Methods, systems, and products for selecting an auction structure

• US 20050240505A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brightbill, Paul Luther
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for selecting a structure for an online auction. One method prompts a user to input details of the auction and suggests a reverse auction for sourcing goods and services in a telecommunications environment. If the market price for the auctioned goods/services is stable, then the method establishes a reserve price less than or equal to a contract price. A rank-only Vickery structure may be suggested in which each bidder is only informed of the ranking of the bidder'"'"'s bid. Each bidder is not informed of a monetary value of the winning bid.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a structure for an auction, comprising the steps of:

prompting a user to input details of the auction; and

suggesting a reverse auction for sourcing goods and services in a telecommunications environment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a market price is stable, then establishing a reserve price less than or equal to a contract price.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a market price is declining, then establishing a reserve price less than or equal to a contract price.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a market price is rising, then establishing a reserve price equal to about contract price.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a market price is at least one of stable and declining, then establishing a target price below a contract price.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein if a market price is rising, then establishing a target price equal to a contract price.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting a Vickery structure for the auction.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting a rank-only visibility for the auction, in which each bidder to the auction is only informed of the ranking of the bidder'"'"'s bid, and the bidder is not informed of a monetary value of a winning bid.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting a weighting factor to influence selection of a winning bidder.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting discounted pricing for volume considerations.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting a pricing decrement for the reverse auction.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting the reverse auction for awarding a contract to maintain Digital Subscriber Line services.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting the reverse auction for awarding a contract to maintain a local loop in a telecommunications network.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of suggesting the reverse auction for awarding a contract to maintain fiber optic cable in a telecommunications network.

15. A system, comprising:

an Auction Module stored in a memory device, and a processor communicating with the memory device;

the Auction Module prompting a user to input details of the auction and suggesting a reverse auction for sourcing goods and services in a telecommunications environment.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

an Auction Module stored on the computer-readable medium, the Auction Module prompting a user to input details of the auction and suggesting a reverse auction for sourcing goods and services in a telecommunications environment.