and Square ^TM , and / or financial information such as bank account details. Financial information is required to ensure that the bidder has sufficient amount in his account to pay the sealed bid amount submitted by the bidder. By checking the financial capacity of the buyer and verifying the payment, it is possible to avoid default or delay of payment after the end of the auction. This includes late payments, buyers who bid just for fun, bidders who do not have enough money to pay, and buyers who cancel a transaction without paying after the end of the auction. You can avoid various problems that are not limited. The system encourages bidders to bid only for the confirmed amount, thereby avoiding cancellation of transactions or unpaid bids after the end of the auction because they bid incorrectly.

In the exemplary embodiment, the vendor may list the auction targets offered for the auction through the online auction base. Vendors are required to register auction targets for online auctions by presenting an introduction with details of the auctioned property, including but not limited to descriptions, photos, videos, etc. All details of the auctioned item must be disclosed, if any, to avoid false statements and fraud. The vendor's ID or username will be disclosed along with the auction list and will be disclosed when providing post-completion feedback at the end of the auction. Before the property to be auctioned is officially posted on the online auction platform, the system issues an index number for each listed auction property and also issues a time stamp of the auction start time. The system tracks the auction until the end of the auction period preset by the vendor. For example, if the auction target is a product, the vendor will be ready to deliver or execute after the auction ends and proper payment is made, unless there are special circumstances beyond the vendor's control, such as a natural disaster or war. It is necessary to confirm that it is in place and perform double confirmation. In addition, the vendor needs to make sure that the starting or minimum auction price set for the auction is actually the starting or minimum auction price. This prevents the vendor from finding out where the auctioned property is, or claiming that there was an error in setting the starting or minimum auction price and canceling the transaction after the auction ends. If the vendor confirms on the system and cancels the transaction after the auction ends, the vendor's account will be suspended for a period of time, for example the first month, or in the second case the vendor's account except in certain circumstances and force majeure. May be permanently stopped.

At the time of bidding, the visible aspects of the auction are usually not displayed, such as the bidder's username and other bidder identification information. Instead, the system displays the bids in the order in which they were bid using an arbitrarily generated ID number, and is not accessible to bidders other than the bidder himself, even after the end of the auction. At the end of the auction, only the vendor can see the actual ID of the winning bidder. Other bidders can only see other bids without looking at the actual IDs of the other bidders. The bid time for each sealed bid uses the time stamp displayed to track the auction bid. The user can see the time left at the auction, regardless of where the user is located. Applicable, arbitrarily generated numbers that match each unidentifiable bidder will be emotionally bid by other bidders at auction based on the bidder's identity and past interactions with the same bidder. Eliminate the potential. Emotional bids can lead to distorted prices that do not reflect real value. In addition, because bidders, previous bidding activities, and ID-based interests cannot be identified, "Sakura in auctions", "collusion", etc. can be prevented or reduced by any bidder ID. Since the vendor cannot see the identity of the bidder, he cannot manipulate the winning bid by having friends or relatives make false bids in order to raise the price of the auctioned property before the end of the auction.

In the bidding process for sealed bids during auction, fair and sincere auction listings or bidding are conducted. Vendors need to disclose their username and inform potential bidders. Furthermore, since the bidder cannot be identified when using an arbitrarily generated ID number, bids and emotional bids that are frequently made as cherry blossoms are excluded. However, there is a history of certain bidders causing problems in past transactions, and at the vendor's discretion, the vendor can systematically block certain ID numbers from bids. When the vendor indicates the ID number they want to block, the system matches that ID number with each bidder, allowing the bidder to block bids for a particular auction.

In addition to the confidential real ID number, sealed bids do not show bids to other bidders during and before the end of the auction. Bidder bids only on payable amounts with realistic amounts that reflect expectations. The bidder needs to verify that the bid amount is accurate, and after presenting the bid amount, verify the ability to pay the bid amount together with the applicable transportation costs, insurance, etc., and perform double verification. Therefore, at the time of bidding, there is no difference or controversy regarding the mispresentation of the winning bidder's amount. This method of confirmation is necessary to pose some risk to the rude bidders, including all the whimsical bidders mentioned above, as there is a potential cost for bids that they are not actually willing to pay. Integrity is built into the system because bidders must pay the winning bid for a sealed bid within a certain period of time after the end of the auction. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it becomes difficult to cancel a successful bid after confirmation from the bidder, so that the number of rude bidders such as Sakura who often sells bids is substantially reduced. By incorporating the risk of losing money through the fees associated with bidding, rude bidders are prevented from bidding. The higher the price that a rude bidder bids, the higher the chance of winning, so a rude bidder will incur more costs if he becomes a successful bidder.

The system will suspend the account indefinitely, unless the vendor and / or system administrator permits, as the winning bidder must pay the winning bid within a predetermined time. After the end of the auction, it is necessary to complete the transaction within a certain period of time, for example, within 10 days after the end of the auction. Except in certain circumstances and force majeure, if the transaction is not completed within a certain period of time, the system may hold the defaulting party for a certain period of time, for example 30 days for the first time. If the same party defaults on either the provision or payment of services or goods for the second time, that party will be permanently thwarted. Therefore, both the vendor and the bidder confirm their respective abilities for the auction, so it is unlikely that the transaction will not be completed in a timely manner. Once the auction is over and the winning bidder is determined, all bidders will be informed of the winning bid and all other bids.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the bidder may have only one valid bid, but may re-bid before the end of the auction after changing by increasing or decreasing the bid. .. In addition, bidders can cancel their bids before the end of the auction. Also, the cancellation and / or change of the bid remains sealed, and no one else knows the bid ID and / or amount of the canceled or changed bid. By keeping bid cancellations or changes confidential, the system can also prevent bidders from referencing and using these canceled and modified bids and eliminate false indications or fraud. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the vendor may ponder the actual value expected to be received from the auction's revenue and raise the price justified in believing that the auctioned article is of this value. This is true, with the ability to pay the amount to submit a sealed bid, the possibility of winning an auction without being involved in fraud, and the result of encouraging users who are legitimate bidders. Become.

Thus, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, no one knows who the bidders are during the auction, who is the highest bidder, and what the bid is, and just before the end of the auction. Since the bidder does not always become the winning bidder at the end of the auction, "Sakura to sell the bid", "Bid obstruction to protect the cheap bid (shielding)", "Bid off just before the end of the auction (" "Sniping)", "collusion", etc. can be substantially prevented.

