Abstract:
In the so-called network auction through the internet, in order to support a user&#39;s bid and to mitigate a burden in knocking down a desired product, it is known that a reentry is carried out automatically within the maximum frame of bidding price set up by the user, even if the amount of a bid is updated. However, this conventional technology was limited to offering a bid only to single product. So, to solve such a problem, in the present invention, it is made to register the table for predetermined conditions to be matched to two or more products, and by referring to the above-mentioned table, automatically to offer a bid to other products which have a predetermined relation with a certain selected product according to the result of the justice of the closing bid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to the field of automatically bidding for a product placed on show at an online auction conducted via a network using a computer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an auction bidding apparatus and method, and to a recording medium having an auction bidding program recorded therein.  
         [0003]     Auction bidding by this invention can deal with any items including any products, goods, services, or any other items that can be traded.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In so-called network auctions conducted through the Internet, typically, when a user browses or searches for auctioned products to find a desired product, the user sets up a certain bid amount and conducts predetermined operations to bid on this product. Such a typical bidding form places a heavy burden on the user because the user must always watch the bidding status of the product. In order to mitigate such a burden, in a known auto-bidding system, once a user sets up a maximum bid amount the user is willing to pay for a product when the user enters a first bid for the product, a reentry is automatically carried out up to the maximum bid amount even if the bid amount is updated.  
         [0006]     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-83170 discloses a system in which a user is notified of updating of a maximum bidding price via e-mail, including means for supporting a reentry.  
         [0007]     However, the conventional technology described above is limited to offering a bid for only a single product.  
         [0008]     In a case where a plurality of products of the same type as a desired product are for sale at an auction, the user must always watch the bidding status of the products of the same type, and must place bids for two or more products of the same type in order to increase the possibility of successfully closing the auction. In this case, the conventional technology described above can place a heavy burden on the user, and can cause two or more products of the same type to be won, which is unnecessary.  
         [0009]     In another case where a user offers bids for a plurality of products that are used in combination, that is, one of the products is not necessary unless the other product is obtained, e.g., a video camera and a battery for use with the video camera, the user must first place a bid for the video camera, and must then place a bid for the battery after the user has successfully won the video camera. In this case, the user must perform both operations of watching the auction status as to whether or not the bidding for one product was successfully closed and placing a bid for another product, which is burdensome.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically bidding for a plurality of products at an online auction to mitigate the burden on a user.  
         [0011]     The present invention provides a method for automatically bidding for a product placed on show at an online auction via a network using a computer, including the steps of tendering a bid for one of products by referring to a product group setting table in which a number of products are preliminarily registered and a predetermined relationship between those products is set up, judging whether the bidding for the tendered product was successfully closed or not, and determining whether the auction should be terminated or a following tender for the products registered beforehand as products related to the product should be made according to the judgment of the bidding.  
         [0012]     In the present invention, in order to raise the possibility of winning the desired product, when bids are to be tendered for a plurality of auctioned products of the same type as a desired product, the plurality of products of the same type may be registered in the product group setting table, and the priority level may be set to the plurality of products registered in the product group setting table. In the determining step, if the bidding is successfully closed, the auction may be ended, and if not successfully closed, tendering for the next product that is set at a priority level one level higher than the desired product may be performed.  
         [0013]     Furthermore, in the present invention, when bids are to be tendered for a plurality of products that are used in combination, the plurality of products may be registered in the product group setting table, and the subordinate product associated with the product for which the bidding was successfully closed may be set to the plurality of products registered in the product group setting table. In the determining step, if the bidding is not successfully closed, the auction may be ended, and if successfully closed, tendering for another product which is set as the subordinate product of the product for which the bidding was successfully closed may be performed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an auction bidding mechanism according to the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a product database;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a same-product-group setting table;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a related-product-group setting table;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a complex-product-group setting table;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a setting and registration process for a product group setting table;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a product group bidding program for bidding based on the same-product-group setting table;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing a product group bidding program for bidding based on the related-product-group setting table;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing a product group bidding program for bidding based on the complex-product-group setting table;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a display screen for product search and product registration in setting the product group setting table;  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a display screen for setting the same-product-group setting table;  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  is a display screen for setting the related-product-group setting table; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  is a display screen for notifying the user of the bidding status during the auction based on the same-product-group setting table.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.  
         [0028]      FIG. 1  shows an auction bidding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , a server  10  and a user terminal  11  are connected via a network  13 .  
