NL2017738B1 - Live auction system - Google Patents

Abstract

Live auction system, in particular a flower auction system, comprising a central processing unit, for storing auction lot data, the data comprising at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and/or pick up locations of the items; controlling a central display unit, in order for it to display: an auction clock, showing an actual price for an item at auction; locations and the items available for pick up at those locations; communication with at least one remote processing unit, configured for receiving and displaying auction lot data from the central processing unit, the data comprising at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and/or pick up locations of the items; receiving auction bids from a user, the auction bids comprising a desired amount of items, and a storage and/or pick up location of the items and communicating the auction bids to the central processing unit.

Description

Patent center

The Netherlands

© 2017738 (21) Application number: 2017738 © Application submitted: 07/11/2016

BI PATENT (51) Int. CL:

G06Q 30/08 (2016.01)

(Tl) Application registered: (73) Patent holder (s): 23/05/2018 Royal FloraHolland U.A. Cooperative in Aalsmeer. (43) Application published: θ Inventor (s): Patent granted: Marcel Johannes Josephus van der Burg 23/05/2018 in Rijswijk. (45) Patent issued: 30/05/2018 (74) Agent: ir. H.Th. van den Heuvel et al. in 's-Hertogenbosch.

© Live auction system (57) Live auction system, in particular a flower auction system, including a central processing unit, for disturbing auction lot data, the data including at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and / or pick up locations of the items; controlling a central display unit, in order for it to display: an auction clock, showing an actual price for an item at auction; locations and the items available for pick up at those locations; communication with at least one remote processing unit, configured for receiving and displaying auction lot of data from the central processing unit, the data including at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and / or pick up locations of the items; receiving auction bids from a user, the auction bids including a desired amount of items, and a storage and / or pick up location of the items and communicating the auction bids to the central processing unit.

NL BI 2017738

This patent has been granted regardless of the attached result of the research into the state of the art and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

Live auction system

The present invention relates to a live auction system, and in particular to such a system for flower sales. Flower auctions have been in use for decades, and on the Dutch flower sale market, the concept of the countdown auction type has been applied ever since.

According to this principle, lots of similar or comparable flowers are offered in batches, with a starting price. An auction clock counts down from the starting price, and bidders can hit a button when they want to buy the lot for the price the auction clock indicates at that specific moment.

Although the batches have a specific amount of flowers, the bidders do not have an insight or the total amount that is offered for sale. Additionally, as a result, they do not know the remaining amount of flowers, which may be an important factor for basing their bid on.

A further situation that incurs a disadvantage is that flowers are actually brought to the auction location, so that bidders can take their purchases directly away for further distribution. For that goal it is obviously advantageous, but the same sort of flowers may be sold at another auction simultaneously. While bidding on one auction, a bidder cannot be physically present at the other auction site, and even if he had remote access to the auction system at the other site, the speed of auctions and the uncertainty of winning a lot makes it difficult if not impossible to participate in multiple auctions simultaneously.

For the sellers at the auction, it is always questionable how to divide their auction items over the various auction locations in order to obtain the best results. In the case of flowers, transport is not only costly and time consuming, but also brings the risk or damaging the flowers. Not only due to the handling, but also due to changes in temperature and humidity that occur during transport.

There is no second chance at a second location at a later auction time.

It is a goal of the present invention to provide a solution for at least one of the above mentioned problems, and / or to provide a useful alternative for the present live auction systems.

The invention thereto proposes a live auction system, in particular a flower auction system, including a central processing unit, for disturbing auction lot data, the data including at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and / or pick up locations of the items; controlling a central display unit, in order for it to display; an auction clock, showing an actual price for an item at auction; locations and the items available for pick up at those locations; communication with at least one remote processing unit, configured for receiving and displaying auction lot of data from the central processing unit, the data including at least the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and / or pick up locations of the items; receiving auction bids from a user, the auction bids including a desired amount of items, and a storage and / or pick up location of the items; communicating the auction bids to the central processing unit.

The system according to the invention provides the advantage to the buyer that he or she has an insight into the total amount of items offered. This is useful information to take into account when determining a price to make a bid at. Furthermore, obtaining insight into the items offered at different locations, providing the choice to buy at various locations at various prices, taking transport time and costs into discount. It also provides the opportunity to purchase a greater amount than offered at a single location or auction, and this way, able to fulfill a specific (large) order. Additionally, by having an insight into the remaining amount of flowers, a timely bid can be made. Yet another advantage is that the total auction time may be lower, since there is no longer a need for separate auctions at different locations.

For sellers, the system provides the option to offer items at auction, without the physical need to transport them to the current location, and the opportunity to sell them to a larger amount of bidders.

In general, the system provides the technical means provided for a more transparent market.

In a preferred embodiment, the central processing unit is further configured for receiving auction bids from the remote processing unit; allocate the auction items to the remote processing unit for the instantaneous price of the auction clock and subtracting the bid from the amount of items the lot comprises, at the respective location; updating the information displayed by the display unit.

