System and method for conducting a time auction

• US 6,519,570 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: KEEN.COM, Incorporated
• Inventors: Faber, Scott, Van der Linden, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga B.
• Application Number:
  US09/565,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/37, 705/1, 705/27, 705/8
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and a method of conducting a time-auction among queuing customers is described. A bid is received from one of the queuing customers and compared with the prices being offered by the other customers waiting in line. If the bid is higher than at least one of the prices, the bidding customer is advanced in line ahead of the customer offering the lower price. The system and method provide a mechanism for customers willing to pay more to advance in the queue and to move ahead of those not willing to pay as much. At the same time, the system and method allow vendors such as service providers, for whose good or services customers are willing to wait in line, to maximize the price charged for their services at any given moment.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a real-time communications connection between a user and a selected information service provider for a live, real-time conversation, the system comprising:

a communications interface; and

a controller computer linked with the communications interface, the controller computer having;

a first logic unit to provide a list of information service providers from a wide array of fields of service to the user;

a second logic unit, in response to the user selecting the selected information service provider from the list, to assign the user a position in a queue when one or more other users have also selected the selected information service provider, the queue having a plurality of other positions, each occupied by one of the one or more of other users waiting to communicate with the selected information provider;

a third logic unit to receive a bid from the user when the user desires to advance position within the queue;

a fourth logic unit to compare the bid with each price being offered by each of the one or more other users, such that each price being offered by each of the one or more other users is initially equal to a price charged by the selected information service provider for providing services in a live, real-time conversation with the user;

a fifth logic unit to advance the user to a position in the queue ahead of each other positions occupied by each other users whose price is lower than the bid; and

a sixth logic unit to establish a real-time communications connection via the communications interface between the user and the selected information service provider for the live real time conversation when the user advances to a first position in the queue and the selected information service provider is available to communicate with the user.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a seventh logic unit to present a web page to the user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first logic unit provides the list to the user via the web page.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the third logic unit receives the bid via the web page.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the web page shows where in the queue the position of the user is currently located.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the web page shows each price being offered by each of the plurality of other users.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the third logic unit receives the bid via a voice connection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the third logic unit receives the bid via a telephone connection.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the third logic unit receives the bid via an Internet connection.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a seventh logic unit to inform the user of the position in the queue that the user currently occupies.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the seventh logic unit informs the user via an audio connection.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the seventh logic unit informs the user via a telephone connection.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the seventh logic unit informs the user via an Internet connection.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a seventh logic unit to inform the user of each price being offered by each of the one or more other users.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time communications connection comprises a voice connection.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time communications connection comprises a telephone connection.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time communications connection comprises an Internet connection.

18. A method of maximizing an amount that an information service provider charges one of a plurality of customers to engage in a live, real-time conversation with the information service provider while waiting in a queue, the method comprising:

informing the plurality of customers of a plurality of positions and a plurality of prices, each of the plurality of positions being occupied by one of the plurality of customers and each of the plurality of prices being offered by one of the plurality of customers waiting to communicate with the information provider;

providing a system generated bid to the plurality of customers, the bid being higher than each of the plurality of prices and higher than a price charged by the selected information service provider for providing services in a live, real-time conversation with the user;

prompting the plurality of customers to accept the system generated bid;

in response to one of the plurality of customers accepting the system generated bid, advancing the position of the one customer ahead of the plurality of positions occupied by others of the plurality of customers; and

establishing a real-time communications connection between the information service provider and the one customer when the information service provider becomes available to engage in the live, real-time conversation with the one customer, the one customer being charged an amount equal to the system generated bid for the real-time communications connection with the information service provider.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the bid is provided to the plurality of customers via an Internet connection.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the bid is provided to the plurality of customers via a telephone connection.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the bid is accepted by the one customer via an Internet connection.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the bid is accepted by the one customer via a telephone connection.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting a web page to the plurality of customers, the plurality of customers being informed of the plurality of positions and the plurality of prices via the web page.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the bid is provided via the web page.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the one customer accepts the bid via the web page.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the bid is a rate per period of time and the amount the one customer is charged is based upon how long the real-time communications connection is maintained between the information provider and the one customer.

27. A method of conducting a time auction among a plurality of users in a queue waiting to engage in a live, real-time conversation with an information service provider, the method comprising:

receiving a first bid from a first user above a price charged by the selected information service provider for providing services in a live, real-time conversation with the user;

comparing the first bid with a plurality of prices offered by the plurality of users in the queue such that each of the plurality of prices offered by the plurality of users in the queue is initially equal to the price charged by the selected information service provider;

advancing the first user ahead of each of the plurality of users whose price is less than the first bid;

receiving a second bid from a second user;

comparing the second bid with the plurality of prices, including the first bid;

advancing the second user ahead of each of the plurality of users, including the first user, whose price is less than the second bid, such that the queue is re-organized in real-time in response to each bid received; and

establishing a real-time communications connection between the information service provider and a user in a first position of the queue customer when the information service provider becomes available to engage in the live, real-time conversation with the user, the user being charged an amount equal to the system generated bid for the real-time communications connection with the information service provider.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of users includes a subset of users offering the same price, the subset of users being organized in the queue in order of when each of the subset of users entered the queue.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising informing a user of the plurality of users of a position occupied by the user in the queue.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the user is informed of the position in real-time.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the user is informed of the position each time another user is advanced in the queue.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising informing a user of each of the plurality of prices offered by each of the plurality of users.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of prices is updated each time a bid is received to include the bid.