Patent ID: 7835980

Claim:
A computer-implemented combinatorial auction method comprising: (a) electronically receiving a plurality of bids, with each bid having a plurality of sub bids and one of the Boolean operators AND, OR or XOR logically connecting each pair of sub bids, wherein each sub bid is comprised of one of the following: (1) one good and a price associated with the good, or (2) one of the Boolean operators logically connecting at least two other sub bids and a price associated with the one Boolean operator; (b) determining plural allocations of goods, wherein each allocation of the goods is to a different set of sub bids; (c) electronically identifying for each allocation of the goods each bid or sub bid as being satisfied or unsatisfied, wherein: a bid or sub bid having one good is satisfied when the one good is allocated thereto; a bid or sub bid comprised of a plurality of other sub bids logically connected with the Boolean operator AND is satisfied when all of the other sub bids are satisfied; and a bid or sub bid comprised of a plurality of other sub bids logically connected by the Boolean operator OR or XOR is satisfied when at least one of the other sub bids is satisfied; (d) computing for each allocation a value comprised of a sum of the prices of bids that have at least one satisfied sub bid, wherein the price of each bid includes a sum of the prices associated with each satisfied sub bid of the bid; and (e) outputting the allocation having the greatest value.