Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
  • G06Q30/08—Auctions

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a time variable auction method which is capable of varying a period of auction on the Internet, and in particular to a time variable auction method which is capable of guaranteeing an efficient progress and a reliability of an auction by shortening a period of auction in accordance with a purchase price of a buyer and announcing a credit rating of an auction participant on the auction site.
• the Internet is an open network which makes possible anyone in anywhere to connect freely to a computer of the other party by adapting a common protocol such as a TCP/IP, the Internet can provide various services such as an electronic mail, a file transmission, the WWW (World Wide Web), etc. not to speak of a basic character information transmission and a multimedia information transmission according to development of a data compression technology.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an auction sen/ice through the Internet.
• Only subscribers can join auctions on an auction site 10. Accordingly, a user who wants to use the auction service through the Internet 20 has to contact and join the auction site 10, and the user can register an item or a service to sell and a selling price.
• the auction site 10 puts the item or service up at the auction, the each subscriber (after, it is called as a seller) contacting to the auction site 10 through the Internet 20 registers an item to sell on the auction site 10 by using a computer 30-1 of a first seller or a computer 30-N of -a N seller, and the auction site 10 announces the auction through the Internet 20.
• a buyer who wants to buy the item announced on the auction site 10 inputs a purchase price for the auction item through a computer 40-1 of a first " buyer or a computer 40-M of a M buyer.
• the bid is transmitted to the auction site 10, and
• an auction period (such as three days, a week etc.) per each item is determined.
• Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the conventional auction
• the auction site 10 When the auction site 10 receives bid information about the auction item from the computers 40-1 ⁇ 40-M of the sellers as shown at S201 , it updates the present price of the auction item registered on the
• the conventional auction process is the auction method which proceeds the auction with the buyer as the central figure
• the seller has to wait passively after registering the auction item on the
• auction item is knocked down to the certain buyer, there is short of protection means for the seller.
• auction continually proceeds for a certain period determined by the auction site 10, it can not satisfy a request of a seller and a buyer who want a rapid selling and a rapid buying.
• present invention is to provide a time variable auction method which is capable of ending an auction even before an initial set auction period by
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a time variable auctionltiethod which is capable of shortening a rest time of an auction period in accordance of ascendant of a purchase price and continually providing a progress of an auction from a server of an auction site to a seller and buyers in real time through a wire or wireless network by announcing the shortening of the auction period to the seller and buyer.
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a time variable auction method which is capable of improving a reliability of an auction and even a reliability of an e-commerce by calculating a credit rating of a seller and buyers and displaying the credit rating on an auction site.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an auction service system providing an auction service through the Internet.
• Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the conventional auction
• Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a time variable auction
• Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a time variable auction method
• Figure 5a is a detailed-flow chart illustrating registering a seller as shown in S41 of Figure 4.
• Figure 5b is a detailed-flow chart illustrating registering a buyer
• Figure 5c is a detailed-flow chart illustrating progressing an
• Figure 5d is a detailed-flow chart illustrating ending the auction
• Figure 6a is a table illustrating an example of selling data
• Figure 6b is table illustrating an example a range of price divided
• Figure 6c is a flow chart illustrating a first embodiment of progressing an auction as shown in S523 of Figure 5c.
• Figure 6d is a flow chart illustrating a second embodiment of
• Figure 7a is a layout illustrating avatars selected by a seller and a
• Figure 7b is a layout illustrating an example of displaying a credit rating with the avatars as shown in Figure 7a.
• Figure 7c is a layout illustrating avatars as shown in Figure 7 in
• Figure 7d is a layout illustrating a first embodiment of avatars
• FIG. 7e is a layout illustrating a second embodiment of avatar showing a warning message in resetting an auction period as shown in S66 of Figure 6c.
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a time variable auction system in accordance with the present invention.
• a time variable auction system in accordance with the present invention includes a server 30 opening an auction site and operating the auction site, a seller contact means 31 selling movable property or real property (hereinafter, it is referred to as an auction abject) by contacting to the auction site of the server 30, and a buyer contact means 32 buying the auction object by contacting to the auction site of the server 30.
• the server 30 includes a CPU 300, an auction object storing means 301 being inputted information about an auction object (an item, a quantity, a quality, a production year, etc.), not less than two selling prices about an auction object and a period of auction about the auction object from the seller contact means 31 and storing the information, a dynamic progress processing means 302 dividing the not less than two selling prices into not less than three ranges of price and shortening a rest period of the auction at a certain rate when the selling price offered from the seller belongs to one of the divided price range, a credit rating display means 303 displaying a credit rating of the seller and buyer in accordance with a certain credit rating method on the auction site before the auction progress or only in progress of the auction, an avatar display means 304 selecting a certain avatar designating the seller and the buyer before the auction start and displaying the selected avatar on the auction site, and a warning message display means 305 transmitting a warning message announcing the purchase price is greater than the certain price range, namely, shortening of the auction period to
• the server 30 opens an auction site on the Internet and provides a contact means to a seller and a buyer.
