Methods and systems for collaborative bidding in automated actions

• US 20070192201A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Nalik, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling automated auctions and other collaborative tasks. In one exemplary implementation, a system is provided that includes an administrative server running software operative to coordinate an automated auction among a plurality of collaborative bidding entities. One or more collaborative bidding servers are also provided, each running software operative to coordinate collaborative bidding in the automated auction on behalf of a respective collaborative bidding entity. By providing collaborative bidding servers that are separate from the administrative server running the auction, individual users wishing to collaborate on a particular bid may do so using the software running on a respective collaborative server, which is specifically provided to facilitate and coordinate collaborative bidding. Generalized collaborative communication systems and methods are also set forth herein.

Claims

1. A system for controlling automated auctions, comprising:

an administrative server running software operative to coordinate an automated auction among a plurality of collaborative bidding entities; and

a plurality of collaborative servers each running software operative to coordinate collaborative bidding in the automated auction on behalf of a respective collaborative bidding entity.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to automatically generate and transmit bids to the administrative server on behalf of a respective bidding entity.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to automatically generate bids based on information and rules provided by a respective bidding entity.

4. The system of claim 3,

wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to optimize the bids on behalf of a respective bidding entity based on the information provided by the respective collaborative bidding entity.

5. The system of claim 2,

wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to optimize the bids on behalf of a respective bidding entity based on prices of supplies provided by suppliers of the respective collaborative bidding entity.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the prices of supplies are updated substantially in real-time.

7. The system of claim 2,

wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to optimize the bids on behalf of a respective bidding entity based on production capacity of the respective collaborative bidding entity.

8. The system of claim 2,

wherein the collaborative bidding entity bids on a plurality of items, and

further wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to optimize individual bids on behalf of a respective bidding entity based on information pertaining to the plurality of bids.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein the information pertaining to the plurality of bids includes a maximum cumulative bid price for all items, and

further wherein the software running on each collaborative server is operative to optimize individual bids on behalf of a respective bidding entity based on the maximum cumulative bid price.

10. The system of claim 2,

wherein the respective collaborative bidding entity bids on items in a plurality of different auctions, and

further wherein the software running on a collaborative server is operative to optimize individual bids in a current auction based on the information pertaining to the success, if any, of bids in previous auctions.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein a respective collaborative bidding entity comprises a plurality of individual users each collaborating on the generation of an individual bid, and

further wherein the software running on a collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users of the respective bidding entity.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of individual users collaborating on the generation of an individual bid are in one or more different time zones, and

further wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users among the different time zones.

13. The system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of individual users each collaborating on the generation of an individual bid employ one or more different currencies, and

further wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users among the different currencies.

14. The system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of individual users each collaborating on the generation of an individual bid speak in one or more different languages, and

further wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users among the different languages.

15. The system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of individual users collaborating on the generation of an individual bid are subject to one or more different legal jurisdictions, and

further wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users among the different jurisdictions.

16. The system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of individual users collaborating on the generation of an individual bid have different roles within the collaborative bidding entity, and

further wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual users among the individuals with different roles.

17. The system of claim 11,

wherein the software running on the collaborative server is operative to coordinate the collaboration of the individual clients, in part, by providing for exchange of information pertaining to a given bid among the individual users of the collaborative bidding entity.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the auction is an Internet-based auction.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the auction is a standard auction that permits bidding entitles to selectively increase bid amounts in an attempt to gain the right to purchase goods or services being auctioned.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the auction is a reverse auction that permits bidding entitles to selectively decrease bid amounts in an attempt to gain the right to provide goods or services being auctioned.

21. A system for controlling automated auctions comprising:

an administrative server running software operative to coordinate an automated auction among a plurality of users, some of which form a collaborative bidding entity; and

a collaborative server running software operative to coordinate collaborative bidding in the automated auction on behalf of users associated with the collaborative bidding entity.

