WO2002001446A1

WO2002001446A1 - Auctioning method lowering price automatically

Info

Publication number: WO2002001446A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000886
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young-Hoon Kim
Original assignee: ECTOTAL Co Ltd
Current assignee: ECTOTAL Co Ltd
Priority date: 2000-06-27
Filing date: 2000-08-10
Publication date: 2002-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2002-12-27
Also published as: KR20020000663A; KR100485898B1; KR20030023885A; AU2000264793A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic price fall auction method through the internet. Because the conventional auction method gives priority to auction period end, a seller has to wait passively in auction price and auction proceeding aspects, and a buyer has to search auction circumstances continually. In addition, there is lack of means for guaranteeing credibility of an auction. Because the present invention gives priority to auction start time, it can proceed an auction quickly by lowering sell price in accordance with time interval price fall range at the same time with the auction start. Accordingly, there is no need to check the auction circumstances for a long time. In addition, the present invention can check and can provide credibility of the seller and buyer. Accordingly, the present invention can guarantee credibility of an auction trade, and can provide crediblity of e-commerce.

Description

AUCTIONING METHOD LOWERING PRICE AUTOMATICALLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automatic price fall auction method, in particular to an automatic price fall auction method which is capable of proceeding an auction quickly by laying stress on auction start time and lowering sell price in accordance with time interval price fall range, and improving credibility of an auction and an e-commerce by evaluating credibility of a seller and a buyer and providing it.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, the internet is an open network which makes possible anyone in anywhere to connect freely to a computer of the other party by adapting a common protocol such as a TCP/IP, and the internet can provide various services such as an electronic mail, a file transmission, the WWW (World Wide Web) etc. not to speak of a basic character information transmission and a multimedia information transmission with development of a data compression technology.

The importance of the internet has been rapidly increased as a strategic instrument for heightening efficiency and productivity of the conventional industries while it spreads all over the world as well as domestic, and new business chances through the internet are continually generated as well as expansion of internet business ranges, and accordingly business proprietors using the internet increase gradually.

In other words, recently internet sites for providing various contents such as an internet broadcast, an on-line game, an internet newspaper/magazine, a search service, a portal service, an electronic commerce etc. rapidly increase as a business model through the internet.

Among them, the number of auction sites which provide services for buying/selling needed products or estimates each other on the internet by adapting an auction method is increasing largely, and these auction sites attract public attention.

FIG.1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an auction service through the internet. In general, only subscribers can join auctions on an auction site 10. Accordingly, a user who wants to use the auction service through the internet 20 has to contact and join the auction site 10, and the user can register an item or a service to sell, and a request sell price.

And, the auction site 10 puts the item or service up at the auction, each subscriber (after, it is called as a seller) contacting to the auction site 10 through the internet 20 registers an item to sell on the auction site

10 by using a computer 30-1 of a first seller or a computer 30-N of a N seller, and the auction site 10 reports the auction through the internet 20.

A buyer who wants to buy the item reported on the auction site 10 bids a price for the auction item through a computer 40-1 of a first buyer or a computer 40-M of a M buyer. Herein, offering the price is called as a bid. The bid is transmitted to the auction site 10, and an auction period (such as three days, a week etc.) per each item is determined generally.

And, when the auction period ends, the buyer who calls the highest bid (or lowest bid) for the auction item concludes a contract with the seller who registered the auction item on the auction site 10.

FIG.2 is a flow chart illustrating the conventional auction service process. The conventional auction service process will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying FIG.2.

When the auction site 10 receives bid information about the auction item from the computers 40-1 ~ 40-M of the sellers S201 , it renews the present price of the auction item registered on the auction site 10 according to the bid information S202. And, it judges whether the auction period ends S203, when the auction period does not ends, it is returned to S201 and waits for receiving new bid information. However, it finishes the auction when the auction period ends S204.

