Auction methods, auction systems and servers

• US 20010056396A1
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tadashi Goino
• Original Assignee: Tadashi Goino
• Inventors: Goino, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Auction methods, auction systems and servers which can satisfy requirements other than the price for a client are provided. An auction client selects a desired one from time slide schemes from a terminal, and enters a due date in an associated entry field. For example, a due date advance scheme is a scheme in which a person who offers the soonest possible trading date from a due date is determined as a successful bidder. Also, specific details (paying-in, delivery and so on) on the trading date for a payment or delivery of an article, requested to a partner, are specified. These bid condition data are transmitted to the server through a network, and the server collects participants in a bid on a home page. The server receives trading dates offered from terminals of participants, and determines a participant who offers the trading date that most satisfies the trade due date condition offered by the client as a successful bidder.

Claims

1. A method of conducting an auction for bidding off an article or a service, or a person who receives provision of an article or a service, through a network, said method comprising:

a collection procedure in which an auction intermediary server provides information serving as a reference for bidding an article or a service to be traded, and transmits collection information to collect bids requesting to offer an element other than a price or converted information converted to said element, as an object to be bidden, to terminals through the network;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said element or said converted information offered by bidders from terminals of the bidders through communications via the network; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for finding a result of bidding with said element included in said bid information or an element derived by converting said converted information, based on said bid information, to select a successful bidder.

2. The auction method according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a request procedure prior to said collection procedure, or between said bid procedure and said bid acceptance procedure, in which a client makes a request,

wherein in said request procedure, said server prompts the client through a terminal of the client to offer attribute information required to identify an article or a service to be traded, and said server receives request information including said attribute information from the terminal of the client via the network.

4. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer desired conditions for a trade through the terminal of the client, and receives said request information additionally including said desired trade conditions from the terminal of the client; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said element in accordance with said desired trade conditions based on said bid information.

5. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein:

said server executes said collection procedure for providing said collection information including information used as a reference in conducting a bid, within said request information, on the terminal via said network, to collect bids after said request procedure in which said server receives said request information from the terminal of the client.

6. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein:

prior to said request procedure, said server collects the bidders in said collection procedure, and receives an advanced bid for storing said bid information received from the bidder in said bid procedure in a database;

after receiving said advanced bid, said server, upon receipt of said request information from the terminal of the client in said request procedure, executes said bid acceptance procedure in which said server retrieves said bid information on an associated article or service from said database based on said attribute information in said request information, executes said bid processing with said element in said request information or an element converted from said converted information, and transmits a resulting successful bid for display on the terminal of the client;

said server, upon receipt of information from the terminal of the client notifying that the client does not satisfy the resulting successful bid by the advanced bid and again requests a bid, again executes said collection procedure for collecting bidders in said bid procedure after said request procedure, and receives bid information from the bidders and executes said bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes said bid processing with said element in said request information or an element converted from said converted information based on said bid information, and transmits a resulting successful bid for display on the terminal of the client.

7. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein:

the client is a person who wants to buy desired information as an article;

in said bid procedure, the bidder is forced to offer information as an article, said information including said element or said converted information converted to said element; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said element or said converted information included in the said information treated as an article is an object to be bidden, and information offered by said successful bidder is traded as an article.

8. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer desired trade conditions on the terminal of the client, and receives said request information including said desired trade conditions from the terminal of the client;

in said collection procedure, said server transmits said desired trade condition as information used as a reference in conducting a bid to the terminal of a bidder to present said desired trade conditions to the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said element in accordance with said desired trade conditions based on said bid information.

9. The auction method according to

claim 8

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts an offer of said desired trade conditions on said request screen; and

in said bid procedure, said server presents said desired trade conditions on said bid screen.

10. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said bid processing executed by said server in said bid acceptance procedure is processing for determining a priority order of respective bidders based on said bid information.

11. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server only executes the bid processing with said element based on said bid information to select a successful bidder by a bid of only said element.

12. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said bid information includes at least one set of three sets consisting of two types of said elements, said converted information convertible to two types of elements, and an element or converted information and a price; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes first bid processing with said element based on said bid information, and executes second bid processing with the price or another element if bidders cannot be narrowed down to a predetermined number of successful bidders.

13. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said bid information includes at least said element or said converted information, and a price as information; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes first bid processing with said price based on said bid information, and executes second bid processing with said element if bidders cannot be narrowed down to a predetermined number of successful bidders.

14. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said bid information includes at least said element or said converted information, and a price as information; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes first bid processing with one of a plurality of elements including the price based on said bid information, further executes second bid processing with another element if bidders cannot be narrowed down to a predetermined number of successful bidders in said first bid, and executes bid processing in a plurality of stages equal to or more than two stages, wherein an element of the bid is sequentially changed until the bidders can be narrowed down to the predetermined number of successful bidders.

15. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes the bid processing with said element based on said bid information to rank bidders in a priority order, thereafter transmits viewing information which enables at least a portion of information including said element in said bid information to be displayed in said priority order for all bidders or only for a portion of higher ranked bidders to the terminal of the client, lists said viewing information in the bidder priority order for each of the bidders and displays a viewing screen on said terminal in a state in which the client can select a successful bidder, and subsequently, upon receipt of bid acceptance information notifying that said successful bidder has been selected from the terminal of the client, said server determines the bidder indicated in said bid acceptance information as a successful bidder.

16. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said auction method is a time auction method for conducting an auction with time specified as said element, comprising:

said bid procedure in which said server prompts a bidder to enter bid information including the time on a bid screen displayed on a terminal of the bidder, and receives said bid information from the bidder; and

said bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes the bid processing with the time based on bid information.

43. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said auction method is a numerical value auction method wherein said element is a unit for handling said article or said service, or a numerical value represented by an attribute unit for use in representing attributes of performance, nature, components and so on;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer bid information including said numerical value on said request screen displayed on a terminal of the bidder, and receives bid information including said numerical value from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said numerical value in accordance with a bid acceptance condition based on said numerical value.

51. The auction method according to

claim 2

, wherein said auction method is an evaluation auction method, wherein said bid information includes said element or said converted information, said element is an evaluation numerical value for evaluating said article or said service as to whether said article or said service satisfies requirements of the client, said converted information is information convertible to said evaluation numerical value, and bid processing is executed with said evaluation numerical value,

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer requirements of the client for said article or said service on said request screen, and receives request information including said requirement information from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts a bidder to offer an evaluation numerical value or said converted information as said element on said bid screen displayed on a terminal of the bidder, and receives bid information including said evaluation numerical value or said converted information from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said evaluation numerical value or an evaluation numerical value calculated by converting said converted information in accordance with a requirement condition derived from requirement information of the client based on said bid information.

93. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

a buyer, who is either a successful bidder determined through said bid acceptance procedure or a trading partner, settles a trade with a seller through a net banking.

94. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

an auction system for implementing said auction method via a network, a net banking system, and a distribution net system are interconnected through the network, wherein a buyer, who is either a successful bidder determined through said bid acceptance procedure or a trading partner, settles a trade with a seller through said net banking system, and the seller performs a trade by delivering an article to an article receiving place dispersed in respective regions of said distribution system.

95. The auction method according to

claim 94

, wherein:

paying-in of a buyer to the net banking system is made by transferring a price to a seller after confirmation of an article preserved in said distribution network system.

96. An auction system for use in the auction method according to

claim 1

, comprising:

a terminal of a client for the client to transmit request information including attribute information and a desired trading condition for said article or said service to a server for looking for a trading partner of said article or said service;

said server for presenting at least a portion, including the desired trading condition, of said request information received from the terminal of the client, and for providing said portion to a plurality of terminals via the network to ask for provision of an element other than the price or converted information converted to said element as an object to be bidden; and

a terminal of a bidder for transmitting bid information including an element or converted information offered by the bidder to said server via the network,

wherein said server comprises successful bid determination means for narrowing down to a bidder who offers an element of the value which most satisfies said desired trading condition based on the bid information received from said terminals of bidders as a successful bidder.

97. An auction intermediary server for use in the auction method according to

claim 1

,

wherein said server displays said request screen on the terminal of the client who looks for a trading partner of an article or a service via a network, receives request information including attribute information and a desired trading condition of the article or the service from said terminal via the network, and provides said bid screen presenting said attribute information and said desired trading condition to terminals via the network for bidders to reference said bid screen;

and

said server comprises successful bid determination means for receiving bid information including an element from the terminals of bidders via the network, and narrowing down bidders to the one who offers an element of the value which most satisfies said desired trading condition.

103. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is a trading element for determining a manner of trading said article or said service.

104. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is an element for determining a degree of restriction imposed by the bidder to a client who is a trading partner of the bidder when said article or said service is traded.

105. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said auction method is an auction method performed through a communication via a network for bidding off an article or a service or a person who receives provision of an article or a service, said method comprising:

a collection procedure in which an auction intermediary server presents requirements associated with an attribute of an article or a service to be traded by a terminal through a communication via the network and prompts bidders to offer an attribute which can be offered by each of bidders to collect bids;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said attribute offered by the bidders from terminals of the bidders via the network; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for identifying a bidder who offers the most preferred attribute in accordance with a priority condition determined by said requirements based on said bid information to select a successful bidder based on a result of said bid processing.

106. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said requirements are desired conditions indicated by a plurality of attributes of said article or said service, and said attribute in said bid information is offered as a plurality of attributes.

107. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said requirements are desired conditions describing desires indirectly identifying an attribute of said article or said service;

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server identifies a pertinent attribute from said desired condition, and executes evaluation processing for evaluating whether or not an attribute pertinent to said attribute identified from said desired conditions of said plurality of attributes included in said bid information satisfies said desired conditions and executes the bid processing for narrowing down to highly evaluated bidders based on a result of said evaluation processing; and

in a bid acceptance procedure, said server selects a bidder who offers bid information including the attribute that most satisfies said desired conditions as a successful bidder.

108. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element other than the price is an element which is not equivalent to a bid of a unit price of said article or said service.

109. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element other than the price is an element which cannot be converted to the price.

110. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is an attribute of an article or a service.

111. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is an attribute which cannot be converted to a price of an article or a service.

112. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein an element other than the price is an element other than the price, the value of which does not directly affect the price.

113. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is at least one of time, position, distance, length, area, volume, quantity, weight, and evaluation numerical value.

114. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is other than price and other than quantity.

115. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein said element is time or position.

116. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said element in said bid information received from the terminal of the bidder in said bid procedure is time, and said server executes the bid processing with the time based on said bid information in said bid acceptance procedure.

119. The auction method according to

claim 14

, wherein said first bid processing includes executing bid processing with an element other than the price.

120. The auction method according to

claim 1

, wherein

said server makes an investigation on an article based on bid information offered by the bidder and provides investigation information on the article to the client.

121. The auction method according to

claim 120

, wherein contents of the investigation made on an article based on the bid information offered by the bidder is sales prediction of the article.