         [0029]     The user terminal  11  has a sending and receiving program  12 . The sending and receiving program  12  may be a mailer program for sending and receiving e-mail, a browser program for displaying information received via a network, or the like. Although three user terminals are shown in  FIG. 1 , the number of user terminals is not limited to three.  
         [0030]     The server  10  includes a network auction system  14  for conducting a network auction via a network. The network auction system  14  includes an auction management program  15  for implementing a network auction, a product group bidding program  16 , a product database (DB)  20 , and a product group setting table  17 .  
         [0031]     The auction management program  15  is a program that allows the server  10  to conduct a network auction, although the auction management program  15  is not described in detail herein because it does not constitute a feature of the present invention.  
         [0032]     The product DB  20  is a database in which information on all products placed on show at the network auction is stored in association with various attribute information.  
         [0033]     The product group bidding program  16 , which constitutes the main feature of the present invention, is a program for suitably bidding for a plurality of products, as described below.  
         [0034]     The product group setting table  17  is managed and used by the product group bidding program  16 , and is a table in which a plurality of products to be bid on are stored in association with the priority or subordinate relation of the products. The product group setting table  17  includes a same-product-group setting table  30 , a related-product-group setting table  40 , and a complex-product-group setting table  50 . Although the product group setting table  17  includes three sub-tables in  FIG. 1 , the product group setting table  17  does not include all three sub-tables and may include one to three sub-tables, if necessary.  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows an example of the product DB  20 . In the product DB  20 , a product ID  21 , a product name  22 , a bid price  23 , a closing time  24 , and a highest bidder  25  are stored in association with one another.  
         [0036]     The product ID  21  is an identifier unique to each registered product. The product ID  21  is used to identify the product in the processing performed by the network auction system  14  in the server  10 .  
         [0037]     The product name  22  stores the name of products for sale at the network auction in the form of character sequences. The product name  22  is generally given by the seller of each product.  
         [0038]     The bid price  23  stores an auction starting bid set by the seller of each product or the current highest bid during the auction.  
         [0039]     The closing time  24  stores a closing time of the auction for each product for sale.  
         [0040]     The highest bidder  25  stores the name of the bidder who placed the current highest bid during the auction or a bidder identifier like a user ID. Before the auction begins or if no one bids, no data is stored in the highest bidder  25 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the same-product-group setting table  30 . A user often desires to bid on a plurality of products of the same type as or a similar type to a desired product in order to raise the possibility of winning the desired product. In such cases, the plurality of products are registered in the same-product-group setting table  30  in association with the priority levels. The same-product-group setting table  30  includes a product ID  31 , a product name  32 , a bid price  33 , a closing time  34 , priority or conditions  35 , and an upper bid price  36 . Although the details of product registration in the same-product-group setting table  30  are described below, the user searches for the desired product in the auctioned products, i.e., the products registered in the product DB  20 , to select products, and conducts predetermined operations for registering the products in the same-product-group setting table  30 .  
         [0042]     The product ID  31  stores an identifier unique to each product. The product name  32  stores the name of the registered products. The bid price  33  stores an auction starting bid set by the seller of each product or the current highest bid during the auction. The closing time  34  stores a closing time of the auction for each product. The product ID  31 , the product name  32 , the bid price  33 , and the closing time  34  stored in the same-product-group setting table  30  corresponds to those registered in the product DB  20 . Thus, when the user registers a product in the same-product-group setting table  30 , the data of the product, which is stored in the product DB  20 , is copied.  
         [0043]     The priority or conditions  35  store bidding priority or conditions for the registered products, which are set by the user at registration time. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the priority is set. In this case, in a bidding process based on the same-product-group setting table  30 , “X Company Video Camera,” which is set to “1” in the priority or conditions  35 , is bid on first. If the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” fails, then, “Super Video Camera,” which is set to “2” in the priority or conditions  35 , is bid on. Accordingly, if the bidding for a product is successfully closed, the auction for this product is terminated, whereas, if the bidding for a product fails, a product having the next priority in the priority or conditions  35  is bid on.  
         [0044]     Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , bidding priority conditions may be set in the priority or conditions  35 . For example, if the “bid price” is set in the priority or conditions  35 , a product having a lower value in the bid price  33  is bid on with priority. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the “X Company Video Camera” having “58000” in the bid price  33  is bid on first, and the “Video Camera SP 1 ” having “59000” is then bid on if the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” has failed. For example, if the “closing time” is set in the priority or conditions  35 , a product having the earliest auction closing time is bid on with priority. Thus, the “X Company Video Camera” having “11/19 18:30” in the closing time  34  is bid on first, and the “Super Video Camera” having “11/21 23:30” in the closing time  34  is then bid on if the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” has failed.  
