GB2382885A

GB2382885A - Method and apparatus for reverse auction

Info

Publication number: GB2382885A
Application number: GB0125918A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chi Fai Hung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-10-29
Filing date: 2001-10-29
Publication date: 2003-06-11
Also published as: GB0125918D0

Abstract

There is described a method end apparatus for conducting a reverse auction in which information relating to goods or services to be auctioned is provided to a data server, and this information is then transmitted over a pager network to a number of subscribers. The data is decoded and displayed on display apparatus such as a TV set associated with each subscriber who may then, if they wish, send purchase confirmation signals to the data server. Also disclosed is a set top box which recieves signals over a pager network, decodes those signals and displays them on the display apparatus such as TV. set

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REVERSE AUCTION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for conducting a reverse auction, and in particular to a method and apparatus for enabling a reverse auction to be carried out through a pager network. More generally the invention relates to a method of providing data and information to subscribers through a pager network.

A reverse auction is a form of auction where the price for a product or service starts at a high level and then drops until a buyer is found. A reverse auction is often used where a number of goods must be disposed of by a given deadline and is often called a "clearance auction". The disposal of bankrupt or confiscated stock is one example, and products or services with finite lifetimes, such as holidays or flight tickets, is another. A particularly well known example of a reverse auction is the sale of flowers such as tulips and reverse auctions are used for this purpose in the Netherlands, and so reverse auctions are also referred to sometimes as"Dutch Auctions".

According to the present invention there is provided a method of conducting a reverse auction comprising, providing to a data server information concerning goods or services to be auctioned, transmitting said information over a pager network to a plurality of subscribers, and decoding and displaying said information on respective display means associated with each said subscriber, and wherein subscribers wishing to purchase goods or services send purchase confirmation signals to said server.

Preferably the transmission over the pager network is decoded by means associated with each subscriber which provides an output signal to said display means.

The data to be transmitted is preferably continuously updated by said data server, and in particular may be updated by lowering the price and/or number remaining of the goods or services being offered.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a subscriber may prestore subscriber preferences with the data server whereby only information of interest to an individual subscriber is provided to that subscriber. In other embodiments some data may be general and provided to all subscribers, while other data may be subscriber specific.

It is also preferred that a subscriber may be able to prestore response information whereby a purchase confirmation signal is automatically sent when a price has fallen to a certain level.

Viewed from another aspect the invention also provides apparatus for conducting a reverse auction comprising, a data server for receiving information concerning goods or services to be auctioned and for formatting said information for pager transmission, means for transmitting said information through a pager network to a plurality of subscribers, means associated with each said subscriber for decoding said pager transmission and for displaying said information, and means enabling each said subscriber to send a purchase confirmation signal to said server when a said subscriber wishes to purchase goods or services being auctioned.

Preferably the decoding means comprises means for generating a signal to be input to the display means whereby the information is displayed on the display means, which may be a television set or the like.

In a preferred embodiment the apparatus further includes means for transmitting a purchase confirmation signal to the data server when a subscriber wishes to purchase the

goods or services on offer. In one example means may be provided for transmitting generating a purchase confirmation signal to the data server when a subscriber wishes to purchase the goods or services on offer. In one example means may be provided for automatically generating such a purchase confirmation signal when the price of the goods or services has fallen to a predetermined level.

Viewed from a still further broad aspect the present invention provides a method for transmitting data to a plurality of subscribers and for displaying said data at subscriber locations, comprising: (a) broadcasting said data to said subscribers through a pager network, (b) providing each subscriber with a set-top box including a pager decoding means and means for generating an output signal, and displaying said data on a display means.

Viewed from a still further broad aspect the present invention provides apparatus for transmitting data to a plurality of subscribers and for displaying said data at subscriber locations, comprising: means for broadcasting said data to said subscribers through a pager network, a set-top box associated with each said subscriber and including a pager decoding means and means for generating an output data display signal, and means for receiving said output signal and for displaying said data.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. l is a schematic view of an overall architecture of an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a signal reception mechanism, and

Fig. 3 is an example of a typical display.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 there is shown schematically an overall architecture for a method of conducting a reverse auction using pager transmission technology.

To begin with, information concerning products or services to be auctioned, for example seats on airline flights or flowers for sale, are provided to a data centre I. Data centre I then organizes and manages the information before supplying the information (eg through a telephone line or a leased land line) to a server 2 that prepares the information for transmission through a conventional pager network whereby the data is transmitted from a pager station 3 at conventional radio frequencies as are used by existing pagers. The information is then transmitted to a plurality of subscribers through the wireless pager network and the information is received by the subscribers using settop boxes 4 as will be described below.