Preferably the system does this all in real time, since the auction goes rather fast, requiring current information at all times.

In order for the bidders to prepare, and to reduce the number of actions to be tasks during the auction, the least one remote processing unit may be configured for registering locations from which the user wants to purchase auctioned items.

The bidder can thus indicate those locations from which he would be prepared to buy auction lots, taking travel time and expenses into account up front. In a more elaborate version, the remote processing unit is configured to register a preferred order of the locations from which the user wants to purchase auctioned items. This way, the bidder only has - after entering his preferred locations and their order - to watch the price during countdown and to enter the amount he wants to purchase.

Thereto, in a further embodiment of the central processing unit is configured for allocating auction items to the remote processing unit from a first preferred location as long as there are auction items available at the first preferred location, and for allocating auction items to the remote processing unit from a second preferred location as long as the first preferred location has run out of auction items.

The remote processing unit may be further configured for displaying the total purchased amount of auction items, split up per location. This gives the buyer an insight into the amount he has bought, in addition to the amounts that are still available for purchase, which can be followed on the central display or the central processing unit.

The remote processing unit may be a smart device such as a smart phone, owned and held by the bidder. The smart device may include an application for configuring it for use in a system as described above. Such application also forms part of the invention, as does an app store or other carrier from which the application can be obtained.

The central processing unit may include an interface for uploading items for auction, which interface may include a website or an application for a smart device as well, in which auction items and the locations at which they are available can be entered.

The invention will now be elucidated into more detail, with reference to the following figures 1-18, which show a sequence of actions tasks by multiple users on a system according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a central display or a central processing unit according to the present invention, and three displays or remote processing units according to the present invention, at a moment before a live auction starts. The users (Client A, Client B and Client C) or the remote processing units have entered locations (in this case Aalsmeer and Naaldwijk) from which they would like to buy auction items, in their preferred order. The central display does not show items yet, because the auction is still starting. The remote processing units formed by the smart phones or Client A, Client B and Client C, have received and display auction lot data from the central processing unit, the data containing the amount of items the lot comprises and the storage and / or pick up locations of the items.

Figure 2 shows the change of the central display once the auction starts. The total amount of 200 items on auction is displayed, as well as their distribution over locations Aalsmeer and Naaldwijk.

Figure 3 shows that on the central display the auction clock has started.

Figure 4 shows the moment where Client A decides to buy 20 items from the flower on auction. The remote processing device offers a button where an amount can be selected, evidently, this could also be embodied by a form where a desired number of items can be entered.

Figure 5 shows the situation after Client A has pressed the button. The central display unit shows a lowered total available amount of items, and the items purchased by Client A are deducted from the available amount at his preferred location, Aalsmeer by the central processing unit.

Figure 6 shows that Client B wants to purchase 30 items, and then click a button on his or her remote processing device.

Figure 7 shows the central display and the remote processing units again show adapted amounts. The items purchased by Client Bere deducted from his or her sole selected location Aalsmeer.

Figure 8 shows that Client C wants to purchase 50 items. Client C has Naaldwijk as his preferred location.

Figure 9 shows the updated amounts after the purchase from Figure 8.

Figure 10 shows that subsequently Client A wants to purchase 30 items again.

Figure 11 shows the situation after the purchase from figure 10. The remote processing device from Client A shows the amount purchased, split up in the former and the most recent purchase.

Figure 12 shows that Client B wants to purchase 10 items.

Figure 13 shows the effect of the purchase from Figure 12.

Figure 14 shows that Client A wants to purchase 30 items. This amount is larger than the available amount of items in his preferred location, but smaller than the total amount of items available on auction.

Figure 15 shows the updated displays after the purchase from figure 14. The maximum available amount of 20 items were deducted from the available items at location Aalsmeer, and the remaining desired amount was deducted from the available items in Naaldwijk. The remaining amount of 0 items at Aalsmeer is marked.

Figure 16 shows that Client C wants to buy 20 items. His preferred location is 5 Naaldwijk.

Figure 17 shows the situation after the purchase from figure 16. All items are sold

Figure 18 shows the central display, indicating that a next lot will be scheduled for 10 auction.

The above figures and sequences are examples only and do in no way or sense limit the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims (2)