3. A method of conducting an auction for bidding off an article or a service, or a person who receives provision of an article or a service through a network, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which an auction intermediary server displays a request screen for a client to request a bid on a terminal of the client through a communication via the network, and said server receives request information including attribute information on an article or a service, entered on said bid request screen by the client from said terminal via the network;

a collection procedure in which said server displays a bid screen for requesting an offer of an element other than a price or converted information which is converted to said element as an object to be bidden on terminals through a communication via the network;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said element or said converted information entered on said bid screen by a bidder and offered thereto from a terminal of the bidder through a communication via the network; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for finding a result of a bid conducted with said element included in said bid information or an element derived by converting said converted information, based on said bid information, to select a successful bidder.

31. An auction method according to

claim 3

, wherein said auction method is a position auction method for conducting an auction with a position specified as said element, comprising:

a request procedure in which said server prompts a client to enter request information including a position on said request screen displayed on a terminal of the client, and receives said request information from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server prompts a bidder to enter bid information including a position on said bid screen displayed on a screen of the bidder, and receives said bid information from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server examines a positional relationship of the position offered by the bidder to the position offered by the client, and executing said bid processing for determining a priority order for bidders based on the position in accordance with a successful bid position condition.

17. An auction method performed via a network, wherein each of bidders offers a time to a successful bid time condition set for bidding off a trade offered by a client, so that the bidders compete with the time to acquire the trade, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which a server is responsive to an access from a terminal of the client to display a request screen on said terminal to prompt the client to enter request information including a time, and receives said request information from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server is responsive to an access from a terminal of a bidder to display a bid screen which presents said successful bid time condition on said terminal to prompt the bidder to enter bid information including a time, and receives said bid information from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder with the times offered by the bidders in accordance with said successful bid time condition based on said bid information.

18. The auction method according to

claim 17

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts an offer of a successful bid time condition on said request screen, and receives request information including said successful bid time condition; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes the bid processing with said times so as to determine a successful bid priority order in accordance with said successful bid time condition based on said bid information.

19. The auction method according to

claim 17

, wherein:

said time is a required time such as a waiting time, a moving time or the like, or a due data such as a date, a time or the like after the lapse of said required time, imposed to the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts an offer of said required time or due date as said time on said bid screen, and receives bid information including said required time or due date from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said required time or due date based on said bid information.

20. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

said required time or due date as said time determines at least one of a waiting time imposed to the client who receives provision of an article or a service until the client receives the provision of the article or the service;

a waiting time imposed to the client who offers an article or a service until the client receives a payment for the article or the service; and

a moving time imposed to the client who receives provision of a service, required for a move to a place at which the client receives the provision of the service.

21. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

said required time or due date as said time is a trade required time or a trade due date for determining either a waiting time imposed to the client who receives provision of an article or a service until the client receives the provision of the article or the service or a waiting time imposed to the client who offers an article or a service until the client receives a payment for the article or the service; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes the bid processing with said trade required time or said trade due date in said bid information.

22. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

said required time is a required time necessary for a movement of a person or an object or a transportation of an object between a place specified by a person who receives the provision of the article or the service and a place specified by a person who offers the article or the service, said required time being either a waiting time imposed to the client who receives the provision of the article or the service until the client receives the provision of the article or the service, or a moving time required for a movement to the place at which the client receives the provision of the article or the service, imposed to the client who receives the provision of the article or the service; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes the bid processing with said required time in said bid information.

23. The auction method according to

claim 22

, wherein:

said required time is a required time necessary for a movement of a person or an object between a place specified by a person who receives the provision of the service and a place specified by a person who offers the service, said required time being either a waiting time imposed to the client who receives the provision of the service until the client receives the provision of the service, or a moving time required to a movement to a place at which the client receives the provision of the service, imposed to the client who receives the provision of the service.

24. The auction method according to

claim 23

, wherein:

said required time is a waiting time imposed to the client when the bidder goes to a position specified by the client between a position specified by the client who receives the provision of the service and a position offered by the bidder who offers the service;

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer a position to which the bidder should go, on said request screen, and receives said request information including said position from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer said waiting time or a position required to calculate said waiting time on said bid screen, and receives bid information including said waiting time or said position from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said waiting time under a successful bid time condition that the shorter waiting time is assigned a higher priority, based on said bid information.

25. The auction method according to

claim 23

, wherein:

said required time is a moving time imposed to the client when the client goes to a position specified by the bidder between a position specified by the client who offers a service and a position offered by the bidder who receives the provision of the service;

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer the position of the client on said request screen, and receives said request information including said position from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer said moving time or a position required to calculate said moving time on said bid screen, and receives bid information including said moving time or position from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said moving time under a successful bid time condition that the shorter moving time is assigned a higher priority, based on said bid information.

26. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

the client is a person who receives a service, the bidder is a person who offers the service and is on the move for offering the service, and said required time is a waiting time imposed to the client when the bidder moves from a position on a scheduled moving route at a desired time of the client to a position specified by the client;

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer said position and said desired time on said request screen, and receives said request information including said position and said desired time from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer bid information including a scheduled moving route required to calculate said waiting time on said bid screen, and receives said bid information including said scheduled moving route data from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server uses said respective data including said position, said desired time and said scheduled moving route to calculate a waiting time imposed to the client until the bidder moves from the position at said desired time on said scheduled moving route to a position specified by the client for providing the service, and executes said bid processing with said waiting time under a successful bid time condition that the shorter waiting time is assigned a higher priority.

27. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

the client is a person who provides a service and is on the move for providing the service, the bidder is a person who receives the service, and said required time is a moving time imposed to the client when the client moves from a position on a scheduled moving route at a desired time of the bidder to a position specified by the bidder;

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to offer a scheduled moving route on said request screen, and receives said request information additionally including said scheduled moving route from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer said position and said desired time on said bid screen, and receives said bid information including said position and said desired time from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server uses said respective data including said position, said desired time and said scheduled moving route to calculate a moving time imposed to the client when the client moves from a position at said desired time on said scheduled route to the position specified by the bidder for providing the service, and executes said bid processing with said moving time under a successful bid time condition that the shorter moving time is assigned a higher priority.