The data centre constantly updates the information that is supplied for transmission. In particular, the price of the goods or services being auctioned will be progressively reduced in the manner of a reverse auction. Where there is only a limited number of the products or services (eg seats on a plane) also updated may be the number remaining for sale. When all the goods or services have been sold, or when a relevant time limit has passed, the data centre will stop further transmissions.

Each set-top box 4 is designed to receive and decode the pager transmissions and then to produce an output that may be displayed on a conventional television, computer monitor or other similar display unit. As shown in Fig. 2 each set-top box 4 includes a

number N of pager decoder units 5,. While it may be possible to employ only a single pager decoder unit, the provision of multiple decoder units 5 has a number of advantages.

In particular, by using multiple cascaded pager decoder the available bandwidth may be increased. Furthermore different pagers may receive information on different channels. For example one channel may be devoted to particular types of goods or services, another channel to other types. Alternatively one channel may be devoted to transmitting public information (eg regarding products or services on auction) while another channel may be for private information (for example confirming details of a purchase).

The pager decoder units 5 provide an output to a data communication decoder 6 and then to a microprocessor graphic controller 7. Two levels of decoding are necessary because at the server end the raw data is encrypted in accordance with a proprietary format and is then encrypted using a pager format. Pager decoder units 5 decode the pager encryption format, while decoder 6 decodes the proprietary format. The graphic controller 7 produces an output as will be explained below that is encoded by a video encoder 8 into a suitable format whereby the information transmitted though the pager network and decoded by the pager decoder units 5 may be displayed on a television set or the like. The graphic controller has access to non-volatile memory 9 and volatile memory 10. The non-volatile memory (for example Flash memory) is used to store data which must be retained when the device is powered down. Such data may include program files, which could be transmitted through the system of the present invention, or graphic files such as logos and banners, and other such files and data that is required to be kept. The volatile memory (eg RAM) is used to store temporary data such as auction prices that need not be kept when the device is switched off. The graphic controller 7 is also capable of responding to inputs from a remote control unit such as an infrared unit 11. Such a

remote control unit allows user interaction with the display, for example enabling a user to make a decision to purchase products or services.

An important advantage of the present invention is that while pager transmissions are nonnally of a one-way nature, it is also possible for a subscriber to use the method and apparatus of the present invention at least in preferred forms to communicated back to the data server, for example when a user wishes to purchase goods or tickets. To achieve this possibility the data communications decoder 6 also connects to a communication means such as, for example, a DTMF (dual tone multi frequency) unit that allows a subscriber to send, for example, a purchase signal to the data server through a public switched telephone network, or indeed any other suitable form of communications network.

By means of the present invention, at least in preferred forms, it is possible to use a pager network and pager decoders for the transmission of the reverse auction information, without the problems of the small screen size and limited memory capacity of a conventional pager unit. The pager decoders are instead used as a conduit for the information that is then displayed on a television set or the like.

An example of how a reverse auction may be conducted using an embodiment of the invention will now be described.

The information to be transmitted may concern a product such as airline seats on a particular flight. A shown in Fig. 3, the information to be displayed will include the destination and departure time, the airline, the original number of tickets available, the number of tickets remaining for sale and the current price. This data is provided by the data centre I to the server 2 where it is formatted and is then transmitted through the

pager network, decoded by the set-top boxes of the subscribers and displayed on television sets associated with the subscribers. As the departure time of the flight approaches, the price of the tickets will be progressively reduced in order to ensure that all seats are filled if possible. In the example shown in Fig. 3, 15 tickets were available at an initial price ofHK$1400. That price is failing by HK$ ! 00 every 30 minutes and in the exemplary display of Fig. 3 7 tickets remain.

If a person wishes to purchase a product or service offered in such a reverse auction, then the set-top box can be used to send a purchase confirmation signal to the data centre 1. This purchase confirmation signal may be sent by the set-top box in response to a command from a subscriber and using any conventional communications technology wireless or otherwise. Once a purchase confirmation signal has been sent and received by the data centre I, then the data centre 1 updates the information broadcast regarding the number of seats remaining for sale, and will stop the transmission completely if all have been sold, and may also arrange for a purchase acknowledgement to be sent to the subscriber using a private channel.

