COP 4331 Class Exercise: Online Auction System Analysis

A. List an Item

1. The seller requests the auction system to list an item.
   The listing request includes seller, item attributes, the starting price, and time limit.
2. The system validates the auction listing.
3. The system adds the item auction listing to the active list.

B. Browse Items

1. The user asks the system to return a list of items on the active list.
2. The system returns the list of elements corresponding to the items on the active list.
   Each element includes the item, seller, title, auction end time, current highest bid.

C. Expand an Item

1. The user carries out Browse Items.
2. The user selects an item.
3. The user asks the system to provide a full description and bid history for the item.
4. The system returns the item description and the bid history.

D. Bid For an Item

1. The buyer carries out Expand an Item.
2. The buyer sends the system a bid for an item that includes buyer ID and bid price.
3. The system validates the bid.
4. The system updates the item's bid history.

E. Complete an Auction

1. The system completes the bidding process for the item.
2. The system removes the auction listing from the active item list.
3. The system archives the listing, including bid history.
4. The system determines the highest bid.
5. The system notifies the auction result (seller, item and price) to the highest bidder (buyer).
6. The system notifies the auction result (buyer, item and price) to the seller.
7. The seller performs the sell transaction with the buyer.

Variation #1. Cancel Failed Auction

1. Start at step E.3.
2. The system determines there is no valid bid for the item.
3. The system signals the seller that the auction failed (item and start price).