Live auctioning system and methods

• US 9,064,282 B1
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heritage Capital Corp.
• Original Assignee: Heritage Capital Corp.
• Inventors: Carpenter, Brian, Halperin, Jim, Jackson, Matt, Minshull, Paul, Shipman, Brian, Sokol, Ryan, Weems, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US12/784,575
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An auctioning method is conducted using an interactive auction host system. The method includes providing access for auction participants to a live auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator at an auction host location. At least some of the access to the live auction is provided to remote auction participants through an auction host system of the auction host system. Data is transmitted substantially in real time from the auction host system, which may include auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through a network to one or more remote auction participants located at a remote participant interface. Information provided from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface is provided and received by auction host system. At least one of various other actions are performed.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a live auction using a computer-readable medium having computer useable executable instructions thereon to perform the method, said method comprising:

providing access for auction participants to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator at an auction host location, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remote auction participants through an auction host computer system that is in electronic communication with the remote auction participants over a computer communications network, each of said remote auction participants having a remote participant interface embodied on a remote computer device configured for electronic communication with the auction host computer system;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a remote auction participant and adjusting data transmission to said remote auction participant based upon the detected configuration;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through the computer communications network to the remote computer systems of one or more remote auction participants by way of said remote participant interface;

receiving information from the remote computer systems of the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted to the auction host computer system;

initiating a test bid upon a remote auction participant initially accessing information through the network provided from the auction host computer system, the test bid mimicking a bid request that is transmitted to the auction host computer system over the network to evaluate whether information from the remote auction participant is being properly received by the auction host computer system through the network, the remote auction participant being provided at the remote participant interface with an indication of at least one of a success or failure as to whether information transmitted from the remote computer systems over the communications network is being properly received by the auction host commuter system;

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current bid information;

receiving at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant transmitted over the communications network to the auction host computer system;

displaying, by said auction host computer system, the bid amount to remote auction participants and/or live auction participants;

electronically notifying the remote auction participant over the communications network of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the bid amount is not at or above predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying to auction participants at the opening of an auctioned lot a selected number of prebids that have been placed by auction participants prior to opening of an auctioned lot.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of selecting, by the remote auction participant, information for two or more lots and displaying, by the remote participant interface, the two or more lots in close proximity to one another on a display of the remote participant interface to facilitate comparison of the two or more lots.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving additional bids from other remote auction participants, each new bid raising the bid amount by a preselected incremental amount assigned for the auctioned lot.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, further comprising the step of providing each remote auction participant with a limited number of cut bids for at least one auctioned lot that allows the remote auction participant to place a cut bid in an amount that is less than the preselected incremental full bid amount assigned for each auctioned lot.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising the step preventing the remote auction participant from placing further cut bids when the limited number of cut bids has been placed.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the remote participant interface with a bid disablement feature that is selected to disable bidding commands.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting, by the remote auction participant, a maximum bid amount the remote auction participant is willing to pay; and

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing an audio alert at a remote participant interface to prompt the remote auction participant regarding the occurrence of an event and providing a live chat feature to allow communication between auction host administrators or personnel and the remote participants.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received by the auction host computer system includes a proxy bid amount for at least one selected lot received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, the proxy bid amount being a maximum bid amount of the at least one remote auction participant for the at least one selected lot, the proxy bid amount being compared to other bids received for the at least one selected lot by the live auction system prior to or during the auction of the at least one lot;

and

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received by the auction host computer system includes a budget bid amount for at least two selected lots received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, an amount spent on a successful bid for a first of said selected lots being deducted from the budget bid amount so that the remote auction participant is limited to a remaining balance of the budget bid amount when bidding on a second of said selected lots.

12. A method of conducting a live electronic auction comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing access for auction participants to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator at an auction host location, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remote auction participants through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a computer device of a remote auction participant and adjusting data transmission to said remote auction participant based upon the detected interface configuration;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through the computer communications network to at least said one remote auction participant in accordance with said remote participant interface configuration of said remote participant computer device;

receiving information from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted over the computer communications network to the auction host computer system;

receiving, by the auction host computer system, at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant;

displaying the bid amount to remote auction, participants and/or live auction participants;

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current bid information;

receiving additional new bids from other remote auction participants, said bids being electronically transmitted from the computer devices of said remote auction participants over the communications network to said auction host computer system, each new bid raising the bid amount by a preselected incremental amount assigned for the auctioned lot;

providing each remote auction participant with a limited number of cut bids for at least one auctioned lot that allows the remote auction participant to place a cut bid in an amount that is less than the preselected incremental full bid amount assigned for each auctioned lot;

preventing the remote auction participant from placing further cut bids when the limited number of cut bids has been placed;

notifying the remote auction participant over the communications network of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the bid amount is not at or above a predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of providing a latency detection notification that facilitates the receiving of a late bid that is received by the auction host computer system after the closing of an auctioned lot at the host location, the latency detection notification facilitating the reopening and acceptance of the received late bid.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of providing the remote participant interface with a bid disablement feature that is selected to disable bidding commands.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

setting, by the remote auction participant, a maximum bid amount the remote auction participant is willing to pay; and

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the information received by the auction host computer system includes a budget bid amount for at least two selected lots received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, an amount spent on a successful bid for a first of said selected lots being deducted from the budget bid amount so that the remote auction participant is limited to a remaining balance of the budget bid amount when bidding on a second of said selected lots.

17. A method of conducting a live auction comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing access for auction participants to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen an auction administrator at an auction host location, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remotely located computer device of remote auction participants through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through the computer communications network to one or more remote auction participants by way of a remote participant interface on said remotely located computer devices;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a computer device of a remote auction participant and adjusting data transmission to said at least one remote auction participant based upon the detected configuration of said computer device;

receiving information from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted over the computer communications network to the auction host computer system;

initiating a test bid upon a remote auction participant initially accessing information through the network provided from the auction host computer system, the test bid mimicking a bid request that is transmitted to the auction host computer system over the communications network to evaluate whether information from the remote auction participant is being properly received by the auction host computer system through the network, the remote auction participant being provided at the remote participant interface with an indication of at least one of a success or failure as to whether information is being properly received by the auction host computer system;

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current bid information;

receiving at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant over the communications network;

displaying the bid amount to remote auction participants and/or live auction participants;

electronically notifying the remote auction participant of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the hid amount is not at or above a predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the step of providing a latency detection notification that facilitates the receiving of a late bid that is received by the auction host computer system after the closing of an auctioned lot at the host location, the latency detection notification facilitating the reopening and acceptance of the received late bid.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received by the auction host computer system includes a budget bid amount for at least two selected lots received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, an amount spent on a successful bid for a first of said selected lots being deducted from the budget bid amount so that the remote auction participant is limited to a remaining balance of the budget bid amount when bidding on a second of said selected lots.

20. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

setting, by the remote auction participant, a maximum bid amount the remote auction participant is willing to pay; and

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-useable executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of conducting an auction comprising:

providing access for auction participants at remote locations to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a computer device of a remote auction participant and adjusting data transmission to said remote auction participant based upon the detected configuration of said computer device;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system, auction-related data by way said remote participant interface of said computer device;

receiving information from remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted to the auction host computer system;

receiving at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant, said at least one bid raising the bid amount by a preselected incremental amount assigned for the auctioned lot;

displaying the bid amount to all of the remote auction participants;

providing each remote auction participant with a limited number of cut bids for at least one auctioned lot that allows the remote auction participant to place a cut bid in an amount that is less than the preselected incremental full bid amount assigned for each auctioned lot;

preventing the remote auction participant from placing further cut bids when the limited number of cut bids has been placed;

notifying the remote auction participant of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the bid amount is not at or above a predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the information received by the auction host computer system includes a budget bid amount for at least two selected lots received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, an amount spent on a successful bid for a first of said selected lots being deducted from the budget bid amount so that the remote auction participant is limited to a remaining balance of the budget bid amount when bidding on a second of said selected lots.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein, the method performed by said computer-readable medium further includes providing access for live auction participants at an auction host location that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remote auction participants through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

receiving information from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted to the auction host computer system; and

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current hid information including bids from remote participants.

24. A method of conducting a live auction using a computer-readable medium having computer-useable executable instructions embodied thereon, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing access for auction participants to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator at an auction host location, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remote auction participants through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a computer device of a remote auction participant and adjusting data transmission to said remote auction participant based upon the detected configuration of said computer device;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through the computer communications network to at least said one remote auction participant in accordance with said remote participant interface configuration of said remote auction participant computer device;

receiving information from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted to the auction host computer system, the information received by the auction host computer system including a proxy bid amount for at least one selected lot received from at least one remote auction participant through the remote participant interface, the proxy bid amount being a maximum bid amount of the at least one remote auction participant for the at least one selected lot, the proxy bid amount being compared to other bids received for the at least one selected lot by the live auction system prior to or during the auction of the at least one lot;

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid;

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current bid information;

receiving at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant over the communications network;

displaying the bid amount to remote auction participants and/or live auction participants;

notifying the remote auction participant of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the bid amount is not at or above a predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-useable executable instructions embodied thereon performing a method of conducting a live auction comprising:

providing access for auction participants to an auction for one or more auctioned lots of products or services that is conducted and overseen by an auction administrator at an auction host location, at least some of the access to the live auction being provided to remote auction participants through an auction host computer system over a computer communications network;

detecting with the auction host computer system at least one remote participant interface configuration of a computer device of a remote auction participant end adjusting data transmission to said remote auction participant based upon the detected configuration of said computer device;

transmitting substantially in real time from the auction host computer system auction-related data and at least one of video and audio feeds of the live auction through the computer communications network to at least said one remote auction participant in accordance with said interface configuration of said remote auction participant computer device;

receiving information from the remote auction participants through the remote participant interface transmitted to the auction host computer system;

receiving at least one bid for a lot of products or services from a remote auction participant;

setting, by the remote auction participant, a maximum bid amount the remote auction participant is willing to pay;

providing the remote auction participant with a selectable bid protection option on the remote participant interface that allows the auction host to increase the bid of a remote auction participant by a selected bid increment above the maximum bid amount if the selected bid increment is necessary for a winning bid;

displaying the bid amount to remote auction participants and/or live auction participants;

displaying on an auction display of the auction host computer system at the auction host location information regarding the conducted auction and current bid information;

receiving additional new bids from other remote auction participants;

notifying the remote auction participant of a winning bid or withdrawal of the auctioned lot if the bid amount is not at or above a predetermined minimum bid amount; and

closing the auction for the auctioned lot.