28. The auction method according to

claim 22

, wherein:

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer variation factor information including factors causing variations in said waiting time or said moving time on said bid screen, and receives bid information additionally including said variation factor information from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server corrects said waiting time or said moving time using said variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected waiting time or moving time.

29. The auction method according to

claim 22

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server acquires variation factor information of said waiting time or said moving time from the outside through a communication, corrects said waiting time or said moving time using said time variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected waiting time or moving time.

30. The auction method according to

claim 19

, wherein:

said service to be traded uses a mobile body when said service is offered, said required time is a waiting time or a moving time imposed to the client when said service provider of the client and the bidder moves to a position offered by the person who receives the service in said mobile body.

117. The auction method according to

claim 24

, wherein:

said bid information offered by the bidder includes position data of the bidder required for calculating said waiting time or a moving time; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server uses position data specified by the client and the position data offered by the bidder to calculate said waiting time or said moving time, and executes said bid processing with said waiting time or said moving time under a successful bid time condition that the shorter waiting time or moving time is more preferred.

32. An auction method performed via a network, wherein each of bidders offers a position to a successful bid position condition set for bidding off a trade offered by a client, so that the bidders compete with the position to acquire the trade, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which a server is responsive to an access from a terminal of the client to display a request screen on said terminal to prompt the client to enter request information including a position, and receives said request information from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server is responsive to an access from a terminal of a bidder to display a bid screen which presents said successful bid position condition on said terminal to prompt the bidder to enter bid information including a position, and receives said bid information from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder with the positions offered by the bidders in accordance with said successful bid position condition based on said bid information.

33. The auction method according to

claim 32

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes bid processing for preferentially determining as a successful bidder a bidder who offers a position in a positional relationship which more reduces a required time for the client or the bidder to move between both positions, or a required time for transporting an article between both positions.

34. The auction method according to

claim 32

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server calculates a distance between a position offered by the client and a position offered by a bidder, and executes said bid processing with the position so as to determine as a successful bidder a bidder who offers a closer position which reduces said distance.

35. The auction method according to

claim 33

, wherein:

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer variation factor information including factors causing variations in said required time on said bid screen, and receives said bid information additionally including said variation factor information from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server corrects the position offered by the bidder using said variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected position.

36. The auction method according to

claim 33

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server acquires variation factor information including factors, other than the distance, causing variations in said required time necessary for a movement between both said positions from the outside through a communication, corrects the position offered by the bidder using said variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected position.

37. The auction method according to

claim 36

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server acquires variation factor information including factors, other than the distance, causing variations in said required time necessary for a movement between both said positions from the outside through a communication, corrects the position offered by the bidder using said variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected position.

38. The auction method according to

claim 32

, wherein:

said auction method is an on-the-move auction method, wherein a service provider, one of the client and the bidder, is on the move for providing a service, and said server examines a positional relationship between a position on his scheduled moving route and a position specified by a service recipient to execute bid processing with the position, wherein;

said server receives scheduled moving route data entered on said screen by the service provider from the terminal;

said server receives data of a position and a desired time entered on said screen by the service recipient from the terminal; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server predicts a position at said desired time on the moving route of the service provider using the respective data of said position, said desired time and said scheduled moving route, examines a positional relationship between said predicted position and the position offered by the service recipient, and executes said bid processing for determining a priority order to the positions of the bidders.

39. The auction method according to

claim 38

, wherein:

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer positional variation factor information including factors causing variations in position on the moving route at said desired time on said bid screen, and receives said bid information additionally including said position variation factor information from the terminal of the bidder;

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server uses the respective data of said position, said desired time and said scheduled moving route to calculate a position at said desired time on said scheduled moving route, corrects the position at said desired time on said scheduled moving route using said position variation factor information, and executes said bid processing with said corrected position.

40. The auction method according to

claim 36

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server acquires variation factor information including factors, other than the distance, causing variations in the required time necessary for a movement between both said positions from the outside through a communication, corrects the distance between said positions using said variation factor information, and executes said bid processing to preferentially determine as a successful bidder a bidder who offers a position which more reduces said distance in accordance with said corrected distance.

41. The auction method according to

claim 32

, wherein:

said service to be traded uses a mobile body when said service is offered, said required time is a waiting time or a moving time imposed to the client when said service provider of the client and the bidder moves to a position offered by the service recipient in said mobile body.

42. The auction method according to

claim 41

, wherein:

said mobile body is a vehicle for use in a service for transporting a customer, or a transporting mobile body for use in a service for transporting an article.

44. An auction method performed via a network, wherein a client who desires a trade offers an acceptable bid condition indicated by a handling unit of an article or a service or an attribute unit representative of an attribute such as performance, nature, component and so on of said article or said service for identifying said article or said service, and each of bidders offers a numerical value indicated by said handling unit or said attribute unit such that the bidders compete with said numerical value to acquire the trade, said auction method comprising:

a request procedure in which a server is responsive to an access from a terminal of the client to display a request screen on the terminal, prompts the client to enter request information including an acceptable bid condition indicated by said handling unit or said attribute unit required for identifying an article or a service to be traded, and receives the request information including said acceptable bid condition from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server is responsive to an access from a terminal of a bidder to display a bid screen on the terminal, presenting said acceptable bid condition to prompt the bidder to enter bid information including a numerical value indicated by said handling unit or said attribute unit, and receives the bid information including said numerical value from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder with said numerical values offered by the bidders in accordance with the acceptable bid condition based on said bid information.

