Computer-assisted method and apparatus for absentee sellers to participate in auctions and other sales

• US 20060004646A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Manheim Investments Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Manheim Interactive, Inc.
• Inventors: Warren, Gordon, Schoen, Bob, Davis, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A live auction or other sales transaction permits sellers to dynamically participate from remote locations. The remotely-located seller receives a simulcast of the auction in progress and is able to at any time indicate to the auctioneer an approval to sell an item on the block at the current high bid price. The remote seller may also send a counteroffer to the current high bidder, “if” the sale or reject the high bid to result in a no sale. The computer system detects when the remote seller is temporarily inactive to allow the auctioneer to proceed as if the seller were not present. The remote seller feature can be used on sales with remote buyers, sales with all buyers located at the same location as the goods being offered, or a combination.

Claims

1. A method of auctioning an item to a highest bidder comprising:

receiving a high bid;

requesting a remote seller to approve the sale of the item at the current high bid by sending a display format to an Internet browser for the remote seller, said display format including plural options; and

if said remote seller selects an option approving the sale, selling the item based on the high bid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plural options include a counteroffer option permitting the remote seller to send a counteroffer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said plural options include an “

if sale”

option allowing the seller to defer approval until a later time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural options include a rejection option allowing the remote seller to reject the high bid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said display format includes a live video display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes an item information section providing detailed information concerning the item being offered.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes a bidding history display log that allows the remote seller to scroll back and view complete bidding history relating to the item.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes detailed pricing information relating to the item being offered including at least one of floor price, MMR and other fair market value indication.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes a messaging section allowing the remote seller to send a message to a bidder.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes a messaging section allowing the remote seller to send a message to an auctioneer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the display format includes a messaging section allowing the remote seller to send a message to all participants.

12. The method of claim 1 further including detecting when said remote seller is no longer actively participating, and logging the remote seller as inactive.

13. The method of claim 12 further including allowing the remote seller to rejoin the auction after having been detected as inactive.

14. A method of auctioning items comprising:

conducting a live auction at an auction site;

using a human auctioneer to solicit competitive bids for an item;

simulcasting at least the auctioneer'"'"'s image and/or voice to a plurality of remote computing devices via a data communications network;

receiving a sales approval signal from one of said remote computing devices operated by a representative of the owner of said item; and

communicating said received approval signal to the auctioneer so the auctioneer can declare the sale as not being conditioned on seller approval.

15. A method of selling items comprising:

soliciting competitive bids from potential buyers;

awaiting seller approval of a high bid;

if the seller is remotely located and does not respond within a certain time period, sending the seller'"'"'s computing device a page indicating the seller has been declared “

inactive”

; and

reactivating the remotely located seller upon receiving an additional signal from the remotely located seller'"'"'s computing device.