Auction variation

• US 20060287924A1
• Filed: 02/19/2004
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eran Admon
• Original Assignee: Eran Admon
• Inventors: Admon, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method of marketing items comprising: publicizing an auction to sell at least one item, accepting a preset number of price bids for the items, applying at least one cancellation rule to selectively cancel zero or more bids, selecting one or more bids closest to a preselected low sum to receive the item, wherein the low sum is less than 1% of a list price of the item.

Claims

1. A method of marketing items comprising:

publicizing an auction to sell at least one item;

accepting a preset number of price bids for the items;

applying at least one cancellation rule to selectively cancel zero or more bids;

selecting one or more bids closest to a preselected low sum to receive the item; and

wherein said low sum is less than 1% of a list price of said item.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said price bids are accepted for a fee.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cancellation rule comprises canceling bids that are not unique.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cancellation rule comprises canceling bids wherein the number of bidders offering a specific value is greater than the number of units offered of the item.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cancellation rule comprises canceling bids wherein the number of bidders offering a specific value is not equal to the number of units offered of the item.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preselected low value is zero.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preselected low value is less than 0.5% of a list price of the item.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preselected low value is less than 0.75% of a list price of the item.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preselected low value is less than 50% of the highest price bid when all said preset number of price bids are unique.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said winning bids receive the item for free.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said winning bids pay a preset price for receiving the item.

12. A method of marketing items comprising:

accepting at least a preset number of bids for the items;

calculating the result of at least one statistical rule performed on said bids; and

selecting one or more bids to receive the item, according to a selection rule based on the result of the statistical calculation.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said statistical rule is an average of the bids.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said statistical rule is selecting the maximal bid.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said statistical rule is selecting the minimal bid.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein said selection rule comprises multiplying the result of the statistical calculation by a constant before selecting the winning bid.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein said selection rule comprises multiplying the result of the statistical calculation by a variable before selecting the winning bid.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein said selection rule comprises selecting one or more bids closest to said calculated result.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said selection rule comprises selecting the first to bid from one or more identical bids.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said selection rule comprises that the selected bids must be unique.

21-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method of marketing items comprising:

publicizing an auction;

accepting a preset number of price bids for the items;

applying at least one cancellation rule to selectively cancel zero or more bids; and

selecting one or more price bids with an extreme price to be paid to receive the item.

31-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A method of marketing items comprising:

publicizing an auction;

accepting at least a preset number of bids for a characteristic other than price for the item;

applying at least one cancellation rule to selectively cancel zero or more bids; and

selecting one or more bids with an extreme bid to receive the item for a pre-publicized price.

41-50. -50. (canceled)