A further important possibility is that the subscriber may prestore in the memory of the set-top box 4 a price level at which he or she is willing to purchase the goods or services on offer. When that price level is reached an automatic purchase confirmation signal is sent. A subscriber may also prestore information about personal preferences concerning the types of goods or services in which that subscriber is interested.

It will be understood that a user of the system of the present invention may be a subscriber to a pager network. The present invention takes advantage of the pager network and the pager decoder to provide information regarding products and services to

be auctioned to a range of pager subscribers. Conventional pagers however have insufficient memory and screen size to display such information, the present invention simply uses the pager decoder as a conduit (cascaded if necessary) for the display of the information on a television screen or the like.

It will also be understood that a subscriber may prestore with the data centre information about personal preferences. For example a user may only be interested in receiving travel offers or receiving information on certain products and price ranges only.

This information may be prestored with a user's pager ID so that only information relevant to that user is provided.

In addition to providing a method and apparatus for conducting a reverse auction, the apparatus and method of the present invention may be extended more generally to a method and apparatus for transmitting data and information, especially time varying data and information, to a plurality of subscribers. For example, the information being transmitted may include financial data, stock quotations, recruitment information, property market information, news sport and weather information. A subscriber may choose to receive all such information or may preset preferences. Certain information may be provided through different pager channels, and a user may define which channels are to be decoded by the pager decoding units in the set-top box in response to that user's particular interests. Whatever form the data takes, it is prepared and formatted through a data server, transmitted through the pager network, decoded at the set-top box, and displayed on a television or the like.

For example, stock quotes may be constantly updated and provided to a subscriber and displayed on a television screen through a set-top box. The subscriber may

then use the set-top box to send a purchase confirmation signal (or indeed a sell signal) when a stock price reaches a certain level. Alternatively details of properties for sale may be provided and displayed on a television screen. When a subscriber sees a property of interest either a purchase signal or a signal requesting more information may be sent from the set-top box.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method of conducting a reverse auction comprising, providing to a data server information concerning goods or services to be auctioned, transmitting said information over a pager network received by a plurality of subscribers, and decoding and displaying said information on respective display means associated with each said subscriber, and wherein subscribers wishing to purchase goods or services send purchase confirmation signals to said server.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided associated with each said subscriber for decoding the pager transmission and for providing an input signal to said display means.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said decoding means comprises a plurality of pager decoder means.
4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the data to be transmitted is continuously updated by said data server.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the data is updated by lowering the price of the goods and/or services being offered for sale.
6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein data is transmitted on a plurality of different pager channels.

<Desc/Clms Page number 11>
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the data transmitted on certain channels is data provided to all subscribers, while the data transmitted on other channels is private data intended for a sub-group of subscribers) only.
8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said subscribers may prestore subscriber preferences whereby only information of interest to an individual is provided to that subscriber.
9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a user may prestore response information whereby a purchase confirmation signal is sent automatically when a price has fallen to a certain level.
10. Apparatus for conducting a reverse auction comprising, a data server for receiving information concerning goods or services to be auctioned and for formatting said data for pager transmission, means for transmitting said information through a pager network to a plurality of subscribers, means associated with each said subscriber for decoding said pager transmission and for displaying said information, and means for enabling each said subscriber to send a purchase confirmation signal to said server when a said subscriber wishes to purchase goods or services being auctioned.

<Desc/Clms Page number 12>
1 I. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said decoding means comprises means for generating a signal to be input to said display means whereby said information is displayed on said display means.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or I wherein said decoding means comprises a plurality of pager decoding means.
13. Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 12 wherein said display means is a television set.
14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13 wherein means are provided for restoring subscriber preferences.
15. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14 wherein means are provided for automatically generating a purchase confirmation signal.
16. A method of transmitting data to a plurality of subscribers and displaying said data at subscriber locations, comprising: (a) broadcasting said data to said subscribers through a pager network, (b) providing each said subscriber with a set-top box including a pager decoding means and means for generating an output signal to a display means, and (c) displaying said data on said display means.

<Desc/Clms Page number 13>
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said display means is a television set or the like.
18. A method as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein a subscriber may send a signal to a central data server in response to receiving said data.
19. A method as claimed in any of claims 16 to 18 wherein said data is time varying and said data is regularly updated.
20. Apparatus for transmitting data to a plurality of subscribers and for displaying said data at subscriber locations, comprising: means for broadcasting said data to said subscribers through a pager network, a set-top box associated with each said subscriber and including at least one pager decoding means and means for generating an output signal to a display means for displaying said data.