Remote bidding supplement for traditional live auctions

• US 6,813,612 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xcira Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Auction Management Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Rabenold, Nancy J., Simmons, James A., Sper, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,191
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/1, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A remote bidding supplement for traditional-style live auctions, comprising an audio/video system for streaming instantaneous and buffer-free live audio and video data from a live auction site to one or more remote auction bidders having a bidding device for receiving the data and for transmitting instantaneously remote auction bids for each item being auctioned at the live auction site; a clerk system for controlling and accepting auction bids received at the live auction site from onsite auction bidder and from remote auction bidders for each item being auctioned at the live auction site; a marquee system for displaying instantaneously at the live auction site auction bid information, including accepted auction bids, for each item being auctioned at the live auction site; and a bid system for broadcasting instantaneously to all remote auction bidders and to the marquee system the auction bid information for each item being auctioned at the live auction site, for receiving instantaneously auction bids from each remote auction bidder for each item being auctioned at the live auction site and for transmitting instantaneously to the clerk system each remote auction bid received for each item being auctioned at the live auction, and for broadcasting instantaneously to all remote auction bidders and to the marquee system the onsite and remote auction bids that have been accepted by the clerk system.

Claims

1. A system that integrates a remote auction audience with an onsite auction audience within a traditional-style, live auction while leaving an auctioneer in control of the auction event, the system comprising:

a clerk system operable to process auction bids from one or more onsite auction bidders and remote auction bidders for an item being auctioned at a live auction site;

a lid system operable to;

transmit to one or more remote auction bidders information pertaining to the item being auctioned,

receive auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the items being auctioned; and

transmit to the one or more remote auction bidders information regarding the acceptance and rejection of the onsite and remote auction bids; and

the clerk system and the bid system being event-only driven systems operating subject to the occurrence of non-time based events, the non-time based events occurring under the direction of the auctioneer, whereby the auctioneer manages the psychology and the pace of the auction.

2. A method for integrating a remote auction audience with an onsite auction audience within a traditional-style, live auction while leaving an auctioneer in control of the auction event, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting to one or more remote auction bidders information about an item being auctioned at the live auction site;

receiving one or more auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned;

processing auction bids from one or more onsite auction bidders and remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned;

accepting an auction bid, the auction bid being accepted under the discretionary control of the auctioneer and the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and remote auction bids; and

transmitting information regarding the acceptance and rejection of the onsite and remote auction bids to at least one remote auction bidder;

the steps being performed in accordance with non-time, event-only based events occurring under the direction of the auctioneer, whereby the auctioneer manages the acceptance and rejection of bids, the pace of the auction and the psychology of the auction.

3. A method for integrating a remote auction audience with an onsite auction audience at a traditional-style, live auction while leaving an auctioneer in control of the auction event, comprising the steps of:

capturing live audio and video data at a live auction;

streaming the captured live audio and video data to one or more remote auction bidders, each remote auction bidder operating a bidding device, enabling remote auction bidders to hear the auctioneer'"'"'s auction chant and view real-time video from the live auction site, the live audio and video being received along with the reception of information regarding the an item being auctioned at the live auction site and information regarding acceptance and rejection of onsite and remote auction bids over an IP network, the bidding device being operable to receive and transmit auction bids for the item being auctioned;

transmitting to the one or more remote auction bidders information regarding the item being auctioned;

receiving auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned;

processing auction bids from one or more onsite auction bidders and remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned at the live auction site;

accepting an auction bid, the auction bid being accepted under the discretionary control of the auctioneer and the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and remote auction bids;

transmitting information regarding the acceptance and rejection of the onsite and remote auction bids to at least one remote bidding device, whereby the auctioneer manages the acceptance and rejection of bids, the pace of the auction and the psychology of the auction; and

degrading service upon determination of a network packet loss by initially stopping the video stream, and upon continued packet loss, stopping the audio stream to ensure optimal auction bidding performance.