         [0045]     The upper bid price  36  stores the bid amount up to which the user is to pay for the product. While a method for bidding for a plurality of products at a network auction constitutes a feature of the present invention, an auction procedure for a single product is the same as a known network auction procedure. That is, as previously described, bids are automatically entered up to a given maximum amount even if another user outbids. The maximum amount is set in the upper bid price  36 . While the upper bid price  36  is set for each product registered in the table shown in  FIG. 3 , taking the market prices, etc., into consideration, a common upper bid price  36  may be set for the four products registered in the table.  
         [0046]      FIG. 4  shows an example of the related-product-group setting table  40 . A user often desires to win auctions for a combination of a desired product and a product for use with the desired product, e.g., a video camera and its auxiliary product, such as a battery. In this case, the battery is not necessary unless the video camera is won and obtained.  
         [0047]     The user is therefore to place a bid for the battery after the bidding for the video camera has been successfully closed in order to avoid the inconvenience of winning the battery although the bidding for the video camera failed. In the conventional technology, however, such an operation places a heavy burden on the user.  
         [0048]     The related-product-group setting table  40  is a table for registering a plurality of products having such a subordinate relation in association with their related products so as to, after winning a certain product, place a bid for other products related to this product. The related-product-group setting table  40  includes a product number  48 , a product ID  41 , a product name  42 , a bidding price  43 , a closing time  44 , a related product number  45 , an upper bid price for each product  46 , and a sum of upper bid prices  47 . The registration in the related-product-group setting table  40  is carried out by basically the same operations as in the registration in the same-product-group setting table  30 .  
         [0049]     The product number  48  is uniquely assigned to a product registered in the related-product-group setting table  40 , and is used for setting the related product number  45  described below. The product ID  41 , the product name  42 , the bidding price  43 , and the closing time  44  are similar to the product ID  31 , the product name  32 , the bid price  33 , and the closing time  34  in the same-product-group setting table  30 , respectively.  
         [0050]     The related product number  45  stores the product number of a product related to a given product that is to be won before placing a bid for the related product. That is, the product number  48  of the given product is stored in the related product number  45  of the product related to this product. In  FIG. 4 , “X Company Video Camera” is set to “0” in the related product number  45 , indicating that the “X Company Video Camera” is a product desired by the user. In this case, the user desires to, after winning the “X Company Video Camera”, win an accessory for the “X Company Video Camera”. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , “X Company Battery” is set to “1” in the related product number  45 , indicating that the “X Company Battery” is bid on under the conditions that the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” having “1” in the product number  48  was successfully closed. In this example, “Carrying Bag” is set to “3, 4” in the related product number  45 , indicating that a bid for the “Carrying Bag” is placed when the bidding for both “Exclusive Strap” having “3” in the product number  48  and “Battery Charger” having “4” in the product number  48  was successfully closed.  
         [0051]     The upper bid price for each product  46  is similar to the upper bid price  36  in the same-product-group setting table  30 .  
         [0052]     The sum of upper bid prices  47  stores an upper limit on the sum of the bid prices for the plurality products registered in the related-product-group setting table  40 . In other words, the user&#39;s budget for the plurality of products to be obtained is set in this column. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the sum of upper bid prices  47  is “75000”. For example, if the sum of the closing bids for three of the products registered in the related-product-group setting table  40  is 70000 yen, when the current bidding price  43  for a fourth product is 5500 yen, the sum of the bid prices for the four products is over 75000 yen. In the bidding process based on the related-product-group setting table  40 , therefore, the auction is terminated without placing a bid for the fourth product.  
         [0053]      FIG. 5  shows an example of the complex-product-group setting table  50 . The complex-product-group setting table  50  has a combination of the functions of the same-product-group setting table  30  and the related-product-group setting table  40 . That is, one product in the related-product-group setting table  40  is replaced with one group in the same-product-group setting table  30 . For example, four products included in group No. “1”, i.e., “Super Video Camera”, “X Company Video Camera”, “Video Camera SP 1 ”, and “Y Company Video Camera”, are processed in the same way as in the same-product-group setting table  30 . When any one of the products included in the group No. “1” was successfully won, a bidding process for the product group of groups No. “2” and No. “3” is performed. The complex-product-group setting table  50  includes a group number  51 , a product ID  52 , a product name  53 , a bidding price  54 , a closing time  55 , priority or conditions  56 , a related group number  57 , an upper bid price for each product  58 , and a sum of upper bid prices  59 .  