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S3 03 PREFERRED EOOATfOHS CLIENT C CHOOSE YOUR Α & ΟϋΚΪ 23 23 S3 S3 PREFERRED IOCATSOBS 1 Aa 2 TOSS C TOO SE YOUR AJTOUST S3 23 S3 £ 3 PRE FERRED LOCATOR S 1 Aalsmeer | 50 | 2 Naaldwijk l | CHOOSE SJW NUMBER S3 S3 S3 S3 PREfE 1 Naaldwijk 50 2 Aalsmeer I ft - Available (ify 70 ⁸⁰ f Λ ^{30 v} ~ - ⁷ (to al 40 location Aalsmeer 30 location Naaldwijk ViRTUALCLOCK CLIENT A CLIENT B CLiENT C CHOO5E VOLIR ftTOLIRT 23 S3 S3 S3 S3 PREFERRED LOCATORS 1 Aalsmeer 120 + 301 2 Naaldwijk | Figure 11 CLIENT C CHOOSE IOSJR AMOUSO 23 S3 S3 S3 S3 PREFERRED LOCATORS 1 Naaldwijk I SO 2 Aalsmeer I Figure 10 6/9 * Available (Wj 70 ® * f □ □ ^ \ ^K ' I D ^ OaDj 40 location Aalsmeer 30 location Naaldwijk VIRTUAL CLOCK CLiENT A C: -K) ij = E YOLfR AS & XiRI 23 S3 S3 ^ 3 PREFERRED LOCATORS 1 Aaismi 2 Needle CLIENT C CHOOSE YOÜR AA-5OUMT © © © © © PREFERRED LOCATION-US 1 Naaldwijk SO 2 Aalsmeer I > * -Ί Z2 \ 100 Available (<) ^5ί γ an γ ⁹ xYYx 1 □□□□! 70 location Aalsmeer 30 location Naaldwijk , VIRTIJALCLOCK j client A <_ HOOSE YGHR AWtfttT © © © PREFACTION 1 Naaldwijk | _ | 2 Aalsmeer I j Figure 6 4/9 Figure 7 Figure 8 5/9 Available Figure 9 location Aalsmeer location Naaldwijk client C CHOOSE YOHR ARSOIW PREFERRED LOCATORS 1 Naaldwijk | 2 Aalsmeer | | Available location Aalsmeer location Naaldwijk CLIENT C CNOÖSE YOUR AMOUNT SB SB SB SB € B PREFERRED LOCATIONS 1 Aalsmeer | | CLIENT C CHOOSE YOUR AMOUNT SB SB SB SB IB PREFERRED LOCATfONS 1 Naaldwijk 1 | 2 Aalsmeer | | Figure 4 3/9 Available (W) 180 80 f Q Q I □□□□) Wed. location Aalsmeer so location Naaldwijk VIRTUAL®CLOCK Figure 5 CHOOSE YOUR AMOUNT SB £ B SB SB IB PREFERRED L0CATOB5 1 Aalsmeer | | C HOOSJt VOSSR ABOUT S3 S3 §3 S3 S3 PREFERHED LQCftBOBS 1 Pat 2 Naalc CHOOSE VOTIRAMOOS? S3 83 S3 S3 S3 PREFERRED LOCABQN5 1/9 2ÖQ ISO Available location Aebmeer locahon Haaklwijk so Figure 2 2/9 Figure 3 *  c Λ Ϊ -X ~~ \ ' Available (Wj 200 SC> JF Q Q Λ » ί □ □□ □ 1 120 location Aalsmeer 80 location Naaldwijk VJRTlfALCLOCK .................................................. ............... * CLIENT A CLIENT B CLIENT C CHOOSE TOUR ABJOOli: Piïti / l-HONS A live auction system, in particular a flower auction system, comprising: o A central processing unit, designed for: storing auction lot data, comprising the data, • at least the amount of items that the lot comprises and • the storage and / or collection locations of the items; controlling a central display unit so that it displays: • an auction clock, which displays a current price for an item to be auctioned; • locations and the available items to be collected at these locations; communication with: o at least one remote processing unit, arranged for: receiving and displaying auction lot data from the central processing unit, the data comprising: • at least the amount of items that the lot comprises and • the storage and / or collection locations of the items; Receiving auction bids from a user, the auction bids comprising: • A desired quantity of items, and • a storage and / or collection location of the items; communicating the auction bids to the central processing unit. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is further adapted to: - receiving auction bids from the remote processing unit; - allocating the auction items to the remote processing unit for the instantaneous price of the auction clock; - reducing the bid on the amount of items that the lot comprises at the respective location; - updating the information displayed on the display unit. 3. System as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one upstanding processing unit is arranged for registering locations where the user wants to purchase items to be auctioned. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remote processing unit is adapted to record a preferred order of the locations where the user wants to purchase items to be auctioned. The system of claim 4, wherein the central processing unit is adapted to allocate auction items to the remote processing unit of a first preferred location as long as auction items are available at the first preferred location, and to assign auction items to the remote processing unit of a second preferred location as long as the first preferred location has passed through the auction items. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote processing unit is arranged to display the total amount of purchased auction items, divided by location. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remote processing unit is an intelligent device, such as a smartphone. A system according to claim 7, wherein the intelligent device comprises an application for the configuration for use in a system according to any of the preceding claims. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central processing unit comprises an interface for uploading items to be auctioned, such as a website or an application for an intelligent device, on which auction items and the locations where these are available can be entered. An application store or another carrier whose application mentioned in claim 8 or 9 can be obtained. 2 Aalsmeer | | Figure T Figure 18