Auctioning with bid terminals

• US 20070185774A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caribe Schreiber, Daniel Kelly
• Original Assignee: Caribe Schreiber, Daniel Kelly
• Inventors: Kelly, Daniel, Schreiber, Caribe
• Application Number:
  US11/337,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for use in auctioning with bid terminals. A first method embodiment includes associating a number of stationary bid terminals with a number of auction items so that each stationary bid terminal is associated with no more than one auction item. The first method also includes receiving a bid, for the particular auction item, through the particular stationary bid terminal.

Claims

1. A method of auctioning comprising:

associating a number of stationary bid terminals with a number of auction items so that each stationary bid terminal is associated with no more than one auction item; and

receiving a bid, for the particular auction item, through the particular stationary bid terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes communicating a first bid status, for a particular auction item, through a particular stationary bid terminal associated with the particular auction item;

and

determining a second bid status, for the particular auction item, by using the first bid status and the bid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes communicating the second bid status, for the particular auction item, through the particular stationary bid terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes physically positioning each stationary bid terminal to correlate with an auction item display for an auction item with which each stationary bid terminal is associated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein associating includes associating a unique identifier for each stationary bid terminal with a unique identifier for an auction item with which each stationary bid terminal is associated

6. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating includes showing the first bid status on a display of the particular stationary bid terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving includes receiving the bid by using an input component of the particular stationary bid terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, including identifying an auction account associated with the bid by identifying an identifyng token by using an identification device of the particular stationary bid terminal.

9. A method of auctioning comprising:

associating a number of portable bid terminals with a number of auction accounts, so that each portable bid terminal is associated with no more than one auction account;

receiving a first bid for a particular auction item through a first particular portable bid terminal; and

determining a first bid status, for the particular auction item, by using the first bid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method includes communicating the first bid status through the first particular portable bid terminal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method includes communicating auction information about an auction in which the first bid is received, through the first particular portable bid terminal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the method includes transmitting the first bid to a database in a computing device that is remote from the first particular portable bid terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting includes wireless transmitting.

14. The method of claim 9, including:

receiving a second bid for the particular auction item, through a second particular portable bid terminal; and

determining a second bid status, for the particular auction item, by using the second bid.

15. The method of claim 14, including communicating the second bid status through the first particular portable bid terminal.

16. An auction system comprising a number of stationary bid terminals, wherein each stationary bid terminal:

is associated with no more than one auction item;

includes a communication component configured to communicate information to an auction participant;

includes an identification component configured to identify an identifying token; and

includes an input component configured to receive a bid from an auction participant.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each stationary bid terminal is to be physically positioned to correlate with an auction item display for an auction item with which each stationary bid terminal is associated.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication component is a display configured to communicate information to an auction participant by showing visual information.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the identification component is a card-reader configured to identify an identification card by reading the identification card.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the input component is a keypad configured to receive a bid from an auction participant by receiving a keypad input.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the system includes a portable bid terminal that:

is associated with no more than one auction account;

includes a communication component configured to communicate information to an auction participant; and

includes an input component configured to receive information from an auction participant; and

includes a transceiver configured to transmit information to and receive information from a database in a computing device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each portable bid terminal is to be physically positioned remote from the computing device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the information is a bid.