         [0054]     The group number  51  is uniquely assigned to a group of products of the same or similar type. The group number  51  is used for setting the related group number  57  described below.  
         [0055]     The product ID  52 , the product name  53 , the bidding price  54 , and the closing time  55  are similar to the product ID  31 , the product name  32 , the bid price  33 , and the closing time  34  in the same-product-group setting table  30 , respectively.  
         [0056]     The priority or conditions  56  are similar to the priority or conditions  35  in the same-product-group setting table  30 , except that the priority or conditions  56  are set for each group.  
         [0057]     The related group number  57  is similar to the related product number  45  in the related-product-group setting table  40 , except that the related group number  57  is set not for each product but for each product group identified by the group number  51 .  
         [0058]     The upper bid price for each product  58  is similar to the upper bid price  36  in the same-product-group setting table  30 . The sum of upper bid prices  59  is similar to the sum of upper bid prices  47  in the related-product-group setting table  40 .  
         [0059]     The product group bidding program  16  is a program for implementing processes according to the present invention, namely, a process for setting a product group in a table, and a process for placing bids based on the set table. Example operations of the product group bidding program  16  will now be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.  6  to  9 .  
         [0060]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a process for selecting a desired product from multiple products for sale at a network auction and registering the product in the product group setting table  17 .  
         [0061]     In step S 601 , the user enters a keyword for searching for a product name on the user terminal  11  to determine whether or not the desired product is for sale on the network auction, and transmits the keyword and a search request to the server  10 .  
         [0062]     In step S 602 , the server  10  receives the search keyword and the search request from the user terminal  11 .  
         [0063]     In step S 603 , the server  10  searches the product DB  20  based on the received keyword, and transmits a search result, that is, product information including the keyword, to the user terminal  11  to present the result to the user.  
         [0064]     In step S 604 , the user terminal  11  receives the search result, or the product information, and displays it to the user according to the sending and receiving program  12 . An example display screen is shown in  FIG. 10 . In  FIG. 10 , a search keyword is entered in a field in the upper left portion of the screen, and a “video camera” is entered in this field. By clicking a search button, the entered keyword is transmitted to the server  10  as a transmission request (step S 601 ). When a search result is received from the server  10 , the details of the search result are shown on the screen. In this example, “8 mm Video Camera”, “Super Video Camera”, “X Company Video Camera”, “Video Camera SP 1 ”, and “Y Company Video Camera” are shown as search results.  
         [0065]     In step S 605 , in response to a user selection of a product to be registered as a product group from the search results, the user terminal  11  transmits the information on the selected product to the server  10 . In the example shown in  FIG. 10 , a “SELECT” button of a product to be registered as a product group is clicked, and a “TRANSMIT” button in the upper right portion of the screen is then clicked, thereby performing the processing of step S 605 .  
         [0066]     In step S 606 , the server  10  receives the information on the product selected in step S 605 .  
         [0067]     In step S 607 , the server  10  registers the information on the product received in step S 606 , which is registered in the product DB  20 , in the product group setting table  17 . Which of the same-product-group setting table  30 , the related-product-group setting table  40 , or the complex-product-group setting table  50  the information is to be registered in is determined based on the operation of the user in step S 605 . In the example shown in  FIG. 10 , registration in the complex-product-group setting table  50  is not presumed, but can obviously be achieved in the same manner as that in registration in the other tables.  
         [0068]     In step S 608 , it is determined whether or not the user desires a further keyword-based product search. If the user desires a further search, the process returns to step S 601 . If the user does not desire a further search, the process proceeds to step S 609 .  
         [0069]     In step S 609 , the server  10  transmits the information on the product registered in the product group setting table  17  to the user terminal  11  to prompt the user to set further necessary information.  
         [0070]     In step S 610 , the user terminal  11  receives the product information transmitted from the server  10 , and shows the content. In step S 611 , the user sets necessary information on a displayed product, and the user terminal  11  transmits the necessary information to the server  10 .  
         [0071]     Example display screens in the processing of steps S 610  and S 611  are shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 .  
         [0072]      FIG. 11  is a screen for setting necessary information on the products registered in the same-product-group setting table  30 . The user sets a “set priority” column and a “set limited price” column for the product information that is transmitted from the server  10  and that is shown on the user terminal  11 . The “set priority” column is used for setting the priority or conditions  35  in the same-product-group setting table  30 , and is used to determine the priority of bidding for the plurality of registered products. The “set limited price” column is used for setting the upper bid price  36  in the same-product-group setting table  30 . The set information is transmitted from the user terminal  11  to the server  10 .  
