TRUSTED AUCTIONS

• US 20100082446A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDTP Holdings Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Kanter, Theo Gerrit, Hjelm, Johan, Lidstrom, Mattias
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Embodiments for method and a system for an on online auction system involving a computer server is closed. Values representing a relationship between a seller and a plurality of bidders are determined based on social connections of the seller and social connections of the bidders. An auction method is selected based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders. The selected auction method is performed for the purpose of selling an item of the seller at a winning bid quoted by any of the bidders.

Claims

1. A method for an online auction system, performed on at least one computer server and comprising the steps of:

determining values representing a relationship between a seller and a plurality of bidders, based on social connections of the seller and social connections of the bidders,

selecting an auction method based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders, and

performing the selected auction method, for purpose of selling an item of the seller at a winning bid quoted by any of the bidders.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step, performed on the at least one computer server, of determining, based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders, which bidders are allowed to participate in the performed auction method.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing the selected auction method comprises

determining a value representing a relationship between the seller and a further bidder, based on the social connections of the seller and social connections of the further bidder, and

allowing or denying the further bidder to participate in the performing of the selected auction method, based on the value representing a relationship between the seller and the further bidder.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the social connections are retrieved from a social network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the social connections are retrieved from a topological graph.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the social connections comprises presence enabled data.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step, performed on the at least one computer server, of updating the social connections of the seller and the social connections of a bidder winning the auction, in dependence of an outcome of a transaction between the seller and the winning bidder.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders comprises determining the number of common social contacts.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders comprises determining distances between a node of the social connections of the seller and nodes of the social connections of the bidders.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the auction method comprises selecting the auction method in dependence of presence of any of the bidders.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining values representing a relationship between the seller and the plurality of bidders is preceded by the steps of:

sending, to an auction server from a client associated with the seller, social connections of the seller, and

sending, to the auction server from a plurality of clients associated with the plurality of bidders, social connections of the bidders.

12. An online auction system comprising at least one computer server, the system being configured to:

determine values representing a relationship between a seller and a plurality of bidders, based on social connections of the seller and social connections of the bidders,

select an auction method based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders, and

perform the selected auction method, for purpose of selling an item of the seller at a winning bid quoted by any of the bidders.

13. A system according to claim 12, configured to determine, based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders, which bidders are allowed to participate in the performed auction method.

14. A system according to claim 12, configured to, when the selected auction method is performed,

determine a value representing a relationship between the seller and a further bidder, based on the social connections of the seller and social connections of the further bidder, and

allow or deny the further bidder to participate in the performing of the selected auction method, based on the value representing a relationship between the seller and the further bidder.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein at least a part of the social connections are retrieved from a social network.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein at least a part of the social connections are retrieved from a topological graph.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the social connections comprises presence enabled data.

18. A system according to claim 12, configured to update the social connections of the seller and the social connections of a bidder winning the auction, in dependence of an outcome of a transaction between the seller and the winning bidder.

19. A system according to claim 12, configured to, when the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders is determined, determine the number of common social contacts.

20. A system according to claim 12, configured to, when the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders is determined, determine distances between a node of the social connections of the seller and nodes of the social connections of the bidders.

21. A system according to claim 12, wherein the selecting of the auction method comprises selecting the auction method in dependence of presence of any of the bidders.

22. A system according to claim 12, configured to, prior a determining of values representing a relationship between the seller and the plurality of bidders,

send, to an auction server from a client associated with the seller, social connections of the seller, and

send, to the auction server from a plurality of clients associated with the plurality of bidders, social connections of the bidders.

23. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program having software instructions which when run on a computer server in an online auction system cause the server to perform the steps of:

determining values representing a relationship between a seller and a plurality of bidders, based on social connections of the seller and social connections of the bidders,

selecting an auction method based on the values representing a relationship between the seller and the bidders, and

performing the selected auction method, for purpose of selling an item of the seller at a winning bid quoted by any of the bidders.