In the conventional auction process, the buyer can not know the present bid unless he/she contacts to the auction site 10 continually in order to check the proceeding until the auction period ends. Accordingly, economic loss due to the continuous contact to the auction site occurs until the auction period ends. In other words, the conventional auction causes the economical loss because it concentrates on the end time of the auction period.

In addition, the conventional auction process is the auction method which proceeds the auction with the buyer as the central figure, the seller has to wait passively after registering the auction item on the auction site until the auction ends, and also may have economic loss when there is only low bids by an operation of buyers. In addition, when the seller can not take the item purchase money from a buyer after the auction item is knocked down to the certain buyer, there is short of protection means for the seller.

In addition, in the conventional auction process, because the auction continually proceeds for a certain period determined by the auction site 10, it can not satisfy a request of a seller and a buyer who want a rapid selling and a rapid buying.

In addition, in the conventional auction process, there is short of countermeasures about a buying reject and a selling reject.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic price fall auction method which is capable of providing even opportunity to both a seller and a buyer through presenting a sell price by the seller, falling the sell price and selecting the buy price by the buyer. The other object of the present invention is to provide an automatic price fall auction method which is capable of selling an auction object quickly by proceeding the auction centering around start time.

The another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic price fall auction method which is capable of improving credibility of the auction by including a method measuring the credibility of a seller and a buyer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG.1 is a construction profile illustrating a system for connecting a seller, a buyer and a system.

FIG.2 is a flow chart illustrating an auction method in accordance

with the conventional technology. FIG.3a is a block diagram illustrating an automatic price fall auction method in accordance with the present invention.

FIG.3b is a flow chart an automatic price fall auction method in accordance with the present invention.

FIG.4a illustrates a first embodiment of an auction time and auction repetition times (auction time table) in a process (S31 ) of FIG.3.

FIG.4b illustrates a second embodiment of an auction time and auction repetition times (auction time table) in a process (S31 ) of FIG.3.

FIG.4c illustrates a third embodiment of an auction time and auction repetition times (auction time table) in a process (S31 ) of FIG.3. FIG.5 illustrates the embodiment of auction time, auction object, auction price and auction repetition time reported on the auction site.

FIG.6 illustrates the embodiment of broadcasting price fall in auction proceeding of FIG.3 process (S33-S34).

FIG.7 is a flow chart illustrating an awarding process of the auction object in the auction proceeding of FIG.3 (S34).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The object of an automatic price fall auction method in accordance with the present invention is to provide an auction service through the conventional technology and the internet.

FIG.3a is a block diagram illustrating an automatic price fall auction method in accordance with the present invention. It comprises a server 30 for opening and operating an auction site, a seller connection means 31 for selling a personal property or real estate (hereinafter, it is referred to an auction object) by contacting to the auction site of the server 30, and a buyer contact means 32 for buying the auction object by contacting to the auction site. The server 30 comprises an interface (not shown) for contacting to the seller contact means 31 and buyer contact means 32, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 300, an auction object storing means 301 for being inputted information related to the auction object (item, number, quality, production year etc.) from the seller contact means 31 and storing it, an auction price storing means 302 for storing more than one sell price about the auction object, an auction proceeding information storing means 303 for storing auction period about the auction object, a time display means for being inputted rest time of the auction period from the CPU 300 and reporting it on the auction site, and a price display means 305 for being inputted the present auction price of the auction object from the CPU 300 and reporting it on the auction site. In addition, the server 30 comprises a credit information storing means (not shown) for storing a certain program for computing credibility of the seller and buyer, and reports it on the auction site. The storing means can be a hard disk, a magnetic tape, a compact disk, various drives etc., and the auction proceeding information storing means 303 can comprise a certain program for lowering the auction price. The CPU 300 performs the operation for lowering the auction price etc. in the auction proceeding. FIG.3b is a flow chart an automatic price fall auction method in accordance with the present invention.

The automatic price auction method in accordance with the present invention comprises a preparing process S30 for preparing the auction object storing means 301 of the auction site server 30, auction price storing means 302, auction proceeding information means 303 (auction time, auction repetition time), a registering and requesting process S31 for registering and requesting the auction object, auction price, auction time and repetition time on the auction site, a reporting process S32 for reporting the auction object, auction price, auction time and repetition time on the auction site in the present time, a bidding process S33 for joining the auction of the auction object on the buyer side, and an awarding process S34 for awarding the auction object to the buyer who clicks a bid button first while the server 30 of the auction site lowers the auction price for the auction time. In the S30, the auction object storing means 301 is inputted the information about the auction object (production year, quality or auction information, sample photograph, number etc.), and stores it. The auction price storing means 302 is inputted a request sell price (or an appropriate price) about the auction object by the seller, the highest sell price for selling the auction object with the highest price, a reserve price for selling the auction object and stores them. The auction proceeding information storing means 303 stores more than one auction time information about the auction object according to the kind of the auction object, and stores the auction repetition time for preparation for the auction fail.

In the S31 , in order to sell the auction object (personal estate, real estate), the seller contacts to the auction site, inputs the information about the auction object into the auction object storing means 301 , inputs the sell price, the highest sell price, and the reserve price into the auction price storing means 302, selects the auction time registered in advance on the auction site and inputs the auction repetition time on the auction proceeding information storing means 303.

Herein, the seller can freely determine the sell price, or the highest sell price and reserve price can be determined in a certain range set by the auction site. For example, the highest sell price can be chosen among +40%, +50%, +80%, +100% of the sell price, and the reserve price can be chosen among -20%, -40%, -60% of the sell price.

In the S32, the server of the auction site reports the auction object inputted by the seller, auction price (sell price, the highest price for selling, the reserve price) and auction proceeding information (auction time, auction repetition time) on the auction site at the present time.

In the S33, the buyer contacts to the auction site, joins the auction by checking the auction object, auction price, auction proceeding information reported by the server 30 of the action site.

In the S34, when the server 30 of the auction site lowers the auction price from the highest sell price at the start of the auction time on the auction site, the auction object is knocked down to the buyer who clicks a bid button first. Herein, the auction site does not reveal the number of the contact buyers.

When the seller and buyer join the auction for the first time by contacting to the auction site, in order to check their credibility, credibility points (for example, 100) are given, when it is not the first time, the credibility points of the buyer is the credibility points stored on the credit information storing means of the server 30 of the auction site.

FIG.4a ~ 4c illustrate the embodiments of the auction time and auction repetition time (auction time table) in the process (S31) of FIG.3.

In more detail, the server 30 of the auction site provides more than one auction time table. The auction time table is classified first in accordance with the auction object to be sold by the seller, and is classified according to the auction start time.

The auction time table includes the auction start time, seller, and auction repetition time. The auction start time is designated in advance by the server 30 of the auction site in order to prevent delay or duplicate of the auction.

The seller selects one auction time table among the auction time tables, and inputs the seller and auction repetition time of the select auction time table. The auction repetition time means the auction performing times for performing the auction registered on the auction time table. When the auction object is not knocked down in the first auction, when the auction repetition time is 0, the auction is finished as it is failed. When the auction repetition time is 2, the auction starts again.

When the seller selects the auction time table of FIG.4a, the auction start time 09:00 and 10:00 are selected by the other seller already, the seller can select 10:40 or can search the other auction time table. When the seller selects the auction time table of FIG.4b, the seller can select 11 :00 or can search the other auction time table. When the seller selects the auction time table of FIG.4c, the seller can select 10:50 or can search the auction time table.

In other words, when the seller contacts to the auction site at 10:35, the seller can reduce the standby time by selecting the auction time table of FIG.4a or FIG.4b. The server 30 can have limitation in selection by differentiating grades in accordance with the credibility points of the seller in the auction time table select process. In other words, it is possible to make an auction time table only sellers having more than 80 credibility points can register.

FIG.5 illustrates the embodiment of auction time, auction object, auction price and auction repetition time reported on the auction site. The auction start time and auction repetition time are based on the auction time table selected by the seller stored on the auction proceeding information storing means 303, the auction object is based on the information stored on the auction object storing means 301 , the sell price, the highest sell price and reserve price are based on the information stored on the auction price storing means 302, accordingly the server makes out the information and reports it on the auction site. The buyer searches the auction object, joins the auction. The auction object is renewed in real time, the present auction circumstance is provided to the all sellers and buyers. Herein, the auction site can have limitation about the join in the auction in accordance with the credibility points of the buyer, accordingly the credibility of the auction can be improved.

FIG.6 illustrates the embodiment of broadcasting price fall in auction proceeding of FIG.3 process (S33-S34). In more detail, the auction price display 60, bid button 61 , rest time display 62 are reported. In addition, the sell price, the highest sell price and reserve price of the auction object are reported.

The auction starts from the highest sell price at the same time with the auction time start, when the buyer clicks the bid button -61 , the auction is finished. However, when the unit time is passed, the deviant line part of the auction price display 60 decreases, and the present auction price fall is displayed. When the auction price reaches to the reserve price by falling according to the unit time and any buyer do not π click the bid button 61 , the auction does not succeed. The unit time price fall can be determined as the price fall per the unit time or the fall percentage. The rest time display 62 means the time difference between the present proceeding auction and the next auction to be proceeded on the auction time table.

FIG.7 is a flow chart illustrating an awarding process of the auction object in the auction proceeding of FIG.3 (S34). In more detail, It comprises a log-in process S700 to the auction site by the seller and buyer, an auction start process S701 , a judging process S702 for judging whether the buyer clicks the bid button, a judging process S703 for judging whether the auction price is the reserve price, an auction price falling process S704, a judging process S705 for judging whether the click signal is received to the server 30 of the auction site first, an awarding process S706 to the buyer, an auction repetition time judging process S707, a judging process S708 for judging whether all the auctions are proceeded in the auction time table, an auction time table renew process S709, and an auction finish process S70.

In the S700, the seller and buyer log-in to the auction site by using a authentication provided from the auction site or ID/password etc., and the auction starts at the auction time start in the auction time table selected by the seller.

At the start of the auction, the server 30 of the auction site determines price fall range per interval time, starts the auction, judges whether there is a click of the bid button 61 of the seller in the judging process S702, judges whether the present auction price is the reserve price for selling in the judging process S703 if the result of the S702 is NO, and judges a click signal received first to the server 30 of the auction site 30 in the judging process S705 if the judging result is YES in the S702.

If the judging result of the S703 is NO, the server 30 of the auction site falls the auction price after the interval time in the S704, or if the judging result of the S703 is YES, and the server 30 judges the auction repetition times in the S707. Because the other seller can click the bid button 61 in a few minutes before the awarding indication is displayed on the auction site, the judging process S705 is required in order to award to the seller who clicks first the bid button 61 of the auction site.

If the judging result of the S705 is YES, and the auction object is knocked down to the buyer in the S706, the awarding result is reported on the auction site, and the auction is finished. If the judging result of the S705 is NO, it means the auction object is knocked down to the other buyer, and the auction is finished S710.

In the S707, the auction repetition times are inputted by the seller before the auction start, or if the auction repetition time is 0, the seller requests the auction only one time, accordingly the auction is finished S710. If the auction repetition time is not 0, and the auction is restarted, and therefore it is judged whether all auctions in the auction time table are proceeded in the judging process S708, and then the auction repetition time is stored again on the auction proceeding information storing means 303 as one subtracted number by the server of the auction site.

If the judging result of the S708 is NO, the auction is standby, it means it waits until all the auctions in the auction time table are proceeded. When all the auctions are proceeded in the judging process S708, the server 30 renews the auction time table in the S709, and starts the auction again S701.

In the renewal of the auction time table, the order of the auction in the auction time table before the renewal (order registered by the seller) is not changed, but the seller who has the auction repetition time as 0 is deleted, the next of the seller who is deleted receives the order of the deleted seller, (t is introduced from a queue data processing method as a FIFO (First In First Out) method. For example, when a seller DD selects the auction time table in FIG.4b, the seller DD is registered on the auction at 11 :00, when the seller DD designates the auction repetition times as 4 and there is no auction at 11 :30, an auction of a seller AA is not successful, an auction of a seller BB is not successful, an auction of a seller CC is not successful, the auction of the seller DD is not successful, the auction proceeding order of the auction time table renewed by the server 30 of the auction site is in the order of the seller AA - seller CC - seller DD, the auction repetition times of the seller AA is 1 , the auction repetition times of the seller CC is 2, the auction repetition times of the seller CC is 3, the auction repetition times are inputted to the auction proceeding information storing means 303 and are stored.

The server 30 starts the auction according to the auction proceeding order by separately giving new auction start time to the seller. In addition, when the seller designates the auction repetition times as number excluding 0, the seller can re-input the auction price (sell price, the highest sell price, reserve price) for the standby time in the judging process S708. The server 30 can transmit the auction start time of the auction object having the repetition times excluding 0 to the seller and buyer through a wire or wireless communication network. In the judging process S710, when the auction of the auction object is finished on the auction site, click signals of the awarding display and bid button 61 are not inputted to the server 30 in order not to proceed the auction of the auction object. In addition, after the auction ends, a manager of the auction site proceeds delivery of the auction object and the price receipt by the seller and the price transmission and receipt of the auction object by the buyer according to regulations of the auction site. When the seller delays the delivery of the auction object or cancels the auction unilaterally or the buyer delays the price transmission or delays the receipt of the auction object etc., because the credibility of the auction can decrease, the credit points of the seller or buyer can be lowered.

The present invention can activate the auction on the auction site with quick auction proceeding by lowering the auction price centering around the auction start time, and can embody higher auction probability by adapting the auction repetition time. In addition, the present invention can solve the spatial delay of the auction by corresponding to the request of the seller and buyer who request quick sell and quick buy by lowering the auction price with the time interval price fall range in accordance with a certain program of the server 30. In addition, the present invention can improve the credibility of the commercial trade through the auction by introducing the credit points, and can provide even auction price determining chance to the seller and buyer.

Claims

1 . An automatic price fall auction method for performing on the internet, comprising : preparing an auction object storing means for being inputted and storing information about an auction object of a seller, an auction price storing means for storing a seller request auction price about the auction object, and an auction proceeding information storing means for storing auction time about the auction on a server of an auction site ; storing information about the auction object of the seller in the auction object storing means, auction prices in the auction price storing means, and auction time in the auction proceeding information storing means after contact of the seller to the server of the auction site in order to receive an auction request from the seller on the server of the auction site ; reporting the data stored in the auction storing means, auction price storing means and auction proceeding information storing means on the auction site at the present time ; bidding for the auction object for the auction period ; and awarding the auction object to a buyer who clicks a bid button first for the auction period when the server of the auction site lowers the auction price from the one price among the auction prices.

2. An automatic price fall auction method for performing on the internet, comprising : a first process for preparing an auction object storing means for being inputted and storing information about an auction object of a seller, an auction price storing means for storing an auction price about the auction object requested by the seller, and an auction proceeding information storing means for being inputted and storing at least one auction time data including at least one auction time and one auction repetition time about the auction object in accordance with the kind of the auction object ; a second process for requesting an auction from the seller by storing information about the auction object on the auction object storing means, storing the at least one auction price on the auction price storing means, and storing an auction time table on the auction proceeding information storing means on a server of an auction site ; a third process for reporting the data stored on the auction object storing means, auction price storing means, and auction proceeding information means on the auction site through the server at the present time ; a fourth process for bidding for the auction object for the auction period in the auction time table ; and a fifth process for awarding the auction object to a buyer who clicks a bid button first when the server of the auction site lowers the auction price from the one of the auction prices for the auction period.

3. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 2, wherein the automatic price fall auction method proceeding the auction in accordance with an auction proceeding order comprises the steps of : displaying auction start time and auction end time in the auction time table which includes at least one auction start time determined by a webmaster of the auction site with a certain time interval, and auction repetition times inputted by the seller in the first process ; storing the auction start time on the auction time table, auction proceeding order and auction repetition times selected by the seller on the server of the auction site in the second process ; displaying the auction time table in accordance with the kind of the auction object on the server of the auction site in the third process ; and bidding for the auction object at the select time among the auction time table and proceeding the auction in accordance with the auction proceeding order in the fourth process.

4. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fifth process including a bid button for displaying buy intention of a buyer on the auction site, a price display means for displaying the price fall, and a time display means for displaying the rest time of the auction comprises the steps of : a first step for lowering the price from the one price among the auction prices to a certain limitation price until there is a click on the bid button from the buyer for the auction period ; a second step for displaying the lowered price and rest time through the price display means and time display means ; a third step for awarding the auction object to the buyer who clicks the bid button first before the auction price reaches to the certain limitation price ; and a fourth step for performing deliver of the auction object and price receipt by the seller, and performing price transmission and receipt of the auction object by the buyer in accordance with regulations of the auction site.

5. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auction price comprises the sell price inputted by the seller, highest sell price, and reserve price.

6. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 5, wherein the automatic price fall auction method further comprises the step of : designating the highest sell price and the reserve price by selecting them among one of certain auction price ranges of the sell price provided from the server of the auction site after inputting the auction price to the server of the auction site by the seller.

7. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 5, wherein the automatic price fall auction method further comprises the step of : designating and storing the highest sell price and reserve price within the certain sell price range by the server of the auction site after being inputted the sell price from the seller.

8. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 5, wherein the server of the auction site lowers the auction price from the highest sell price to the reserve price in the auction price storing means.

9. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the server of the auction site lowers the auction price with a certain time interval price fall range.

10. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 9, wherein the server of the auction site alters the time interval price fall range in accordance with the present price.

11. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 4, wherein the fifth process further comprises the steps of : finishing all the auctions on the auction time table when the auction price in the third step reaches to the limitation price and the auction is failed ; renewing the auction time table in accordance with the auction proceeding order in the auction time table in accordance with the auction repetition times ;

storing the renewed auction time table in the auction proceeding information means ; and proceeding the auction in accordance with the renewed auction time table.

12. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 11 , wherein the seller can re-input the auction price before the auction of the auction object is proceeded in accordance with the renewed auction time table after the auction is failed.

13. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 11 , wherein the auction proceeding order of the auction time table before the renewal is not changed by forming the auction time table as queue format.

14. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 11 , wherein the server of the auction site renews the auction time table, and transmits the renewed auction time to the seller and buyer.

15. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 1 ~ 4, wherein the buyer and seller are given same credit points from the auction site at an initial auction join request.

16. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 15, wherein the seller can have disadvantage in selecting the auction time when the seller has low credit points.

17. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 15, wherein the buyer can have disadvantage in selecting the auction time when the buyer has low credit points.

18. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 15, wherein the seller have disadvantage in the credit points when the seller does not deliver the successful bid auction object in a certain time period determined by the auction site.

19. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 15, wherein the buyer have disadvantage in the credit points when the buyer does not transmit the buy price about the successful bid auction object in a certain time period determined by the auction site.

20. The automatic price fall auction method according to claim 1 or 2 or 4, wherein the buyer who clicks first means the buyer whose click signal of the bid button reaches first to the server of the auction site.