45. The auction method according to

claim 44

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to determine a priority order for each unit on said request screen, and receives said request information including information on said priority order for each unit from the terminal of the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer a plurality of values for each unit on said bid screen, and receives said bid information including a plurality of numerical values for each unit from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes each bid processing for each of the plurality of numerical values in multiple stages in an order of higher priority levels in said bid processing.

46. The auction method according to

claim 45

, wherein:

the unit in said request information for which said priority order is determined also includes the price of said article or said service, and said bid information also includes the price of said article or said service corresponding thereto; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing of said unit numerical value and said bid processing of said price in two stages in an order of higher priority levels in said bid processing.

47. The auction method according to

claim 44

, wherein:

said acceptable bid condition offered by the client for identifying said article or said service is indicated in a handling unit, and said numerical value offered by the bidder is indicted in a handling unit of said article or said service.

48. The auction method according to

claim 47

, wherein:

said handling unit is one of the quantity, weight, length, area and volume of an object offered for provision of said article or said service.

49. The auction method according to

claim 44

, wherein:

said acceptable bid condition offered by the client for identifying said article or said service is indicated in an attribute unit, and said numerical value offered by the bidder is indicated in an attribute unit of said article or said service.

50. The auction method according to

claim 49

, wherein:

said attribute unit is one of a group of units represented in weight, time, length, area and volume used for identifying an object offered for the provision of said article or said service from an aspect of attribute such as the performance, nature and component, and a combination of two or more arbitrary units represented in the form of multiplication and division.

52. An auction method performed via a network, wherein a client who desires a trade offers requirements for an article or a service, and each of bidders offers, for said requirements, an evaluation numerical value capable of determining whether or not said requirements are satisfied, or converted information convertible to said evaluation numerical value such that the bidders compete with said evaluation numerical value to acquire the trade, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which a server is responsive to an access from a terminal of the client to display a request screen on the terminal to prompt the client to enter request information including requirements for an article or a service to be traded, and receives request information including said requirement information from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server is responsive to an access from a terminal of a bidder to display a bid screen on the terminal presenting said requirement information to prompt the bidder to enter bid information including said evaluation numerical value or said converted information, and receives bid information including said evaluation numerical value or said converted information from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder with said evaluation numerical values offered by the bidders or evaluation numerical values calculated by converting said converted information in accordance with a requirement condition derived from said requirement information based on said bid information.

53. The auction method according to

claim 52

, wherein:

said article to be traded is information desired by the client;

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer information including contents for introducing a seller who is ready to sell an article or a service which satisfies the requirements of the client or a buyer who is ready to buy an article or a service which satisfy the requirement of the client, and said evaluation numerical value or said converted information, on said bid screen displayed on the terminal of the bidder, and receives said bid information including said information from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes said bid processing with said evaluation numerical value or an evaluation numerical value calculated by converting said converted information from among said information offered by the bidder.

54. The auction method according to

claim 52

, wherein:

in said bid procedure, said server prompts the bidder to offer said converted information on said bid screen displayed on the terminal of the bidder, and receives the bid information including said converted information from the terminal of the bidder; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server executes an evaluation procedure for converting said converted information in said bid information to an evaluation numerical value, and executes said bid processing with said evaluation numerical value calculated in said evaluation procedure in accordance with a requirement condition derived from said requirement information of the client.

55. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said evaluation procedure, said server identifies at least one evaluation item required to evaluate said converted information in said bid information based on said requirement information in said request information, and executes a numerical value evaluation for converting said converted information to a numerical value for said evaluation item.

56. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to enter requirements of the client as a sentence on said request screen displayed on the terminal of the client, and receives the request information including said sentence as said requirement information from the terminal of the client; and

in said evaluation procedure, said server analyzes said sentence to identify at least one said evaluation item, evaluates the converted information in said bid information to a numerical value in accordance with said evaluation item, and executes said bid processing with individual numerical values for each said evaluation item or a sum of the individual numerical values for each said evaluation item as said evaluation numerical value.

57. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server prompts the client to enter requirements of the client as at least one key word on said request screen displayed on the terminal of the client, and receives said bid information including said key word as said requirement information from the terminal of the client; and

in said evaluation procedure, said server identifies said evaluation item from said key word, evaluates to a numerical value in accordance with said evaluation item based on the converted information in said bid information, and executes said bid processing with individual numerical values for each said evaluation item or a sum of the individual numerical values for each said evaluation item as said evaluation numerical value.

58. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said evaluation procedure, said server stores an equation for evaluating the converted information in said bid information, and evaluates said converted information using said equation.

59. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server arranges said evaluation numerical values in said bid information, or said evaluation numerical values calculated by converting said converted information in said evaluation procedure in a priority order in accordance with said requirement condition derived from said requirement information, and transmits the result of the arrangement for display on the terminal of the client, such that the client himself views said result displayed on the screen of the terminal to select a successful bidder.

60. The auction method according to

claim 54

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server displays said request screen on the terminal of the client such that the client can specify a requirement level of the client, and receives request information including the requirement level from the terminal of the client; and

in said bid acceptance procedure, said server determines said requirement condition in consideration of said requirement level.

61. An auction method performed via a network for looking for an applicant who respond to a job offer by selecting in the form of auction an applicant who can offer the response contents most suitable for responding to contents of the job offer, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which a server receives request information including request contents transmitted thereto from a terminal of a solicitor as said job offer via a network from said terminal;

a collection procedure for notifying said request contents to a bidder as the client, and transmitting bid collection data for asking the bidder to offer response contents to a terminal of the bidder to collect a bid;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said response contents offered by the bidder from the terminal of the bidder through a communication via the network; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for selecting the bidder who offers the response contents most suitable for said request contents as a successful bidder based on said bid information.

62. The auction method according to

claim 61

, wherein:

in said request procedure, said server response to an access from the terminal of the client to display a request screen on the terminal of the client through a communication via the network, and receives request information including said request contents entered on said bid screen by the solicitor from the terminal via the network.

63. The auction method according to

claim 61

, wherein said auction method is a victim rescue method performed via a network for a rescue requester as the client to look for a rescuer by selecting in the form of auction a rescuer who offers said bid information with the most suitable condition for rescue request information offered by the rescue requester as said request information, said victim rescue method comprising:

a request procedure in which said server receives rescue request information including position data for the rescue requester to notify a position of a rescue spot when a disaster or the like occurs so that the rescue requester needs a rescue from a terminal of the rescue requester via the network;

a collection procedure in which said server notifies the position of a rescue spot when a disaster or the like occurs to ask bidders to offer bid information required to determine whether or not the bidders can arrive at the rescue spot soonest, and collects bids on the terminals of the bidders via the network;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information offered by the bidder from the terminal via the network; and

a rescuer determination procedure, as said bid acceptance procedure, in which said server bids off the bidder who can arrive at the rescue spot soonest as a rescuer based on said bid information, and requests the rescuer to got to the rescue spot for a rescue.

64. The auction method according to

claim 61

, wherein said auction method is a victim rescue method performed via a network for a rescue requester as the client to look for a rescuer by selecting in the form of auction a rescuer who offers said bid information with the most suitable condition for rescue request information offered by the rescue requester as said request information, said victim rescue method comprising:

a request procedure in which said server receives rescue request information including position data for the rescue requester to notify a position of a rescue spot when a disaster or the like occurs so that the rescue requester needs a rescue from a terminal of the rescue requester via the network;

a collection procedure in which said server notifies rescue information for recognizing the position of a rescue spot and a victim situation to ask bidders to offer bid information required to determine an arrival time at the rescue spot and whether or not each bidder has a rescue capability for the disaster or the like, and collects bids to terminals of the bidder via said network;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information offered by bidders who apply the collection of the bid from the terminals via said network; and

a rescuer determination procedure, as said bid acceptance procedure, in which said server bids off the bidder who has offered the bid information and can rescue a victim soonest and most appropriately in consideration of both the arrival time at the rescue spot and the rescue capability as a rescuer based on said bid information received by participation through said bid procedure, and requests the rescuer to go to the rescue spot for a rescue.

65. The auction method according to

claim 61

, wherein said auction method is a victim rescue method performed through a network for looking for a rescuer who responds to a request for a rescue of a requester by selecting in the form of auction the most suitable rescuer who can rapidly accommodate rescue request contents of the requester, said victim rescue method comprising:

a request procedure in which said server displays a request screen for the requester to request for a rescue on a terminal of the requester through a communication via the network, and receives rescue request information including rescue request contents entered by the requester on said request screen from the terminal via the network;

a collection procedure in which said server displays a bid screen for displaying the rescue request contents of the requester and asking for an offer of rescue response contents which can accommodate said rescue request contents on terminals through a communication via the network to collect participation in a bid;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said rescue response contents entered on said bid screen and offered by bidders from the terminals of bidders through a communication via the network; and

a rescuer determination procedure, as said bid acceptance procedure, in which said server executes bid processing for bidding off a bidder who offers the rescue response contents most suitable for the rescue request contents of the rescue requester based on said bid information received from the respective bidders as a rescuer, and requests the rescuer to go to the rescue spot.

66. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

said server transmits a request for going to the rescue spot to the rescuer selected by said rescuer determination procedure to the terminal of the rescuer via the network.

67. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

the terminal of the rescue requester is equipped with GPS, and position data of said GPS is used for the position of the rescue spot required as said request information.

68. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

the terminal of the rescue requester is equipped with an imaging function comprising imaging means or is configured to be capable of communicating with imaging means;

in said request procedure, said server receives video data representative of the rescue spot or the victim situation imaged by said imaging means as said request information; and

in said bid procedure, said server transmits said video data to the terminals of the bidders to display a video image of the rescue spot or the victim situation.

69. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

in said collection procedure, said server executes an arrival notice notifying that said bid screen data has arrived to terminals of persons who can be the bidders.

70. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

in said bid procedure, said server provides map information which allows recognition of the position of the rescue requester on said bid screen displayed on the terminals of the bidders.

71. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

in said collection procedure, said server collects bids in a limited area which is determined to be proper for a rescue from the position of the rescue requester based on a preset area determination condition based on the position data in said rescue request information.

72. The auction method according to

claim 64

, wherein:

said server receives the position of the rescuer from the terminal of the rescuer after said bid acceptance procedure, and notifies the rescue requester of a situation in which the rescuer goes for a rescue.

74. An auction method for use as a victim rescue system for the auction system according to

claim 64

, said auction system comprising:

a terminal of said rescue requester for use by the rescue requester for transmitting said rescue request information to said server via said network;

a terminal of a bidder for use by the bidder for transmitting his bid information to said server via said network; and

said server for receiving said rescue request information and said bid information transmitted from said respective terminals of the rescue requester and the bidder via said network,

said server comprising rescuer determination means for selecting the bidder who can arrive soonest at a rescue spot, or the bidder who offers bid information capable of rescuing a victim soonest and most appropriately in consideration of both an arrival time at the rescue spot and a rescue capability, as a rescuer, based on said bid information received through said bid procedure.

