Patent ID: 8392277
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for allocating units to users, the method comprising: maintaining access by at least one processor based system to data indicative of unit stockpiles, wherein each unit stockpile includes a plurality of units for allocation; maintaining access by at least one processor based system to data indicative of stockpile allocation procedures, wherein each stockpile allocation procedure relates to a given one of the unit stockpiles, and wherein the data indicative of stockpile allocation procedures includes, for each stockpile allocation procedure: data indicative of a current allocation price P data indicative of one or more user offers, including direct purchase offers and speculative user offers, wherein each user offer specifies a submitting user, a unit offer price P for each stockpile allocation procedure, executing a program stored in a microprocessor, the program comprising instructions to: (a) receive one or more speculative user offers, wherein each speculative user offer is associated with a respective submitting user, each speculative user offer having a unit offer price P (b) following (a), at a commencement time, setting the current allocation price P (c) at the commencement time, identify each speculative offer for which P (d) following (c), provide an interface configured to receive one or more direct purchase offers having a unit offer price of P (e) following (d), allocate units based on received direct purchase offers of P (f) following (e), decrement the current allocation price P (g) following (f), identify each speculative offer for which P (h) following (g), provide an interface configured to receive one or more direct purchase offers having a unit offer price of P (i) following (h), allocate units based on direct purchase offers of P (j)following (i), looping to step (f) and continue until, for a given identified offer, the desired quantity of units is greater than a remaining number of units for allocation.