Method and apparatus for holding an online live auction to combine features of both the internet and traditional, real world auctions
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- prior to a live, in-person auction,establishing an absentee bid for an item in an online environment by performing a pre-auction absentee bidding process in the online environment, the pre-auction absentee bidding process including,communicating, via a communication device, the item to pre-auction online users,receiving absentee bids for the item from pre-auction online bidders, anddetermining, using a processor, that an online absentee bid is a highest absentee bid from the absentee bids received by comparing the online absentee bid with the current highest absentee bid, the highest absentee bid being placed by a pre-auction online bidder; and
in response to the determination that the online absentee bid is the highest absentee bid, communicating the highest absentee bid for the item to the live, in-person auction; and
during the live, in-person auction,updating bidding information associated with the item in the online environment to reflect a current bid associated with the item in the live, in-person auction, wherein the current bid includes a highest live bid received from a live online bidder,accepting bids from live online bidders in the online environment, the bids reflecting the live online bidders'"'"' bid price for the item, beginning of the accepting of the bids being signaled by receiving of the highest absentee bid, andbidding on behalf of the pre-auction online bidder of the highest absentee bid against the live online bidders to enable real-time online bidding in the live, in-person auction between the pre-auction online bidder and the live online bidders that are participating in the live, in-person auction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for conducting a live auction that combines various features of traditional and online auctions. According to one aspect of the present invention, the live auction includes a live, in-person auction component and a real-time online bidding environment component. Bidding information associated with an item in the online bidding environment is updated to reflect a current bid associated with the item in the live, in-person auction. During the live, in-person auction, a bid is be accepted from an online bidder in the online environment that reflects the online bidder'"'"'s bid price for the item. Subsequently, the system bids on behalf of the online bidder against other online bidders as well as one or more live bidders that are participating in the live, in-person. As such, the live auction enables real-time online bidding in a live, in-person auction.
120 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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prior to a live, in-person auction, establishing an absentee bid for an item in an online environment by performing a pre-auction absentee bidding process in the online environment, the pre-auction absentee bidding process including, communicating, via a communication device, the item to pre-auction online users, receiving absentee bids for the item from pre-auction online bidders, and determining, using a processor, that an online absentee bid is a highest absentee bid from the absentee bids received by comparing the online absentee bid with the current highest absentee bid, the highest absentee bid being placed by a pre-auction online bidder; and in response to the determination that the online absentee bid is the highest absentee bid, communicating the highest absentee bid for the item to the live, in-person auction; and during the live, in-person auction, updating bidding information associated with the item in the online environment to reflect a current bid associated with the item in the live, in-person auction, wherein the current bid includes a highest live bid received from a live online bidder, accepting bids from live online bidders in the online environment, the bids reflecting the live online bidders'"'"' bid price for the item, beginning of the accepting of the bids being signaled by receiving of the highest absentee bid, and bidding on behalf of the pre-auction online bidder of the highest absentee bid against the live online bidders to enable real-time online bidding in the live, in-person auction between the pre-auction online bidder and the live online bidders that are participating in the live, in-person auction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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prior to a live, in-person auction, establishing an absentee bid for an item in an online environment by performing a pre-auction absentee bidding process in the online environment, the pre-auction absentee bidding process including, communicating, via a communication device, the item to pre-auction online users, receiving absentee bids for the item from pre-auction online bidders, and determining, using a processor, that an online absentee bid is a highest absentee bid from the absentee bids received by comparing the online absentee bid with the current highest absentee bid, the highest absentee bid is placed by a pre-auction online bidder; and in response to the determination that the online absentee bid is the highest absentee bid, communicating the highest absentee bid for the item to the live, in-person auction; and performing the live, in-person auction including bidding on behalf of the pre-auction online bidder of the highest absentee bid against live online bidders to enable real-time online bidding in the live, in-person auction between the pre-auction online bidder and the online bidders that are participating in the live, in-person auction, beginning of accepting of bids from online bidders being signaled by receiving of the highest absentee bid. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17)
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11. A computer system to perform a live, in-person auction and a pre-auction absentee bidding process, the system comprising:
a listing server computer coupled with one or more client computers to provide pre-auction online users and live online users access to one or more of the following; the pre-auction absentee bidding process and the live, in-person auction, the listing server having a storage medium; and a processor coupled to the storage medium, the processor to prior to the live, in-person auction, establish an absentee bid for an item in an online environment by performing the pre-auction absentee bidding process in the online environment, the pre-auction absentee bidding process including communicating the item to the pre-auction online users, receiving absentee bids for the item from pre-auction online bidders, and determining that an online absentee bid is a highest absentee bid from the absentee bids by comparing the online absentee bid with the current highest absentee bid, the highest absentee bid is placed by a pre-auction online bidder; in response to the determination that the online absentee bid is the highest absentee bid, communicate the highest absentee bid for the item to the live, in-person auction, and perform the live, in-person auction includes bidding on behalf of the pre-auction online bidder of the highest absentee bid against live online bidders to enable real-time online bidding in the live, in-person auction between the pre-auction online bidder and the online bidders that are participating the live, in-person auction, beginning of accepting of bids from online bidders being signaled by receiving of the highest absentee bid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
Specification