Computer implemented methods and apparatus for auctions
First Claim
1. A method for conducting an auction of a plurality of types of items among a plurality of users implemented on a computer system comprising an auction computer and at least one user computer located remotely from said auction computer, at least one of said types of items including plural instances of items subject to said auction, the method comprising:
- a) transmitting information from said auction computer to at least one user computer, said information including at least current proposed prices for each of the types of items;
b) receiving for processing at said auction computer bid information from users, said bid information including one or more bids, at least one of the bids comprising a set identification Si which identifies a set of items that a user proposes to transact at the current proposed prices, at least one of said set identifications identifying a set containing at least two different types of items;
c) determining, in response to the bid information, whether the auction should continue or terminate;
d) transmitting a message to at least one user computer indicating that the auction will continue, in relation to a determination to continue the auction, said message including an updated current proposed price for at least one of the types of items; and
e) selecting bids, in relation to a determination to terminate the auction, so that the sets Si identified by the selected bids are compatible.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer implemented system and method of executing an auction. The system has at least two intelligent systems, one for the auctioneer and at least one for a user. The auction is conducted by the auctioneer'"'"'s system communicating with the user system(s). The auctioneer'"'"'s system receives information from the user system(s) based on bid information entered by the user(s). With this information the auctioneer'"'"'s system determines whether the auction can be concluded or not and appropriate messages are transmitted to the user(s).
38 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for conducting an auction of a plurality of types of items among a plurality of users implemented on a computer system comprising an auction computer and at least one user computer located remotely from said auction computer, at least one of said types of items including plural instances of items subject to said auction, the method comprising:
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a) transmitting information from said auction computer to at least one user computer, said information including at least current proposed prices for each of the types of items; b) receiving for processing at said auction computer bid information from users, said bid information including one or more bids, at least one of the bids comprising a set identification Si which identifies a set of items that a user proposes to transact at the current proposed prices, at least one of said set identifications identifying a set containing at least two different types of items; c) determining, in response to the bid information, whether the auction should continue or terminate; d) transmitting a message to at least one user computer indicating that the auction will continue, in relation to a determination to continue the auction, said message including an updated current proposed price for at least one of the types of items; and e) selecting bids, in relation to a determination to terminate the auction, so that the sets Si identified by the selected bids are compatible. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for conducting an auction of a plurality of types of items among a plurality of users, at least one of said types of items including plural instances of items subject to said auction, the system comprising:
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a) a computer system for transmitting information to users including at least current proposed prices for each of the types of items; b) said computer system receiving bid information from users for processing, said bid information including one or more bids, at least one of the bids comprising a set identification Si which identifies a set of items that a user proposes to transact at the current proposed prices, at least one of said set identifications identifying a set containing at least two different types of items; c) said computer system determining, in response to the bid information, whether the auction should continue or terminate; d) said computer system, in relation to a determination to continue the auction, initiating the transmission of a message indicating that the auction will continue, said message including an updated current proposed price for at least one of the types of items; and e) said computer system selecting bids, in relation to a determination to terminate the auction, so that the sets Si identified by the selected bids are compatible. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for conducting an auction of a plurality of items among a plurality of users, at least some of said items being dissimilar, said method implemented on a computer system comprising an auction computer and at least one user computer located remotely from said auction computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving bid information from users at said auction computer, said bid information including bids, each bid (Si, Pi) comprising a set identification Si and a value parameter Pi, where the set identification Si identifies a set of items that a user proposes to transact and where the value parameter Pi specifies a value proposed by the user for the set of items identified by Si, at least one of the bids including a set identification Si identifying at least two dissimilar items b) limiting a bid from a user so that current bidding activity by said user is limited by previous bidding activity of said user; c) determining, in response to the bid information, whether the auction should continue or terminate; d) transmitting a message indicating that the auction will continue, in response to a determination to continue the auction; and e) transmitting a message indicating that the auction will terminate, in response to a determination to terminate the auction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for conducting an auction of a plurality of items among a plurality of users, at least some of said items being dissimilar, the system comprising:
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a) a computer system including at least one computer for receiving bid information from users, said bid information including bids, each bid (Si, Pi) comprising a set identification Si and a value parameter Pi, where the set identification Si identifies a set of items that a user proposes to transact and where the value parameter Pi specifies a value proposed by the user for the set of items identified by Si, at least one of the bids including a set identification Si identifying at least two dissimilar items; b) said computer system limiting a bid from at least one user so that current bidding activity by said at least one user is limited by previous bidding activity of said at least one user; c) said computer system determining, in response to the bid information, whether the auction should continue or terminate; d) said computer system initiating transmission of a message indicating that the auction will continue, in response to a determination to continue the auction; and e) said computer system initiating transmission of a message indicating that the auction will terminate, in response to a determination to terminate the auction. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification