PRICING MECHANISMS FOR PERISHABLE TIME-VARYING RESOURCES
First Claim
1. A method, using computer processing functionality, for determining price information for perishable resource items, comprising:
- providing an objective function which defines utility as a function of price, the objective function comprising a weighted combination of a welfare component and a revenue component, the welfare component defining a benefit conferred to a group of consumers of resource items and the revenue component defining a benefit conferred to a provider of the resource items;
solving an optimization problem that is formulated based on the objective function, using the computer processing functionality, to provide price information, the price information providing a plurality of pricing options;
providing the price information to a consumer;
receiving a selection of a pricing option from the consumer, to provide a pricing selection; and
physically allocating a resource item to the consumer in a manner governed by the pricing selection made by the consumer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A price determination module (PDM) is described herein which defines price information for perishable resource items subject to variable supply and demand. The price information specifies pricing options for consideration by consumers. In one approach, the PDM provides a plurality of per-instant pricing options, where each pricing option defines a price for a resource item in a particular time instance. In another approach, the PDM provides a plurality of per-contract pricing options, where each pricing option defines a price for a resource item in a particular time segment. The PDM can determine the pricing options by formulating and solving an optimization problem, e.g., using a dynamic programming technique. The optimization problem can be constrained by either hard or soft capacity constraints.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, using computer processing functionality, for determining price information for perishable resource items, comprising:
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providing an objective function which defines utility as a function of price, the objective function comprising a weighted combination of a welfare component and a revenue component, the welfare component defining a benefit conferred to a group of consumers of resource items and the revenue component defining a benefit conferred to a provider of the resource items; solving an optimization problem that is formulated based on the objective function, using the computer processing functionality, to provide price information, the price information providing a plurality of pricing options; providing the price information to a consumer; receiving a selection of a pricing option from the consumer, to provide a pricing selection; and physically allocating a resource item to the consumer in a manner governed by the pricing selection made by the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A task management module, implemented by computer processing functionality, for use in determining price information that defines prices of computational resource items, comprising:
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a price determination module configured to solve an optimization problem that is formulated based on an objective function, to provide price information, the price information defining a plurality of pricing options for consideration by consumers; and a resource allocation module configured to allocate a computational resource item to a consumer in a manner governed by a pricing option selected by that consumer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable medium for storing computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions providing a price determination module when executed by one or more processing devices, the computer readable instructions comprising:
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logic configured to solve an optimization problem that is formulated based on an objective function, to identify a maximum utility associated with a time segment ij, subject to a minimum price p0, where i defines a starting time instance and j defines an ending time instance; logic configured to identify a partition point within the time segment ij, the partition point corresponding to a minimum time instance which solves the optimization problem and yields the maximum utility; and logic configured to identify a pricing option associated with the partition point, a collection of pricing options defining pricing information, the objective function defining utility as a function of price, the objective function further comprising a weighted combination of a welfare component and a revenue component, the welfare component defining a benefit conferred to a group of consumers of resource items and the revenue component defining a benefit conferred to a provider of the resource items.
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Specification