Negotiation Device Estimating Counterpart Utility via Inversion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In automated negotiation, estimating the characteristics of a counterpart agent can lead to inaccurate results when the counterpart provides disguised proposals, such as randomized offers, as existing techniques rely on proposal content from the counterpart agent.

Innovation Solution

A negotiation device and method that estimate negotiation characteristics, including utility and threshold functions, by using information from its own proposals and responses, allowing for accurate estimation regardless of disguises, employing linear logistic regression to determine acceptance probabilities and functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing estimation techniques use proposal content from counterpart agent, then estimation can be performed, but estimation accuracy deteriorates when counterpart provides disguised proposals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveestimation accuracyVSAvoidestimation reliability under disguise

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces own proposals as an intermediary element to estimate counterpart characteristics. Instead of directly analyzing counterpart proposals which may be disguised, the system uses its own proposals combined with counterpart responses as a reliable mediator for estimation, thereby maintaining accuracy even when counterpart data is unreliable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the traditional estimation approach by not analyzing what the counterpart says (which may be disguised) but rather analyzing what the counterpart does in response to own proposals. This inversion allows reliable estimation of utility functions and acceptance thresholds by observing actual behavioral responses rather than trusting stated preferences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If more information about counterpart is disclosed, then negotiation efficiency improves, but vulnerability to exploitation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenegotiation efficiencyVSAvoidexploitation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where own proposals and counterpart responses are continuously analyzed to update estimation of counterpart characteristics. This feedback loop enables the system to adaptively improve negotiation strategies based on observed patterns, achieving efficiency without requiring full disclosure of private information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service estimation by using its own negotiation history and observed counterpart responses to automatically estimate counterpart utility functions and acceptance thresholds. This eliminates the need for information disclosure while maintaining negotiation efficiency through self-learning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11494818B2Negotiation device, estimation method, program, and estimation device

Publication Date: 2022.11.08 NEC CORP

AI summary

A negotiation device conducting automated negotiation by transmitting and receiving proposals to and from a counterpart device includes an estimating unit configured to estimate a negotiation characteristic of the counterpart device by using information corresponding to a proposal transmitted by the negotiation device.