System for Interactive Computer-Assisted On-Line Auctions

• US 20150324898A1
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Catherine Lin-Hendel
• Original Assignee: Catherine Lin-Hendel
• Inventors: Lin-Hendel, Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 10,282,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A system and method for an interactive, computer-assisted on-line auction wherein at least one array of images of objects for auction are scrolled on a display device so that a viewer can view the objects, obtain detailed information regarding objects of interest an submit bids on those objects the viewer desires to purchase. The objects in the array can be sorted into rows and columns by criteria such as manufacturer, type of good, or time until which bids are accepted. The system can include an array for objects that can currently be bid upon and another array for objects that can be bid upon at a future time. Certain objects of interest to a viewer can be selectively rotated for three-dimensional viewing by clicking on an appropriate button. A viewer can select a plurality of objects of interest, wherein monitoring screens are then composed and displayed on the display device for each selected object, each monitoring screen providing the viewer with an enlarged graphical representation of an object, detailed textual information regarding an object, and information regarding the auction for an object such as current bid price, time remaining to submit a bid and a bid submission box. The system also provides a system of selectively programmable alerts which can use visual or audible cues to alert the viewer to some occurrence, such as a predetermined amount of time remaining to submit a bid on an object.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying digital information on a display device associated with a computer processor and at least one memory, comprising:

displaying on the display device a plurality of digital information elements, wherein the digital information elements represent virtualized ones of physical items;

enabling a user to select at least one of the digital information elements;

displaying information about the item represented by the selected digital information element, wherein said information includes a description of, and link to conduct commerce activity related to, the physical item represented by the selected digital information element; and

enabling the user to change a display perspective on the display device of one or more of the digital information elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the items represented by the one or more digital information elements are displayed three-dimensionally to a user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in the display perspective involves rotating the one or more digital elements about at least one of the three-dimensions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the change in the display perspective reveals at least one view of the physical item represented by a digital information element that was not visible before initiation of the change in the display perspective.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the display perspective occurs without user input to initiate the change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying information about the item represented by the digital information element is in response to a user selection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical item represented by the digital information element is at least one of a painting, photograph, coin, sculpture, furniture item, piece of jewelry, timepiece, and electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the commerce activity relates to a bid associated with an auction.

9. A system comprising:

a computer readable storage medium capable of non-transitorily storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more computer processors, wherein the one or more processors are communicatively coupled to a display device configured to be controlled by the one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to;

display on the display device a plurality of digital information elements, wherein the digital information elements represent physical items viewed in virtual reality;

enable a user to select at least one of the digital information elements;

display information about the physical item represented by the selected digital information element, wherein the information includes a description of, and a link to conduct commerce activity related to, the physical item represented by the selected digital information element; and

enable changing of a displayed perspective of the virtual realization of the physical item represented by the selected digital information element.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs are configured to express in three dimensions the digital displaying on the display device of the image of the physical item represented by its associated digital information element.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs are configured to enable a change in the displayed perspective of a selected digital information element representing the physical item, such that the displaying of at least one of the selected physical items undergoes a three-dimensional rotation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the change in displayed perspective reveals at least one view of the user-selected item of interest represented by a digital information element that was not displayed before receiving a user action to change the displayed perspective.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein a user is an administrator of the digital information elements associated with items represented by said digital information elements stored on the said storage medium.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a user is a consumer of the item of interest.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs are configured to enable an administrator user to program at least one selected item to undergo a change in the displayed perspective on the display device automatically when a webpage containing information associated with the selected item is accessed.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs are configured to enable automatic changing of displayed perspective of the displaying of an item of interest selected by a consumer user, without requiring an action from the consumer user to initiate the change.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein, in response to the selection, the one or more programs are configured to simultaneously display a plurality of information from at least two sources about the at least one item of interest represented by the user-selected digital information element.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the commerce activity relates to a bid associated with an auction.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the item represented by the selected digital information element is at least one of a painting, a photograph, a coin, a sculpture, a furniture item, a piece of jewelry, a timepiece or an electronic device.

20. A computer implemented method for conducting commerce and displaying on a display device information regarding objects that can be purchased, wherein the display device is controlled by a computer with a processor and memory and one or more programs, the method comprising:

displaying on a display device a plurality of digital information elements, wherein the digital information elements represent items that can be purchased, and are capable of being displayed in three-dimensional perspective in virtual reality;

enabling a user to select at least one of the digital information elements;

displaying information relating to the item represented by the selected digital information element, wherein the information includes a description of the item represented by the selected digital information element, and a link to conduct a commerce activity relating to the item;

enabling the user to change the viewing perspective of the digital information elements on the display device;

monitoring the commerce activity status of the item represented by a digital information element; and

notifying the user when commerce activity occurs with respect to the item represented by a selected digital information element.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user notification occurs on a webpage.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the user notification is transmitted in the form of an electronic mail.

23. The method of claim 20, the commerce activity relates to a bid associated with an auction.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the user notification is in response to a bid being placed that exceeds a bid placed by the user.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the change in viewing perspective involves the three-dimensional rotation of at least one item represented by the selected digital information element.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the change in viewing perspective reveals at least one view of the user-selected item of interest that was not displayed before the user initiating the action to change the viewing perspective.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the user is an administrator.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the user is a consumer of the item.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the change in viewing perspective occurs without user input to initiate the change in the viewing perspective.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the displaying of information related to a selected item represented by its associated digital information element is in response to a user selection.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the displaying of information relating to an item represented by the selected digital information element includes displaying the status of commerce activity associated with the item.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the commerce activity relates to a bid associated with an auction.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the item represented by the selected digital information element is at least one of a painting, a photograph, a coin, a sculpture, a furniture item, a piece of jewelry, a timepiece or an electronic device.