Technique for providing a personalized auction service through an information assistance provider

• US 20070005482A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Graham, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/170,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005482A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

To provide a personalized auction service, data pertaining to one or more of a user'"'"'s accounts with different online auction service providers (OASPs), e.g., URLs of the OASPs and account access data, is maintained in a folder by an information assistance service, which is unaffiliated with the OASPs. When the user calls the information assistance service, the user'"'"'s folder is retrieved. The user'"'"'s OASP accounts may be accessed on behalf of the user based on the URLs of the OASPs and account access data in the user'"'"'s folder. An information assistance provider including, e.g., an operator and/or a voice server, may obtain from the OASPs information associated with the user'"'"'s accounts, which may concern an auction of an item desired by the user, and communicate the same to the user. The information assistance provider may participate in one such auction on behalf of the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing information assistance, comprising:

storing data concerning access to one or more auction accounts associated with a user;

receiving a communication from the user through a first communications connection;

retrieving the data;

accessing the one or more auction accounts over a second communications connection;

providing, to the user, information associated with the one or more auction accounts; and

performing one or more operations with respect to an auction over the second communications connection on behalf of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information concerns an auction item desired by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations include placing a bid in the auction.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising verifying the user'"'"'s identity before the bid is placed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a message to the user which concerns a status of the auction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the message contains a bid amount in the auction.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a frequency of generating the message varies with remaining time of an auction.

11. A method for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storing first data concerning access to one or more auction accounts associated with a user, the first data being stored in association with second data representing the user;

receiving a communication from the user;

obtaining the second data during the communication;

retrieving the first data based on the second data;

using the first data to access the one or more auction accounts, established with one or more service providers which are unaffiliated with the information assistance provider; and

providing, to the user, information concerning the one or more auction accounts from the one or more service providers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second data includes an automatic number identification (ANI).

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second data includes a password.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second data includes a voiceprint.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the information pertains to an auction of an item desired by the user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising placing a bid in the auction on behalf of the user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising verifying the user'"'"'s identity before the bid is placed.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising generating a message to the user which concerns a status of the auction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the message contains a bid amount in the auction.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein a frequency of generating the message varies with remaining time of an auction.

24. A system for providing information assistance, comprising:

storage for storing data concerning access to one or more auction accounts associated with a user;

an interface for receiving a communication from the user through a first communications connection, the data being retrieved from the storage; and

a processor configured for accessing the one or more auction accounts over a second communications connection, the user being provided with information associated with the one or more auction accounts, one or more operations being performed with respect to an auction over the second communications connection on behalf of the user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the information concerns an auction item desired by the user.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more operations include placing a bid in the auction.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the user'"'"'s identity is verified before the bid is placed.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein a message to the user is generated which concerns a status of the auction.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the message co ntains a bid amount in the auction.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein a frequency of generating the message varies with remaining time of an auction.

34. A system for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storage for storing first data concerning access to one or more auction accounts associated with a user, the first data being stored in association with second data representing the user;

an interface for receiving a communication from the user, the second data being obtained during the communication; and

a processor configured for retrieving the first data based on the second data, the first data being used to access the one or more auction accounts, established with one or more service providers which are unaffiliated with the information assistance provider, the user being provided with information concerning the one or more auction accounts from the one or more service providers.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the second data includes a ANI.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the second data includes a password.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the second data includes a voiceprint.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the information pertains to an auction of an item desired by the user.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein a bid is placed in the auction on behalf of the user.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the user'"'"'s identity is verified before the bid is placed.

44. The system of claim 43, a message to the user is generated which concerns a status of the auction.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the message contains a bid amount in the auction.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein a frequency of generating the message varies with remaining time of an auction.