Methods, apparatus, systems, and programs for computers are provided for automatic allocation of resource occupiers (e.g. data, people) to available resources (e.g. bandwidth, radio frequency spectrum, theatre seats). Allocation of resources to resource occupiers is based on a measure of urgency of allocation derived from the size of the resource occupier, the resource available, and the time remaining in which to allocate resource to the resource occupier. One, two, or more time thresholds may be associated with each resource occupier: in particular a timeliness threshold up to which allocation urgency increases but after which it decreases, and a perishability threshold after which allocation of resource to the resource occupier ceases to be at all useful, and after which no more resource is allocated. Also automated auction methods, systems, and programs for real-time allocation of radio frequency spectrum.