METHOD FOR PERFORMING A NETWORK AUCTION
First Claim
1. A method for conducting an auction over an electronic network, comprising:
- receiving from a seller client over the electronic network, listing information regarding an auction item;
enabling potential bidders to access the listing information and to enter a bid on the auction item for up to a predefined period of time, andawarding the auction item to a particular bidder prior to expiration of the predefined period if an instruction is received from the seller client over the electronic network, to accept a particular received bid associated with the particular bidder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to conducting an auction over an electronic network such as the Internet. In an exemplary embodiment, the auction is administered by a central computer, that enables a seller to enter listing information regarding an auction item and enables bidders to enter bids for the auction item. The seller may manually select a bid prior to expiration of a predefined auction period, even if the selected bid is not the highest. The seller may also enter one or more auction conditions desired of a bid and/or bidder. The auction ends as soon as a bid by a bidder is entered that meets the auction conditions, even if the full auction period has not expired. A bidder may also enter a bid group of multiple bids to participate in multiple auctions for substantially similar auction items. If one bid is accepted, the other bids are cancelled.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for conducting an auction over an electronic network, comprising:
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receiving from a seller client over the electronic network, listing information regarding an auction item; enabling potential bidders to access the listing information and to enter a bid on the auction item for up to a predefined period of time, and awarding the auction item to a particular bidder prior to expiration of the predefined period if an instruction is received from the seller client over the electronic network, to accept a particular received bid associated with the particular bidder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for conducting an auction over an electronic network, comprising:
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a communication interface in communication with the electronic network; a processor in communication with the communication interface; and a memory in communication with the processor and storing processor readable instructions that cause the processor to perform a plurality of operations including; receiving from a seller client over the electronic network, listing information regarding an auction item; enabling potential bidders to access the listing information and enter a bid on the item for auction for up to a predefined period of time, and awarding the auction item to a particular bidder prior to expiration of the predefined period if an instruction is receiving from the seller client over the electronic network, to accept a particular received bid associated with the particular bidder. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification