Method of conducting an on-line auction with bid pooling
First Claim
1. A method of conducting an auction using a computer network, said computer network comprising a central computer, a plurality of remote computers, and a plurality of communication lines connecting said remote computers to said central computer, said method comprising the following steps:
- a) registering a plurality of bidding groups in said central computer, each of said bidding groups having a total bid;
b) receiving in said central computer bids entered from said remote computers, each of said bids comprising a bid amount and a bid designation, said bid designation indicating a chosen group comprising one of said bidding groups for which said bid is intended;
c) contributing said bid amount to said total bid of said chosen group; and
d) declaring a winning group, said winning group being the one bidding group having the largest total bid at the end of said bidding session.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of conducting an on-line auction that permits individual bidders to pool bids during a bidding session. The auction is conducted over a computer network that includes a central computer, a number of remote computers, and communication lines connecting the remote computers to the central computer. A number of bidding groups are registered in the central computer, each bidding group having a total bid for the item being auctioned. Bids entered from the remote computers are received in the central computer, each bid including a bid amount and a bid designation. Each bid amount is contributed to the total bid of the bidding group indicated by the bid designation. The bidding group having the largest total bid at the end of the bidding session wins the item being auctioned.
1364 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of conducting an auction using a computer network, said computer network comprising a central computer, a plurality of remote computers, and a plurality of communication lines connecting said remote computers to said central computer, said method comprising the following steps:
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a) registering a plurality of bidding groups in said central computer, each of said bidding groups having a total bid; b) receiving in said central computer bids entered from said remote computers, each of said bids comprising a bid amount and a bid designation, said bid designation indicating a chosen group comprising one of said bidding groups for which said bid is intended; c) contributing said bid amount to said total bid of said chosen group; and d) declaring a winning group, said winning group being the one bidding group having the largest total bid at the end of said bidding session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of bid pooling during a bidding session of an auction, said auction being conducted over a computer network, said computer network comprising a central computer, a plurality of remote computers, and a plurality of communication lines connecting said remote computers to said central computer, said method comprising the following steps:
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a) registering a plurality of bidding groups in said central computer, each of said bidding groups having a total bid; b) receiving in said central computer bids entered from said remote computers, each of said bids comprising a bid amount and a bid designation, said bid designation indicating a chosen group comprising one of said bidding groups for which said bid is intended; and c) contributing said bid amount to said total bid of said chosen group. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification