Patent ID: 8086520
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of computing a set of solutions satisfying a constraint for an auction winner-determination problem, wherein the auction comprises a multi-item procurement auction in which sellers bid to supply shares of each item, the method comprising: receiving a constraint; and determining individual-item sub-auction solutions for each item in the auction, wherein at least one of the individual-item sub auction solutions includes multiple sellers; and generating, by a computer, a graph of paths from the individual-item sub auction solutions, wherein generating the graph comprises creating a node for each individual-item sub-auction solution; calculating a metric value for each node, wherein the metric value is for a metric representing the constraint; and for each node, including an edge to the node if the metric value is compliant with the constraint, and wherein each path is a solution to the procurement auction winner-determination problem that satisfies the constraint, and at least one of the paths includes a node representing the individual-item sub-auction solutions for an assignment of multiple items to the multiple sellers.