• the seller contacts to the auction site through the seller contact means 31 and inputs information about an auction object to sell, not less than two selling prices about the auction object and an auction period about the auction object.
• the server 30 stores the inputted information in the auction object storing means 301.
• the buyer contacts to the auction site through the buyer contact means 32, inputs a purchase price within the auction period after retrieving the auction object to buy.
• the server 30 stores the purchase price in the auction object storing means 301.
• the dynamic progress processing means 302 divides a range of price on the basis of the inputted selling price, in more detail, when two selling prices are inputted, the dynamic progress processing means 302 divides the inputted two selling prices into three ranges of price, when a purchase price of the buyer belongs to theT ⁇ west range of price, the auction is in progress on the basis of set auction period, when the purchase price belongs to a range of price higher than the lowest range of price, a rest time of the set auction period is shortened.
• the warning message transmitting means 305 notifies the change to the seller and the buyer.
• the warning message transmitting means 305 transmits a warning message through a general wire telephone, a pager, a handset or displays a warning message on the auction site or a wireless device for auction only, etc.
• the server 30 includes the credit rating display means 303 in order to provide information about a reliability about the auction site to the seller and the buyer before the auction start or in auction progress.
• the credit- rating display means 303 divides a credit rating of the seller and the buyer into a certain credit grades and displays it, when the seller and the buyer request an auction to the auction site for the first time, the server 30 gives the same credit rating to the seller and the buyer. For * example, when there is five of the total grades, all sellers and buyers joined to an auction for the first time have the same grades.
• the credit rating ascends when a seller or a buyer performs an auction a certain times, when a seller delays a delivery of an auction item or cancels an auction unilaterally, a credit rating descends, when a buyer delays paying the price for an auction item, a credit rating descends.
• the server 30 provides the avatar display means 304 so as to make a seller and a
• the auction object storing means 301 can use a record storing
• a floppy disc such as a floppy disc, a hard disc, a compact disc, a magnetic
• the avatar display means 304 the credit rating display means
• rating display means 303 calculates the credit rating with a credit rating
• Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a time variable auction method in accordance with the present invention.
• a time variable auction method is a flow chart illustrating a time variable auction method in accordance with the present invention.
• S40 is for opening an auction site on the server 30.
• Figure 5a is a detailed-flow chart illustrating registering a seller
• the registering process as shown at S41 includes the steps of contacting to an auction site by a seller as shown at
• the seller to sell an auction object contacts to the auction site through the seller contact means 31
• the selling price can be inputted as US$20 of a registering selling price, and a lowest price for selling of US$10.
• the auction period can be inputted as May-19-01 09:00:00 ⁇ May-19-01 20:00:00.
• the. server 30 stores the selling data
• the announcing step as shown at S504 the server 30 attracts a buyer by announcing the selling data about the auction object on the auction site.
• Figure 5b is a detailed-flow chart illustrating registering a buyer
• the registering process as shown at S42 includes the steps of retrieving the selling data as shown at S511 , inputting a purchase price as shown at S512, and announcing a purchase price as shown at S513.
• the contacting step as shown at S42 includes the steps of retrieving the selling data as shown at S511 , inputting a purchase price as shown at S512, and announcing a purchase price as shown at S513.
• the buyer contacting to the auction site through the buyer contact means 32 retrieves the auction object.
• the buyer contact means 32 retrieves the auction object.
• the server 30 is inputted a purchase . price from a buyer when the buyer finds a request auction object. Inputting the purchase price is possible within the auction period, in the announcing step as shown at
• the server 30 announces the purchase price inputted from the ⁇ buyer on the auction site in real-time.
• Figure 5c is a detailed-flow chart illustrating progressing an auction as shown in S43 of Figure 4.
• the progressing process as shown at S43 includes the steps of dividing a selling price into ranges as shown at S 521 , announcing a selling price as shown at S522, announcing an auction period in approaching to each range as shown at S523, and knocking down an auction item to a buyer offering the highest purchase price as shown at S524.
• the server 30 forms not less than two price ranges on the basis of the at least one selling price inputted form the seller.
• a first range of the selling price is 0 ⁇ 1 selling price
• a second range of the selling price is the first selling price ⁇ the second selling price
• a third range of the selling price is the second selling price ⁇ the third selling price
• a fourth range of the selling price is not less than the third selling price.
• the buyer offers a purchase price about the auction object from a purchase price lower than the first selling price.
• the auction processes as same as the auction period initially set. When a purchase price approaches to.
• the server.30 shortens a rest period of the auction to 1/2 or 1/3, when a purchase price approaches to the third price range, the server 30 shortens a rest period of the auction to 1/2 or 1/3 or 1/4, etc.
• the auction object is knocked down to a buyer offering the highest purchase price by the server 30 at the auction period end time point.
• Figure 5d is a detailed-flow chart illustrating ending the auction as shown in S44 of Figure 4.
• the ending process as shown at S44 includes the steps of announcing a successful bid confirmation message, the highest bid price and a successful bidder as shown at S531 , and executing the auction as shown at S532.