In the prior art, it is common for auctions to have a minimum auction price. The lowest auction price is the lowest price the vendor is willing to accept for the property. In a minimum auction price auction, the vendor is obliged to sell the property only if the bid exceeds the minimum auction price. The negative aspect of this concept is that the bidder does not see the hidden price and always guesses the amount of the hidden minimum auction price, and even if the bidder bids, the bid amount is low and the minimum auction price is reached. Auctions often fail because they cannot be reached. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention differentiates itself from the prior art so that the vendor can set a publicly announced minimum auction price or a conditional hidden minimum auction price at the vendor's discretion. The published minimum auction price is the lowest price the vendor accepts to close the auction and will be disclosed to the bidder. If the vendor chooses to set a publicly announced minimum auction price, the published price will be disclosed to the bidder prior to the start of the auction and the bidder will know the minimum price accepted by the vendor. All bids below the published minimum auction price will be rejected by the system. Since the published minimum auction price is open to the bidder, the bidder is aware of the published minimum auction price and can only submit a bid price equal to or higher than the vendor's predetermined minimum auction price, so it is early. Early cancellation is not permitted unless there is a set of circumstances that guarantee cancellation. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the conditional hidden minimum auction price will first, on the system, if any one of the bidders reaches or exceeds the conditional hidden minimum auction price set by the vendor. If so, the vendor may end the auction early or continue until the end of the auction. Second, the system allows bids to be accepted even if the bid does not reach the conditional hidden minimum auction price set by the vendor, and the highest bid submitted is considered a successful bid. This method, which provides two categories of minimum auction prices, allows the auction to be successful, thereby speculating the bid price of bidders who do not reach the undisclosed hidden price set by the vendor. It is more effective and transparent than previous technologies because it reduces the chances of failure.

With or without the increment of a single bid increase used in the prior art, the sealed second price method is because the winning bidder may artificially offer a high bid and win the auction. , It is incomplete as it will rob all other legitimate bidders of the bid. In the prior art, a sealed second highest bid is set as the base value paid by the winning bidder. The highest sealed price is a single bid increment that exceeds the bid of the second highest sealed bidder. A single bid increment is the amount by which the bidder must raise the current highest bid to win the auction. Bid increments are defined by the auction rules and are a predetermined amount, depending on the starting or current price of the auctioned property (such as $ 0.5, $ 1, $ 5, or $ 10). , There is a preset bid increment table at the auction. The one-bid incremental approach is not effective because the final bid amount is not substantially related to the final winning bid amount. The fact that a bidder only has to pay a single increment above the second highest bid price induces an artificially high bid to be offered to a rude bidder solely for the purpose of winning the auction. there's a possibility that. Such rude bidders do not have to be responsible for paying the bid amount and are therefore not afraid to face the financial impact of artificially high bid amounts. According to the examples of the present invention, it is intended to solve this drawback. According to embodiments of the present invention, the winning bidder is responsible for paying the full amount of the winning bid or a particular percentage of the winning bid plus the second highest bid. Since the winning bid is directly related to the amount paid by the winning bidder, it is unlikely that the bidder will artificially offer a high bid price.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is submitted by a successful bidder in bid category 1 via a computer system that divides bidders, such as a bidder in bid category 1 and two bidders in bid category, into two categories. Obliged to pay the sealed bid amount, bidders in bid category 2 are promised to purchase "price protection securities" to have the opportunity to reduce the final winning bid. Bidder must determine or classify himself as a bidder of Bid Category 1 or Bid Category 2 based on his or her own experience and preferences, taking into account the auction strategy or at the bidder's discretion. Based on the two classifications, the bid classification names can be flexibly named, such as bid classifications A and B, "experienced / no" or any other name to identify bidders in two different classifications. it can. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention is divided into bid categories 1 and 2 bidders. Bid Category 1 bidders are responsible for the winning bid, and Bid Category 2 bidders enjoy the potential benefit of paying the reduced price of the purchase of "Price Protection Securities" under certain conditions. Can be done. An exemplary example is a percentage of the bid amount offered for a bid (eg, 3%) to potentially lower the winning bid if the bidder indicates that the bidder is a bidder of bid category 2. Or provide "price protection securities" at 5%). Bidder has the opportunity to change the classification belonging to the bid in different auctions. A bidder who confirms that he / she is a bidder of bid category 1 during an auction identifies himself / herself as a bidder of bid category 2 during an auction or when bidding on another auction target in another auction. be able to. Therefore, bidders in bid category 1 who have confirmed the bid amount in consideration of the auction strategy, their own experience and tastes arbitrarily selected by the bidder, or the auction strategy shall bid with confidence and make a successful bid after the end of the auction. If you are a person, you will not regret having to pay. Similarly, bid category 2 bidders who pay a "price guarantee fee" may feel that the winning bidder may get a potential discount after the end of the auction.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, such as "successful bidder's remorse", by using "price protection securities" and "price protection securities formula". According to an embodiment of the present invention, the final bid price paid by a bidder of bid classification 2 is the difference between the "price guarantee fee", the second highest bid amount, and the winning bid amount and the second highest bid amount. It is the sum of the predetermined ratios. The bidder needs to confirm which bid category he / she belongs to before the start of bidding, and can change the bid classification before the end of the auction. The bidder determines the bid amount presented according to the bid classification. Bid Category 2 bidders have the opportunity to receive a reduction in the winning bid due to "Price Protection Securities", and Bid Category 1 bidders are responsible for the entire bid amount. The final bid amount is the difference between the winning bid amount paid by the bidder of bid category 2 as the "price protection fee", the second highest bid amount, and the winning bid amount and the second highest bid amount in advance. It can be recalculated according to the "price protection formula" calculated from the sum of the prescribed ratios. Depending on different business strategies, the system offers vendors the option of deciding who to charge based on "price-protected securities." As preset by the vendor through the system, the "Price Protection Certificate" fee is fully granted to the vendor, to the bidder with the second highest bid, and to the "Price Protection Certificate" amount. Can be divided by a predetermined ratio between the bidders with the second highest bid, or by a predetermined ratio between the vendor and the second highest bidder. In fact, if you are confident that the vendor will attract a large number of bidders to the auctioned item, you may choose to keep the full "price guarantee fee". On the other hand, if the vendor wants to attract more bidders to participate in the auction of the auctioned item, the second highest bidder can be given the full "price protection fee". Therefore, the vendor will receive a portion of the "price protection fee" payment in addition to the recalculated winning bid, even if the bidder purchases the guarantee and the amount received is less than the original winning bid. Can be done. In addition, bid category 2 bidders can bid without worrying about overpayments subject to auction, ultimately encouraging participation in the auction. In addition, if there is only one bidder who bids on the auctioned item and the bidder is recognized as a bidder of bid category 2, the entire price guarantee fee will be passed to the vendor, and the vendor's starting price will be the same. Considered the second highest bid.

However, there are risk factors in purchasing "price protection securities". Even if you purchase a "price protection security", the winning bid amount paid by the bidder does not necessarily decrease. If the difference between the winning bid and the second highest bid is large, bid category 2 bidders who purchase "price protection securities" are likely to see their bids significantly reduced. However, if there is a slight or nominal difference between the winning bid and the second highest bid, the bid category 2 bidder who purchases the "Price Protection Certificate" will be the final price paid by the winning bidder. Will be higher than the originally offered bid, so you will incur more costs or losses. This potential loss associated with the purchase of "price protection securities" prevents bidders from misusing the system. Without potential losses, bidders would buy "price-protected securities" to reduce their winning bids and payments, making the "price-protected securities" means meaningless and substantive. One of the management principles is secretly damaged and endangered.

To illustrate the path of potential risk of buying "price protection securities", here are three examples. Example 1. Suppose bidder 1 confirms that he is a bidder of bid category 2, bids $ 100, and pays a "price guarantee" equivalent to 5% of $ 100 (ie $ 5.00). A predetermined percentage applicable to a successful bid is, for example, indicated by 20% for the difference between the winning bid and the second highest bid. Another bidder, eg, bidder 2, confirms that he is a bidder in bid category 1 and offers the second highest bid, $ 50. Yet another bidder, for example bidder 3, confirms that he is a bidder in bid category 1 and offers a $ 40 bid. At the end of the auction, bidder 1 is the winning bidder, and the winning bid amount is calculated as follows according to the above formula of the payment method of bidder 1. Second highest bid + [20% * (successful bid-second highest bid)]. Therefore, bidder 1 will pay $ 50 + [20% * ($ 100-$ 50)], or $ 60. The total cost of bidder 1 for the auctioned item is now $ 65, with a final price of $ 60 and a "price protection fee" of $ 5.00. Since bidder 1 is initially bidding for $ 100, bidder 1 basically pays a total of $ 65, saving $ 35. Since bidder 3 could not win the bid, the price protection fee is not deducted.

Example 2. Suppose the same situation above applies to this example, except that bidder 1 bids $ 101 and pays a "price protection fee" of $ 5.05. Bidder 2 bids $ 100, the second highest bid. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder, bidder 1, pays $ 100 + [20% * ($ 101-$ 100)], or $ 100.20. The final total cost of auctioned goods for bidder 1 is $ 105.25, including the $ 100.20 and $ 5.05 "price protection fees". This time, bidder 1 suffered a loss because he paid $ 4.25 more than the $ 101 bid he originally offered for purchasing the "price protection securities."

Example 3. Once again, suppose bidder 1 bids $ 100 and pays a $ 5 "price protection fee" in the same situation as in Example 1. Bidder 2 bids $ 80. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder, bidder 1, pays $ 80 + [20% * ($ 100- $ 80)], or 8 $ 84. The final total cost of auctioned goods for bidder 1 is currently $ 84 plus a "price protection fee" of $ 5.00 for a total of $ 89. This time, bidder 1 saves $ 11, but does not receive much less than Example 1.

Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the invention, either because the bidder must pay the full amount bid, or because a predetermined ratio is used between the winning bid and the second highest bid. , Prohibit bidders who artificially make high bids so that they can win the auction without paying the bid price. Bidder is artificially deterred from high bids, and the higher the bid amount, the more the winning bidder will ultimately pay, thus preventing over-bidding. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention reflects a more realistic value than what the winning bidder should pay and prevents the bidder from generating a false sealed bid. Bidder classified in bid category 1 bids on the item because the bidder bids as a bidder in bid category 2 and the final bid is recalculated, resulting in potential discounts. It is less likely that you will think you have overpaid. Therefore, as a result, the "winner's curse" is substantially reduced.

To reduce multiple bids for the same amount, you need to offer your bid in US dollars with two decimal places (for example, $ 25.78).

If the two highest bidders bidding for the same price are in the same bidding category (eg, either two bidders in bid category 1 or two bidders in bid category 2), the bidder will Re-bids can be made within a period set in advance by the system. However, if the two highest bidders bidding for the same price are in two different categories (one bidder is in bid category 1 and the other bidder is in bid category 2), the final bid prices for both are Calculated, in this case the bidder with the highest final price is determined to be the winning bidder. Determining the winning bidder based on the highest final price in this situation maintains the fairness that the person who pays the highest bid becomes the winning bidder.

After the bidder and vendor have completed the transaction, it is beneficial for both parties to provide mutual feedback in order to improve the auction service. Usually done through evaluations and comments. When the auction ends, the auctioned goods are paid and delivered, if applicable, and the transaction is completed. An exemplary example of the system allows vendors and bidders to evaluate each other and provide feedback related to the transaction. The system gives both parties the opportunity to contact each other before submitting a negative evaluation / critique. This improves communication between the parties and provides an opportunity to resolve any issues or concerns and reduce the likelihood of negative criticism.

Notifications need to be notified when there are differences in auction events that include, but are not limited to, successfully submitted bids, auction-related periods, rejected bids, auction bids, auction results, etc. If there is, it is sent from the system via email, instant message, voice message, etc. through the server to the computing devices of both the vendor and the bidder.

The system allows bidders to bid on one or more vendors at the same time, vendors can ask for one or more bidders, and each transaction charges or commissions for each transaction. Used to provide the basis for promoting at least one or more conforming auction markets made.

