Method and system for providing an on-line auction

• US 7,895,087 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Jellyvision Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Jellyvision Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Harry N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US11/230,219
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing an on-line auction are disclosed. Online auctions are popular methods of buying and selling items. Some of these auctions relate to “Dutch Auctions,” where the subject of the auction is a plurality of similar items. Other types of auctions are disclosed. The embodiments presented herein can be used in contexts other than auctions. Also, each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Claims

1. A method for providing an auction of a plurality of similar items, the method comprising:

(a) announcing, via a processor, an ask price for each of a plurality of similar items in an auction;

(b) receiving, at the processor, a bid from at least one of a plurality of bidders, each bid comprising an identification of a desired quantity of the item at the ask price;

(c) automatically determining, by the processor, one or both of the following;

(1) the minimum ask price at which a bidder must have bid to be currently winning the auction and (2) the maximum ask price at which a bidder must have bid most recently to be currently losing the auction;

(d) informing, via the processor, the plurality of bidders of a result of (c);

(e) incrementing, by the processor, the ask price; and

(f) repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received for the ask price, wherein the auction does not have a scheduled end time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (t) comprises repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received within a period of time for the ask price.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, via the processor, a fair warning period prior to closing the auction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) via one or more of the following:

television, the Internet, and radio.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) by a processor with one of the following:

a pre-recorded media clip or a synthesized voice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) by a human in real or near-real time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of bids are received in (b) from a bidspotter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) is performed before (a) when the ask price comprises an opening ask price, wherein the at least one of a plurality of bidders is a proxy bidder, and wherein the bid comprises a proxy bid.

9. A method for providing an auction of a plurality of similar items, the method comprising:

(a) announcing, via a processor, an ask price for each of a plurality of similar items in an auction with one of the following;

a pre-recorded media clip or a synthesized voice;

(b) receiving, at the processor, a bid from at least one of a plurality of bidders, each bid comprising an identification of a desired quantity of the item at the ask price;

(c) automatically determining, by the processor, one or both of the following;

(1) the minimum ask price at which a bidder must have bid to be currently winning the auction and (2) the maximum ask price at which a bidder must have bid most recently to be currently losing the auction;

(d) informing, via the processor, the plurality of bidders of a result of (c);

(e) incrementing, by the processor, the ask price; and

(f) repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received for the ask price.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein (f) comprises repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received within a period of time for the ask price.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing, by the processor, a fair warning period prior to closing the auction.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) via one or more of the following:

television, the Internet, and radio.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the pre-recorded media clip comprises audio but not video.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the pre-recorded media clip comprises both audio and video.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the plurality of bids are received in (b) from a bidspotter.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) is performed before (a) when the ask price comprises an opening ask price, wherein the at least one of a plurality of bidders is a proxy bidder, and wherein the bid comprises a proxy bid.

17. A method for providing an auction of a plurality of similar items, the method comprising:

(a) announcing, via a processor, an ask price for each of a plurality of similar items in an auction;

(b) receiving, at the processor, a bid from at least one of a plurality of bidders, each bid comprising an identification of a desired quantity of the item at the ask price;

(c) automatically determining, by the processor, one or both of the following;

(1) the minimum ask price at which a bidder must have bid to be currently winning the auction and (2) the maximum ask price at which a bidder must have bid most recently to be currently losing the auction;

(d) informing, via the processor, the plurality of bidders of a result of (c) using one of the following;

a pre-recorded media clip or a synthesized voice

(e) incrementing, by the processor, the ask price; and

(f) repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received for the ask price.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein (f) comprises repeating (a)-(e) until no bids are received within a period of time for the ask price.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing, via the processor, a fair warning period prior to closing the auction.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) via one or more of the following:

television, the Internet, and radio.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) by a processor with one of the following:

a pre-recorded media clip or a synthesized voice.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the pre-recorded media clip comprises audio but not video.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the pre-recorded media clip comprises both audio and video.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the ask price is announced in (a) by a human in real or near-real time.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein at least some of the plurality of bids are received in (b) from a bidspotter.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein (b) is performed before (a) when the ask price comprises an opening ask price, wherein the at least one of a plurality of bidders is a proxy bidder, and wherein the bid comprises a proxy bid.