• the server 30 displays a successful bid confirmation message announcing the end of the auction on the auction site and displays the highest bid price and a successful bidder
• the executing step as shown at S532 the seller performs a delivery of the auction object and receives the price for the auction object and the buyer pays the price for the auction object and receives the auction object in accordance with regulations of the auction site.
• Figure 6a is a table illustrating an example of selling data inputted by a seller as shown in S502 of Figure 5a.
• the server 30 stores selling data inputted from a seller as a table format.
• the selling data includes information about an auction object (an item, a quantity, a quality, a production year, etc.), not less than two selling prices (for example, a first selling price, a second selling price) about an auction object and a period of auction about the auction object.
• the seller can input not less than one selling price.
• Figure 6b is table illustrating an example a range of price divided by the selling data as shown in Figure 6a.
• the price range can be divided into a first price range (US$0 ⁇ a second selling price), a second price range (A second price selling ⁇ a first selling price), and a third price range (a first selling price ⁇ US$ ⁇ ).
• Figure 6c is a flow chart illustrating a first embodiment of progressing an auction as shown in S523 of Figure 5c.
• the processing step as shown at S523 includes the sub-steps of starting an auction -as shown at S61 , judging whether a purchase price is inputted as shown at S62, displaying a purchase price as shown at S63, judging whether an auction period ends as shown at S64, judging whether a price range is changed as shown at S65, and resetting an auction period as shown at S523
• the CPU 300 of the server 30 starts an auction at a time Jan-20-00 14:00:00 in accordance with selling data by controlling the dynamic progress processing means 302 as shown at S&i .
• the purchase price inputted from the buyer is displayed as shown at S63
• the server 30 checks whether an auction period expires as shown at S64. In the S64, when the auction period expires, the auction ends and the buyer offers the highest purchase price is a successful bidder as shown at S67.
• the dynamic progress processing means 302 shortens a rest auction period at a present time at a certain rate as shown at S66, when there is no change, the auction period progresses as it is.
• a rest auction period for example, 1/2
• the server 30 can display an auction period resetting message (hereinafter, it is referred to " as a warning message) oh the auction site through the warning message display means 305 and can transmit the warning message to the seller and the buyers.
• the warning message notifies a rest auction period as "This auction will end in 2 hours" or "This auction will end in 25 minutes".
• the warning message can be transmitted through a wireless communication or a wire communication. The warning message is for notifying a rest auction period to a seller and buyers, the seller and buyers do not have to contact always to the auction site till the auction ends.
• Figure 6d is a flow chart illustrating a second embodiment of progressing an auction as shown in Figure 6c. Ending the auction by the seller is additionally included as shown at S68. In more detail, during the auction, by including the ending sub-step as shown at S68, the seller can end the auction rapidly or can knock down the auction object to a buyer having relatively a good credit rating among buyers joining the auction.
• Figure 7a is a layout illustrating avatars selected. by a seller and buyers. A seller can select one of avatars provided from the avatar display means 304.
• Figure 7b is a layout illustrating displaying a credit rating with the avatars as shown in Figure 7a.
• the avatar display means 304 and the credit rating display means 303 differ appearances of avatars (for example, dress) in accordance with a credit rating in order to check visually a credit rating of a seller and a buyers.
• Figure 7c is a layout illustrating avatars as shown in Figure 7 in progressing an auction.
• the avatar display means 304 visually displays an auction progress by placing avatars in accordance with purchase prices from the buyers in ascending powers or in descending powers.
• avatars can act a certain motion such as a running motion in order to show in the auction progress state.
• the seller can end the auction by clicking an avatar or a name of a buyer with the compulsory auction end means.
• Figure 7d is a layout illustrating a warning message using " " an avatar as shown in resetting a period of auction as shown in S66 of Figure 6c.
• a rest auction period is shortened, in order to notify it an avatar can flicker as a red color. Accordingly, the seller and buyers contacting to the auction site can easily recognize the auction period resetting.
• Figure 7e is a layout illustrating another warning message using an avatar in resetting a period of auction as shown in S66 of Figure 6c.
• a purchase price of the seller approaches to a third price range, a color of the avatar is changed into a red.
• a time variable auction method in accordance with the present invention can progress an auction rapidly without waiting until an initial set auction period by varying an auction period flexibly. In other words, by shortening flexibly the set auction period in accordance with a present purchase price, an auction delay problem can be solved.
• a time variable auction method in accordance with the present invention can easily and rapidly display an auction progress state and a reliability of an auction on an auction site by visually representing an auction progress and a credit rating grade of a seller and buyers on the auction site with avatars. Accordingly, the time variable auction method in accordance with the present invention can activate an e-commerce by guaranteeing a rapid progress of an auction and a reliability of an auction.

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• 2000
  • 2000-01-21 KR KR1020000002800A patent/KR20010075888A/ko active Search and Examination
  • 2000-08-10 WO PCT/KR2000/000888 patent/WO2001054014A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-08-10 KR KR10-2001-7012000A patent/KR100458939B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-08-10 AU AU67349/00A patent/AU6734900A/en not_active Abandoned

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