The system also provides a means of determining costs associated with one or more risk factors in a transaction, which uses the bidder's information to identify the highest bid and the second highest bid. Identify the "price protection certificate" of the user in bid category 2 and the final amount paid by the winning bidder. In addition, the system or platform may charge a fixed percentage of service charges to provide auction services.

The present invention can also utilize a data validation module in an online auction. This will validate at least four major datasets through the system as follows: 1) Identification of bidders and vendors, 2) Identification of the accuracy of the data presented at the auction, 3) Verification of the winning bidder, and 4) Confirmation of transaction completion, etc.

ID verification. One of the problems that arises in online auctions is the problem of information asymmetry due to the fact that transactions are completely anonymous. To solve the anonymity issue, the system allows vendors and bidders to become "identified" by paying a small fee to verify their identity by a credit information company. Doing so reassures the user that the trading partner, bidder, and vendor have been identified because the user's identity is known, and guarantees that the user can be tracked in the event of a problem. Is obtained. Confirmation that the data submitted to the auction is correct. Receipt and protection of bids. Complete and secure protection for bids received before the time set at the start of the bid. Bids are not opened or viewed by vendors or administrators and are stored in restricted access electronic bidding boxes. If the bid is withdrawn, it will be stored in the bid box until the end of the auction. Prior to the opening of a bid, information about the ID and number of bids received will only be communicated to the auction manager. Bidding. The bid start time is preset by the vendor before the auction. The system verifies the accuracy of the bid. All bids shall be submitted in an acceptable numerical format. Bids are validated by the system, eliminating the possibility of replacements, additions, deletions, or changes in bids. All bids are completed and the accuracy of the bidding system is proved immediately after the bid confirmation is completed. If there are too many bid items to guarantee a complete record of all bids, the summary input for each bid is limited to the item number and bid price. You shall be able to see the bid in which the bidder's actual ID is coded. Rejection of bid. After the bid has been opened, unless there is a compelling reason to reject all bids and cancel the auction, the responsible bidder who submitted the best response bid in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention will win the bid. Anticipate changes before the auction begins and make every effort to notify all bidders of changes or cancellations of the auctioned item. This allows bidders to change or cancel bids and prevent unnecessary exposure of bid prices. As a general rule, after the bid is opened, the auction will be canceled and no reclaim will be made. Successful bids shall be made for the first bid offer for the bid, and additional quantities shall be treated as new acquisitions. It shall be. Cancellation of bid solicitation and refusal of all bids shall be made before a successful bid, but after opening, it shall be as follows. (1) The specifications have been revised. (2) Valuable auction targets are no longer available due to circumstances beyond the control of the vendor. (3) No bids are accepted. (4) For other reasons, the cancellation is clearly in the public interest. Confirmation of transaction completion. The winning bidder and vendor need to ensure that the transaction was successfully completed by both parties. 1) The vendor has received the auctioned payment 2) The bidder has received the auctioned payment.

Notification to bidders who refuse all bids in the event of management difficulties that delay a successful bid beyond the bidder's acceptance period after the bid is opened. If the system determines that all bids need to be rejected, the system will notify each bidder that all bids have been rejected and specify the reason for such action. Acceptance of unreadable electronic bids. If the bid received by the system is unreadable to the extent that it cannot confirm compliance with the essential requirements of the bid offer, the system shall notify the bidder that the bid is rejected due to nonconformity. Bid error. The system inspects any mistakes in the bid and, if found, notifies the bidder to correct the mistake before the bid is accepted. Mistakes include, but are not limited to, incorrect decimal point positions.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-4, through a communication network (eg, the Internet (100)), at least one of a plurality of vendors in a vendor calculator (eg, 108,114) and a bidder calculator (eg, eg, 108,114). In 106,110,112), the server (102), which communicates with at least one of the plurality of registered bidders, receives the auction request for the auction target from the vendor computing device (for example, 108,114) and requests the auction. Has at least one auction target description and time stamp entered by at least one registered vendor in at least one vendor calculator, and multiple servers based on the auction request in the registered bidder calculator (106,110,112). The step of displaying the auction to registered bidders and at least one sealed bid (200) is received by the bidder calculator (eg 106,110,112) during the auction and communicated to the server (102) and at least one. The sealed bid (200) contains the bid amount to be auctioned, and during the auction period, a voluntary bidder ID (202) is assigned by the server (102) and received in the bidder calculator (106, 110 and 112), respectively. A data record (210) for at least one sealed bid is stored on the server, and the data record (210) contains at least one voluntary bidder ID (202), an actual bidder ID (204), and a time stamp ( Including 206), and bid amount (208), communicating with at least one of multiple vendors registered via a communications network (eg Internet (100)) and at least one of multiple registered bidders. The winning bidder (102) determines the winning bidder at the end of the auction according to the data record (210) for each at least one sealed bid. The server can have a database (104). As shown in FIG. 3, the bidder calculator (300) has a built-in clock that automatically identifies the time stamp (206) for each of at least one sealed bid (200) and communicates with the server (102). Have. Used to determine the order of bids offered. Each of the bidder calculators (300) may be any calculator known in the art, having a display screen (304). For example, smartphones, tablets, personal computers or other arithmetic units. Similarly, the vendor calculator (400), an example of which is shown in FIG. 4, has a display screen (402) and may be any calculator.

As shown in Figure 1B, the database (104) contains data on the bidding process, including but not limited to: detailed information on tangible auction targets (116); detailed information on intangible auction targets (118); auctions. Includes transaction data (122) divided based on the nature of the subject. The database also contains past successful bids (successful bids (120)). Bid data (124) (eg, bid history, price, time stamp). User data (126) (eg, user profile, financial information, auction history, sealed successful bidder ID information). And other transaction data (128). The database can be connected to and queried from the vendor and bidders from the vendor calculator (108) or bidder calculator (106) to obtain relevant information such as transaction history and price reference information for the auction. .. Transaction history in the database is available to at least one of the multi-registered bidders or multi-registered vendors if the bidder lacks sufficient knowledge and experience about the property for which the bidder intends to bid, or if the vendor is in the auction. Provide a price reference in case you need a reference to display the lowest auction price for. The database is a property worth at least one previously auctioned by at least one of multiple registered bidders or multiple registered vendors without disclosing the actual bidder ID of the winning bidder. Can be queried for a search for. Each at least one sealed bid is securely stored on the server during the auction period. At the end of the auction bid, the actual bidder ID is not displayed because the time stamps are displayed to multiple bidders.

