Patent ID: 6671676
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
In a data management system, a method for matching at least one of many resources with at least one of many requests for time-variable resources in the presence of a plurality of offers of resources and a plurality of requests for resources, wherein it is initially assumed that many providers of said time-variable resources exist, said method comprising:a) initiating a sliding period for offering and requesting upon notification to said providers and to acquirers, said acquirers being sources of said requests; b) providing, to an arbritator, a plurality of withdrawable offers of specific time-variable resources to be acquired during time intervals; c) providing, to said arbitrator, a plurality of withdrawable requests for said specific resources; d) upon a triggering event, terminating said sliding period for offering and requesting; e) causing said arbitrator to create relationships among surviving offers of resources and surviving requests for said time-variable resources; f) causing said arbitrator to apply a time-dependent cost minimization function to each one of said relationships in order to optimize matches between said offers with specific time-variable resources; then g) outputting a settlement indication to each affected acquirer and to each affected corresponding provider upon a determination that a best match has been achieved for closure; but in the event of failure of closure h) repeating steps a) through f) for a subsequent sliding period.