22. A method for controlling automated auctions comprising:

coordinating an automated auction among a plurality of bidding entities, at least one of which is a collaborative bidding entity, by using an administrative server running software operative to coordinate the automated auction; and

coordinating collaborative bidding in the automated auction on behalf of the collaborative bidding entity by using a collaborative server running software operative to coordinate collaborative bidding on behalf of the collaborative bidding entity.

23. A system for controlling automated auctions comprising:

means for coordinating an automated auction among a plurality of bidding entities, at least one of which is a collaborative bidding entity; and

means for coordinating collaborative bidding in the automated auction on behalf of the collaborative bidding entity.

24. In a communications system comprising a central server and a plurality of collaborative servers, the central server and the plurality of collaborators servers being connected to a network, each collaborative server being in communication with at least one client, a method for collaborative communications comprising:

receiving data from the central server by the plurality of collaborative servers, wherein with respect to each collaborative server the following steps are carried out;

processing the data from the central server by the collaborative server to generate client data,

communicating the client data from the collaborative server to the at least one client,

receiving input data from the at least one client by the collaborative server, the input data being provided by the at least one client in response to the client data,

processing the input data by the collaborative server to generate collaborator data, and

communicating the collaborator data from the collaborative server to the central server,

wherein the central server processes the collaborator data received from each collaborative server.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data from the central server represents a request and each of the collaborator data represents a reply to the request.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the central server comprises a central server application for collaborative communications and further wherein the step to process collaborator data comprises a step of computing the collaborator data by the central server application.

27. The method claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of collaborative servers comprises a collaborator application for collaborative communications and further wherein the step of processing the data from the central server comprises a step of computing the data from the central server by the collaborator application.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of collaborative servers comprises a collaborator application for collaborative communications and further wherein the step of processing the input data from the at least one client comprises a step of computing the input data by the collaborator application.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein for communications between the central server and one of the plurality of collaborative servers, a communications link for communicating the data from the central server is maintained until collaborator data are communicated from that collaborative server to the central server via the communications link.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein for communications between the central server and one of the plurality of collaborative servers, different communications links are used for communicating the data from the central server and for communicating the collaborator data from that collaborative server.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the client data comprise data for display on a graphical user interface.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of processing of the input data comprises a step of executing decision rules by the collaborative server to evaluate the input data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the input data are rejected if the execution of the decision rules indicates incorrect input data.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of processing the input data comprises a step of executing optimization rules for the input data by the collaborative server.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one of the plurality of collaborative servers is in communication with a plurality of clients and further wherein the step of receiving input data comprises a step of receiving multiple input data from the plurality of clients.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing input data comprises a step of receiving at least one of input data from an human operator of the at least one client and input data generated by the at least one client.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one of the plurality of collaborative servers generates and maintains a history of at least one of previous input data and previous collaborator data.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of processing the data from the central server comprises a step of processing the data from the central server to generate client data according to at least one of a given language and a given time zone.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein the central server is a server associated with a requesting entity requesting a bid from a plurality of collaborators and each of the plurality of collaborative servers is a server associated to one of the plurality collaborators, and further wherein the step of communicating the data from the central server comprises a step of communicating a bid invitation to the plurality of collaborative servers and the step of communicating the collaborator data respectively comprise a step of communicating a bid.

40. A system for collaborative communications, the system comprising:

at least one client,

a plurality of collaborative servers, and

a central server operative to communicate data from the central server to a plurality of collaborative servers and for receiving collaborator data from the plurality of collaborative servers,

wherein each collaborative server is operative to process the data from the central server to generate client data, communicate the client data to the at least one client, and process input data received from the at least one client to generate the collaborator data, and

further wherein the at least one client is provided, in response to the client data, with input data and communicates the input data to the respective collaborative server.

41. A system for collaborative communications, the system comprising:

a central server, and

a plurality of client entity servers connected to the central server, each client entity server being in communication with a plurality of clients and performing client specific processing on behalf of the central server.