75. A server for use in a victim rescue method which is the auction method according to

claim 64

, comprising:

victim determination means for receiving said rescue request information from the terminal of the rescue requester, asking for an offer of said bid information through said collection procedure to collect bidders, receiving said bid information from the bidders through said bid procedure, and selecting the bidder who can arrives soonest at the rescue spot, or offers bid information capable of rescuing a victim most appropriately as a rescuer.

98. An auction system for use in the auction method according to

claim 63

, comprising:

a terminal of a rescue requester for the rescue requester to transmit rescue request information including position data for notifying a position of a rescue spot to a server;

said server for presenting the position data indicative of said rescue spot of said rescue request information received from said terminal of the rescue requester and for providing the position data to a plurality of terminals via a network for asking for an offer of bid information required to determine whether or not a bidder can arrive soonest at said rescue spot; and

a terminal of a bidder for transmitting said bid information offered by the bidder to said server via the network,

wherein said server comprises successful bid determination means for narrowing down bidders to the bidder who can arrive soonest at said rescue spot based on the bid information received from said terminals of the bidders as a successful bidder.

99. An auction intermediary server for use in the auction method according to

claim 63

, wherein:

said server displays said request screen on the terminal of the rescue requester, receives the rescue request information including position data for notifying a position of a rescue spot from said terminal via the network, and provides said bid screen presenting the position of said rescue spot to terminals via the network for bidders to reference the position of said rescue spot; and

said server comprises rescuer determination means for receiving bid information required to determine whether or not a bidder can arrive soonest at the rescue spot from a terminal of the bidder via the network, and narrowing down to the bidder who can arrive soonest at said rescue spot.

73. The auction method according to clam 64, wherein:

said server transmits at least one of position data and video data received from the terminal of the rescue requester to the terminal of the rescuer after said rescue request procedure, and notifies the rescuer of at least one of a change in the position of the rescue spot and a victim situation at the rescue spot.

76. An auction method performed via a network for trading information related to an article or a service, said auction method performed for bidding off said information or a person who provides said information, said method comprising:

an information provision request procedure in which an auction intermediary server displays a request screen for requesting for provision of information related to an article or a service suitable for requirements of a client on a terminal of a client, and said server receives said request information including requirements of the client entered on said request screen from the terminal of the client;

a collection procedure in which said server provides a bid screen having a display for showing the requirements in said request information on specific or unspecific terminals through the network to collect provision of information related to said article or said service;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including information on contents of a response to the requirements of the client, entered by a bidder on said bid screen displayed on the terminal from the terminal of the bidder; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder in accordance with a priority order of said information determined in accordance with a condition determined from contents of the requirements of the requester based on said information collected to said server in a form included in the bid information in said bid procedure.

77. An auction method performed via a network for bidding off an article or a service offered by a seller or a buyer who offers an article or a service, comprising the steps of:

an auction intermediary server displaying a request screen for a client who is said seller or said buyer to making a request on a terminal of the client to prompt the client to enter attribute information of an article or a service to be traded, required to let a trading partner know the article or the service, and said server receiving request information including said attribute information from the terminal of the client;

said server providing a bid screen having a display based on said attribute information for showing said article of said service to be traded and for prompting bidders to enter a trading due date thereon such that said bid screen can be viewed on specific or unspecific terminals through the network to collect bidders; and

upon receiving bid information including a trading due date entered by each of bidders on said bid screen displayed on the terminals from the terminal of the respective bidders, said server executing a bid acceptance procedure in which bid processing is executed for narrowing down the bidders to a successful bidder in accordance with a priority order of respective trading due dates specified by said request information or determined from a preset trading due date condition based on said received bid information.

78. The auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein:

said server prompts the client to enter a trading due date condition in addition to the attribute information of said article or said service on said request screen, and receives request information including said attribute information and said trading due date condition from the terminal of the client;

said bid screen displayed by said server on the terminal additionally has a display for showing said trading due date condition in addition to said display for showing said article or said service; and

in said bid processing, said server narrows down the bidders to a successful bidder in accordance with a priority order determined from said trading due data condition of each of offered trading due dates based on said bid information.

81. The auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein:

said server requests for an offer of a plurality of elements including said trading due data as one element on said bid screen, as elements to be competed for narrowing down to a successful bidder, and said server, upon receipt of the bid information including a plurality of elements from the terminals of the bidders, employs one of;

a scheme which executes each bid processing for each of said plurality of elements in a time series manner in series based on said bid information;

a scheme which executes each bid processing for each of said plurality of elements in a time series manner in parallel;

a scheme which executes the bid processing with a numerical value which totally evaluates said plurality of elements; and

a scheme which divides said plurality of elements into a plurality of sets and combines at least two of said three schemes, as a scheme for determining a priority order of respective bidders in said bid processing.

82. The auction method according to

claim 81

, wherein:

said plurality of elements include at least two consisting of said trading due date and a price; and

said server executes said bid processing with at least a trading due date and a price based on said bid information.

83. The auction method according to

claim 81

, wherein:

on said request screen, a plurality of elements including said trading due date can be entered, and a priority order can be set for said plurality of elements, and said server receives said bid information including said plurality of elements and said priority order; and

in said bid processing, said server employs a scheme which executes each bid processing for each of the plurality of elements in order from elements assigned higher priority levels by the client in a time series manner in series to narrow down to a successful bidder in multiple stages.

84. The auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein:

said server comprises two procedures for executing said bid processing, said two procedures comprising;

a view information provision procedure for examining a priority level of each bidder based on the bid information received from the terminal of each bidder, and thereafter transmitting a view screen which lists at least a portion of information including said trading due date in said bid information, as view information, for all bidders or a portion of bidders from the highest priority level to the terminal of the client via the network; and

a successful bidder determination procedure, upon receipt of successful bid information for identifying a successful bidder selected by the client on said view screen, for determining a bidder indicated by said successful bid information as a successful bidder.