         [0073]      FIG. 12  is a screen for setting necessary information on the products registered in the related-product-group setting table  40 . The user sets a “mark the dependence of the following successful bid” column and a “set upper sum price for product or group” column for the product information that is transmitted from the server  10  and that is shown on the user terminal  11 . The former column is used for setting the related product number  45  in the related-product-group setting table  40 , and the latter column is used for setting the upper bid price for each product  46  and the sum of upper bid prices  47  in the related-product-group setting table  40 . The set information is transmitted from the user terminal  11  to the server  10 .  
         [0074]     In step S 612 , the server  10  registers the necessary information on the products received from the user terminal  11  in a predetermined product group setting table. Specifically, as described above, necessary information on the received products is registered in the priority or conditions  35  and the upper bid price  36  in the same-product-group setting table  30 , or the related-product-number  45 , the upper bid price for each product  46 , and the sum of upper bid prices  47  in the related-product-group setting table  40 .  
         [0075]     In step S 613 , the server  10  completes registration in the product group setting table  17 . The processing up to step S 612  is performed to register each item in the product group setting table  17 , and, in step S 613 , a final table that helps the user place a bid on the auction is produced as a result of registration.  
         [0076]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a bidding process for a plurality of products based on the same-product-group setting table  30 . In this flowchart, it is presumed that the user terminal  11  having a user name “AAA” places a bid.  
         [0077]     In step S 701 , predetermined information is received from the user terminal  11 , and the same-product-group setting table  30  is set. The processing of step S 701  corresponds to the process shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0078]     In step S 702 , group bidding start information is received from the user terminal  11 . The group bidding start information is information sent from the user terminal  11  to the server  10  when the user operates the user terminal  11  to start network auction bidding based on the set same-product-group setting table  30 .  
         [0079]     In step S 703 , the product ID  31  and the upper bid price  36  for the product set to “1” in the priority or conditions  35  are read from the same-product-group setting table  30 . This product is a product that the user wishes to most win, and is therefore a product to be bid on first. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the product ID  31 , i.e., “V 3 ”, and the upper bid price  36 , i.e., “60000”, are read.  
         [0080]     In step S 704 , in order to obtain the current auction status of this product, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID  31  read in step S 703  to read the bid price  23  and the closing time  24  of the product. In the illustrated example, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID, i.e., “V 3 ”, to retrieve the product name  22 , i.e., “X Company Video Camera”. Thus, it is determined that the current bid price  23  is “58000” and the closing time  24  is “11/19 18:30”.  
         [0081]     In step S 705 , it is determined whether or not the current time is prior to the closing time  24  read in step S 704  and whether or not the upper bid price  36  read in step S 703  is higher than the bid price  23  read in step S 704  or the bid price  23  that is updated by another user in step S 707  described below. If the current time is prior to the closing time  24  and the upper bid price  36  is higher than the bid price  23 , the process proceeds to step S 706 . If the current time has passed the closing time  24  or if the bid price  23  is higher, the process proceeds to step S 709 . In the illustrated example, it is presumed that the current time is prior to the closing time  24 , and the upper bid price  36 , i.e., “60000”, is higher than the bid price  23 , i.e., “58000”. Then, the process proceeds to step S 706 .  
         [0082]     In step S 706 , the bid price  23  for the product stored in the product DB  20  is updated to the amount in which a bid increment is added to the current bid price, and the name of the user who updates the bid amount, i.e., “AAA”, is registered in the highest bidder  25 . The term bid increment means the minimum unit amount a product increases in price after each new bid, and a seller of an auctioned product may set the increment for each product for sale. In step S 706 , this user becomes the bidder of the current highest price. In the illustrated example, the bid price  23  for the “X Company Video Camera” in the product DB  20  is “58000”, and the highest bidder  25  is “BBB”. As a result of the processing of step S 706 , the bid price  23  is updated to “59000” and the highest bidder  25  is updated to “AAA”, where the bid increment is set to 1000 yen.  
         [0083]     In step S 707 , it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If the current bid price  23  has not been updated, the user “AAA” is still the highest bidder. Then, the process proceeds to step S 708 . If the current bid price  23  has been updated, the process returns to step S 705 , in which it is determined whether or not a higher price is bid to increase the bid price.  
