Patent ID: 7039609
Filing Date: 2006-05-02
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An auction system for providing an auction service via a communication network, the system comprising an auction server and user terminals which are connected to said communication network, wherein the improvement comprises: said user terminals configured to specify a single item or any combination of items for bidding when multiple items are sold as grouped items at the auction held by said auction server; said auction server configured to decide on successful bidders for bids made on a variety of combinations of said grouped items from said user terminals, such that the items composing said grouped items do not overlap to multiple bidders; said auction server configured to calculate what price should be bid for the combination of items that was specified by said user terminal, in order to maximize the total amount of bids for all items while ensuring said combination of items, and presents the obtained price to said user terminal as a maximum bidding price so far for said combination of items; said auction server configured to exclude an aggregate P of items subject to bidding from said grouped items to find an aggregate Q of remaining items; said auction server excludes an aggregate X of buyers who have bid for the items included in said aggregate P, from all buyers who have bid for said grouped items and the items that compose said grouped items, thereby finding an aggregate Y of remaining buyers; said auction server, among all bids that have already been made for said grouped items and the items that compose said grouped items, configured to find a total price of bids for a combination that maximizes the total price; and said auction server configured to subtract from an obtained price the total price calculated based on said aggregate Q of items and said aggregate Y of buyers.