JP2003058740A - Auction method, apparatus, program, and medium recording the program - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Problem] To provide an auction method, an apparatus, a program, and a medium on which the program is recorded, in which incentive compatibility is ensured even when considering not only the bid amount but also the characteristic value of the bidder. To provide. SOLUTION: Based on a bidder name included in received bid data, a characteristic value of each bidder is acquired from a characteristic storage device in which characteristic values indicating the trustworthiness of the bidder are stored in advance.
4), the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property is calculated based on the bid amount and the characteristic value, and the bidder with the lowest evaluation value is determined as the successful bidder of the target property (s5), and the successful bidder is excluded. When the minimum value among the evaluation values of the bidders is equal to the evaluation value of the successful bidder, the bid amount of the successful bidder corresponding to the case is determined as the reward amount to the successful bidder (s6).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auction method and apparatus for determining a winning bidder and a reward amount thereof by utilizing not only the bid amount of each bidder but also the open evaluation element for each bidder. , The program and a medium recording the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are a number of auction methods for targeting work (tasks) undertaken by bidders such as civil engineering and construction work. V
Second price secret bid proposed by ickrey (Vick
There is a method called rey auction). This method is as follows.

1. The bidder transmits the evaluation price of the target property as the bid price to the auction device using the bidder device without knowing the bid prices of other bidders (1
Only once).

2. After the completion of all the bids, the auction apparatus opens the bid, calculates (selects) the lowest bid amount, and determines the winning bidder.

3. The auction device informs the winning bidder of the amount of reward. At this time, the reward amount of the successful bidder is not the bid amount (lowest bid amount) of the successful bidder itself, but the second lowest bid amount.

In this second price secret bidding, each bidder
Maximize your own profit (the difference between the reward amount and your true valuation) by declaring your true valuation for the target property, that is, the lower valuation that you are not willing to undertake the task below that. It is known that it can be transformed. This property is called incentive compatibility. If the incentive compatibility holds,
There is no need to conceal your own valuation so it is not known to other bidders.

[0007]

By the way, when deciding a contractor for a target task, other factors than the bid amount declared by the bidder, that is, credit of the bidder, quality of the task to be performed, etc. There are situations in which the winning bidder must be determined in consideration of a value (hereinafter, referred to as a characteristic value) indicating the evaluation to the public bidder.

However, in such a situation,
No incentive compatible auction method has been proposed in which it is best for the bidder to declare the true valuation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an auction method and apparatus that guarantee incentive compatibility not only in consideration of the bid amount declared by each bidder but also in consideration of the published characteristic value of each bidder. , Providing the program and the medium in which the program is recorded.

[0010]

According to the present invention, when assigning one task, a bid is determined when a bidder is determined in consideration of characteristic values indicating the bidder's credit and the like in addition to the bid amount declared by the bidder. The feature is that the winning bidder is determined using an evaluation function with the amount and the characteristic value as arguments, and the reward amount is determined so as not to depend on the bid amount declared by the winning bidder.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a bidder device used by bidders participating in an auction, 20 is an auction device of the present invention, and 3
0 is a characteristic storage device in which characteristic values indicating credits of bidders are stored in advance, 40 is a provider device used by a task provider who provides a task (auction target property), and 50 is a network connecting these. . The characteristic storage device 30 may be directly connected to the auction apparatus 20 or may be built in the auction apparatus 20.

The auction apparatus 20 is used by the bidder who holds the auction. The task provider discloses the task provided using the provider apparatus 40, and the bidder uses the bidder apparatus 10 to publish the task. Bid data including at least the bid amount and the bidder name for the task transmitted is accepted, and the winning bidder and the reward amount thereof are determined as described later.

First, the problem is defined.

(Bidder) Bidder i (i = 1, 2, ...
n) (Task) There is one task.

(Bid Amount) The bid amount of bidder i is c _i . The bid amount c _i is personal information that only the bidder i can know.

(Utility) If a task is assigned to a bidder i with a reward p _i , the utility u _i of the bidder _i is u _i =-
It is represented by c _i + p _i .

