On-Line Auction Interface

• US 20080234048A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Jellyvision Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Jellyvision Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Harry N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method for conducting a fantasy sports auction for a plurality of players utilizing a plurality of pre-recorded multimedia clips is disclosed. The method includes initiating an auction session including a plurality of participating team bidders, selectively displaying data associated with an individual player during the auction session, and displaying a starting bid for the individual player on the user interface. A series of progressively higher bid levels associated with the player is displayed and the participating bidders are prompted to make bids by playing at least one of the multimedia clips. Bids are received from the participating bidders and visual representations are provided for each bid on the user interface. A winning bidder is determined based on the receipt of a bid associated with the highest bid level displayed.

Claims

1. A method for conducting an online auction for selected goods utilizing a stored plurality of multimedia clips, the auction taking place among a plurality of online bidders, said method comprising:

logging in participating bidders from the plurality of bidders;

providing a dynamic visual representation of each of the participating bidders on a visual interface;

announcing the start of the auction by playing at least one of the plurality of multimedia clips;

selecting a good for bidding from a group of goods;

providing a series of progressively higher bid levels to the participating bidders for the selected good;

enabling each of the participating bidders to execute progressive bid levels for the selected good while providing representations for bid executions with the visual interface and playing at least one of the plurality of multimedia clips;

determining a winning bidder and associating the selected good with the winning bidder;

repeating the selection and bidding process for a plurality of goods remaining in the group; and

compiling a simulated set of winning selected goods associated with each of the winning bidders.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising limiting the amount of time that bids are executed for one or more bid levels.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the winning bidder to the participating bidders.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected good is a virtual character and the set is a roster of virtual characters.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each good in the group of goods is associated with a set of dynamically changing characteristics and statistics.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the changing characteristics and statistics affect the desirability of the particular good.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising incorporating the characteristics and statistics into the simulated set of winning selected goods.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the simulated set of winning selected goods is configured to perform simulated interaction to vary the characteristics and statistics.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising tracking funding credits associated with each of the participating bidders and deducting credits from the winning bidder in conjunction with the highest bid.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising assigning an initial bid increment level based on information associated with the selected good.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the information associated with the selected good is statistical data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein a participating bidder may execute a bid level by entering a keystroke on a keyboard.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a live chat window visible to the participating bidders to allow communication among participating bidders concurrently with the auction.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively displaying information associated with at least one participating bidder.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising denying one or more participating bidders the opportunity to bid based on information associated with the one or more participating bidders.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a plurality of goods available for bidding by participating bidders.

17. A method for conducting a virtual auction in conjunction with the playing of a stored plurality of multimedia clips, the method comprising:

initiating an auction session including a plurality of participating bidders;

displaying icons representative of the participating bidders;

selectively displaying data associated with a plurality of virtual goods;

enabling the selection of a good from the plurality of virtual goods;

displaying a series of progressively higher bid levels associated with the selected virtual good to the participating bidders and prompting the participating bidders to make bids by playing at least one of the multimedia clips;

receiving bid execution signals from at least one of the participating bidders and providing multimedia representations for at least one bid execution signal; and

determining a winning bidder based on the receipt of a bid execution signal associated with the highest bid level.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein providing multimedia representations for at least one bid execution signal includes providing visual representations for at least one bid execution signal on a display.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising limiting the amount of time that bids are executed for one or more bid levels.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying the winning bidder to the participating bidders.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising tracking funding credits associated with each of the participating bidders and deducting credits from the winning bidder in conjunction with the highest bid.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising assigning an initial bid increment level based on information associated with the selected good.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein a bidder may execute a bid level by entering a keystroke on a keyboard.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising enabling a live chat window visible to the participating bidders to allow communication among participating bidders concurrently with the auction.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising selectively displaying information associated with at least one participating bidder.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising denying one or more participating bidders the opportunity to bid based on information associated with the one or more participating bidders.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying a plurality of goods available for bidding by participating bidders.

28. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying data related to a selected good to the participating bidders

29. A method for conducting a fantasy sports auction for a plurality of players utilizing a plurality of pre-recorded multimedia clips, the method comprising:

initiating an auction session including a plurality of participating team bidders;

representing the team bidders as icons on a user interface for the auction session;

selectively displaying data associated with an individual player during the auction session;

displaying a starting bid for the individual player on the user interface;

displaying a series of progressively higher bid levels associated with the player and prompting the participating bidders to make bids by playing at least one of the multimedia clips;

receiving bids from the participating bidders and providing visual representations for each bid on the user interface; and

determining a winning bidder based on the receipt of a bid associated with the highest bid level displayed.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising limiting the amount of time that bids are executed for one or more bid levels.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising displaying the winning bidder to the participating bidders.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising tracking funding credits associated with each of the participating bidders and deducting credits from the winning bidder in conjunction with the highest bid.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising assigning an initial bid increment level based on information associated with the selected good.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein a bidder may execute a bid level by entering a keystroke on a keyboard.

35. The method of claim 29 further comprising enabling a live chat window visible to the participating bidders to allow communication among participating bidders concurrently with the auction.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising selectively displaying information associated with at least one participating bidder.

37. The method of claim 29 further comprising denying one or more participating bidders the opportunity to bid based on information associated with the one or more participating bidders.

38. The method of claim 29 further comprising displaying a plurality of goods available for bidding by participating bidders.