Patents by Inventor Vincent Conitzer
Vincent Conitzer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 8195524Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. At least one of the bids can include a reference ratio; a discount; a price associated with a quantity Q1 of a first item; a price associated with a quantity Q2 of a second item; and a rule that causes said discount to be applied to an average price of Q1 and an average price of Q2 for each instance of the allocated quantity Q1 over the allocated quantity Q2 that equals the reference ratio.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Patent number: 8190489Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. Trigger bid groups and/or rules associated with trigger values can be used to determine whether to apply modification or discounts to bids. Item and bid groups can be partitioned into groups for the purpose of smoothing requirements. Trigger bid groups, rules associated with trigger values, item groups, and bid groups can be used for adjusting or constraining bids based on triggers, logical connectives, and adjustments.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Patent number: 8190490Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. It can be determined if the exchange is overconstrained and, if so, rules can be relaxed. Also or alternatively, the demand for a quantity of an item can be increased or decreased based on the average cost of the item.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Patent number: 8165921Abstract: In a live, expressive combinatorial exchange, each of plural bidders can submit a bid. Based on the submitted bids, an allocation of the bids is determined that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. At least a portion of each bid of the allocation is displayed to each bidder of a first subset of the bidders that has at least one bid that is not included in the allocation. Each bidder of a subset of the first subset of bidders can then amend one or more of their existing bids or submit a new bid that is considered the next time the allocation is determined. The process of feeding back at least a portion of each bid of the allocation, submitting new bids or amendments to existing bids, and determining a new allocation based on all of the submitted bids continues until a predetermined condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, Subhash Suri, Robert L. Shields, Christopher Cole, Richard James McKenzie, Jr., David C. Parkes, Vincent Conitzer, Benjamin Schmaus
-
Patent number: 8060433Abstract: In an apparatus and method of solving a combinatorial exchange, a plurality of candidate allocations of input bids is determined from input bids and a set of bid vectors is formed from the input bids. A probability value, representing how likely the bids of a bid vector will comprise the bids from which a final allocation is determined, is associated with each bid vector. A mapping is then determined between each bid vector and at least one of the candidate allocations based on a set of objectives and a set of constraints. A candidate allocation is selected as a final allocation based on a comparison of another set of bids that define an exchange event bid vector with at least one of the bid vectors.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2007Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Vincent Conitzer, Tuomas Sandholm
-
Publication number: 20090287560Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. At least one of the bids can include a reference ratio; a discount; a price associated with a quantity Q1 of a first item; a price associated with a quantity Q2 of a second item; and a rule that causes said discount to be applied to an average price of Q1 and an average price of Q2 for each instance of the allocated quantity Q1 over the allocated quantity Q2 that equals the reference ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Publication number: 20090281920Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. It can be determined if the exchange is overconstrained and, if so, rules can be relaxed. Also or alternatively, the demand for a quantity of an item can be increased or decreased based on the average cost of the item.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Applicant: COMBINENET, INC.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Publication number: 20090276329Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. Trigger bid groups and/or rules associated with trigger values can be used to determine whether to apply modification or discounts to bids. Item and bid groups can be partitioned into groups for the purpose of smoothing requirements. Trigger bid groups, rules associated with trigger values, item groups, and bid groups can be used for adjusting or constraining bids based on triggers, logical connectives, and adjustments.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2009Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: CombineNet,Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Patent number: 7577589Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2004Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Patent number: 7499880Abstract: In a live, expressive combinatorial exchange, each of a plurality of bidders can submit a bid. Based on the submitted bids, an allocation of the bids is determined that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. At least a portion of each bid of the allocation is displayed to each bidder of a first subset of the bidders that has at least one bid that is not included in the allocation. Each bidder of a subset of the first subset of bidders can then amend one or more of their existing bids or submit a new bid that is considered the next time the allocation is determined. The process of feeding back at least a portion of each bid of the allocation, submitting new bids or amendments to existing bids, and determining a new allocation based on all of the submitted bids continues until a predetermined condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2004Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, Richard James McKenzie, Jr., David L. Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert L. Shields, Benjamin Schmaus, Christopher Cole
-
Publication number: 20080162328Abstract: In an apparatus and method of solving a combinatorial exchange, a plurality of candidate allocations of input bids is determined from input bids and a set of bid vectors is formed from the input bids. A probability value, representing how likely the bids of a bid vector will comprise the bids from which a final allocation is determined, is associated with each bid vector. A mapping is then determined between each bid vector and at least one of the candidate allocations based on a set of objectives and a set of constraints. A candidate allocation is selected as a final allocation based on a comparison of another set of bids that define an exchange event bid vector with at least one of the bid vectors.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2007Publication date: July 3, 2008Applicant: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Vincent Conitzer, Tuomas Sandholm
-
Publication number: 20050119966Abstract: In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2004Publication date: June 2, 2005Applicant: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, David Levine, David Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert Shields, Yuri Smirnov
-
Publication number: 20040267658Abstract: In a live, expressive combinatorial exchange, each of a plurality of bidders can submit a bid. Based on the submitted bids, an allocation of the bids is determined that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. At least a portion of each bid of the allocation is displayed to each bidder of a first subset of the bidders that has at least one bid that is not included in the allocation. Each bidder of a subset of the first subset of bidders can then amend one or more of their existing bids or submit a new bid that is considered the next time the allocation is determined. The process of feeding back at least a portion of each bid of the allocation, submitting new bids or amendments to existing bids, and determining a new allocation based on all of the submitted bids continues until a predetermined condition is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2004Publication date: December 30, 2004Applicant: CombineNet, Inc.Inventors: Tuomas Sandholm, Richard James McKenzie, David Levine, David C. Parkes, Subhash Suri, Vincent Conitzer, Robert Shields, Benjamin Schmaus, Christopher Cole