Integration of remote bidders into multiple and simultaneous live auctions

• US 10,157,417 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Auction Management Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Xcira Incorporated
• Inventors: Rabenold, Nancy J., Simmons, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond, Robert M
• Application Number:
  US15/418,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20170140460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26, 705 27, 705 37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Multiple simultaneous auctions can be monitored and participated in using a single bidding device operated by a single remote bidder. A multi-windowed environment allows for the display of active bidding windows and docked bidding windows. The active bidding windows are fully functional bidding windows and include auction status, product information and the like. The docked bidding windows provide a subset of the information but, nonetheless provide real-time auction status information and allows for bidders to enter bids into the auctioning process without having to move the bidding window into an active status. A customer-identifier selector of identifier allows the remote bidder to associate a customer with a particular bidding window. The customer-identifier advantageously helps the remote bidder to track who purchased items are associated with, as well as providing control structure over the bidding process.

Claims

1. A method comprising the actions of:

communicatively coupling a bidding device to one or more bid processing system servers through a network, wherein the bidding device comprises a bidding actuator, and wherein each of the one or more bid processing system servers supports one or more auctioning events and provides a domain of auction event status information for each of the one or more auctioning events to the bidding device;

the bidding device receiving the domain of auction event status information for each of the plurality of auctioning events from the one or more bid processing system servers;

for each of the plurality of auctioning events, the bidding device displaying a first set of real-time status information selected from the domain of auctioning event status information for the auctioning event, the first set of status information for a particular auctioning event being displayed in a window dedicated to the particular auctioning event and being displayed in a first window format; and

receiving a selection of one of the windows of the first window format;

for the auctioning event associated with the selected window, displaying a second set of real-time status information selected from the domain of status information of the associated auctioning event in a second window format dedicated to the auctioning event while maintaining the display of the other non-selected windows, wherein the second set of status information is a subset of the first set of status information but both the first and second set of status information includes a current bid value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the actions of:

associating an identifier with each of the plurality of bidding windows of the first window format and the second window format, wherein the identifier is uniquely associated with a customer; and

receiving an actuation of a particular bidding actuator associated with a particular bidding window, wherein upon receipt of the actuation the bidding device forwards a signal to a bid processing system server supporting a particular auctioning event associated with the particular bidding window, wherein the signal includes the customer identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal comprises data that identifies a bid value, further comprising the actions of:

the bidding device receiving a new current bid value for the particular auctioning event;

the bidding device updating the particular window associated with the particular auctioning event by modifying the data to include the current bid value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the particular window is a window of second format and further comprising the action of updating the particular window to identify the customer associated with the current bid value.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal comprises data that identifies a bid value, further comprising the actions of:

the bidding device receiving a new current bid value for the particular auctioning event;

the bidding device updating the particular window associated with the particular auctioning event by modifying the data to include the current bid value and including an indication that the bid value was accepted or rejected.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the window of the second window format includes an auction history display area, further comprising the actions of:

the bidding device receiving data identifying an action associated with the auctioning event associated with a particular window of the second window format; and

the bidding device adding text to a scrolling list of auction actions to identify the received action.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the actions of:

the bidding device receiving a live audio and video feed for an auctioning event associated with the window of the second window format; and

presenting the live video within the window of the second window format.

8. A bidding device that enables a bidder to actively participate in and concurrently monitor multiple auctioning events and to enter additional auctioning events directly from the bidding device, the bidding device comprising:

a display;

a user input interface;

a bid processing system interface;

a processing unit configured to;

present a list of two or more auctioning events available for a bidder to participate in;

receive a selection from the user input interface to select a first auctioning event and presenting a bidding window on the display, the first bidding window being associated with the first auctioning event, inclusive of at least one active control, including a first level set of real-time information pertaining to the first auctioning even including a current bid value and mapped to a first customer identifier;

receive a selection from the user input interface to select a second auctioning event and presenting a second bidding window on the display simultaneously with the first bidding window, the second bidding window being associated with the second auctioning event, inclusive of at least one active control, including a second set of real-time information pertaining to the second auctioning event including a current bid value and mapped to a second customer identifier;

receive an actuation of the first bidding window active bidding control, wherein upon receipt of the actuation the bidding device forwards a signal to the bid processing system managing the first auctioning event; and

receive an actuation of the second bidding window bidding active bidding control, wherein upon receipt of the actuation the bidding device forwards a signal to the bid processing system managing the second auctioning event;

wherein a party can participate in two or more auctioning events at the same time using the bidding device.

9. The bidding device of claim 8, wherein in response to a user actuating an active control, the processing unit is further configured to:

identify the bidding window, auctioning event and customer identifier associated with the actuation of the active control;

determine an action associated with the actuation of the active control; and

provide data to the bid processing system interface identifying the auctioning event and the action.

10. The bidding device of claim 9, wherein in response to receiving a data signal from the bid processing system through the bid processing system interface, the processing unit is further configured to:

determine the auctioning event associated with the bid processing system data signal;

determine the bidding window associated with the auctioning event;

determine the customer identification associated with the bidding window;

update, based at least in part on the received bid processing system data signal, the information displayed on the associated bidding window; and

map the updated information to the determined customer identification.

11. The bidding device of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further configured to generate, for a given customer identification, a report from the mapped information.

12. The bidding device of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

cause the first bidding window to be displayed in an active state, the active state bidding window displaying information at a first level of detail pertinent to a first auctioning event; and

cause the second bidding window to be displayed in a docked state, the docked state bidding window displaying information at a second level of detail pertinent to a second auctioning event, wherein the information at a second level of detail is a subset of a first level of information detail of the second auctioning event.

13. The bidding device of claim 12, further comprising an audio output interface and an audio data input interface, and the processing unit is further configured to:

receive audio data over the audio data input interface representing the audio feed for one or more auctioning events, the audio data including at least the audio data associated with the auctioning event associated with the active state bidding window; and

provide audio data to the audio output interface for the auctioning event associated with the active state bidding window.

14. The bidding device of claim 12, wherein in response to receiving a window selection indicator associated with a docked state bidding window, the processing unit is further operable to change the state of the docked state bidding window.

15. The bidding device of claim 8, wherein the bidding windows include a video feed and the processing unit is operable to provide the video feed at a first rate to the first bidding window and at a second rate to the second bidding window.