         [0084]     In step S 708 , the network auction continues over time, and it is determined whether or not the closing time  24  for the product is reached. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is not reached, the network auction for this product continues, and the process returns to step S 707 , in which it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is reached, the auction is closed with the user “AAA” being the highest bidder  25 , meaning that this user has successfully won the product. Then, the process ends.  
         [0085]     In step S 709 , since it is determined that the bidding for the desired product failed in step S 705 , it is determined whether or not any product to be bid on still remains by referring to the same-product-group setting table  30 . If it is determined that any product to be bid on still remains, the process proceeds to step S 710 .  
         [0086]     In step S 710 , in order to place a bid for the next candidate product, the information on the product that is set to the second highest priority in the priority or conditions  35  is read from the same-product-group setting table  30 . In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , if the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” failed, the information on the “Super Video Camera” that is set to “2” in the priority or conditions  35  is read.  
         [0087]      FIG. 13  shows an example screen displayed on the user terminal  11  for notifying the user of the auction status in the bidding process based on the same-product-group setting table  30  described above. On the display screen, the information set in the same-product-group setting table  30  shown in  FIG. 3  and the information of the auction status of the listed products, which is retrieved from the product DB  20 , are displayed in the viewable style. In the upper portion of the screen, the user name “AAA” is shown, and the upper bid price  36  for the product group under the bidding is set to “65000”. The current bid price for each product, which is retrieved from the bid price  23  in the product DB  20 , is also shown. For example, the current bid price for the “X Company Video Camera” is “59000”, and the highest bidder is “AAA”. A circle in an “under bidding” column indicates that the user “AAA” is currently bidding on the “X Company Video Camera” in this product group.  
         [0088]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing a bidding process for a plurality of products based on the related-product-group setting table  40 . In this flowchart, it is presumed that the user terminal  11  having a user “AAA” places a bid.  
         [0089]     In step S 801 , predetermined information is received from the user terminal  11 , and the related-product-group setting table  40  is set. The processing of step S 801  corresponds to the process shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0090]     In step S 802 , group bidding start information is received from the user terminal  11 . The group bidding start information is information sent from the user terminal  11  to the server  10  when the user operates the user terminal  11  to start network auction bidding based on the set related-product-group setting table  40 .  
         [0091]     In step S 803 , at least the product ID  41  and the upper bid price for each product  46  for the product set to “0” in the related product number  45  are read from the related-product-group setting table  40 . This product is a product that the user wishes to first win, and is therefore a product to be bid on first. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the product ID  41 , i.e., “V 3 ”, and the upper bid price for each product  46 , i.e., “65000”, of the “X Company Video Camera” set to “0” in the related-product-number  45  are read.  
         [0092]     In step S 804 , in order to obtain the auction status of this product, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID  41  read in step S 803  to read the bid price  23  and the closing time  24  of the product. In the illustrated example, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID, i.e., “V 3 ”, to retrieve the product name  22 , i.e., “X Company Video Camera”. Thus, it is determined that the current bid price  23  is “58000” and the closing time  24  is “11/19 18:30”.  
         [0093]     In step S 805 , it is determined whether or not the current time is prior to the closing time  24  read in step S 804  and whether or not the upper bid price for each product  46  read in step S 803  is higher than the bid price  23  read in step S 804  or the bid price  23  that is updated by another user in step S 807  described below. If the current time is prior to the closing time  24  and the upper bid price for each product  46  is higher than the bid price  23 , the process proceeds to step S 806 . If the current time has passed the closing time  24  or if the bid price  23  is higher, it is determined that the user failed the bidding for this product, and the process ends. In the illustrated example, it is presumed that the current time is prior to the closing time  24 , and the upper bid price for each product  46 , i.e., “65000”, is higher than the bid price  23 , i.e., “58000”. Then, the process proceeds to step S 806 .  
         [0094]     In step S 806 , the bid price  23  for the product stored in the product DB  20  is updated to the amount in which a bid increment is added to the current bid price, and the name of the user who updates the bid amount, i.e., “AAA”, is registered in the highest bidder  25 . In step S 806 , this user becomes the bidder of the current highest price. In the illustrated example, the bid price  23  for the “X Company Video Camera” in the product DB  20  is “58000”, and the highest bidder  25  is “BBB”. As a result of the processing of step S 806 , the bid price  23  is updated to “59000” and the highest bidder  25  is updated to “AAA”, where the bid increment is set to 1000 yen.  
         [0095]     In step S 807 , it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If the current bid price  23  has not been updated, the user “AAA” is still the highest bidder. Then, the process proceeds to step S 808 . If the current bid price  23  has been updated, the process returns to step S 805 , in which it is determined whether or not a higher price is bid to increase the bid price.  
         [0096]     In step S 808 , the network auction continues over time, and it is determined whether or not the closing time  24  for the product is reached. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is not reached, the network auction for this product continues, and the process returns to step S 807 , in which it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is reached, the auction is closed with the user “AAA” being the highest bidder  25 , meaning that this user has successfully won the product. Then, the process proceeds to step S 809  in order to determine whether or not there is any product to be bid on in association with winning the product.  
         [0097]     In step S 809 , it is determined that the bidding for the desired product was successfully closed in step S 808 , and it is determined whether or not there is any product to be bid on under the conditions of successfully closing the bidding for the desired product by referring to the related-product-group setting table  40 . If it is determined that there is any product to be bid on, the process proceeds to step S 810 . If there is no product to be bid on, the process ends.  
         [0098]     In step S 810 , in order to search for the product to be bid on under the conditions of successfully closing the bidding for the desired product, the information on the product whose related product number  45  has the value of the product number  48  of the desired product is read. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the product number  48  of the won product, i.e., “X Company Video Camera”, is “1”, and the products set to “1” in the related product number  45 , i.e., “X Company Battery” and “Exclusive Strap”, are found. Then, the information on the “X Company Battery” and the “Exclusive Strap” is read. Then, the process returns to step S 804  to bid on these products.  
         [0099]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing a bidding process for a plurality of products based on the complex-product-group setting table  50 . In this flowchart, it is presumed that the user terminal  11  having a user “AAA” places a bid.  
         [0100]     In step S 901 , predetermined information is received from the user terminal  11 , and the complex-product-group setting table  50  is set. The processing of step S 901  corresponds to the process shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0101]     In step S 902 , group bidding start information is received from the user terminal  11 . The group bidding start information is information sent from the user terminal  11  to the server  10  when the user operates the user terminal  11  to start network auction bidding based on the set complex-product-group setting table  50 .  
         [0102]     In step S 903 , at least the product ID  52  and the upper bid price for each product  58  for the product having the highest priority in the priority or conditions  56  in the product group set to “0” in the related product number  57  are read from the complex-product-group setting table  50 . This product is a product that the user wishes to first win, and is therefore a product to be bid on first. In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the product ID  52 , i.e., “V 3 ”, and the upper bid price for each product  58 , i.e., “60000”, of the “X Company Video Camera” in the product group set to “0” in the related product number  57 , which is set to “1” in the priority or conditions  56 , are read.  
         [0103]     In step S 904 , in order to obtain the auction status of this product, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID  52  read in step S 903  to read the bid price  23  and the closing time  24  of the product. In the illustrated example, the product ID  21  in the product DB  20  is searched based on the product ID, i.e., “V 3 ”, to retrieve the product name  22 , i.e., “X Company Video Camera”. Thus, it is determined that the current bid price  23  is “58000” and the closing time  24  is “11/19 18:30”.  
         [0104]     In step S 905 , it is determined whether or not the current time is prior to the closing time  24  read in step S 904  and whether or not the upper bid price for each product  58  read in step S 903  is higher than the bid price  23  read in step S 904  or the bid price  23  that is updated by another user in step S 907  described below. If the current time is prior to the closing time  24  and the upper bid price for each product  58  is higher than the bid price  23 , the process proceeds to step S 906 . If the current time has passed the closing time  24  or if the bid price  23  is higher, it is determined that the user failed the bidding for this product, and the process proceeds to step S 911 . In the illustrated example, it is presumed that the current time is prior to the closing time  24 , and the upper bid price for each product  58 , i.e., “60000”, is higher than the bid price  23 , i.e., “58000”. Then, the process proceeds to step S 906 .  
         [0105]     In step S 906 , the bid price  23  for the product stored in the product DB  20  is updated to the amount in which a bid increment is added to the current bid price, and the name of the user who updates the bid amount, i.e., “AAA”, is registered in the highest bidder  25 . In step S 906 , this user becomes the bidder of the current highest price. In the illustrated example, the bid price  23  for the “X Company Video Camera” in the product DB  20  is “58000”, and the highest bidder  25  is “BBB”. As a result of the processing of step S 906 , the bid price  23  is updated to “58000” and the highest bidder  25  is updated to “AAA”, where the bid increment is set to 1000 yen.  