(Characteristics) Bidder i's trust, credit, quality, etc.
X is a feature vector (characteristic value) indicating _iIt is defined as this
x_iIs public information that all participants can know.

The feature vector x _i is represented by a numerical value. For example, when two companies, a company A with a track record and a company B with no track record, participate in a task allocation (auction) and want to give preferential treatment to a company with a track record, , Company A is 1x, Company B is 4
It is possible to perform an expression such as doubling (see application example 2).

(Evaluation function) Evaluation function h (x _i , c _i )
Is defined with respect to the bid amount c _i and the characteristic value x _i of each bidder i. h (x _i , c _i ) is a strictly increasing function with respect to c _i.
action).

(Minimum Evaluation Value) The minimum value of the evaluation function h (x _i , c _i ) of all bidders i is v. In addition, the minimum value when a bidder A is excluded from all bidders is v _{− (A)} .

(Auction device) Evaluation function h
Assign the task to the bidder, which is the minimum for (x _i , c _i ).

The purpose of the auction apparatus is to evaluate the evaluation function h.
Assigning a task to a bidder who minimizes (x _i , c _i ), and minimizing the evaluation function does not necessarily minimize the reward amount paid by the task provider.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an outline of the auction method of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an outline of processing in the auction apparatus. The auction method of the present invention will be described below.

When a task provider provides a task to a bid-opener, that is, when a task is entered from the provider device 40 to the auction device 20 via the network 50, the auction device 20 accepts this task (s1), and the network 50 is turned off. The task is disclosed to the bidder 10 through (s2).

When the bidder makes a bid to the bidder, that is, when the bidder device 10 sends the bid data including at least the bid amount and the bidder name for the task to the auction device 20 through the network 50, the auction device 2
0 accepts the bid data (s3), and acquires the characteristic value of the bidder from the characteristic storage device 30 based on the bidder name included in the accepted bid data (s4).

Until the bidding period, bidding deadline, etc., which are predetermined by the task provider, are over, steps s3, s4
Is repeated (s5).

After the bidding is completed, the auction apparatus 20 calculates the evaluation value h (x _i , c _i ) of each bidder i for the task based on the above-mentioned bid amount and characteristic value,
The bidder i having the smallest evaluation value is determined as the successful bidder w (s
6). FIG. 4 shows a detailed flowchart of the evaluation value calculation / successful bidder determination processing.

Further, in the auction apparatus 20, the minimum value v- _(w) of the evaluation values h (x _i , c _i ) of each bidder i excluding the successful bidder w is the evaluation value h ( x _w , c _w ), the bid amount of the successful bidder w corresponding to the case of being equal to x _w , c _w ) is determined as the reward amount p _w to the successful bidder w (s7).

Specifically, from the evaluation values h (x _i , c _i ) corresponding to all bidders i to the evaluation value h (x corresponding to the successful bidder w.
The minimum value v- _(w) of the evaluation values excluding _w , c _{w )} is obtained,
The function g defined by g (x _i , h (x _i , c _i )) = c _i is calculated, and the reward amount p _w is calculated from p _w = g (x _w , v _{− (w)} ). FIG. 5 shows a detailed flowchart of the reward amount determination processing.

Finally, the auction apparatus 20 sends the bidder apparatus 1 of the bidder w who has made a successful bid via the network 50.
0 to the fact of the successful bid notification along with the remuneration p _w, also, to inform with remuneration p _w bidders name w by which it was awarded to the provider device 40 of the task provider (s8).

FIG. 6 shows an example of an embodiment of the auction apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 21 is a task acceptance means, 22 is a task disclosure means, 23 is a bid acceptance means, and 24.
Is a characteristic value acquisition means, 25 is an evaluation value calculation / successful bidder determination means, 26 is a reward amount determination means, and 27 is a successful bidder / reward amount notification means.

The task accepting means 21 accepts a task entered from the provider device 40 via the network 50. The task disclosure means 22 publishes the accepted task to the bidder 10 via the network 50.