In this system, the database contains, but is not limited to, real IDs (also known as real bidder IDs), information about tangible and / or intangible goods auctioned, and non-disclosure of successful transactions within a period of time. Have a means of maintaining one or more databases. It can include a database of successful transactions within a particular time period.

As shown in FIG. 5A, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a bidder can register with the system before submitting a bid for the auction (step S500). After registration, the user account is confirmed (step S502) and the registered bidder must select the bid classification in consideration of the auction strategy, based on experience and preference, or by the bidder's choice. (Step S504). A bidder who selects a bidder of bid category 2 (step S506) can pay a fee to purchase a "price protection certificate" for the winning bid (yes, step S508). Not pays the bidder to purchase the "Price Protection Certificate" (No, step S508), the system notifies the bidder that the bid will be rejected as bid category 2 (step S510). A change request is sent to the bidder so that the bidder becomes a bidder of bid classification 1 (step S512). If the bidder selects "Yes" to change to a bidder of bid category 1 (yes, step S512), bid as a bidder of bid category 1 in the auction by entering the bid amount to be submitted to the system. Can be started (step S518). If the bidder selects "No" (No, step S508), the bidder loses the possibility of bidding at the auction (step S514).

The bidder who selects the bid classification 1 (step S516) inputs the bid amount and starts bidding (step S518). Regardless of bid classification 1 or 2, the bidder confirms the exact bid amount and, as a double confirmation of the bidder, confirms the entered bid amount and the financial ability to pay the related costs (step). S520). If the bidder does not confirm either the bid amount or the financial solvency (step S520, no), the system notifies the bidder that the bid will be rejected (step S522). The bidder can confirm the bid amount and financial solvency (step S528) and choose to change (step S524). If the bidder does not confirm the bid amount and financial solvency (No, step S524), the bidder is prohibited from bidding (step S526). If the bidder confirms the bid amount and the financial ability to pay the bid amount (step S528), the bid amount is received and entered into the system (step S538), an arbitrary ID is assigned and the bid time stamp is stamped. (Step S540).

When the bid is double-confirmed and submitted to the system, the system inquires if the bid offered is lower than the starting price set by the vendor (step S530). If the bid is lower than the starting price set by the vendor (yes, step S530), the system will automatically reject the bid (step S532) so that the bid can be changed above the starting price set by the vendor. (Step S534). If the bidder refuses to change the bid amount, the system notifies the bidder of the final refusal of the bid. (Step S536). After the bidder changes the bid amount, the system again queries if the bid amount offered is lower than the starting price set by the vendor (step S530). If the bid amount submitted is not lower than the starting price (step S530 denied), the system accepts the bid amount submitted to the auction within the bidding system (step S538) and seals the bidder ID. Since all accepted bids are sealed, bidders and bid amounts are assigned an arbitrary identification number and time stamp indicating the date and time the bid was accepted by the system at the auction (step S540).

As shown in Figure 5B, after the system assigns a random ID number and bid time stamp (step S540), the bidder can change the bid amount before the end of the auction (step S542). However, all bidders can only submit one valid bid price. If the bidder does not change the bid offered (step S542, No), the system determines that the bid offered is the only valid bid (step S544). If the bidder decides to change the bid submitted (step S542), the bidder can change the previous bid and re-enter and resubmit the new bid (step S548). If the bidder no longer changes the bid, the system determines that the rebid bid is the only valid bid (step S550). When the auction time ends, the auction ends (step S546).

At the end of the auction, the bid amount is disclosed to the auction participants (step S546) and the system determines if the bidder has won the auction. If the bidder wins the auction and is a bidder of bid category 1 (yes, category 1, step S552), the winning bidder will be given the exact bid amount submitted to the auction without change and related costs such as fares. If there is, pay this. (Step S556). If the bidder wins the auction and is a bidder of bid category 2 (yes, "category 2", step S552), the winning bidder will be associated with the final price calculated after applying the "price protection formula". Pay this if there is a cost (step S558). If the system determines that the bidder did not win (step S552, No), the bidder loses the auction and the bidder does not pay (step S554). After the bidder wins the auction and pays the final price, the vendor hands over the auctioned item to the winning bidder (step S560). After the auctioned item has been delivered to the winning bidder, the parties evaluate each other (step S562). This completes the transaction (step 564).

As shown in Figure 5C, after the bidder of bid classification 2 wins, the final price is determined by applying the “price protection formula” (step S566). The "price guarantee formula" is calculated by summing the "price guarantee fee" and the amount from a predetermined ratio of the difference between the winning bid amount and the second highest bid amount. (Step S568), determine who will receive the "price guarantee fee" preset by the vendor (step S570). The entire "price guarantee fee" can be assigned to the vendor (step S572) or to the second highest bidder (step S574). The system then determines the number of second highest bidders. If there is only one second highest bidder (yes, step S576), assign the full price guarantee to the second highest bidder (step S578). When there are multiple second highest bidders (step S576, No), the entire amount of the "price guarantee fee" is divided among the second highest bidders by a predetermined ratio (step S580). Another option is to divide the "price protection fee" by a predetermined percentage between the vendor and the second highest bidder (step S582). In this case, one predetermined percentage portion of the "price guarantee fee" is allocated to the vendor (step S584). Allocate the rest of the "price guarantee fee" to the second highest bidder (step S586). In the next step, the system determines if there is only one second highest bidder (step S588). If the system determines that there is only one second bidder (yes, step S588), the second bidder will be assigned the rest of the "price guarantee fee" (step S592). If the system determines that there is no second highest bidder (no, step S588), such as when there is only one bidder and the vendor preset starting price is the second highest, the rest of the price guarantee amount Allocate the part to the vendor (step S590). If there are multiple second highest bidders (No, step S588), the rest of the "price protection fee" is split among the second highest bidders at a predetermined rate (step S594).

