Electronic data processing system for internet auctions

• US 20070016482A1
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acinum AG
• Original Assignee: Acinum AG
• Inventors: Leichter, Erwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic data processing system for conducting auctions over a data network. A component of the system consists of an auction server, which is connected to the data network and which has an auction database for managing auction data records containing product description data and bid data. A number of bidder terminals are connected to the data network and comprise appropriate means for retrieving data from the auction database and comprise means for transmitting bid data to the auction server. The aim of the invention is to enable the effective and economical use of conventional internet auction platforms by product manufacturers and retailers in order to sell goods. To this end, the invention provides that the electronic data processing system is supplemented by a retailer server, which is connected to the data network, and by an intermediary server that is also connected to the data network. The intermediary server has a program controller with which auction data records are automatically put into the auction database according to production description data that are extracted by the intermediary server from corresponding product portfolio data records of the retailer server. The intermediary server uses its program controller to automatically create order data records for the auction data records.

Claims

1. EDP system for automatically conducting auctions by way of a data network (1), having

a) an auction server (2) connected with the data network (1), which has an auction database (3) for managing auction data records comprising product description data and bid data, and which furthermore has an auction program controller by means of which the bid data are evaluated and auction winners are determined from them, and having

b) a plurality of bidder terminals (4, 5, 6) also connected with the data network (1), which have means for retrieving data from the auction database (3) of the auction server (2), and means for transmitting bid data to the auction server (2),

comprising

c) a retailer server (7) connected with the data network (1),

d) an intermediary server (8) also connected with the data network (1), whereby the intermediary server (8) has a program controller by means of which

product description data are extracted from product portfolio data records (9) received from the retailer server (7) by way of the data network (1),

auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13) are put into the auction database (3) of the auction server (2), in accordance with the extracted product description data, by way of the data network (1), and

order data records (17), which comprise the customer data assigned to the auction winners, are generated for the auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13).

2. EDP system according to claim 1, wherein the intermediary server (8) has a customer database for managing the customer data, whereby the customer data of the auction winners, in each instance, can be input into the customer database by means of an input interface of the intermediary server (8) from the bidder terminals (4, 5, 6), by way of the data network (1).

3. EDP system according to claim 1, wherein the generation of the order data records (17) and the transmission of same to the retailer server (7) take place as a function of the registration of payment procedures that correspond to the bids of the auction winners, in each instance.

4. EDP system according to claim 1, wherein minimum bid data assigned to the product description data are calculated from the product portfolio data records (9) by means of the program controller of the intermediary server (8), which minimum bid data are attached to the auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13), in each instance.

5. Method for computer-supported implementation of an auction by way of a data network (1), having the method steps:

a) generating auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13) comprising product description data, in an auction database (3) of an auction server (2) connected with the data network (1),

b) transmitting data from the auction database (3) to a plurality of bidder terminals (4, 5, 6) connected with the data network (1),

c) registering and storing bids that are received from the bidder terminals (4, 5, 6), by way of the data network (1), in the auction database (3),

d) automatically evaluating bid data and determining auction winners for each auction data record (10, 11, 12, 13), wherein

in order to generate the auction data records 10, 11, 12, 13) in method step a), a product portfolio data record (9) is transmitted by a retailer server (7) connected with the data network (1), to an intermediary server (8) also connected with the data network (1), whereby the intermediary server (8) automatically

i) extracts product description data from the product portfolio data record (9),

ii) puts the auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13) into the auction database (3) of the auction server (2), by way of the data network (1), in accordance with the extracted product description data, and

iii) after a determination of the auction winners in method step d), generates order data records (17) with the customer data (16) assigned to the auction winners, and transmits them to the retailer server (7), by way of the data network (1).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein after determination of the auction winners in method step d), the auction server (2) automatically generates and transmits email messages to the bidder terminals (4, 5, 6) of the auction winners in question, and to the intermediary server (8), by way of the data network (1), whereby the intermediary server (8) extracts the email addresses of the auction winners from the email messages (14) directed to it, and stores them in a customer database.

7. Method according to claim 5, wherein before generation of the order data records (17), the customer data (16) are input into the customer database of the intermediary server (8) by the auction winners, in each instance, by means of an input interface made available by means of the intermediary server (8), by way of the data network (1).

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein the auction winners are automatically requested to input their customer data (16) by way of the input interface of the intermediary server (8), by the intermediary server (8), by way of an email message (15).

9. Method according to claim 5, wherein the transmission of the order data records (17) to the retailer server (7) takes place as a function of the registration of payment procedures that correspond to the bids of the auction winners, in each instance.

10. Method according to claim 5, wherein minimum bid data assigned to the product description data are calculated from the product portfolio data records (9) by means of the program controller of the intermediary server (8), which minimum bid data are attached to the auction data records (10, 11, 12, 13), in each instance.

11. Computer program for automatically implementing auctions by way of a data network (1), wherein a method according to claim 5 is implemented on a computer being used as an intermediary server (8) and connected with the data network (1).