Method and system for generating an auction using a product catalog in an integrated internal auction system

• US 20070143206A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Cui, Yan, Zhang, Zhong, Fang, Yue, Subramanian, Lenin, Dadhia, Anisha, Sotto, Rowell
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A seller may use an existing product catalog in a seller business information management system to generate an auction and populate auction parameters to expedite and facilitate the auction creation process. The information in the product catalog may be used to provide auction parameters (populate auction fields) in addition to adding a product and/or service to the auction. An auction profile may also be defined for a seller and may contain data or rules for generating an auction that may be used to provide additional default values for the auction. One or more auction profiles may be associated with a seller. The seller selects a product from the catalog and chooses a create auction option resulting in an auction being generated from the product information and the profile, if one exists. The seller may then modify the auction parameters and add or drop products before saving the auction.

Claims

1. A method for generating an auction in an internal auction system using a product catalog in a seller business information management system, comprising:

selecting a product from the product catalog, wherein the product catalog is a set of data in the seller business information management system;

receiving a set of product parameters from the seller business information management system as a function of the selected product;

defining a set of auction parameters using an internal auction application, wherein the set of auction parameters includes at least one parameter necessary to generate the auction; and

creating the auction in the internal auction system as a function of the received set of product parameters and the defined set of auction parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing an auction profile for a seller containing the defined set of auction parameters.

3. The method according to claim 2, the creating step further comprising:

creating the auction in the internal auction system as a function of the received set of product parameters and the stored auction profile, wherein the stored auction profile contains the defined set of auction parameters.

4. The method according to claim 1, the defining step further comprising:

defining a set of auction parameters using an internal auction application, wherein the set of auction parameters includes at least one parameter necessary to generate the auction and the set of auction parameters is defined specifically for the auction.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding a product to the auction, wherein the product is defined in the product catalog in the seller business information management system and the product is added as a function of a communication between the internal auction application and the seller business information management system.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the at least one parameter in the set of auction parameters as a function of a seller interaction with the internal auction application.

7. A system for generating an auction in an internal auction system using a product catalog in a seller business information management system, comprising:

a memory system;

an input/output unit; and

a processor, wherein the processor is adapted to;

(i) select a product from the product catalog, wherein the product catalog is a set of data in the seller business information management system;

(ii) receive a set of product parameters from the seller business information management system as a function of the selected product;

(iii) define a set of auction parameters using an internal auction application, wherein the set of auction parameters includes at least one parameter necessary to generate the auction; and

(iv) create the auction in the internal auction system as a function of the received set of product parameters and the defined set of auction parameters.

8. A computer readable medium including instructions adapted to execute a method for generating an auction in an internal auction system using a product catalog in a seller business information management system, the method comprising:

selecting a product from the product catalog, wherein the product catalog is a set of data in the seller business information management system;

receiving a set of product parameters from the seller business information management system as a function of the selected product;

defining a set of auction parameters using an internal auction application, wherein the set of auction parameters includes at least one parameter necessary to generate the auction; and

creating the auction in the internal auction system as a function of the received set of product parameters and the defined set of auction parameters.