85. The auction method according to

claim 84

, wherein:

in said bid screen, reference information which serves as a key for the client to select a successful bidder on said view screen can also be entered other than said trading due date, and said view screen also displays said reference information in said bid information as said view information.

86. The auction method according to

claim 85

, wherein

said reference information includes price information on said article or said service to be traded.

87. The auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein said trading due date condition is a priority rule which is determined by at least one time vector for determining in which direction on a time axis a more preferred trading due date is slid.

88. The auction method according to

claim 87

, wherein

said priority rule is a due date advance scheme in which a bidder who offers a trading due date earlier from a reference time specified by the client is given a higher priority level.

89. The auction method according to

claim 87

, wherein said priority rule is a due date delay scheme in which a bidder who offers a trading due date later from a reference time specified by the client is given a higher priority level.

90. The auction method according to

claim 87

, wherein said priority rule is a due date approach scheme in which a bidder who offers a trading due date closest possible to a reference time specified by the client is given a higher priority level.

91. The auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein:

a bidding scheme by which the bidder bids on said bid screen forces the bidder to offer or select in the form of a combination of a trading due date and a price of any one specified by the client and displayed on said bid screen of;

(A) a plurality of trading due dates set by sliding on a time axis;

(B) a plurality of prices set by sliding on a price axis; and

(C) a combination of a plurality of sets which are set in correspondence to said plurality of trading due date and said plurality of prices.

92. The auction method according to

claim 91

, wherein:

said bidding scheme is a due date associative price setting scheme in which a price is set to slide in association with a plurality of due dates which have been set by sliding on the time axis, and the bidder is forced to select from said plurality of preset combinations.

100. An auction system for use in the auction method according to

claim 77

, comprising:

a terminal of a client for the client who is a seller or a buyer desiring a deal of an article or a service to transmit request information including price information and a trading due date condition;

a server for receiving said request information from said terminal of the client, providing a bid screen presenting said price information and said trading due date condition to specific or unspecific terminals via a network such that bidders can view the bid screen to reference said price information and said trading due date condition, to prompt bidders to enter a trading due data on said bid screen, and receiving bid information including said trading due date from terminals of bidders; and

a terminal of a bidder for displaying thereon said bid screen transmitted thereto by said server via the network, and for transmitting bid information including a trading due date entered by the bidder on said bid screen to said server via the network,

wherein said server comprises successful bid determination means for narrowing down bidders to a bidder who offers the trading due date that most satisfies said trading due date condition based on the bid information received from said terminals of the bidders as a successful bidder.

101. An auction intermediary server for use in the auction method according to

claim 77

, wherein:

said server displays said request screen on a terminal of a client who is a seller or a buyer desiring a deal of an article or a service via a network, receives request information including price information and a trading due date condition entered by a bidder on said request screen, provides a bid screen presenting said price information and said trading due date condition to specific or unspecific terminals via the network such that bidders can view the bid screen to reference said price information and said trading due date condition to prompt the bidders to enter a trading due date on said bid screen, and receives bid information including said trading due date from terminals of the bidders; and

said server comprises successful bid determination means for narrowing down the bidders to a bidder who offers the trading due data that most satisfies said trading due date condition based on the bid information received from said terminals of the bidders as a successful bidder.

79. An auction method performed via a network for bidding off an article or a service offered by a seller or a buyer who offers an article or a service, comprising the steps of:

an auction intermediary server receiving bid information including sales price information or purchase price information and a trading due date condition of an article or a service, entered by a client who is said seller or said buyer, from a terminal of the client;

said server providing a bid screen which presents information for showing said sales price information or said purchase price information and said trading due date condition to specific or unspecific terminals via the network to collect bidders; and

upon receiving at said server bid information including a trading due date entered by each of bidders on said bid screen displayed on the thermal via the network, said server executing a bid acceptance procedure in which bid processing is executed for narrowing down bidders to a successful bidder in accordance with a priority order determined from said trading due date condition of respective trading due dates based on said bid information received by said server.

80. The auction method according to

claim 79

, wherein:

in said bid processing, said server determines as a successful bidder based on said bid information a bidder who offers the trading due date which most satisfies the trading due date condition offered by the client based on said bid information.

102. An auction method performed via a network for bidding off an article or a service or a person who receives provision of an article or a service, said method comprising, upon conducting an element auction for bidding an article or a service to be traded with an element other than a price offered by bidders:

a collection procedure in which an auction intermediary server prompts bidders to enter said element which the bidders can offer under a priority condition used in said element auction on terminals through a communication via the network to collect bidders;

a bid procedure in which said server receives bid information including said element offered by bidders from terminals of the bidders via the network; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server executes bid processing for identifying a bidder who offers the element that is given the highest priority in accordance with said priority condition based on said bid information to select a successful bidder based on a result of said bid processing.

118. A position auction method performed via a network for conducting a bid in which bidders offer a position for a desired position offered by a client, so that the bidders compete with the position, said method comprising:

a request procedure in which an auction intermediary server displays a request screen on a terminal of the client to prompt the client to enter request information including a desired position, and receives said request information from the terminal of the client;

a bid procedure in which said server displays a bid screen on terminals of bidders to prompt the bidders to enter bid information including a position, and receives said bid information from the terminals of the bidders; and

a bid acceptance procedure in which said server examines a positional relationship of offered positions to the desired position, and executes bid processing for determining a priority order for the bidders in accordance with an acceptable bid condition based on the positional relation data to select the bidder who most satisfies the acceptable bid condition as a successful bidder.