As shown in FIG. 6A, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the vendor can register an account in the system (step S600). Before setting the auction details, the vendor is subject to system validation (step S602). After the confirmation by the system is complete, the vendor can post the auction request (step S604). When initiating the auction setting process, the vendor can enter a description of the property and a time frame for the auction period to identify if there are any pre-approved bidders (step S606). In the next step, the seller determines the recipient of the "price protection fee" (step S608). The vendor can then specify whether the auction involves a transfer of ownership (step S610). If the auction includes a transfer of ownership (yes, step S610), you are willing to sell the auctioned object at the auction (step S612). If the auction does not involve a transfer of ownership (no, step S610), the vendor intends to share the ownership of the auctioned object for a period of time at the auction (step S614).

If the vendor decides to transfer ownership, as shown in Figure 6B, the vendor may set a minimum auction price at its discretion (step S616). If the vendor chooses not to set a minimum auction price (No, step S616), it can set a nominal start price (eg $ 1.00), including its auction period, start time and end time (step). S618). The system assigns a unique index number to each list and issues a time stamp to identify the different lists (step S618). The system then begins accepting bids (step S658). Until the end of the auction, the price cannot be lowered below the bid price at the start (step S660). After the auction ends, all bids are processed and the system reserve bid is selected (step S662). On the other hand, if the vendor sets a minimum auction price (yes, step S616), the vendor can choose either a conditional hidden minimum auction price (step S620) or a public minimum auction price (step S638). If the vendor chooses the public minimum auction price (step S638), the bidder is notified of the minimum auction price bidder before the bidder begins bidding at the auction (step S640). The auction begins with a time stamp and time frame (step S642) and receives bids from bidders (step S644). If the bid is below the minimum auction price (step S646), the bid is rejected by the system (step S648) and no transaction is made (step S650). If the bid amount is equal to or greater than the minimum auction price (step S652), the system accepts the bid (step S654). In either case, the vendor's premature end of the auction is not permitted unless under certain circumstances guarantees the premature end of the auction (step S656). If the vendor sets a conditional minimum auction price (step S620), the minimum auction price will not be disclosed to the bidder (step S622). The vendor sets the starting price (step S624) and the system notifies the bidder of the possibility of the vendor's auction ending prematurely once the auction has started showing the time frame and time stamp (step S626). ). The system starts accepting bids from bidders (step S628). The system queries whether the minimum auction price has been exceeded by the bid amount (step S630). If the minimum auction price is exceeded (yes, step S630), the auction is subject to a vendor-preset early termination (step S628). The system notifies the vendor that the minimum auction price has been met and the vendor can choose to end the auction. Vendors can also set up a system that automatically ends the auction as soon as the minimum auction price is met. If the bid does not meet the minimum auction price (step S630 denied), the system will still accept the bid from the bidder (step S632). If the bid is below the minimum auction price (step S634), the system will continue to accept bids from bidders. After the bid has been accepted by the system (step S636), after the bid has been accepted by the system (step S636), and until the end of the auction (step S660), the system processes all bids and determines the preliminary winning bid. Select (step S662).

As shown in FIG. 6C, when the bid is accepted by the system and the auction ends (step S660), the system selects the preliminary winning bid (step S662). Preliminary bids are subject to change (step S664) and are adjusted according to the self-determined bid classification, and if the winning bidder is a bidder in bid category 1 (step S666), the vendor is in full bid. (Step S668) and the auction ends (step S684 if the winning bidder is a bidder of bid category 2 (step S670)), the final price is calculated using the "price protection formula" (step S672). The "price protection formula" is a pre-determined difference between a predetermined portion of the "price guarantee amount" (step S676) and the second highest bid amount (step S678), and the winning bid amount and the second highest bid amount. Calculated as the sum of the defined percentages (step S674). Therefore, the vendor receives the above total (step S682). Then the auction ends (step S684) and the winning bidder receives the final bid. In addition, pay any applicable additional costs (step S686). The vendor makes the auctioned deliveries (step S688), both evaluate each other (step S690), and the transaction is complete (step S690). S692).

As shown in Figure 7, after the auction ends, the system determines the winning bidder with the highest bid (S700). The system determines if there are equal bids (S702). If there are no identical bids (No, step S702), the system chooses the highest bid (S704). If there are multiple identical bids (yes, step S702), determine if the bidders have the same bid classification (step S706) or different bid classifications (step S714). The term "same bid classification of bidders" means that at least two bidders belong to bid classification 1 or bid classification 2. If the same bid is from a bidder of the same category (step S706), the system prompts the bidder to resubmit the bid within a predetermined time period (step S708). If the bidder resubmits the bid (yes, step S708), the highest resubmitted bid wins (step S710). If the bidder does not resubmit the bid (No, step S708), the first bidder to submit the bid before the minimum bid is required wins (step S712). If bidders of the same amount are bidders of different categories (step S714), the system calculates the final amount (step S716). The bidder with the highest bid will be the winning bidder in the final calculation (step S718). The winning bidder pays the final winning bid (step S720).

The methods described herein generally consist of a storage device, a data input / output circuit (IO), and a computing device consisting of a central processing unit (CPU) connected to the computer data network communication circuit so as to be operational, and / or. It can be executed on a computer system. In addition, the CPU can capture data from I / O circuits and store it in storage. The computer code executed by the CPU can capture the data received by the data communication circuit and store it in a storage device. In addition, the CPU can capture data from I / O circuits and store it in storage. Further, the CPU can fetch data from the storage device and output it via an IO circuit or a data communication circuit. The data stored in memory is further recalled from the storage device, further processed or modified by the CPU in the manner described herein, to a different storage device operably connected to the CPU, including the same storage device or data network. It is stored. The storage device can be any type of data storage circuit or magnetic storage or optical device, including hard disks, optical disks, or solid-state storage devices. Examples of well-known computing devices, environments, and / or specifications suitable for use with the present invention include personal computers, server computers, hand-held, laptop or mobile computers, or communication devices such as mobile phones and PDA. , Multi-processor system, microprocessor-based system, set-top box, programmable home appliances, network PC, minicomputer, mainframe computer, distributed computing environment including any of the above systems or devices Etc., but not limited to these.

Computer program reasoning that implements all or part of the functionality described earlier in this document includes source code formats, computer executable formats, and various intermediate formats (eg, assembler, compiler, linker, locator, etc.). It can be embodied in various formats not limited to this. Source code is a set of computer program instructions embedded in various programming languages (eg, object code, assembly language, or high-level languages such as FORTRAN, C, C ++, JAVA®, or HTML). Can be used in any operating system or environment. Source code defines and uses various data structures and communication messages. The source code may be in computer executable form (eg, via an interpreter), or the source code may be in executable form (eg, via an interpreter), or (eg, translator, assembler, etc.). Converted to computer executable format (or via a compiler).

