Method and system for an auction
First Claim
1. An auction system for conducting an online auction of merchandise in a plurality of lots presented on a webpage between a bidder and a seller in a communication network, said system having:
- a host computer associated with an auction host;
a bidder computer and a seller computer coupled to said host computer;
said computers having a computer usable medium having a plurality of program codes for executing instructions pertaining to said auction;
said plurality of program codes including;
a first computer readable program code for administering and managing said auction by defining characteristics and parameters of said auction as dictated by said auction host;
a second computer readable program code for defining said webpage interface presented on said bidder computer and said seller computer;
a third computer readable program code for defining real-time updating of dynamic elements within said webpage associated with a status of sale of said merchandise;
a fourth computer readable program code for defining a method for recording actions of said bidder and said seller to the host computer in real-time and presenting said actions on said webpage in real-time;
a fifth computer readable program code for enabling negotiation of a sale of said merchandise between said bidder and said seller after a predetermined time as specified is said parameters;
wherein said auction is conducted in real-time between said bidder and said seller within said network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An auction system for conducting an online auction of merchandise in a plurality of lots presented on a webpage between a bidder and a seller in a communication network. The system having a host computer associated with an auction host, a bidder computer and a seller computer coupled to the host computer. The computers include a computer usable medium having a plurality of program code to execute instructions associated the auction, including program codes for administering and managing the auction, defining the webpage interface, updating of dynamic elements within the webpage in real-time, enabling negotiation of a sale of the merchandise.
74 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An auction system for conducting an online auction of merchandise in a plurality of lots presented on a webpage between a bidder and a seller in a communication network, said system having:
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a host computer associated with an auction host;
a bidder computer and a seller computer coupled to said host computer;
said computers having a computer usable medium having a plurality of program codes for executing instructions pertaining to said auction;
said plurality of program codes including;
a first computer readable program code for administering and managing said auction by defining characteristics and parameters of said auction as dictated by said auction host;
a second computer readable program code for defining said webpage interface presented on said bidder computer and said seller computer;
a third computer readable program code for defining real-time updating of dynamic elements within said webpage associated with a status of sale of said merchandise;
a fourth computer readable program code for defining a method for recording actions of said bidder and said seller to the host computer in real-time and presenting said actions on said webpage in real-time;
a fifth computer readable program code for enabling negotiation of a sale of said merchandise between said bidder and said seller after a predetermined time as specified is said parameters;
wherein said auction is conducted in real-time between said bidder and said seller within said network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19)
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16. The system of claim 16 wherein said live update sub-system includes a client broker at said bidder computer and at seller computer to scan said webpage and associate tags with classes to be instantiated, said client broker to retrieve said classes via a server broker coupled to said host computer, said instantiated classes being attached to said dynamic components.
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20. A method of dynamically updating elements included in a document at a client computer in real time from a host computer, said elements having class components and data components and document associated with an online auction, the method having the steps of:
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loading said document in said client computer;
scanning said document to recognize said class components and said data components;
collecting and storing said class components at said client computer;
said client computer requesting an update of said class components from said host computer;
determining whether said class components already exist at said client computer;
requesting said class components from said host computer if the class components do not exist at said client computer, otherwise instantiating said class components to yield class instances;
executing said class instances;
said client broker requesting an update of said data components from said host computer via said server broker;
said server broker determining whether said request for update of said data components has already be made by referencing a data collector and store;
said server broker initiating a data request from said server if said data collector and store do not have said update of said data;
else a determination is made whether existing data components in said data collector and store is current, said server broker initiating a data request from said host computer; and
updating said data components and class components on said webpage.
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21. A method of conducting an online auction between participants in a communication network, said method having the steps of:
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presenting a plurality of merchandise on a webpage;
associating said merchandise with a status of sale, said webpage having dynamic elements pertaining to said status of sale;
changing said status of sale dynamically and in real time in response to actions by said participants.
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Specification