         [0106]     In step S 907 , it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If the current bid price  23  has not been updated, the user “AAA” is still the highest bidder. Then, the process proceeds to step S 908 . If the current bid price  23  has been updated, the process returns to step S 905 , in which it is determined whether or not a higher price is bid to increase the bid price.  
         [0107]     In step S 908 , the network auction continues over time, and it is determined whether or not the closing time  24  for the product is reached. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is not reached, the network auction for this product continues, and the process return to step S 907 , in which it is determined whether or not the current bid price  23  has been updated by another user. If it is determined that the closing time  24  is reached, the auction is closed with the user “AAA” being the highest bidder  25 , meaning that this user has successfully won the product. Then, the process proceeds to step S 909 .  
         [0108]     In step S 909 , it is determined whether or not there is any product to be bid on in association with winning the product. That is, it is determined whether or not there is any product group to be bid on by referring to the complex-product-group setting table  50 . If it is determined that there is any product group to be bid on, the process proceeds to step S 910  in order to continuously conduct an auction for another product. If there is no product group to be bid on, the process ends;  
         [0109]     In step S 910 , in order to search for the product to be bid on under the conditions of successfully closing the bidding for the desired product, the product group whose related group number  57  has the value of the product number  51  of the product group to which the desired product belongs is retrieved from the complex-product-group setting table  50 , and the information on the product having the highest priority in the priority or conditions  56  is read from the retrieved product group. In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the product number  51  of the product group to which the won product, i.e., “X Company Video Camera”, belongs is “1”, and the product groups set to “1” in the related product number  57 , i.e., the product groups having “2” and “3” in the group number  51 , are found. The priority or conditions  56  of the product group set to “2” in the group number  51  are the “closing time”, and it is therefore determined that the “X Company Battery” set to the earliest time, i.e., “11/25 13:00”, in the closing time  55  is the next product to be bid on. Further referring to the priority or conditions  56  of the product group set to “3” in the group number  51 , it is determined that the “Exclusive Strap” having the highest priority in this product group is also the next product to be bid on. In this manner, it is determined that the “X Company Battery” and the “Exclusive Strap” are the next products to be bid on. Then, the information on these products is read from the complex-product-group setting table  50 , and the process returns to step S 904  to bid on these products.  
         [0110]     In step S 911 , since it is determined that the bidding for the desired product failed in step S 905 , it is determined whether or not any product to be bid on still remains in the product group to which the desired product belongs by referring to the complex-product-group setting table  50 . If it is determined that any product to be bid on still remains, the process proceeds to step S 912 . If no product to be bid on remains, the process ends.  
         [0111]     In step S 912 , in order to place a bid for the next candidate product, the information on the product that is set to the second highest priority in the priority or conditions  56  in the product group to which the desired product belongs is read from the complex-product-group setting table  50 , and the process returns to step S 904  to bid on this product. In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , if the bidding for the “X Company Video Camera” failed, the information on the “Super Video Camera” is read. Then, the process returns to step S 904 .  
         [0112]     Although not shown, the server  10  and the user terminal  11  are computers controlled by a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is connected to a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk device (HDD), a graphic processor, an input interface, a communication interface, and so on via a bus.  
         [0113]     The RAM temporarily stores an operating system (OS) program to be executed by the CPU and at least a portion of other programs. The RAM also stores data necessary for processing of the CPU. The HDD stores the OS or other programs and data.  
         [0114]     The graphic processor is connected to a monitor. The graphic processor causes an input screen to be displayed on the monitor in response to an instruction from the CPU. The input interface is connected to a keyboard, a mouse, and so on. The input interface transmits a signal sent from the keyboard, the mouse, etc., to the CPU via the bus.  
         [0115]     The communication interface is connected to the network  13 . The communication interface exchanges data between the server  10  and the user terminal  11  over the network  13 .  
         [0116]     The auction management program  15  and the product group bidding program  16  according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention may be executed on the computer, thereby functioning the computer as an auction apparatus.  
         [0117]     In this case, the functions of the computer may be described in a program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. This program may be executed by the computer, thereby realizing the processes described above on the computer. The computer-readable recording medium may be implemented by a magnetic recording device, a semiconductor memory, or the like. In order to distribute the program on the market, the program may be stored in portable recording media, such as a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) and a flexible disk, or may be stored in a storage device of a computer connected via a network, which is transferred to another computer over the network. In order to execute the program on a computer, the program may be stored in an internal hard disk device of the computer, and may be loaded into a main memory.  
         [0118]     The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and a variety of modifications or variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.