The bid acceptance means 23 accepts bid data including at least the bid amount and the bidder name for the task transmitted from the bidder device 10 via the network 50. The characteristic value acquisition unit 24 acquires the characteristic value of the bidder from the characteristic storage device 30 based on the bidder name included in the received bid data.

The evaluation value calculation / successful bidder determination means 25 calculates the evaluation value h (x _i , c _i ) of each bidder i for the task based on the above-mentioned bid amount and characteristic value, and the evaluation value is The smallest bidder i is determined to be the successful bidder w. The reward amount determining means 26 determines that the minimum value v _{− (w)} of the evaluation values h (x _i , c _i ) of each bidder i excluding the successful bidder w is the evaluation value h (x _w , of the successful bidder _w . The bid amount of the successful bidder w corresponding to the case of being equal to c _w ) is determined as the reward amount p _w to the successful bidder w.

The winning bidder / reward amount notifying means 27 sends the bidder device 10 of the winning bidder w via the network 50.
To the task provider with the reward amount p _w , and also to the task provider's provider device 40 with the reward amount p _w .

In the embodiment described above, the bid data is sent from the bidder device other than the auction device through the network. However, the bid data is written in a bidder or from the bidder. The bid opener who receives the bill may directly input it through a well-known input means such as a keyboard in the auction apparatus.

Further, the present invention realizes a program having the procedure shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 or the function shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 6 in a known computer via a medium or a communication line. It can also be realized by installing the program.

Hereinafter, specific application examples of the present invention will be shown.

<Application Example 1> Company A and B are bidding for a certain task.
Suppose that Company C and Company C bid. Now, regarding the evaluation function, h
Set (x _i , c _i ) = − x _i + c _i . That is, the higher the value of x _i , the better the characteristics.

The evaluation vector of each bidder is represented by (characteristic vector, declared bid amount), that is, a set of (x _i , c _i ).

Company A: (100,100) Company B: (0,50) Company C: (50,150) At this time, the evaluation value is h (x _A , c _A ) =-100 + 100 = 0 h (x _B , C _B ) = − 0 + 50 = 50 h (x _C , c _C ) = − 50 + 150 = 100, and since the company A takes the minimum value, the winning bidder is A
Become a company.

The remuneration amount of Company A is determined as follows.
First, h (x _i, C_i) Minimum value v
_-(A)Is fifty. Then P_A= G (x_A, V_-(A))
And v_-(A)= H (x_A, P_A), 50 = h (100,
p_A). Result, p_A= 50 + 100 = 150
To be done.

<Application Example 2> Similar to the above example, it is assumed that Company A and Company B bid for a certain task. Now, h (x _i , c _i ) = x _i · c _i is set for the evaluation function. That is, a lower value for x _i means better characteristics.

The evaluation vector of each bidder is represented by (characteristic vector, declared bid amount), that is, a set of (x _i , c _i ).

Company A: (1,100) Company B: (4,50) At this time, the evaluation value is h (x _A , c _A ) = 1 × 100 = 100 h (x _B , c _B ) = 4 × 50 = 200, and the winning bidder is company A.

The remuneration amount of Company A is determined as follows.
First, h (x _i, C_i) Minimum value v
_-(A)Is 200. Then p_A= G (x_A, V_-(A)) To
About v_-(A)= H (x_A, P_A) From 200 = h (1,
p_A). Result, p_A= 200 is determined.

Finally, it is proved that the procedure used in the present invention satisfies the incentive compatibility.

<Theorem1> The task assignment and reward determination method of the procedure of the present invention satisfies the incentive compatibility.

<Proof1> A bidder i wins a bid c
_{If the} true evaluation amount is declared as _i and the bid is awarded, the reward amount p _i of the bidder _i is determined without depending on the bid amount c _i declared by the bidder. Therefore, the upper declaration /
The downward declaration has no effect.

[0051] If there is a case where utility is increased if, it, bidders for can not be a successful bid be declared the true valuation, by filing down declaration, that is, the d _i <a c _i d _i, This is when you can make a successful bid. Hereinafter, this case will be considered.

If a bidder i declares a true evaluation value,
Suppose bidder j loses. That is, h (x _i , c _i )>
Consider the time h (x _j , c _j ). At this time, the bidder i can win the bid by submitting a downward declaration of d _i <c _i (h
(X _i , d _i ) <h (x _j , c _j )).

Considering that h is an increasing function in a narrow sense with respect to c _i and that the function g is defined as g (x, h (x, c)) = c, h (x _i , c _i ). > H (x _j , c _j ), p _i = g (x _i , v- _(i) ) = g (x _i , h (x _j , c _j ))> g (x _i , h (x _i , C _i )) = c _i Therefore, from p _i > c _i , the utility of bidder i is −c _i + p _i <
It will be 0, and even if you file a downward declaration, you will not be able to obtain positive utility.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Bidders do not make a profit by reporting up / down,
Bidding the correct valuation for the task ensures that the profits of each bidder are maximized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an outline of an auction method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of processing in the auction apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of evaluation value calculation / successful bidder determination processing.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of a reward amount determination process.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of an auction apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: bidder device, 20: auction device, 21: task acceptance means, 22: task disclosure means, 23: bid acceptance means, 24: characteristic value acquisition means, 25: evaluation value calculation / successful bidder determination means, 26: reward Amount determining means, 27: successful bidder / reward amount notifying means, 30: characteristic storage device, 40: provider device, 50: network.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A target bidder device connected to a bidder device used by a bidder participating in an auction via a network to disclose the target property of the auction, and the bidder device sends the target property using the bidder device. An auction method in an auction apparatus for accepting bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name and determining a winning bidder and a reward amount thereof, the auction apparatus preliminarily based on a bidder name included in the accepted bid data. The characteristic value of each bidder is acquired from the characteristic storage device that stores the characteristic value indicating the credit of the bidder, and the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property is calculated based on the bid price and the characteristic value. The bidder with the smallest value is determined as the highest bidder of the target property, and the minimum value of the evaluation values of each bidder excluding the highest bidder is the same as the highest bidder's evaluation value. Auction method characterized by determining the bid of the highest bidder, which corresponds to the case to become a remuneration to the highest bidder. 2. An auction apparatus which publishes an auction target property, receives bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name for the target property from bidders participating in the auction, and determines a successful bidder and a reward amount thereof. The auction apparatus acquires the characteristic value of each bidder from a characteristic storage device that stores a characteristic value indicating the credit of the bidder in advance based on the bidder name included in the received bid data. Calculate the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property based on the bid price and characteristic value, determine the bidder with the smallest evaluation value as the successful bidder of the target property, and evaluate the bidders excluding the successful bidder An oak characterized by determining the bid amount of the corresponding successful bidder as the reward amount to the successful bidder when the minimum value among the values becomes equal to the evaluation value of the successful bidder. ® down method. 3. When the bid amount of a bidder i (i = 1, 2, ... N) is c _i and the characteristic value is x _i , an evaluation value h (x _i , c _i )
Is calculated for all bidders _i , and the bidder with the smallest evaluation value h (x _i , c _i ) is the successful bidder w.
The auction method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that 4. An evaluation value h (x corresponding to all bidders i
_i , c _i ) to the evaluation value h (x _w , c _w ) corresponding to the successful bidder _w
The minimum value v- _(w) of the evaluation values except is calculated, the function g defined by g (x _i , h (x _i , c _i )) = c _i is calculated, and the reward amount p _w is p _4. The auction method according to claim 3, wherein _w = g ( _xw , v- _(w) ). 5. A bidder device used by a bidder who participates in an auction is connected via a network to open the auction target property, and the bidder uses the bidder device to transmit the target property. An auction device that accepts bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name and determines the winning bidder and the reward amount thereof. The auction device indicates the bidder's credit in advance based on the bidder name included in the accepted bid data. A means for acquiring the characteristic value of each bidder from the characteristic storage device that stores the characteristic value, and calculating the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property based on the bid price and the characteristic value, and the bidder having the smallest evaluation value The highest bidder's bid when the minimum of the bidder's evaluation values excluding the highest bidder is equal to the highest bidder's evaluation value. And a means for determining a reward amount for a person. 