Abstract:
This specification discloses an online bidding system and the method thereof. During the bidding process, the left bidding time of a case is used to define different statistical analysis weights. Combined the trade data of the deals done in the past with the seller of the current case, the system searches for match conditions and bidding information of the bidders. It actively performs real-time statistical analysis for possible match chances of the current case. Such information is provided to the bidders in the bidding process for their reference to make further bids. Therefore, the disclosed system and method can increase the chances of matching between the seller and the bidders. The invention utilizes a weighted statistical analysis method to provide bidders with valuable bidding strategies during the bidding process, so that the bidders can possibly win the bid at a lower cost.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a data processing system and method that helps case matching in e-Marketplace. In particular, it relates to a system that actively provides matching assistance during an online bidding process of a project.  
           [0003]    2. Related Art  
           [0004]    With the rise of the Internet, there are an increasing number of people performing commercial activities on line. In order to complete a transaction, people usually have to exchange and/or extract data through the Internet. As the Internet has become ubiquitous, people have fewer intersections on the network. This of course results in some difficulty for people to have business-related activities.  
           [0005]    In order to centralize all related business activities at one place and to integrate relevant information, the e-Marketplace based upon the Internet platform and operating via auction processes has emerged. Some famous e-Marketplaces include eBay (www.ebay.com) and Yahoo (auctions.shopping.yahoo.com). Although such e-Markets show complete information of sellers, bidders and auctions, offer functions for sellers to post cases, and provide various bidding methods (such as Buy It Now, Auto Bidding, etc) for bidders to select, these websites often allow very little interactions between the sellers and the bidders. Therefore, these websites usually can provide thorough integration of information, but lack of a perfect mechanism for aiding the match between bidders and sellers.  
           [0006]    In other words, the common e-Marketplace simply plays the role of a platform for sellers and bidders to trade in the online commercial activities. It simply performs the trade managements without actively helping case matches. This results in very few interactions among sellers, bidders and the e-Marketplace. Sellers and bidders cannot find an optimal pricing strategy through the help of the e-Marketplace. During the bidding process, sellers and bidders can merely wait and see the auction proceeds. There is no way for them to actively seek the opportunity to match for the case. It turns out that sellers, bidders and the e-Marketplace all lose in this situation.  
           [0007]    Therefore, how to establish an e-Marketplace on the Internet that can actively provide matching assistance and matching chances so that online commercial activities can be more vivid is an important subject that should be studied by people skilled in the art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In view of the foregoing problems existing in the prior art, we think providing a matching assistance mechanism that shows in real time bidding time and bidding prices during the bidding process is the direction of future e-Marketplaces. Thus, the invention proposes a bidding system and the associated method that helps price matching. During the bidding process, the left time ratio of a case is sued to set different statistical analysis weights. It further combines the trade history in the past with the match conditions set by the seller of the current case and the bidding information from bidders to actively seek the opportunity to match for the case in real time. Such information is provided to the bidders for making bids. Therefore, it can increase the chances for case matching.  
           [0009]    The invention mainly utilizes a weighted statistical analysis. During different stages of the bidding process (i.e. different left time ratios), a weight table is used to provide different weights for computation. Valuable bidding strategies are generated (including possible match prices, matching probabilities, etc) for bidders to adjust their bids. This makes bidders more willing to win the case at a lower price, effectively increasing the chances for case matching.  
           [0010]    On the other hand, sellers can provide trade histories of particular case information (such as case types, case descriptions, etc) as a reference to set the starting price.  
           [0011]    Through the matching assistance mechanism offered by the invention, sellers and bidders can obtain more real-time information through interactions with the disclosed system. This greatly increases the matching chances of commissioned cases, achieving the win-win goal among sellers and bidders. For the e-Marketplace managers, the invention increases not only users&#39; will to trade but also the reputation and profits of the website. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the operation of the disclosed online bidding system and method;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the disclosed online bidding system and method;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3A is a flowchart of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3B is a bidding flowchart of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3C is a matching flowchart of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3D is a setup flowchart of the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a case posting screen according to the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4B is a schematic view of a match setting screen according to the invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4C is a schematic view of a case browsing screen according to the invention; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4D is a schematic view of a bid information input screen according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    The invention relates to an e-Marketplace system and the associated method that actively provide matching assistance during bidding processes. As shown in FIG. 1, a bid assistance system  200  on the Internet  50  is established to provide a matching mechanism for a seller  300  and bidders  100 . The bidders  100  can obtain information about possible matching chances through the statistical analysis by the bid assistance system  200 . The seller  300  can also obtain information about trade histories of related cases when setting up the starting price. Such a mechanism can greatly increase the opportunities for matching cases.  
         [0024]    We use FIG. 2 to explain the functional modules of the bid assistance system  200 :  
         [0025]    (1) The content database  220  is mainly used to store user data, including the username, the corresponding password, basic information, and user&#39;s credit evaluation. The user&#39;s credit evaluation is generated by the matching module  250  after each case is closed. The rest data are entered by the user during registration at the disclosed matching assistance system  200 . The seller  300  provides case information (such as the case type, case name, case description, case time, case location, etc), matching conditions (such as matching assistance time, highest payment price, buy-it-now price, credit evaluation minimum, etc). It also stores the bidding information (such as the current bid and the bid-winning price) entered by the bidders  100  during the auction, the history of past deals and bids.  
         [0026]    The case type and case description in the case information are mainly used for bidders&#39; convenience to search and select cases. The disclosed bid assistance system  200  also uses the strings in the case type and case description to search for the history of deals, so that the records of related cases can be rapidly found in the auction setup and the matching process. The seller  300  can browse through the information and perform weighted analyses.  
         [0027]    The matching assistance time is set by the seller  300  to tell the bid assistance system  200  when matching assistance is required for the case. The highest payment price is the price that the seller  300  is willing to pay and also the initial price of the auction. The buy-it-now price is the lowest price the seller asks for. When the bidders  100  matches the buy-it-now price, it means that the case is successfully done and the matching process is over. The required credit evaluation is the trust indicator required by the seller  300 . It is the minimum credit threshold that a bidder has to have. Only those who have higher credit evaluations can participate in the auction.  
         [0028]    The current bid is the actual bid the bidder  100  has in each auction. The bid-winning price is the least price that the bidder  100  sets to get. If this price matches with the buy-it-now price set by the seller  300 , the case is successfully matched and closed.  
         [0029]    (2) The verification module  230  verifies the user&#39;s login action. The verification is done by extracting user&#39;s data stored in the content database  220 . The username and password are used to check whether the user is allowed to login.  
         [0030]    (3) The control module generates various screens to receive information entered by the user in the setup procedure and the bidding procedure. Such actions include: receiving case information settings in the case posting screen, receiving matching condition settings in the match setting screen, and receiving bidding information setting in the case browsing screen.  
         [0031]    (4) The matching module  250  analyses the case information set by the seller  300 . It determines the case type, searches and extracts the histories of related cases in the content database  220 . Along with the bidding information of the bidders  100  and the matching conditions set by the seller  300 , the module performs weighted analyses.  
         [0032]    The matching module  250  has a timing unit to measure the rest time of an auction. When the rest time satisfies the matching assistance time set by the seller  300 , the system enters the active matching procedure to perform the weighted analysis. The weighted analysis refers to the analysis that selects a weight value according to the rest time ratio (left bidding time/whole bidding time) from a weight table provided by the disclosed matching module  250 . This weight is then used to compute a matching probability and a possible matching price according to the deal history.  
         [0033]    (5) The communications module  260  receives the execution results of the verification module  230 , the control module  240 , and the matching module  250 . It also sends information and suggestions, such as the login failure message (in the verification procedure), the unqualified message (when the price bid by the bidder  100  does not satisfy the minimum criteria or the credit evaluation of the bidder  100  is not high enough), the information deficiency message (when the case information entered by the seller  300  is insufficient), the incompleteness message (when the matching information set by the seller  300  is incomplete), the case matching message (when the matching procedure is successful), and the matching analysis message (to show the weighted analysis result). The transmission of messages and suggestions can be performed via web pages, E-mail or pop-up message windows.  
         [0034]    In fact, the communications and interactions between the disclosed bid assistance system  200  and the user (including the bidders  100  and the seller  300 ) are conducted through a user operating interface  210 . Such an interface is used to display various operation and control screens, such as the case posting screen, the match setting screen, the case browsing screen, etc. It enables the seller  300  and the bidders  100  to interact during the setup and bidding processes.  
         [0035]    The main procedure of setting up an auction and bidding can be explained with reference to FIG. 3A. First, the disclosed bid assistance system  200  performs the user verification procedure according to the login request from the user (step  400 ). The user verification procedure is done using the username and password. The system determines whether the user identity is verified (step  410 ). If the user does not pass the verification, the communications module  260  sends out the login failure message to the user (step  470 ) and finishes the procedure. If the user passes the verification, the system provides an operation list for the user to select (step  420 ). The user can choose the bidding procedure (step  430 ) or the setup procedure (step  440 ). Once the user finishes a particular operation, the system goes back to the main procedure. At the moment, the bid assistance system  200  checks whether the user wants to log out (step  450 ). If not, the system returns to step  420  and provides operation selections. Otherwise, if the user wants to log out, the system terminates the connection with the user (step  460 ) and finishes the main procedure.  
         [0036]    When the user selects the bidding procedure (step  430 ), the procedure enters step A (see FIG. 3B). The control module  240  reads in all effective case records from the content database  220  and displays them in the case browsing screen (step  431 ). The effective cases refer to the cases that are still available for bidding (i.e. those that have not expired yet). The system determines whether the bidder  100  selects any case (step  432 ). If not, the system waits at step  431 . If a case is selected, the system displays the corresponding case information (step  433 ) and waits for the bidder  100  to enter bidding information. The system then receives the bidding information from the bidder  100  (step  434 ). Afterwards, the system enters the matching procedure in step D (step  435 ). This part will be explained later with reference to FIG. 3C. If the matching procedure is not successful, the system returns to the main procedure through step F, the bidding information entered by the bidder  100  being stored in the bidding history (step  436 ). The bidding information is also appended to the effective case record (step  437 ) for the reference of future bidders  100 . The system further determines whether the bidder  100  has finished the bidding procedure (step  438 ). If not, the system returns to step  431 ; otherwise, it enters step C and returns to step  450  in the main procedure.  
         [0037]    With reference to FIG. 3C, after entering the matching procedure through step D (step  435 ), the system first determines whether the bidding information satisfies the bidding condition (step  500 ). The bidding condition is the minimum increment of a bid from the previous one set by the bid assistance system  200  that the bidder  100  has to comply with. If a bid does not satisfy the bidding condition, the system sends out the unqualified message via the communications module  260  (step  520 ). The system returns via step E to step  434  for the bidder  100  to make a new bid. Once the bid satisfies the bidding condition, the bidder  100  is checked to see whether his or her credit evaluation is good enough (step  510 ). If not, the communications module  260  sends out the unqualified message (step  520 ), and the system returns to step  434  via step E for the bidder  100  to make other bids. If the bidder  100  satisfies the credit evaluation minimum, the current bid price of the bidder  100  is compared with the buy-it-now price set by the seller  300  (step  530 ). If it reaches the but-it-now price, then the system updates the effective case record (by removing the current case from the list), the bidding history, and the deal history (by appending the bidding history and deal history of the current case to the record) (step  540 ). The matching module  250  generates and provides credit evaluation data for the bidder  100  (step  541 ). The credit evaluation data are automatically generated whenever a case is successfully matched and are added to the user credit evaluation data of the bidder  100 . The system then sends out the case matching message to the bidder  100  and the seller  300  via the communication module  260  (step  542 ). The procedure finally goes to step  450  via step C.  
         [0038]    At step  530 , if the current bid price offered by the bidder  100  does not reach the buy-it-now price, the matching module  250  determines whether the match assistance time set by the seller  300  is up (step  550 ). If not, then the current matching procedure is not successful, and the system goes back to step  436  via step F. If the match assistance time is reached, the system computes the rest time ratio (step  560 ). It further analyzes case information (determining case type) and finds all related records from the deal history according to the case type. The system performs a weighted analysis by combining the above information with the bid information (the current bid price) of the bidder  100  and the matching condition (the buy-it-now price) set by the seller  300  (step  570 ). The weighted analysis utilizes the weight table provided by the matching module  250  to find the weight corresponding to the current rest bidding time ratio. The weight is then used to analyze a matching probability and a possible matching price according to the old deal history given the left bidding time. Finally, a matching analysis is generated and provided for the bidder&#39;s reference (step  580 ). The system determines whether the bidder  100  modifies the bidding information (step  590 ). If so, the system goes to step  530  for determining whether the adjusted bid matches with the buy-it-now price. If the bidder  100  maintains the original bid, then the current matching procedure is unsuccessful and the system returns to step  436  via step F.  
         [0039]    Moreover, the invention further provides the user to select the setup procedure (step  440 ) in the main procedure. From step B in FIG. 3A, the system can enter the setup procedure (see FIG. 3D). When the seller  300  enters the setup procedure, the control module  240  generates the case posting, screen and receives the case information entered by the seller  300  (step  441 ). If information is not successfully received (step  442 ), the communications will send out the information deficiency message (step  443 ) and the system goes back to step  441 . Once the case information is successfully received, the old deal records are extracted according to the provided case information from the deal history for display (step  444 ). Such information provides the reference for the seller  300  to set the matching condition. Afterwards, the system produces the match setting screen and receives the matching condition from the seller  300  (step  445 ). The system also determines whether the settings are complete (step  446 ). If not, the incompleteness message is sent out (step  447 ), and the system returns to step  445  for setting the matching condition. If the matching condition is successfully received, the case contents (including the case information and matching information) are recorded in the effective case record (step  448 ). Such information is provided for the bidders  100  to browse. Finally, the system determines whether the seller wants to finish the setup procedure. If not, the system goes back to step  441  for the seller to perform other operations; otherwise, the system returns to step  450  in the main procedure via step C.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIGS. 4A through 4D detail the implementation of the invention. The bidder  100  and the seller  300  perform various bidding and setup procedures using a browser  600 . In the setup procedure, the seller  300  enters various case information through the provided case posting screen  610  (see FIG. 4A) and the matching condition of the case through the match setting screen  620 . When setting the match condition, the seller  300  can refer in real time to the deal history screen  630  (FIG. 4B) provided by the disclosed bid assistance system  200 . During the bidding procedure, the bidder  100  can ask the bid assistance system  200  to first select the effective case records for generating the case browsing screen (FIG. 4C). Once entering the price information input screen  650  of the selected cases, the bidder  100  can begin to bid. After the bidding, the bid assistance system  200  automatically determines whether the bid is high enough. If there is no match and the match assistance time is reached, the bid assistance system  200  further generates the match analysis screen  660 , providing a possible matching price and a matching probability to the bidder  100  for him or her to determine whether to adjust the bid (FIG. 4D). If the bid is modified, the matching process keeps going as described until a successful match. The above mechanism can effectively increase the matching chance of a case.  
         [0041]    Certain variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art, which variations are considered within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.