Internet Auction System

• US 20080016007A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Phoenicia Innovations LLC Subsidiary of Pendrell Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Phoenicia Innovations LLC Subsidiary of Pendrell Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Erisman, Terry
• Application Number:
  US11/776,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20080016007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Various methods and systems for auctioning mutually exclusive items such as golf tee times, restaurant reservations, concert tickets or hotel reservations are disclosed. Mutually exclusive can refer to items that cannot be possessed simultaneously because of physical limitations or to multiple items that could be simultaneously physically possessed but the bidder would only want possession of, at most, one of the items. An electronic auction method therefore performs the following operations: (1) an ordered processing of ranked bids to compare currently active bids with current winning bids to determine the new winning bids; (2) notifying unsuccessful bidders via e-mail to increase their bids; (3) comparing the new bid amount to all outstanding active and winning bids if the unsuccessful active bid is increased; (4) designating the active bid an inactive bid and designating the next highest ranked bid as the user'"'"'s current active bid if the unsuccessful bid is not increased in the allotted time; and, (5) continuing the protocol until all bidders either have a winning bid or no remaining active bids. An auction system includes a Central Auction Controller (CAC) that allows sellers to list items for auction and users to enter bids and rank orderings. The CAC maintains a central database comprising a database of user information, a database of items and bids and a database of vendor information. Administration of the system is accomplished via an I/O device and CPU and an optional e-mail processor allows automated messaging to users. This methodology allows users to effectively bid on a large number of mutually exclusive items but receive at most one item at the end of the auction. This method has the favorable effects for the users of: (1) increasing the probability of successfully bidding for at least one item; (2) making the auction process more convenient by greatly reducing the need for actively monitoring the auction; and, (3) decreasing the possibility a user will be out bid at the last moment and receive no item. This method has the favorable effects for the seller of increasing the probability their listed items will sell and increasing the expected average sales price.

Claims

1-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A web based auction system interface configured for performing I/O operations between a bidder and an auction system through a browser, said web based interface comprising:

an auction query interface that is adapted for viewing auction items and receiving user queries through the browser concerning said auction items, and further for retrieving one or more of said auction items in response to such user queries; and

an auction bid entry interface that is adapted for receiving user bids for said auction items, said auction bid entry interface including both a bid price entry field and a bid ranking field for any auction item that receives a user bid.

89. The web based auction system interface of claim 88, further including an auction status interface for monitoring progress of an auction for said auction items during an auction period.

90. The web based auction system interface of claim 89, wherein said auction bid entry interface allows a user to enter a plurality of bids on a plurality of auction items, with each of said plurality of auction items receiving a different ranking from any other of said plurality of auction items.

91. The web based auction system interface of claim 88, wherein said auction bid entry interface allows a user to enter bids which carry over from a first auction to a second auction when said bids are not successful during said first auction.

103. The web based auction system interface of claim 88, wherein said auction bid entry interface allows a user to enter a plurality of mutually exclusive bids on a plurality of auction items, such that the user is guaranteed to win at most one of said plurality of auction items.

104. The web based auction system interface of claim 88, wherein said auction bid entry interface allows a user to enter an immediate purchase request for an auction item, which immediate purchase request can be used to determine a winning bid at such bid time.

92. An internet accessible electronic auction site configured for coordinating transactions between a bidder and an auction system, said internet accessible electronic auction site comprising:

means for accessing auction items available for bidding;

an auction query interface adapted for viewing within a web browser and configured for receiving user queries through said browser concerning said auction items, and for retrieving one or more of said auction items in response to such user queries; and

an auction bidding interface adapted for viewing within said web browser and configured for receiving user bid entries through said browser concerning said one or more auction items, said auction bidding interface including at least a first field for receiving a bid amount and a second field for receiving a bid ranking for each user bid entry; and

an auction controller for processing said user bid entries to determine winning bids for said one or more auction items.

93. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 92, wherein said one or more auction items are auctioned at the same time.

105. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 92, wherein said user can enter a plurality of mutually exclusive bids user bid entries on a plurality of auction items, and such that the user is guaranteed to win at most one of said plurality of auction items.

106. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 92 wherein a user can enter an immediate purchase request for an auction item, which immediate purchase request can be used to determine a winning bid at such bid time.

94-102. -102. (canceled)

107. An internet accessible electronic auction site comprising:

a database for storing information concerning auction items available for bidding;

an auction query interface adapted to receive user queries concerning said auction items, and for retrieving one or more of said auction items in response to such user queries; and

an auction bidding interface adapted to receive user bid entries concerning said one or more auction items, said auction bidding interface including at least a first field for receiving a bid amount and a second field for receiving a bid ranking for each user bid entry; and

an auction status presentation interface adapted to monitor progress of auctions related to said one or more auction items, including at least a tentative unconditional winning bid for an auction item, and information identifying a number of conditional bids for said auction item;

an auction controller configured to process said user bid entries to determine winning bids for said one or more auction items;

wherein said auction controller is configured to consider a bid ranking provided for an auction item in determining which bid entries to evaluate as tentative winning bids for such item.

108. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107 wherein a number of conditional bids which exceed said tentative unconditional winning bid is identified.

109. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107 wherein a user can enter an immediate purchase request for an auction item, which immediate purchase request can be used to determine a winning bid at such bid time.

110. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107, wherein said auction items correspond to access rights to an entertainment facility.

111. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 110, wherein said entertainment facility is a golf course, and said auction items are golf tee times at said golf course.

112. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107, wherein said user bid entries can include time expiration limitations.

113. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107, wherein an identity of the auction participants is shielded.

114. The internet accessible electronic auction site of claim 107, wherein said bid ranking or bid amount of a bid entry is not alterable after it is submitted.