6. An auction apparatus that publishes an auction target property, receives bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name for the target property from bidders participating in the auction, and determines a successful bidder and a reward amount thereof. And a means for acquiring a characteristic value of each bidder from a characteristic storage device that stores a characteristic value indicating the credit of the bidder in advance based on the bidder name included in the received bid data, A method of calculating the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property based on the characteristic value and determining the bidder with the smallest evaluation value as the highest bidder, and the minimum value of the evaluation values of each bidder excluding the highest bidder And a means for determining the bid amount of the successful bidder corresponding to the case where is equal to the evaluation value of the successful bidder as a reward amount to the successful bidder. 7. An evaluation value h (x _i , c _i ) when the bid price of a bidder i (i = 1, 2, ... N) is c _i and the characteristic value is x _i.
Is calculated for all bidders i, and the evaluation value h (x _i ,
7. The auction apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for determining a bidder having a minimum value of c _i ) as a winning bidder w. 8. The evaluation value h (x corresponding to all bidders i
_i , c _i ) to the evaluation value h (x _w , c _w ) corresponding to the successful bidder _w
The minimum value v- _(w) of the evaluation values excluding
(X _i , h (x _i , c _i )) = c _i is defined, and means for finding the reward amount p _w from p _w = g (x _w , v- _(w) ) is provided. The auction apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the auction apparatus is an auction apparatus. 9. The bidder device used by bidders participating in the auction is connected via a network to the target property of the auction, and the bidder sends the target property to the bidder device using the bidder device. An auction program for realizing an auction apparatus that receives bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name and determines a winning bidder and a reward amount thereof, the program including a bidder included in the received bid data on a computer. The characteristic value of each bidder is acquired from the characteristic storage device that stores the characteristic value indicating the credit of the bidder in advance based on the name, and the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property is obtained based on the bid amount and the characteristic value. The bidder with the smallest evaluation value is calculated, and the bidder with the smallest evaluation value is determined as the highest bidder of the target property. Auction program, characterized in that to perform the operation of determining the bid of the highest bidder, which corresponds to a case where equal to the evaluation value of the bidder to the remuneration of to the highest bidder. 10. An auction apparatus that publishes an auction target property and accepts bid data including at least a bid amount and a bidder name for the target property from bidders participating in the auction, and determines a successful bidder and a reward amount thereof. An auction program that realizes the above-mentioned program, wherein the program stores a characteristic value of each bidder from a characteristic storage device in which characteristic values indicating the creditability of the bidder are stored in advance based on the bidder name included in the received bid data. Obtain the characteristic value, calculate the evaluation value of each bidder for the target property based on the bid price and the characteristic value, determine the bidder with the smallest evaluation value as the successful bidder of the target property, and exclude the successful bidder When the minimum of the bidder's evaluation values is equal to the bidder's evaluation value, the corresponding bidder's bid amount is determined as the reward amount to the winning bidder Auction program, characterized in that to perform the work. 11. When a bid amount of a bidder i (i = 1, 2, ... N) is c _i and a characteristic value is x _i , an evaluation value h (x _i ,
c _i ) is calculated for all bidders _i , and the bidder with the smallest evaluation value h (x _i , c _i ) is the successful bidder w.
11. The auction program according to claim 9, wherein the auction program is determined as follows. 12. Evaluation value h corresponding to all bidders i
The evaluation value h (x _w , which corresponds to the winning bidder w from (x _i , c _i )
The minimum value v- _(w) of the evaluation values excluding c _w ) is obtained, the function g defined by g (x _i , h (x _i , c _i )) = c _i is obtained, and the reward amount p _12. The auction program according to claim 11, wherein _w is obtained from _pw = g ( _xw , v- _(w) ). 13. A computer-readable medium on which the auction program according to claim 9 is recorded.