Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamically bidding in and conducting multiple simultaneous online auctions located across multiple online auction sites
First Claim
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1. A method of dynamically bidding, through a software agent, in online auctions accessible over a communications network, said method comprising:
- said agent initially receiving bidding-related information from a bidder;
said agent initially selecting a plurality of auctions to place bids in, in accordance with said bidding-related information and a current status of one or more auctions;
said agent placing bids in said plurality of auctions, wherein said plurality of auctions are located across multiple online auction sites and are scheduled to close for bidding simultaneously; and
said agent, on being outbid in an auction and on the basis of said bidding-related information and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in itself determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said agent determines to place an additional bid, said agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in and placing said additional bid in said selected auction,wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions,wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that a current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises an excess of a monetary value attached by said bidder to an item to be bid upon over a monetary value of said bid by said agent, andwherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises a ratio of said current bidder surplus to said monetary value of said bid by said agent.
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Abstract
The use of software-based agents to act on behalf of human bidders for dynamic participation in multiple simultaneous online auctions is disclosed. The software-based agents may reside on computer systems or on any type of stationary or mobile terminal. On the basis of bidding-related information from a bidder, a software agent selects a plurality of auctions to place bids in. Upon being outbid, the agent determines whether to place an additional bid in a further auction. The agent can make such a determination on the basis of maximising profitability or surplus.
48 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of dynamically bidding, through a software agent, in online auctions accessible over a communications network, said method comprising:
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said agent initially receiving bidding-related information from a bidder; said agent initially selecting a plurality of auctions to place bids in, in accordance with said bidding-related information and a current status of one or more auctions; said agent placing bids in said plurality of auctions, wherein said plurality of auctions are located across multiple online auction sites and are scheduled to close for bidding simultaneously; and said agent, on being outbid in an auction and on the basis of said bidding-related information and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in itself determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said agent determines to place an additional bid, said agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in and placing said additional bid in said selected auction, wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that a current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises an excess of a monetary value attached by said bidder to an item to be bid upon over a monetary value of said bid by said agent, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises a ratio of said current bidder surplus to said monetary value of said bid by said agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of conducting online auctions, said method comprising:
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arranging offerings for auction in one or more selected groups located across multiple online auction sites; constraining all of said auctions within the same group from said one or more selected groups to close for bidding simultaneously; and soliciting bids in one or more of said auctions by software agents representing bidders, said software agents determining at any time, on the basis of bidding-related information input by a bidder and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said agent determines to place an additional bid, said agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in, and placing said additional bid in said selected auction, wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized, and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises the ratio of a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid to said bid value. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A system for dynamically bidding, through a software agent, in online auctions accessible over a communications network, said system comprising:
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means for inputting bidding-related information from a bidder; means for said agent to initially select a plurality of auctions to place bids in, in accordance with said bidding-related information and a current status of one or more auctions; means for said agent to place bids in said plurality of auctions, wherein said plurality of auctions are located across multiple online auction sites and are scheduled to close for bidding simultaneously; means for said agent, on being outbid in an auction, and on the basis of said bidding-related information and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in itself determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said software agent determines to place an additional bid said software agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in, and placing said additional bid in said selected auction, wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized, and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises the ratio of a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid to said bid value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for conducting online auctions, said system comprising:
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computing means for arranging offerings for auction in one or more selected groups located across multiple online auction sites; computing means for constraining all of said auctions within the same group from the said one or more selected groups to close for bidding simultaneously; and
computing means for soliciting bids in one or more of said auctions by software agents representing bidders, said software agents determining at any time, on the basis of bidding-related information input by a bidder and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said agent determines to place an additional bid, said agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in, and placing said additional bid in said selected auction,wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized, and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises the ratio of a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid to said bid value. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for dynamically bidding, through a software agent, in online auctions accessible over a communications network, said computer program including:
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computer program code means for said agent initially to receive bidding-related information from a bidder; computer program code means for said agent to initially select a plurality of auctions to place bids in, in accordance with said bidding-related information and the current status of one or more auctions; computer program code means for said agent to place bids in said plurality of auctions, wherein said plurality of auctions are located across multiple online auction sites and are scheduled to close for bidding simultaneously; and computer program code means for said agent, on being outbid in one or more auctions, and on the basis of said bidding-related information and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in itself determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said software agent determines to place an additional bid, said software agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in, and placing said additional bid in said selected auction, wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized, and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises the ratio of a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid to said bid value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded therein for conducting online auctions, said computer program including:
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computer program code means for arranging offerings for auction in one or more selected groups located across multiple online auction sites; computer program code means for constraining all of said auctions within the same group from said one or more selected groups to close for bidding simultaneously; and computer program code means for soliciting bids in one or more of said auctions by software agents representing bidders, said software agents determining at any time, on the basis of bidding-related information input by a bidder and by checking the current status of one or more auctions, wherein said checking comprises obtaining information relating to a value of a current highest bid in a first auction and using said information in determining whether to place an additional bid in said first auction or some other auction and, if said agent determines to place an additional bid, said agent selecting an auction to place said additional bid in, and placing said additional bid in said selected auction, wherein said bidding-related information received from said bidder comprises a specified limit on a total value of each bid in each auction and a total value of all bids from all auctions, wherein selecting of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder surplus of said bid is maximized and non-negative, wherein said current bidder surplus of said bid comprises a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid, and wherein selection of an auction for placing a bid in, whether initially or on being outbid, by said agent, is to be such that the current bidder profitability of said bid is maximized, and non-negative, wherein said current bidder profitability of said bid comprises the ratio of a monetary value computed from said bid value and said specified limit on the value of the bid to said bid value. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification