Method and apparatus for holding a two-stage live auction for on-site and on-line bidders
First Claim
1. A method of performing an auction of an item, the method comprising:
- during a first stage of an auction, using one or more computer processors;
accepting live bids for the item from on-site bidders at a live, in-person auction;
communicating the live bids to on-line bidders;
accepting a maximum proxy price from a given on-line bidder, the maximum proxy price indicating a maximum price that the given on-line bidder is willing to pay for the item; and
updating bidding information associated with the item to reflect a current bid associated with the item;
the current bid based on one of the maximum proxy price and the live bids;
during a second stage of an auction, based on one or more on-line bidders having submitted a maximum proxy price greater than a highest bid from the first stage, continuing to accept live bids from the on-site bidders until at least one of the following occurs;
all of the maximum proxy prices are exceeded; and
no further live bids are received.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for conducting a two-stage live auction for on-site and on-line bidders, the two stages including 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.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of performing an auction of an item, the method comprising:
during a first stage of an auction, using one or more computer processors; accepting live bids for the item from on-site bidders at a live, in-person auction; communicating the live bids to on-line bidders; accepting a maximum proxy price from a given on-line bidder, the maximum proxy price indicating a maximum price that the given on-line bidder is willing to pay for the item; and updating bidding information associated with the item to reflect a current bid associated with the item;
the current bid based on one of the maximum proxy price and the live bids;during a second stage of an auction, based on one or more on-line bidders having submitted a maximum proxy price greater than a highest bid from the first stage, continuing to accept live bids from the on-site bidders until at least one of the following occurs; all of the maximum proxy prices are exceeded; and no further live bids are received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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transmitting, using one or more communication devices, to one or more remote auction bidders information about an item being auctioned in a live auction at a live auction site; receiving one or more remote auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned; choosing, by at least one computer processor that is coupled to a storage device, as a starting bid in the live auction the highest bid from the one or more remote auction bids; transmitting the starting bid to an auctioneer of the live auction site who receives live bids and remote auction bids; receiving from the auctioneer of the live auction site, an accepted auction bid, wherein the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and the starting bid; and transmitting the accepted auction bid to at least one remote auction bidder. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to execute the following operations:
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transmitting to one or more remote auction bidders information about an item being auctioned in a live auction at a live auction site; receiving one or more remote auction bids from the one or more remote auction bidders for the item being auctioned; choosing as a starting bid in the live auction the highest hid from the one or more remote auction bids; transmitting the starting bid to an auctioneer of the live auction site who receives live bids and remote auction bids; receiving, from the auctioneer of the live auction site, an accepted auction bid, wherein the accepted auction bid is selected from a plurality of onsite auction bids and the starting bid; and transmitting the accepted auction bid to at least one remote auction bidder.
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Specification