Electronic Bidding Service Item Authority Matching
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic bidding services require buyers to manually search and select offers for items, leading to cumbersome processes and confusion when multiple sellers offer the same item with different descriptions, making it difficult for buyers to identify matching offers.
Innovation Solution
An electronic bidding service that uses master reference information to automatically identify and match offers for the same or related items, allowing for reduced buyer interaction by automatically applying bids and completing transactions without manual analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic bidding service presents multiple offers from different sellers for the same item with different descriptions, then the buyer has more choices, but the buyer experiences confusion and difficulty in identifying matching offers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an item authority as an intermediary component that maintains a database of canonical item descriptions. This authority mediates between multiple seller offers and the buyer by providing a standardized reference description that eliminates confusion. The item authority verifies and standardizes item information across different sellers, allowing buyers to confidently identify matching offers without manually comparing multiple different descriptions.
2Measurement precision
If the buyer manually examines each offer to determine whether offers match the same item, then the buyer can make informed decisions, but the bidding process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing canonical item descriptions in the item authority database before buyers need to make decisions. Seller offers are pre-verified and linked to these canonical descriptions, so when buyers search for items, the system has already done the work of standardizing and organizing the information. This eliminates the need for buyers to manually examine and compare each offer's description in detail.
Solution Approach 2:
The item authority automatically performs the matching and verification work that would otherwise require buyer effort. The system self-services by maintaining the canonical descriptions and automatically comparing seller offers against these standards, providing buyers with pre-organized, easily comparable information without requiring manual analysis of each offer.
3Reliability
If the electronic bidding service requires buyers to make several selections at different junctures in the bidding process, then the service can ensure accurate buyer intent, but the buying experience becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The item authority serves multiple functions within the bidding system: it validates seller descriptions, provides canonical references for matching, ensures item authenticity, and facilitates buyer decision-making. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single universal authority, the system maintains reliability without requiring buyers to navigate multiple separate verification steps or make numerous selections.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic bidding service is described which substantially automatically acquires items for buyers in response to bidding information entered by the buyers. To function in this manner, the electronic bidding service makes use of an item authority. The item authority links items specified in different offers to master reference information associated with the items, thereby allowing the electronic bidding service to identify groups of offers which are selling the same or related item. In one case, a buyer can instruct the electronic bidding service to obtain a desired item from a specific offer. If this bid is unsuccessful, the electronic bidding service can extend the bidding procedure to one or more other offers that feature the same or related item. This extension is based on the master reference information.