NL1034677C2 - Internet auction system for e.g. bidding, live auction over Internet, has arbitration device performing arbitration on stop signal, where arbitration begins from moment when stop signal is determined as valid - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a set of workstations (100) provided with a clock device (101). A time base (200) ensures that participants are in same time limit. A master device indicates signals related to the participants, and an arbitration device performs arbitration on a stop signal (403), where the arbitration begins from the moment when the stop signal is determined as valid.

Description

System for auctioning over the Internet

Description

The invention relates to auctioning via the internet.

With conventional auction systems there is a central clock device that determines the current auction price. 5 Buyers who participate in an auction session with these systems via the internet experience problems with the signal delay and with the variation in the signal delay.

In this invention there is no central clock device, but each workplace has its own clock device. The invention is further elucidated with reference to Fig. 1.

The time of these workplace clock devices 101 is determined by a signal 201 from a common time base 200. An example of a common time base is internet NTP (RFC-1305). With this, the mutual variation of the time at a workplace can be reduced to a few milliseconds.

In the present invention, a start signal 402 is given from a auctioneer device 300 in which it is indicated when and with which price starting value the auction session starts. This signal is sent on time, taking into account the maximum delay and delay variation.

At each participating workplace 100, the workplace clock device is started at the specified time and the buyer is presented with the local clock value.

If a participating buyer stops the workplace clock device, then a Stop signal 403 with the current clock position is sent back to the auctioneer device.

Part of the auctioneer device is an arbitration device 301. In the case of several Stop signals, it determines which workplace has won the auction session.

Transport of the signals 201, 402 and 403 takes place over network 500 - for example internet - for which it holds that the signal transport between the auction center and the buyer's workplace can have a non-negligible signal delay and / or variation in the signal delay.

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Claims (2)

A system with the following characteristics: a plurality of workplaces for participating purchasers, each workstation having a clock device (AI); a time base (TB) that ensures that participating AIs - within very precise limits with the same time - run synchronously with each other; a master device (MI) that gives signals to the participating AIs, the MI exchanging the following signals with the participating AIs 10 Preset indicating that an AI must assume a certain clock value. Start indicating that the auction session will start at a specified time; wherein participating AIs can exchange a Stop signal with AI indicating which clock position the AI has stopped at; an arbitration device (AI) that performs arbitration on the incoming Stop signals from a plurality of AIs, the arbitration starting from the moment the first valid Stop signal arrives until the moment that no more Stop signals are accepted and the AI makes a choice to which AI the purchase is awarded. 2. System as described in claim 1, using a network - such as the internet - for which it holds that the signal transport between the auction center and the buyer's workplace can have a non-negligible signal delay and / or variation in the signal delay. 1,034,677