The present invention can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions such as program modules executed by a computer. In general, a program module includes routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform a particular task or implement a particular abstract data type. Computer programs and data are stored permanently or temporarily on tangible storage media in any format (eg, source code format, computer executable format or intermediate format), such as: Magnetic storage devices (eg diskettes or fixed hard disks) such as semiconductor storage devices (eg RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or RAM, ROM, flash-programmable RAM), optical storage devices (eg CD-ROM or DVD) , PC card (eg PCMCIA card), or other storage device. Computer programs and data are stored in all formats, including but not limited to analog, digital, optical, wireless, network, and Internet technologies, which can be transmitted to a computer using any of a variety of communication technologies. Be done. Computer programs and data are delivered in the form of removable storage media with printed or electronic documents (eg, shrink-packaged software or magnetic tape) that are pre-embedded in a computer system (eg, system ROM or fixed disk). Or delivered from a server or electronic bulletin board via a communication system (eg, the Internet or a worldwide website). Any of the software components of the present invention can be implemented in ROM (read-only memory), if desired. In general, software components can be implemented in hardware using conventional techniques, if desired.

The present invention can also be implemented in a distributed computing environment in which tasks are executed by remote processing devices connected via a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be placed on both local and remote computer storage media, including memory storage devices. Recognize that it can run on one or more connected computer processors. In another embodiment, different steps of the process are performed by one or more computers and storage devices that are geographically separated by being connected by a data network to work together to perform the process steps. be able to. In one embodiment, a user's computer can run an application through a data network that causes a second computer, here called a server, to send a number of one or more data packets. The server can then connect to one or more mass data storage devices in which the database is stored.

The server can execute a program that receives the transmitted packet, interprets the transmitted data packet, and extracts the search request information. The server can then perform the remaining steps of the invention by accessing the mass storage device to derive the desired result of the search request. Alternatively, the server can send the search information to another computer connected to the mass storage device, which can perform the present invention and obtain the desired result. The result can be sent back to the user's computer by another stream of one or more data packets properly addressed to the user's computer.

The exemplary embodiments of the invention are also applicable to live auctions, where sealed bidding can be used in both online and live bidding auctions to maximize the interests of both bidders and vendors. In a live auction, the participant himself appears or a bid is placed by an agent through the telephone system, and the auctioneer and / or other parties take steps to auction valuable properties, and the bidder You can actively participate in bidding. Sealed Bid Auction Live bidders can make their own decisions within two different categories of bid categories 1 and 2 before submitting a sealed bid. A bidder who has self-determined to be a Category 2 bidder can purchase "price protection securities" by submitting a check or by sealing and depositing in a sealed envelope or the like. Bidder must automatically or manually assign each bidder an arbitrary ID number and submit a sealed bid through a machine whose watch device issues time stamps. The bid classification is recorded along with the sealed bid amount before submitting the envelope to a location designated by the vendor or auctioneer, such as a "seal deposit box". Relevant rules in the context of a sealed bid auction may be preset by both the vendor and the bidder prior to the start of the auction.

At the end of the auction, the auctioneer and / or other party from the auction organization calculates the final price and selects the winning bidder based on the calculated final price. The method of "price protection securities" used in the actual auction is the same as that used in the online auction. The bidder presents a sealed bid that has been opened at the end of the auction, and the bidder is unaware of the bids submitted by other bidders. The bidder must confirm which bid classification he / she belongs to before the start of bidding in the live auction, and can change the bid classification before the end of the auction. The winning bidder pays the final price depending on whether the bidder is bid category 1 or bid category 2. Bid Category 2 bidders have the opportunity to recalculate the winning bid due to "price protection securities", while Bid Category 1 bidders are responsible for the full amount of bids submitted. The final amount of the winning bid is according to the "Price Guarantee Fee" and the "Price Protection Formula" which is the sum of the second highest bid and the predetermined ratio of the difference between the winning bid and the second highest bid. Depending on the different business strategies that can be recalculated, the auction may offer the option for the vendor to decide who to give the "price protection certificate" before the auction begins. In a live auction, bidders are notified of the recipient of the "price protection security" prior to the start of the auction. In fact, more bidders may participate in the actual auction by knowing that the second highest bidder can receive all or part of the "price guarantee fee". The winning bidder will pay the final price as well as related costs such as service charges, taxes and shipping charges, and the vendor will deliver the auctioned item. After that, the auction transaction is completed.

The described embodiments of the present invention are exemplary and will be apparent to skilled craftsmen with various changes and modifications. All such changes and modifications shall be within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clear that this is for illustration and illustration purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. For clarity, it is understood that the various features of the invention described in the context of separate embodiments may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, for brevity, the various features of the invention described in the context of a single embodiment may be provided separately or in any suitable combination. It is clear that the particular examples described in the specifications are intended only to provide a very detailed disclosure of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

Changes to the above-mentioned devices and methods disclosed within the scope of the present invention are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill. Therefore, it is understood that although the present invention is disclosed in connection with its exemplary embodiments, other embodiments also fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims below. I want to be.

Claims (22)

A computer-implemented system for sealed bidding online auctions
The system comprises a remote vendor computer associated with the auctioned vendor and one or more remote bidder computer associated with the auctioned bidder over a network. It comprises a server coupled to communicate with, said server performing at least one non-temporary computer-readable storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions for remotely executing an auction, a database, and the following operations: The operation includes a processor that executes the computer-readable instruction for the operation.
Receiving the auction request of the auction target in the auction from the remote vendor side computing device, and
Receiving one or more sealed bids for the auctioned object from the one or more remote bidder side calculators, the one or more sealed bids corresponding to one or more. For bids, when a successful bid is made at the auction, at least one sealed bid from at least one of the one or more bidders is associated with the bidder's bid. What happens with the pledge to pay the additional part,
Automatically assigning different identifiers to each of the one or more sealed bids,
During the period of the auction, the first representation of the auction, including the one or more different identifiers, is transmitted to the one or more remote bidder side calculators, the first representation. Does not include the bid amount, and at least one of the one or more remote bidder side calculators displays at least a portion of the information related to the first expression.
When the auction ends and the sealed bid is associated with the pledge, the sealed bid amount associated with the sealed bid and the second highest sealed bid associated with the second highest sealed bid, from the one or more sealed bids. Determining a high bid and
The sum of at least (a) the additional portion, (b) the second highest bid, and (c) a predetermined percentage of the difference between the sealed winning bid and the second highest bid. Is calculated as the payment amount of the sealed successful bid,
When the auction ends, the second expression of the auction is transmitted to the one or more bidder-side computing devices, and the second expression is at least the sealed winning bid amount corresponding to the winning bid. And that the at least one bidder-side computing device, including one of the different assigned identifiers, displays at least a portion of the information associated with the second representation.
A computer-implemented system that includes allocating at least a portion of the additional portion to at least one of the vendors or one or more of the bidders in the auction. The processor
Description of the auction target,
Further executing the computer-readable instruction to receive the auction request from the remote vendor side computing device with the corresponding auction schedule, or at least one of the starting prices for the auctioned object,
The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sealed bids include at least one or more bids that are greater than or equal to the starting price. The processor
Further execute the computer-readable instruction to recognize the sealed bid corresponding to the bid classification,
The computer-implemented system according to claim 1, wherein the bid classification includes bid classification 1 and bid classification 2. The processor
Identifying the bid classification of the winning bid, the bid classification 2 being associated with the pledge.
Further executing the computer-readable instruction to determine the sealed winning bid to be paid by the bidder of bid classification 1 or to determine the payment amount to be paid by the bidder of bid classification 2. The computer-implemented system according to claim 3. The computer according to claim 4, wherein the processor further executes the computer-readable instruction for receiving the pledge by the bidder of the bid classification 2 to pay the additional portion associated with the bid amount. The system implemented in. When the processor wins the auction, it further executes the computer-readable instruction to receive the additional portion from the bidder of the bid classification 2.
The computer-implemented system according to claim 5, wherein the additional portion is based on a predetermined ratio of the sealed successful bid amount. The processor further executes the computer-readable instruction to distinguish between the sealed winning bid and the payment.
The sealed successful bid amount is the highest bid amount in the auction.
The computer-implemented system according to claim 3, wherein the payment amount is calculated for a bidder of bid classification 2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes the computer-readable instructions for assigning at least a portion of the additional portion to at least the vendor or the one or more bidders. .. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the processor further executes the computer-readable instruction to allocate the full amount of the additional portion to the vendor. 8. The processor further executes the computer-readable instruction to allocate at least a portion of the additional portion associated with the sealed winning bid to the one or more second highest bidders. A system implemented on the listed computers. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the processor further executes the computer-readable instructions for assigning at least a portion of the additional portion to at least the vendor and the one or more bidders. .. A computer-implemented method for sealed bidding online auctions, said method.
A step of providing an online platform for remotely operating a sealed bid online auction by a computing system, wherein the computing system comprises at least one or more processors.
A step of receiving an auction request for an auction target from a remote vendor-side computing device in an auction by the one or more processors, wherein the remote vendor-side computing device performs the auction target through a communication network having the computing system. Associated with the vendor, the steps and
The one or more processors receives one or more sealed bids on the auctioned object from one or more bidder-side calculators associated with the one or more bidders on the auctioned object. In the step, when a successful bid is made at the auction, at least one of the one or more sealed bids occurs in association with a pledge to pay an additional portion associated with the bidder's bid amount. , The remote vendor-side computing device and the one or more bidder-side computing devices communicate with the computing system via a communication network.
A step of automatically assigning a different identifier to each of the one or more sealed bids by the one or more processors.
A first of the auctions comprising the one or more different identifiers in at least one of the one or more bidder-side computing units by the one or more processors during the period of the auction. In the step of transmitting an expression, the first expression does not include a bid amount, and the one or more bidder-side computing units display at least a part of the information related to the first expression. , Steps and
When the auction ends and the sealed bid is associated with the pledge, from the one or more sealed bids, the sealed bid amount associated with the sealed bid and the second associated with the second highest sealed bid. Steps to determine high bids and
At least (a) the additional portion, the sum of the proportions determined Me pre difference between (b) the second highest bid amount, and (c) said sealing bid amount and the second highest bid , The step to calculate as the payment amount of the sealed successful bid,
When the auction ends, the step of transmitting the second expression of the auction to the one or more bidder-side computing devices, and when the one or more sealed bids are set, the first The expression 2 includes at least the sealed winning bid amount corresponding to the different assigned identifier, and the at least one bidder-side computing device displays at least a portion of the information related to the second expression. A method performed on a computer that includes steps. Further including a step of receiving the auction request from the remote vendor side computing device comprising at least one of the description of the auction object, the corresponding auction schedule, or the starting price for the auction object.
The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the one or more sealed bids are at least greater than or equal to the starting price. Including the step of recognizing the sealed bid corresponding to the bid classification,
The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the bid classification comprises bid classification 1 and bid classification 2. A step of identifying the bid classification of the winning bid, wherein the bid classification 2 is associated with the pledge.
The computer according to claim 14, further comprising determining the sealed winning bid to be paid by a bidder in bid classification 1 or determining the payment amount to be paid by a bidder in bid classification 2. The method to be carried out. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising receiving the pledge by the bidder of the bid classification 2 to pay the additional portion. When the bidder of the bid classification 2 wins the auction, the step of receiving the additional portion is further included.
The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the additional portion is at least based on a predetermined percentage of the sealed successful bid amount. Further including a step of distinguishing the sealed successful bid amount from the payment amount,
The sealed successful bid amount is the highest bid amount from the bidder in the auction.
The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the payment amount is calculated for the sealed successful bid amount of a bidder of bid classification 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising the step of assigning at least the additional portion to at least the vendor or the one or more bidders. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising the step of allocating the full amount of the additional portion to the one or more bidders. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising the step of allocating at least a portion of the additional portion to at least the vendor and the one or more bidders. A step of allocating at least a portion of the additional portion of the sealed winning bid to at least one of the vendors or one or more of the second highest bidders of the auction.
The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising a step of encouraging payment of at least a portion of the payment amount from the winning bidder to the vendor.